The warm sunlight of early spring bathed the courtyard of Tristain Academy of Magic, its golden rays glinting off polished marble pillars and neatly trimmed hedges. Students clad in pristine robes gathered in clusters, chattering excitedly as they awaited one of the most pivotal moments of their academic careers—the familiar summoning ritual. Amidst the bustling anticipation stood Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she glared at the cobblestones beneath her feet.
She tried to ignore the occasional snicker or whispered comment from her peers. The words were often muffled, but their intent was clear enough:
"Louise the Zero is going to blow up the whole courtyard again!"
"She'd better summon something that doesn't get scared off by her explosions."
"Maybe she'll summon a literal zero, like a pile of dust!"
Louise clenched her jaw, her pink hair swaying slightly as a gentle breeze passed through the courtyard. She would show them. Today would be different. Today, she would summon something extraordinary that would prove her worth as a mage and silence her tormentors once and for all.
Her mind raced with possibilities. A mighty dragon? Perhaps an elegant phoenix? Or a loyal wolf—no, not a wolf, that was too wild. Maybe something as steadfast and dependable as a dog... but not an actual dog. Dogs were fine for commoners or overly sentimental nobles, but she was Louise de La Vallière! She deserved something with a flair that embodied power, loyalty, and sophistication.
"Are you sulking again, Louise?"
Louise whipped her head around to see Kirche von Zerbst, her perennial tormentor, standing with one hand on her hip, her auburn hair gleaming in the sunlight. Beside her was Tabitha, nose buried in a book as always. Kirche's smug grin widened. "I'm sure you'll summon something adorable, like a field mouse. Or maybe a pigeon!"
Louise's face turned crimson. "I'll have you know," she snapped, "that I've been preparing for this ritual meticulously. My familiar will be extraordinary, unlike whatever mundane creature you summon. Perhaps a salamander? How unimaginative."
Kirche chuckled. "Oh, Louise, your confidence is adorable. I can't wait to see what the Zero—" she feigned a gasp, "—I mean, you conjure."
Louise turned away, nose in the air. She refused to let Kirche's barbs derail her focus. Her heart pounded as Professor Colbert stepped into the courtyard. His usual cheerful demeanor, accompanied by a calm authority, hushed the crowd.
"Students," he began, his voice effortlessly carrying across the courtyard. Today marks a significant step in your journey as mages. Your familiar will be your companion and reflect your own magical essence. Approach this ritual with sincerity and care."
Louise shifted uneasily, her fingers brushing the wand tucked into her belt. Magical essence. The words hung in her mind like a challenge. Her magic wasn't like anyone else's—unpredictable, explosive, and, according to her classmates, useless. But she was deeply convinced that this ritual would mark a turning point.
Students stepped forward one by one. Kirche summoned a flame-spewing salamander, and eliciting oohs and ahhs from the crowd. As serene as ever, Tabitha called forth a majestic wind dragon larger than a horse, its scales shimmering like sapphires. Louise watched, her nails digging into her palm as envy and determination wrestled within her.
"Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière," Colbert called.
The courtyard fell silent. Every eye turned to Louise, the air thick with anticipation and thinly veiled amusement. She swallowed hard, her steps deliberate as she moved to the circle's center.
"Finally!" someone whispered. "The moment we've all been waiting for."
Louise ignored them, raising her wand with practiced precision. She inhaled deeply, steadying herself. This is it. This is my chance.
She began the incantation, her voice clear and resolute despite the thundering in her chest. "My servant that exists somewhere in this vast universe... My divine, beautiful, wise, powerful servant, heed my call! I wish from the very bottom of my heart that you add to my guidance and appear!"
A sudden gale ripped through the courtyard, whipping Louise's hair and robes around her as the summoning circle began to glow. Gasps rippled through the audience as the brilliant, blinding light intensified. Louise's heart soared. This was it—this was the moment she would prove them all wrong.
The light burst outward in a brilliant flash, and when it faded, silence hung in the air like a held breath.
Louise blinked, her vision clearing to reveal... a dog.
It was not just any dog, though. It was a white-furred creature with piercing blue eyes, a red collar bearing a golden emblem, and—most bizarrely—a red cape draped over its shoulders. The dog stood tall and regal, surveying the crowd with an almost imperious air.
The courtyard erupted in laughter.
