Somewhere a bat with a hygiene problem picked his head up warily. There was a disturbance that spelled certain disaster to all his carefully laid plans.
Let's not be too mean to our favorite bat with a hygiene problem. He's not a terribly good person, but I mostly pity him. He struck me as a vulnerable loner with a talent for Potions that was preyed upon by the Death Eaters.
Shrug.
Mostly sayin not to go overboard.
Loved the chapter, especially that you remembered Dumbledore's spectacularly eccentric fashion sense.
"Since Harry is needed here to fulfill a prophecy, and you don't want to part from him, perhaps a deal is in order. Hogwarts needs a new alchemy teacher. Perhaps you would like the position?" He asked.
You fool! It was bad enough with just a Harry raised in Gameindustry; you have no idea the kind of shenanigans you have unleashed upon the poor, unsuspecting Wizarding World!
...In all seriousness, I almost squeed outloud when I read it.
Issei had a lot on his mind. The Loop didn't start in front of Raynare like it usually did. Instead he was getting ready for his date with Yuma. When was the last time he did this? The choice to follow Baseline was immediately discarded. There were other things he needed to do.
"Sorry, but something came up. We'll have to meet some other time. Issei," he texted 'Yuma.' That should take care of her. Just in case he made a Shadow Clone on the off chance she showed up to cause trouble.
"It's not paranoia it's 'Constant Vigilance!'" The clone declared stridently.
"Okay 'Mad Eye' Issei. Sheesh. I'm going into my pocket to fix Ascalon," Issei explained.
"Why are you telling me that? I already know," the clone rolled his eyes.
"Try dealing with a psychotic gynoid, who can copy your power, and NOT be paranoid," Issei demanded.
The clone held his hands up defensively. Without sparing the clone another thought he dropped into his Pocket. The Pocket was a room made from his soul where Loopers kept their junk. It was a crude, but apt, description. Different Loopers had different tastes. Issei got a chance to see Ranma's Pocket and it was a massive universe spanning hundreds of galaxies. One of the younger Loopers, Ruby Rose, had a Pocket also the size of a universe. Issei's was considerably more modest. At the moment his was just a solar system. He used a massive fusion core for the sun and a Death Star for the moon over his main world.
It was practically tradition to take a Death Star.
Issei built a 'secret base' on his main planet. Inspired by the likes of Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, and Super Robot it was a love letter to his childhood. All of the various Henshin items were put on display in his museum. He had a respectable amount of them by now. Thanks to Master Eubolon he even had an Advent Void under the base for containing troublesome people. Issei managed to stuff Billy in there during one Loop. All he had to say was "I have cookies" and the non-malicious (but very stupid Looper) jumped right into containment.
Mandy actually thanked him for figuring that out. Well, it was a thank you, when all of the sarcasm and vitriol was stripped away.
Where was he? Oh, right. He had to fix Ascalon.
"How do you plan on that?" A western style red dragon the size of a terrier approached. Ddraig liked having unlimited access to Issei's Pocket. Why he insisted on a 'fun size' form was best left unasked.
"I'm going to use Ascalon's hilt, and the Chaos Emerald shards, to make a light saber," Issei said.
"A light saber," Ddraig blinked.
"I lost the blade itself when the Loop crashed, but I still have the hilt," Issei extruded the hilt of Ascalon from the Boosted Gear. He turned towards the weapons lab to get started.
"A Chaos Emerald infused Dragon Slaying light saber," Ddraig scampered behind him, curious in spite of himself.
The weapons lab was fully stocked with crafts benches and tools from many universes. Issei wasn't the greatest craftsman in existence, but he wasn't bad. He was also a shameless cheat who used Boosted Gear to enhance his ability. However, to rebuild his old friend, he would do this himself. No cheating, no short cuts, he would see Ascalon restored.
Issei set to work. He had to clear out the broken fragments of the blade first. The hilt was set to one side. A casual application of the Force set the fragments in the hopper. He laid out the pieces of Chaos Emerald. Seven fragments, all of equal size, and shining iridescently.
The hilt was the first part to be modified. He adjusted the table clamp to hold the hilt in place. Issei carefully undid the pins holding the hilt together. He set the pieces on the table. In order to make room for the emitter he had a couple options. Once was to hollow out the hilt and potentially weaken the structural integrity. The other was to use folded space. Issei decided that folded space would work better. He could put more inside than if he just hollowed out the hilt.
Runic engraving tools were carefully unrolled from the silk he used. Silk acted as a natural dampener to prevent the tools from picking up a 'charge.' Issei learned the whole ki folding technique from Ranma but it needed a stable anchor to keep the space from collapsing. That was where the runes came in. He could bind the field to a set of stable runes. The Chaos Emerald fragments would act to not only power the blade, but to also power the space. A single fragment was enough to make an interior space so large he couldn't even see the ends.
"Huh. The fragments still carry a charge from being Boosted by Waltz," Issei stared in shock.
"Holy Tree...What are you going to build in there?" Ddraig asked.
"Seriously? I have a few ideas actually...There is enough room to put in the power source and multiple capacitors. Do I even have a capacitor design that can take advantage of this…?" Issei spun away from the workbench and rode his wheeled chair across the floor. He came to a halt in front of a terminal.
Schematics flew by as Issei tried to find a capacitor design robust enough to handle the power output. He could use multiple redundant capacitors and surge buffers. The trick was finding the right design. It didn't matter if it was pretty as no one would see inside of Ascalon. That didn't mean he wanted it to look slapdash of course. The only design that fit the bill was from the Death Star. Issei checked the inside of the hilt again and sweated a bit. The fact he had enough room to fit a power core and capacitor rig from the Death Star was a little much.
He set the Fabricators to work on the components. The next part was in turning the fragments of Chaos Emerald into a stable energy core. He laid the pieces together, using the Force to hold them in place, before carefully drizzling the hot metal of Ascalon's original blade along the seams. The temperature was monitored closely as he couldn't afford a warp in the metal, or a crack in the crystal. If the metal warped he would lose the material. If the crystal cracked he would end up starting the Loop again.
The rebuilt Chaos Emerald had a piece dedicated to holding the space fold stable. He would use the rest to power the blade itself. Issei felt a bubble of laughter start to well up. He didn't even try to contain the crazed laugh that burst forth. It was an insane endeavor but so worth the effort! No one would have a weapon like this! For 'reasons' he built in a transformation module to turn the sword into a pulse rifle. Why? Because he could and Ruby was right. Transforming weapons were cool. He could feel Ascalon's approval.
"You're laughing like a mad man again. Stop it," Ddraig picked his snout up from the cheeseburger he was eating.
"Where did you even get that?" Issei asked.
"I can haz cheezburger," Ddraig insisted before freezing.
"That loop as a cat coming back to haunt you?" Issei asked sympathetically.
"...Maybe," the dragon sulked.
Issei respectfully left his companion to his misery.
The finished result looked just like the original Ascalon just without a blade. Issei held up the hilt in anticipation. No one but he could use the sword as it required his mana to ignite the blade. He focused on the sword a moment. With the iconic snap hiss a broadsword of pure green light appeared. The blade was kept perfectly contained by an ionic field.
"I HAVE THE POWER!" Issei thrust the sword towards the sky. A bolt of lightning struck the tip and traveled across his body. When the light show faded it was to reveal Issei in his Blood Red Imperial Dragon form. His only audience clapped.
"Nice presentation," Ddraig approved.
"Thank you. I can't wait to show the others! Ruby's gonna flip! Now..." Issei trailed off. His clone was trying to get his attention.
He left his Pocket in time to catch a blonde missile to the torso. Good thing he already put Ascalon back inside the Boosted Gear. It took Issei a moment to recognize the girl glued to his torso like a limpet.
"Asia…? What are you doing here…?" Issei was so off balance he forgot that he wasn't supposed to know her yet. Then again she did seek him out at home. Was this some kind of weird variant Loop…?
"Issei! What's going on? Where is everyone? Why did I just get off a plane?" Asia rattled off on the verge of panic.
"What's the last thing you remember?" Issei asked breathlessly.
"I remembered Trihexa and that most of the Faction Heads sealed themselves away with it..." Asia whimpered. Issei held the former nun close while stroking her hair tenderly.
"I better start from the beginning..." Issei started to give Asia the speech. Inwardly he was bouncing around on cloud nine. He thought something was broken with his universe when other people didn't start Looping. Normally those with the closest emotional connection to the Anchor start Looping.
Ascalon was better than ever and Asia started Looping? Someone up there must be smiling down on him.
Issei could leave worrying about Waltz for tomorrow.
Hm... I wonder what kind of things Asia will get up to now that she's looping.
Will she learn to fight? Will she pick up a hobby? Will she start swearing on various trees instead of God? ... For that matter, will she keep becoming a Devil every jump?
Only time (and ding) will tell.
---
Edit: here's an amusing thought; can you picture the Neptunia crew as loopers?
On the one hand, they're a lot better equipped for dealing with the boredom that comes with the loops than most (what with all the games in their loops).
On the other hand: I'd imagine even immortal physical-goddesses can get bored after a while.
Will Noire eventually get tired of trying to manage Lastation? If so, will she start slacking off? Do an entire loop in cosplay? Spend adorable sisterly-bonding time with Uni?
Will Blanc's writing improve after millenia of practice? Will Ram and Rom drive Blanc crazy with their escalating shenanigans? Will Blanc join them in their shenanigans?
What will Vert do when she realizes that none of her MMO achievements will follow her through the jumpchain? It'll probably be a while before Bouquet starts to jump, what will she do until then?
And that's just for the Hyperdimension!
... I think I'll stop there before I go on for too long.
The Ship Graveyard was a local landmark. Back when the shipping trade was failing, a group of disgruntled workers deliberately beached the ships. Sabotage ran rampant which lead to sunken husks at the bottom of the Bay. In recent years it was a place for independent Capes to test their powers. Who was Taylor to argue with tradition?
Her powers were many but all shared the same source. Biology. She instinctively knew that her mitochondria were responsible. The power generated by a single mitochondria was phenomenal. There were, on average, two thousand mitochondria in a single cell. All of her cells operating in concert meant her theoretical potential was staggering. The fuel for her powers was just eating. Regular food allowed her to perform superhuman feats.
The most basic of her powers was biokinesis. She could shapeshift or alter the structure of living creatures. The mud crab she was experimenting with had grown to the size of a pony with proportional strength and durability. There was a limit to how big she could make something. As the crab grew she had to break down organic matter from seaweed, and other crabs, into a 'gel' to fuel the change. The biggest drawback was that any creature she augmented started breaking down immediately. Creatures lived and renewed themselves through cell division. By taking control of their mitochondria she changed the relationship with the nucleus. It could take hours, or days, but eventually the creature would turn into rotting meat.
Shapeshifting was fine when used on herself. She needed fuel, the same as with altering living creatures, but the results were more permanent. Since Taylor's power was constantly at work on whatever she added, it wouldn't break down. She preferred a slender form with some curves. It not only made her feel good, but it made her Dad happy.
She could excite her mitochondria to generate heat and electricity. Functionally she was capable of creating fire and lightning respectively. Useful for dealing with non-living matter. If the object was organic however? Well it wasn't that hard to set things on fire. The idea of immolating people who offended her was strangely appealing. Taylor forced the thought aside. It wasn't a matter of being the better person. She just didn't want to deal with the hassle of being arrested.