"A dog! She actually summoned a dog!"
"Maybe it's a nobleman's pet!"
"Does the cape mean it's magical?"
Louise's cheeks burned with humiliation; her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. This was not what she had envisioned—not a literal dog, no matter how regal it looked. But before she could explode into a tirade, the dog turned its gaze to her.
Its tail began wagging furiously, and with a burst of speed, it bounded toward her, leaping over the glowing summoning circle and barreling straight into her legs.
"Wh—what are you—!" Louise stumbled back, barely keeping her balance as the dog rose on its hind legs, licking her face with unrelenting enthusiasm.
"Stop! Down! Get off me, you—!" Louise flailed her arms uselessly, her wand clattering to the ground as the dog's weight pinned her. Its warm tongue smeared her cheek, her nose, and even her forehead, leaving a trail of slobber in its wake.
The crowd howled with laughter.
"Looks like Louise summoned her first real admirer!" Kirche called, doubling over in mirth. "Though it's a bit more... slobbery than I expected."
Louise shoved the dog off her, panting and red-faced. Glaring at the creature sitting back on its haunches with a wide, open-mouthed grin, she shoved the dog away. The dog's tail thumped against the ground, kicking up small dust clouds.
"What kind of joke is this?" she muttered, wiping her face furiously with her sleeve. "I asked for a loyal, powerful familiar! Not... not some oversized mutt!"
The dog barked once, loud and cheerful, as if taking her words as praise. Then, as if to emphasize its canine nature, it flopped onto its back, paws in the air, and wagged its tail invitingly.
The laughter intensified.
"A perfect match!" someone shouted. "Louise the Zero and her Zero of a familiar!"
Louise turned to face her tormentors, shaking with frustration. "This isn't over! I'll... I'll figure this out! This is clearly a mistake!"
"Oh, Louise," Kirche said between giggles. "It's not a mistake—it's fate. You finally got what you wanted: a loyal companion. And look, it even likes you!" She gestured at the dog, which was now rolling in the grass, its tongue lolling out as it revealed its apparent freedom.
Louise gritted her teeth. "This is not funny! There's something special about this... this... thing! You'll see!" She jabbed her finger toward the dog, which promptly leaped to its feet, barked happily, and began circling her excitedly, tail wagging like a propeller.
Professor Colbert stepped forward, clearly suppressing a smile as he attempted to regain control of the scene. "Students, please, let's allow Miss Vallière some space." He turned to Louise, his voice softening. "Miss Vallière, while your familiar may not be what you expected, it is still a result of your magic. You should take the time to understand it. Perhaps there's more to it than meets the eye."
Louise crossed her arms, glaring at the dog, which had now taken to chewing on the hem of her robe. She yanked the fabric away, glaring at it. "You'd better have some hidden power, or I swear—"
The dog barked again, wagging its tail even harder. Louise groaned, burying her face in her hands as the laughter of her peers echoed around her.
As the other students dispersed, Kirche passed by, her laughter lingering. "Don't worry, Louise," she said with a wink. "Every great mage has to start somewhere. Even if it's with a mutt."
Louise glared after her, but as the dog nuzzled her hand, wagging its tail as if nothing in the world could go wrong, she couldn't help but feel a tiny, grudging spark of warmth.
Just a spark, though. Nothing more.
Louise stormed into a secluded corner of the courtyard, the sound of laughter still ringing in her ears. She clenched her fists, her wand trembling in her grip, and muttered angrily under her breath. Behind her, the dog—her dog—trotted along happily, its red cape fluttering slightly in the breeze.
"This is a disaster," Louise hissed to herself, spinning on her heel to face the creature. "A complete and utter disaster! I'm already mocked enough as it is, and now—now this? A dog? A regular dog? This makes me look like the biggest failure in the history of the Academy!"
The dog tilted its head, one ear flopping to the side as it sat obediently before her. It seemed oblivious to her frustration, its tail wagging softly against the cobblestones. Louise groaned, running a hand through her pink hair.
"What am I supposed to do with you?" she asked, glaring down at the animal. "You're not a dragon, or a phoenix, or even a proper magical beast! How am I going to prove myself with... with you?"
The dog barked once, a cheerful sound that only irritated Louise further. She crossed her arms and paced back and forth, muttering under her breath about how unfair life was, how her classmates would never let her live this down, and how even Kirche, of all people, would probably lord this over her forever.
As she paced, the dog trotted up to her and gently nudged her hand with its nose. Louise stopped mid-stride, blinking in confusion as she looked down. Her gaze fell on the dog's red collar, which bore a golden emblem engraved with a single word: Krypto.
"Krypto?" Louise read aloud, leaning closer to inspect it. "Is that your name?"
The dog barked again, his tail wagging furiously as if to confirm. Louise furrowed her brow, tilting her head.
"Well, I suppose it's... a name," she muttered. "Better than something ridiculous like 'Fluffy' or 'Barky,' I guess. Not that it makes this any better! You're still a—what are you doing now?!"
Krypto had darted away while she spoke, his nose to the ground as he sniffed around a nearby bush. A moment later, he emerged with a stick clamped proudly in his jaws. He trotted back to Louise and dropped it at her feet, his tail wagging so fast it blurred.
"What... is this?" Louise asked, staring at the stick like an alien artifact. "Are you serious? You want to play fetch?"
Krypto barked again, nudged the stick with his nose, and looked up at her expectantly.
"Oh, no, no, no," Louise said, shaking her head and backing away. "I'm not playing fetch with you! I'm not some commoner walking a dog in the park! I'm a noble! A mage! I don't have time for such... such nonsense!"
Krypto tilted his head, his bright blue eyes sparkling with an almost pleading expression. Louise groaned loudly and huffed, grabbing the stick.
"Fine!" she snapped. "You want fetch? Here's your fetch!"
With all the frustration and humiliation of the day pouring into her throw, Louise hurled the stick with all her might. It soared through the air, over the courtyard wall, and disappeared from sight.
"There!" Louise shouted, spinning away from the wall with her arms crossed. "Go fetch that! Let's see how you—"
A deafening crash interrupted her tirade. Louise froze, her eyes widening as the ground beneath her trembled slightly. Slowly, she turned back toward the wall. Her heart sank.
A massive hole had been smashed clean through the stone wall, debris scattered everywhere. Dust hung in the air, and she could see the academy grounds beyond through the gaping breach. Before she could fully process the scene, a familiar blur of white and red streaked through the hole, skidding to a halt before her. Krypto dropped the stick at her feet, his tail wagging furiously as he barked happily.
Louise's mouth fell open. She stared at the hole, then at Krypto, and then back at the hole. Her brain struggled to reconcile what she saw.
"You... you broke the wall?" she whispered, her voice shrieking. "You broke the wall! You actually... How did you even—? What are you?!"
Krypto barked again, oblivious to her panic. He nudged the stick toward her with his nose, his expression one of pure canine delight.
Louise stumbled back, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "You're not a normal dog, are you? Normal dogs don't... don't smash through stone walls like they're paper! What did I summon?!"
Krypto barked once more, as if to say, Fetch again?
Louise's eye twitched. Her hand shot to her forehead, and she groaned loudly, sinking to her knees. "This cannot be happening. I'm going to get expelled. I'll be the first noble in history to get thrown out of the Academy because her dog destroyed the courtyard!"
Krypto tilted his head, watching her intently. Then, without warning, he leaned forward and licked her cheek, his tail wagging as though trying to comfort her.
"Stop that!" Louise shrieked, shoving him away. "You've caused enough trouble already!"
Krypto, undeterred, sat down and stared at her with an expression of pure innocence. Louise buried her face in her hands.
"This is my life now," she muttered. "Mocked by my classmates, saddled with a wall-destroying dog, and probably facing a bill for damages I can't afford. I'll never hear the end of this."
As if in response, Krypto barked softly and nudged her hand again. Louise peeked through her fingers at the stick still lying at her feet.
"No," she said firmly. "I am not throwing the stick again. Not after what you just did."
Krypto wagged his tail.
"Don't look at me like that."
The tail wagged harder.
Louise groaned, slumping forward onto her knees. "I hate my life."
Hey everyone! So, yeah… I thought it would be hilarious if Louise, in all her seriousness and desperation to prove herself, ended up summoning a dog. But not just any dog—oh no, that would be too simple. She summons The Super Dog, Krypto! Honestly, the idea of her trying to process this ridiculously overpowered yet totally goofy dog felt too funny not to write. I hope you enjoyed watching Louise's meltdown as much as I did writing it. Thanks for reading!