Her strength and durability were subject to Taylor's wishes. She could be a Brute with just a thought and enough fuel. Honestly it wasn't that difficult. She studied biology to increase the hardness of her bones until it resembled wurzite boron nitride. A much harder substance than even diamond. She essentially used carbon nanotubes for her muscles. Her flesh was given a similar treatment to an armadillo's hide. Outwardly her skin looked human but it most definitely wasn't. The bone/flesh mix could shrug off ballistics. Every part of her body was optimized, enhanced, strengthened beyond mere mortals.
One of the most useful of her powers was telekinesis. She could lift several tons with only a thought and grant herself flight. Did Taylor take the grab bag and run with it or what?
"Just shoot them. It doesn't matter if they're kids. If you see them down on the ground? Shoot twice," a growling voice reached her ears.
Taylor drifted out from the Graveyard to observe. She took up a vantage point off the ground but not silhouetted against the sky. Down below were over a dozen men wearing ABB gang colors carrying a variety of weapons. The largest man, easily seven feet tall, wore a metal dragon mask. She knew him by reputation. Lung the Dragon of Kyushu. He could escalate, growing in power over time, while turning into a dragon. His power was dangerous in that he was able to stalemate Leviathan. Taylor could respect his power but not what he intended to do. Killing children was distasteful. Why would he waste his power on meaningless gestures? She sent a mental command to her creation.
"What the fuck is that!?" One of the men down below yelled.
Her creations were not pretty. In fact they were deformed, misshapen monsters. Graceless and hideous. They made excellent cannon fodder. The giant crab rushed out with powerful pincers ready to rend and crush.
"Shoot it you idiots! Find the fuckin' Tinker!" Lung roared.
The gangbangers remembered they had guns and proceeded to shoot at the giant crab. Bullets splashed as harmlessly off of the carapace like rain. The pony sized monster moved with surprising speed straight for the greatest threat. Taylor was curious to see how her creation would fare against Lung after all. A large claw swept in and caught the dragon Cape around the waist. There was a horrific crunch as it sheared him in half.
"Shit! Run for it! Run!" The punks saw their boss get cut in half and decided to flee. Even if Lung merely looked pissed off as his lower body started to regenerate. The crab wasn't finished as it started eating his legs.
Taylor sighed. She waved a hand, purely for theatrics, and caused the men to fall asleep. The experiment was a success, of a sort. Her creations were tougher than normal people could handle, but were still subject to instincts. Lung's increasingly inventive swearing was the only downside. He caught sight of her as she flew over. His form started to swell as organic armor plating locked into place.
Taylor stared as the 'organic' plating was, in fact, actual metal. A non magnetic form of steel. The cellular behavior was absolutely fascinating to observe. She could replicate it with some work as the body did process iron. Curiously she 'switched' his armor from 'on' to 'off.' Slowly his scales receded as did his regeneration. Despite Lung's increasingly furious bellows she wanted to see how his power worked. The scales were somehow tied directly into his regeneration and accelerated growth. There was a vague space around his brain filled with, for lack of a better term, 'static.' The 'static' actually increased as his body modified itself. As the static grew her control was interrupted. It seemed to be emanating from a growth on his brain. What would happen if she merely snipped the cancerous node in his brain…?
Ah. She completely cut off his power. At least he was fully regenerated even as his body reverted to normal. Taylor waved the crab off as it wouldn't do to kill him by accident. Lung without powers was just boring. The crab made its way back to the water where it would eventually die. It wasn't needed any longer.
She could sense seven lifeforms on a nearby rooftop. Four of whom had the same 'cancerous growth' and static. Even as she turned to look the presences hightailed it out of there. That wouldn't do at all. Her greatest defense, beyond her biology, was secrecy. Taylor put Lung to sleep while increasing the amount of serotonin and endorphins. Since she didn't particularly care if it hurt him or not. He wouldn't be able to tell anyone anything about her.
Taylor quickly gave pursuit to the fleeing observers. She didn't need them escaping with any information about her. The grunts down below didn't even see her. Only Lung did and she dealt with him already. Within moments she could see her quarry. Four people riding on giant mutated bone/lizard things. A mere thought was all it took to put the mounts to sleep. Their riders managed to jump clear before the mutants collapsed.
She eyed her arm as it twitched involuntarily. Taylor arched an eyebrow as it tried again, but she had control over her nervous system. The foppish Renfaire reject looked the most surprised that she no-selled the control. He was sent off to dreamland. A stocky girl with a cheap plastic doberman mask screamed something and charged. She joined her compatriot. The black smoke was more troublesome as it was nothing but 'static.' This wouldn't do at all. Taylor turned to the man in black exuding smoke...
"Grue! Stop!" The girl in purple called out. The smoke slowed to a trickle.
"What are we supposed to do, Tattletale?" 'Grue' demanded.
"Stop trying to attack me. I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't tell anyone what you saw," Taylor stated without inflection.
"Of course we won't. In fact we really owe you...oh shit," Tattletale whispered the last part. Taylor's eyes narrowed as she felt the girl's heart rate increase. All of the little biological signs that someone was 'lying' screamed a warning.
"Do. Not. Tell. Anyone. I will hunt you down and shut off your powers too. Don't think I won't and there is nowhere in the city you can hide. I know your biology now," Taylor's lips curled into an unpleasant grin.
"Yeah fine. We won't tell anyone," Grue was quick to agree. Her wrath slowly calmed as it was clear he was telling the truth.
"We'll keep our teammates from talking too," Tattletale hurried to assure her. There was something in her posture that was familiar. Like a beaten down dog trying not to reveal weakness. The last of her anger drained away.
"That is acceptable," Taylor allowed. She turned to leave but Tattletale stopped her.
"What is your name?" She asked.
"Call me Eve," Taylor's lips quirked. She chose the name based on Mitochondrial Eve. The matrilineal most common ancestor of all modern humans. It just seemed to fit.
Eve flew off into the night. Testing was concluded. Now it was time to actually start making a difference.
Eve (after cutting Lung in half, no-selling his power and putting him to sleep): "Testing was concluded. Now it was time to actually start making a difference." Me: "As if roflstomping Lung was not actually making a difference."
Parasite Eve, what utterly fun powers. Just imagine Taylor encountering Crawler, she might be utterly fascinated by his biology, forcing him to adapt in even more strange ways.
Parasite Eve, what utterly fun powers. Just imagine Taylor encountering Crawler, she might be utterly fascinated by his biology, forcing him to adapt in even more strange ways.
I think you just make me feel kinda sorry and not sorry for crawler at the same time. That's amazing.
Wait, the abb might not know about Taylor herself, but they're all now know the existence of some bio tinker somewhere.
If those got to piggot.... She might just break into some rage-fear crusade.
Abilities
Divine Relationship + 3
Sixth Sense + 1
Mind Shield + 1
Art of Distraction + 2
Animal Friendship + 2
Aura of Command + 1
Personal Gear + 2
Damn Healthy + 1
Dynamic Sorcery + 2
Heightened Senses + 4 (Sight, Hearing, Smell, Touch)
Heightened Awareness + 2
Mechanical Genius + 3
Wealth + 3
Feats
Ambidexterity
Brawl
Improved Brawl
Improved Initiative
Streetfighting
Concealment
Dodge
Endurance
Great Fortitude
Lightning Reflexes
Iron Will
Portable Armory
Knockout Punch
Two-Weapon Fighting
Weapons Encyclopedia
Run
Possessions
Baton 1d4
Field Jacket
4 Shirts
4 Jeans
2 Sneakers
1 Boots
1 Flashlight
1 Utility Knife
1 First Aid Kit
1 Backpack
1 Mirror
1 Compass
Flaws
Girl Magnet + 2
I woke up in darkness. There was nothing as far as the eye could see. The last thing I remembered was crossing the street, in the middle of the night, and headlights. How cliche to die and wake up in a black room. I must have written a dozen story starts like this that didn't go anywhere.
<I hope this one actually goes somewhere.>
The words appeared before me in the darkness.
<This is not a joke. You really did die and I am in charge of your afterlife.>
"That's nice. I was expecting more heavenly music and clouds, or fire and pitchforks," I snarked. When I'm scared my go to response is being a smartass. Right now I was moving past detached and straight into terrified. What about my mom? My friends? I was dead! My mom basically said the only reason she was alive was because of me!
<Yeah none of that. Chill out and let me explain.>
"Explain what? I'm fuckin' dead you asshole!" My temper was always quick when riled. Especially when I felt like there was too much pressure, too much happening at once. My head was spinning and I was lashing out.
<Calm your tits. You can't pass on with all that emotional baggage. I'm going to do you a favor and help you out.>
Telling me to 'calm my tits' startled a snort out of me. Not quite a laugh but close enough to calm me down. I still wanted to scream, but I forced it back down with effort.
"Fine. What do you want me to do for this 'favor?'" I asked.
<Oh good. I was worried about explaining this to you. See I need a favor and you need to return to life. Do this favor for me and I will return you to the moment you died. With plenty of time to avoid the car, of course.>
"You have me over a barrel here..." I would have folded my arms, but at the moment I was a disembodied voice.
<I'm not going to send you out into the wild without a few benefits of course. You're no good to me if you die before granting my favor.>
"I'm already dead," I reminded them testily.
<I can use a little of my power to grant you a second life. Trivial. I can also grant you powers to aid your quest.>
"You still haven't told me what you need," I said.
<My power was stolen. I need an agent to collect my power for me. Unfortunately, the one who took my power would know if I tried to reclaim it myself. That's where you come in. I'll give you a fragment of what I have left and you can retrieve the rest for me.>
"Sounds like an excuse plot to drop someone in an Isekai," I said dryly.
<Do you want this chance or not?>
"I do! I'm just saying it seems awfully coincidental," I said.
<Fair enough. Your awareness of tropes will serve you well. I am still giving you power aid your mission.>
"Great! So what power am I getting?" I asked. Might as well move the story along.
<Let's see...I can grant you power based on anything you had when you died.>
"Anything, huh?" Before me the entire contents of my backpack appeared. Notebooks, pencils, dice, and my BESM d20 book floated before me. I also carried a collapsible baton for self defense. My smartphone was there too but I immediately discounted it as a source of power. Similarly the dice were discarded, as were the pencils, and notebooks. The baton would be useful for defense. I was good with the baton from my training as a security professional. As a power source it just didn't fit the bill.
The BESM d20 book on the other hand…
I knew the system inside and out. BESM, or Big Eyes Small Mouth, was an anime roleplaying system. You could buy your powers using Character Points. The Classes were easy to grasp as well. A portion of those points were used to buy your stats. Maybe the voice would let me use a homebrew rule where I just roll my starting stats?
<Knock yourself out, kid.>
Oh this would be good.
Race was easy. I was going with human for the extra feat, extra 4 Skill Points at first level, and extra 1 per level. My starting Character Points were generously set to 42. I was level 10 which was another kindness. The only issue was picking the starting Class. Whatever short coming the Class had I could make up with my CP.
The Class I usually used as a good Jack of All Trades was Student. Mainly for the Skill Points and extra CP. The Class Abilities were useful too. I started with Student for the Skill Point bonus and dipped one level into Adventurer to make all non combat Skills Class Skills. Normally I wouldn't go to such lengths to munchkin. I liked to have a clear character concept and stick with it. However, I didn't know where I was going, and that meant I didn't know what to pick.
My Stats could be charitably called 'crap.' I had to use more CP than I wanted to just to bring them up to something useful. My stats were bulked up to twenty all the way down. I used the extra Stat Points to bring my Intelligence to twenty two. More Skill Points was always useful. With that taken care of I could figure out my HP and EP. EP was Energy Points. EP was used to either give a boost to Checks, or to cast spells. Just to make the most use out of it I took Dynamic Sorcery (Arcane) Rank 2. What good was that? I could cast first level spells, sure. Even more important? I had access to Prestidigitation and Mend.
A spell that can clean, distract, make small objects, and 2 lbs telekinesis? I could even make minor repairs instantly. Yes please!
The Student's Abilities were nice. I used my CP to buy more useful abilities as well. Damn Healthy would make me tougher in terms of HP. I also enhanced my Touch, Sight, Smell, and Hearing while improving my Awareness. Personal Gear was a no brainer as it let me choose more things to take. Clothes, sneakers, and boots were a must. A flashlight would be useful as well. Make that a shake light since I might not be able to change the batteries. For all those things I didn't think of I took three Ranks of Wealth. Ten million dollars American annually that would change depending on where I ended up. I tied it to a money pouch of holding so that I didn't have to carry it around on my back.
<Are you finished yet?>
The floating words almost appeared exasperated. I suppose that's natural. I did just take several hours to craft my 'character.' Considering I was going into an unknown situation it also made sense to take my time.
"Yeah I'm finished. Wait! Setting my age to eighteen. There we go...Oh! I'm six foot six but no way am I gonna be my original weight..." I quickly filled out the relevant places. I took a pen and marked "Male" under gender. Just for good measure I thickened the lines to bold. Then underlined.
<Paranoid, much?>
"I Isekai'd a couple people as women. Normally I wouldn't mind it myself, but if I get to keep all this..." I trailed off hopefully. Going home as a woman would be a little hard to explain.
<Fair enough. Are you finished now? Brown hair, hazel eyes, I know all that. I won't be a jerk.>
"I'm ready," I found myself back in a body and standing tall. My six foot six height generally had me towering over everyone. With a twenty strength and constitution I could already hear the 'swol boy' jokes now. The twenty dexterity kept me flexible. My black field jacket was thankfully big enough to fit me. Then again I had to repurchase it with Personal Gear so my belongings better fit.
<Good luck! Have fun! I hope you make use of that 'Seduction' skill!>
Seduction was a perfectly valid tactic for getting information!
The green portal that swallowed me up was familiar. Painfully familiar. When I saw the dust floating through the air it was official. I wasn't just Isekai'd but sent to one of the most overused places in fiction. A brief application of air made the dust clear faster. I heard the laughter even before I saw the students. The language was apparently something almost, but not quite, French. Close enough for me to understand what they were saying.
"Ha! The Zero can't even manage a summoning!" a throaty girl's voice crowed.
"Oh no! Did she kill her Familiar?" Try sounding actually worried and not amused, asshole!
I breathed in deeply through my nose and released it through my mouth. Still not enough to calm me. I repeated the exercise several times to calm myself. Bullying was one of my hot buttons and it was being pressed hard. Watching Familiar of Zero was different than living it of course. Whereas I had some disconnect, as it was fiction, I didn't have that now. Unfortunately I was out of time, and still irritated, as the dust cloud dispersed.
"A commoner?" A certain blond idiot asked in disbelief.
"Hmmm...He isn't bad looking at all..." The redhaired THOT mused. No, stop. You're meeting them for the first time, Rob. Don't deliberately alienate them. I had to remember to stop being prejudiced.
"Professor Colbert…?" The small girl in front of me asked. I didn't need super powers to see the faint hunch to her shoulders, the defensive posture. Her eyes were filled with simmering anger and bone weariness.
"You must finish the ritual, Miss Valliere," Professor Colbert, secret badass Fire Mage, said regretfully. Immediately the heckling started. It didn't take long for my temper to spike clear into the red again. The fuckin' teacher just stood there and allowed it to happen. A terrific bang cut through the noise. It took a moment to realize it came from me.
"Knock it off you stupid little shits and grow up! You're nobles? Then act like fuckin' nobles!" I bellowed in the silence. I used Prestidigitation to clean the dust from my clothes with a showy wave of a hand. For an encore I cleaned off Louise too. My future Mistress looked positively stunned. Then again she was at ground zero of Mt. Rob erupting.
"Y-you're a Mage…?" Louise regained her wits first.
"Summoned by the Springtime Summoning Ritual to serve you, My Lady," I bowed to her respectfully. Thanking my twenty charisma and foreign cultures knowledge.
"I wonder how much she had to pay him?" The drill haired blonde asked snidely. I straightened up to my full height causing the crowd of children to instinctively flinch back.
"That was uncalled for, Miss Monmorency. Please, Miss Valliere. You must finish the ritual," Colbert was quick to prevent me from exploding again. I was finally coming down from my anger. Terrifying children wasn't something I was proud of, even if they 'did' need to learn some manners.
"Right!" Louise jolted as she was called on. I laid a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.
"Take it easy. I'm not angry at you. Just take your time," I murmured. My future Mistress calmed. I got down on one knee in fealty. In reality it was so that she didn't have to reach over my head.
"My name is Louise Francoise Le Blanc de La Valliere. Pentagon of the five elemental powers; bless this humble being, and make him my familiar," she waved her wand over my head. Louise leaned forward to seal the contract with a kiss. I kept it quick, but not insultingly.
The burn started almost immediately. I clutched at my left hand as pure agony lanced through my nerves. Saito passed out in canon. I could understand why as it was happening to me. The feeling passed and I remained conscious. Louise bit her lip in worry as I imagined none of the other Familiars had a reaction like mine.
"Are you okay?" Louise asked.
"I will be," I answer bravely. No need to look weak now. The only reason the little shits are being silent is because I scared them. Eventually I will figure out a way to get through to them that doesn't require my Drill Sergeant voice. It might seem crazy that I still went through with this, knowing what I know about the Runes. That was why I took Iron Will and Mind Shield. It also helped to have a goal. I wanted to complete ROB's mission and go home. Simple.
"Alright everyone! Back to the castle! There is nothing more to see here," Professor Colbert called. He didn't come over to investigate my runes? That was when I remembered the fingerless gloves I wore. Would it really change anything if he didn't see them? I don't know and frankly I don't care.
"Can you stand?" Louise asked. I stood easily and stretched.
"Everything appears to be working. What do we do now?" I asked.
"Perhaps we should go back to my room. Oh dear..." Louise looked at me again. As in really looked at me. "This could be a problem."
"What is it?" I had a suspicion of what she meant.
"You're a man and my room is only big enough for one person," she explained. Why did my being a man matter to her, when Saito's gender didn't?
"We should talk it over with someone," I offered.
There was so much I knew. I knew that Miss Longueville was Fouquet the Crumbling Earth. She would eventually take steps to steal the Staff of Destruction. The only reason she succeeded was because Louise blew a hole in the wall of the castle. Simple enough. Just run back to the show and tell the guards. Let the professionals handle earn their pay. Why was I making plans already? Because it distracted me from accusing the traitorous wretch now. Louise brought us before the secretary's desk to ask about where I could stay.
"Unfortunately we don't have a policy to handle a human Familiar. For those particularly large specimens we have a stable of course," Longueville said.
"But he can't stay in my room!" Louise insisted, her face flushed with emotion. I wasn't going to touch that with a ten foot pole.
"Perhaps I could pay for a room?" I asked.
"Perhaps you could, but the rate is fifty gold a month. That is the same price that students pay," Longueville remarked.
"I only have my allowance...I suppose I can pay for it..." Louise wrung her hands. I checked my money pouch. Just as I suspected. Instead of ten million dollars I had a pouch full of gold. Enough gold to fill a chest. As far as they could see it was just a fist sized pouch.
"Actually I have my own money. My Lady should not have to worry about such trifling things," I said politely while putting enough gold on the desk to pay the year.
"Ah...yes. Quite. Please sign here...Thank you," Longueville barely refrained from drooling over my pouch. The fact I just took six hundred gold out of it, and the pouch was still plump, probably had something to do with it. She told me that my room was in the boys' dormitories. I told her that it was improper to have me so far away from my Mistress. Eventually we compromised and I took a guest room in the girls' dormitories. It was probably even more improper but I was legally 'just' a Familiar.
Louise waited until we were away from the desk before rounding on me.
"Where did you get all that money?" She asked in disbelief.
"I did a great service for my last employer. The money pouch I have fills with gold once a year," I said. She looked suitable impressed.
"Other people have animal Familiars, but mine has money," Louise wasn't sure whether to be thrilled or confused.
"Money is a power all its own," I said in a sage voice eliciting a giggle from my Mistress.
"You are also a Mage. I can already hear the rumors now. Louise the Zero summons a better Mage than herself..." Her mood plummeted.
"I can help if you like," I offered. The knowledges I possessed, not just my future knowledge, would help greatly. I had a few ideas for helping Louise to be more than just a heavy artillery Mage.
"You really think you can?" There was an almost toxic feeling of despair mingled with hope. Louise was so used to failure that success was a foreign creature.
"You managed the Summoning Ritual. That tells me you have talent," I assured her confidently.
"I am looking forward to seeing if you are right," Louise smiled faintly.
It just wasn't in my nature to go with the flow. I had an opportunity to alter the course of events. Not everything I did would be for the best, I knew that. The more I pushed canon off the rails the more unreliable my information would become. For now I would treat the events immediately surrounding Louise and myself in broad strokes. The events happening behind the scenes would take more than me to derail.
So what kind of rpg is BESM, it seems like it is pretty flexible from what a quick google search can give me.
This is more of a general gripe I have with FoZ fanfic, but it is much worse when an SI with metaknowledge does it, so why the hell did the SI allow himself to be bound by a powerful mind control spell?
The bonuses you get for wielding a weapon mainly. Also I have Iron Will (+2 to Will) and Mindshield (+2 to Will against compulsions/Mind Control). Now that I know where I am I can cheese more Iron Wills.
The bonuses you get for wielding a weapon mainly. Also I have Iron Will (+2 to Will) and Mindshield (+2 to Will against compulsions/Mind Control). Now that I know where I am I can cheese more Iron Wills.
Cool, sorry if it came off as rude, but it gets a little annoying that people think that they can resist a spell made by a genius without any mind shields or something.
Dang, wish I could find my old D20 BESM book. Never actually got to play more than a few sessions with it (my group of friends back-then thought that anime was for weebs).
... actually... *goes to check* well, I don't have the pdf for D20, either; but I do have the one for BESM 3e. I think I'll read through it.
As for FoZ/ZnT; I like the world, but hate the actual anime/novels. Mostly because, while I like the characters conceptually I think Louise and Saito are kinda toxic for eachother.
That said, I really enjoy the stories where Louise gets someone who'll actually support her and help her work through her issues. While I don't approve of her actions in canon, I really empathize with her.
I hope this story will eventually have a unhinged/jaded cheerful Louise that is strong enough to not let her cheer broken by anything. Even an army or two.
Seeing happy loli who can just nonchalantly smack an army or two or a god always warms my heart.
Morning saw me at my new desk with a fresh notebook. If anyone saw my notes it would only confuse them as I was using German. I had to get my thoughts and plans down for the future.
First off was the matter of the Runes. Most people would call me crazy for willingly accepting the Gandalfr Runes with their mind control. It was shown in the series that the compulsions only really kicked in when Saito was opposed to Louise. He would argue, complain, but ultimately go along with it anyway. If someone had kidnapped me against my will, let alone enslaved me, I would be far less sanguine.
The compulsions had less to work on with me. No one forced me to accept ROB's proposal. The option was always there to walk away. Yes, he offered me payment that made my refusal unlikely. That's the nature of deals after all. I freely accepted whatever world he sent me to so I at least expected something like this. Then there are the immediate benefits of the Gandalfr Runes. In canon the Runes allowed Saito to wield any weapon he picked up like an expert. Over time his mastery of the sword progressed to where he could fight, without the enhancement, with a training sword. That alone made the deal worth it to me. Add in the increases to strength, speed, and durability? Well, the Gandalfr was said to take on armies after all, and Saito did exactly that.
Did I plan on disobeying Louise? I was under no illusions that we would agree all the time. The Runes might force a compromise in that instance. Good thing I had two abilities that would help me with that. There was also the matter of, in canon, the first Gandalfr killing Brimir. So, if the disagreement were severe enough the Runes would fail. In fact, by playing my cards right, Louise's star would shine even brighter with me. I had so many plans for improving life in Tristain. Between Mechanical Genius and Knowledge Mechanics I could be a one man Industrial Revolution. Altogether my goals coincided nicely with her own. Louise craved recognition and I would help her achieve that.
All of this explanation was to justify my real reason. If I refused Louise the poor girl would have been destroyed. Emotionally, socially, and probably mentally. The fact she would be sent home for failing the Summoning Ritual would be a minor blessing. That, above all else, was why I accepted. I had a lot of great plans that would be made easier as her Familiar, but the truth is that I'm a softie.
I checked the wall clock. It was time to wake Louise for breakfast. There was just one problem with that, I would have to enter her room. As her Familiar I suppose it was my right. It wasn't like I was going to make things awkward because of 'reasons.' Then again I did have a spell that would work. Alarm. Set a trigger condition and it would act to wake the Mage or those they chose. That should work nicely!
"Aiyeeeeeeee!" Louise screamed. The door did nothing to block out the sound, making me cringe. I set the Alarm spell for five seconds after it was cast. A loud buzzer right in her ears was probably a bad idea.
"I didn't know she was a screamer," Kirche observed with a saucy smirk. Why was she out in the hall so early? I turned to where she stood, lounging against the wall indolently, propping up her breasts on folded arms.
"Anyone would scream when taken off guard by a loud noise in their ears," I noted dryly.
Louise picked that moment to throw the door open. She looked a little wild around the eyes with an almost demented gleam. Her hair was all over the place. Completing the 'insane woman' look was the left strap of her nightdress falling off her shoulder. The angry panting made me wonder if I should have invested in the spell Calm Emotions too.
"How. Did. You. Do. That?" Louise punctuated her question by poking my chest.
"Spell called 'Alarm.' I didn't want to walk into your bed chamber as it would be improper," I explained my reasoning. Even had a witness. Kirche stood nearby with an amused look on her face.
"Bugger improper! My ears are still ringing! Get in here!" Louise tugged on the front of my shirt and...I didn't budge. Ah. Anime conventions didn't exactly work in a semi-realistic setting. I was much larger than her so trying to pull me anywhere was doomed to fail.
"Are you sure that's all that needs 'buggering?'" Kirche called out cheerfully.
"L-lewd!" Louise squeaked and ducked back in her room. Thankfully she didn't slam the door in my face. I turned a withering glare on Kirche.
"Was that really necessary?" I asked.
"No, but it was funny," she smiled unrepentantly.
"Please leave her alone. You have done enough damage," I said. Kirche looked confused.
"Damage? What are you talking about?" Kirche asked.
"The constant insults and belittling are beneath a noble of your station. Please keep that in mind. She might not have had a champion before, but I am here now. I will do what must be done," I added a stern glare for emphasis.
"Fine, if that is your wish, I will endeavor to comport myself in a proper manner," Kirche drew herself up frostily. Flame hissed at me from beside his now thoroughly irritated mistress. I turned my glare on him until the angry salamander backed down with a few sullen grumbles.
"Get in here!" Louise yelled.
This wouldn't stand either. I feel for her, I really do, but casual disrespect was not something I appreciated. My anger withered and died as I entered the room. She was standing in the center of the room with tears in her eyes. There was no anger in her posture. Just a bone deep weariness. When the door closed the floodgates opened. I suddenly found my arms full of sobbing child.
She must have heard me through the open door. Again I cursed canon for giving Louise such a tragic backstory. The anime whitewashed a lot of crap. Thing about crap is that you can't polish it until it becomes gold. All Louise got was a massive complex and made into a chess piece for various factions. Her one 'defender' was Saito and even he treated her like crap. That's not to say she was in the right for beating and starving him.
Canon was a shitshow and let's leave it at that.
So, now I had an insecure little girl in my arms. Let's put away the argument that she's from a medieval society and is therefore 'legal.' I'm thirty five and she's sixteen. Morality concerns aside, the tears were slowing, but she still hadn't let go yet. I casually picked her up and sat down on the bed with Louise in my lap. She was so thin it felt like she might break.
"Feeling better?" I asked. She nodded slowly.
"I dirtied your shirt," Louise absently noted. Crying was always messy business. I waved a hand theatrically cleaning the shirt, and her face.
"No harm done," I smiled. Her hair was so soft under my fingers. She squirmed a bit in my arms. Did I find a sensitive spot? Some people did like their hair stroked.
"We have to go down to breakfast soon," Louise sighed.
"Only when you're ready," I said.
"Mmm...I want to hide in my room, but then the rumors..." She made a noise of frustration.
"I won't let them speak ill of you," I promised.
"You really won't, will you? I heard what you said to Zerbst. If she can keep a civil tongue than I will as well. I...I don't want to invalidate your point about a noble acting properly," Louise drew herself up with determination. The look on her face reminded me of a determined kitten. Somehow I managed to avoid laughing outright. She might misunderstand.
"I'll wait outside while you get dressed," I resisted the impulse to kiss her forehead. Our relationship was still too new to start treating her like a little sister.
"Right," Louise blushed a little as she realized her state of dress.
A couple minutes later and we were on our way to the dining hall. I stood a couple steps behind her out of respect. It also gave me a clearer view of the surroundings. Situational awareness was important after all. I was able to see, hear, and smell for several blocks. My sense of touch was similarly heightened. I could detect the faintest breeze and hear even the tiniest sound…
For future reference I should give closets a wide berth.
I don't think I need to go into details.
I strode past Louise to hold the door for her. My mistress nodded her head once in gratitude before entering. She froze just at the entrance. Over the din of students laughing and chatting there appeared to be a drama unfolding. Guiche du Gramont was loudly castigating a penitent maid. The poor girl looked like she was about to start crying at any moment. His voice rose stridently but my building anger prevented me from hearing the exact words.
"What is that idiot doing? He is causing a scene! Rob? Break it up," Louise commanded.
"It shall be as you wish," I grinned unpleasantly. Carte Blanche from my mistress to do what I would do anyway? Yes please!
"Honestly that is not how proper nobles treat the help," Louise muttered peevishly.
I take what I can get. It wasn't hard to make my way through the throng of students. No one wanted to get the way of the 6'6" mountain of muscle. I like to believe my grin would have frightened the devil himself, but the most I actually got was in scaring the brats. All things in time. Louise stayed close to me to avoid getting lost in the crowd.
"What is going on here?" I demanded in my Drill Sergeant voice. Guiche stiffened with alarm as the maid tried to back away even further. Another look showed that it was Siesta. I mentally cursed out canon as it seemed to be railroading events. Then again didn't I already realize some things would happen, even with my interference?
"This maid is insinuating that I dropped something. I have never seen that perfume bottle before," Guiche turned his nose up haughtily.
"Even I have seen the style before. Your betrothed uses them, not just for perfumes, but for her potions," Louise immediately recognized what was in Siesta's hand. The blond nobleman looked furious at having actual logic pierce his lie.
"I-It fell out of his pocket..." Siesta stammered softly. She set the damning perfume bottle on the table and backed away like it was diseased.
"All of this pointless drama because you are a philandering skirt chaser," I said sardonically.
His friends looked horrified even if one of them did snicker to himself. My comment startled a laugh out of Louise as well. A wave of discrete giggles and snickers spread out from the epicenter of the burn. Into this comedy of errors Monmorency pushed her way through to Guiche, trailing a confused first year girl. Ah his betrothed and the piece on the side. Poor Katy, that wasn't worthy of me, and insulting to her.
"What is this I hear about you denying our betrothal in public?" Monmorency demanded.
"Betrothal…? Guiche! I thought your heart belonged me to!" Katy despaired.
"Did he really think he would get away with this?" Louise asked in disbelief.
Siesta did the smart thing and cleared the strike zone. Though why she thought that standing next to me was a good idea I'll never know. Guiche tried to defuse the bomb but he cut the wrong wire. The girls delivered their opinion of his wooing skills, with a right and left hook, before storming off together. Guiche stared after them in dumbfounded shock with his cheeks reddening from injury, anger, and humiliation. Maybe if I didn't laugh the next part of this drama could be avoided?
"You! Commoner! Because of you two beautiful flowers were humiliated today!" Guiche pointed stridently with his rose at…
Siesta!?
"Here now! That's going too far!" Louise exclaimed.
"Silence Zero! Don't think I have forgotten the part your Familiar played in all of this. However this filthy commoner is the one who started it!" Guiche declared.
This doesn't make any sense at all! Guiche was a jerk in canon but he wouldn't threaten a woman. Something was rotten here. Was he already dosed with something? Siesta was paralyzed with fright. If a noble took offense to a commoner the law rarely favored the commoner.
"Watch your tone with my mistress and leave the maid alone. She was doing her job in trying to return something you lost," I interposed myself between the ladies and Guiche.
"Rob...Be careful," Louise whispered. Something about his demeanor was scaring her.
"Feh! More commoner scum. If you wish to be punished first then I will oblige. I challenge you to a duel in the Vestry Court in fifteen minutes," Guiche declared.
"But duels are forbidden on school grounds…!" Malicorne, his rounder friend, tried to stop him.
"Only between nobles," Guiche smirked over his shoulder before walking away.
"Did he forget, that as the one challenged, I decide the method of combat? Whatever. I'll kick his ass no matter what he uses," I cracked my knuckles menacingly.
"But he has magic…!" Siesta tried to warm me. Louise's dark laugh caused the maid to freeze.
"So does my Familiar..." Louise chortled to herself with glee.
Guiche was in for a Bad Time as Arcane Spells covered a wide variety of effects. So what if I only had up to 1st level spells? In a real world setting even cantrips were dead useful. The Vestry Court was what I imagined it would be. It was just a simple courtyard with gray flagstones. From the looks of things the students all developed sudden teleportation powers, as the court was packed before I arrived. Louise and Siesta found places to stand by Kirche and Tabitha.
"It seems you are not a coward after all. I congratulate you on not running away," Guiche twirled his rose lazily.
"Get on with it," I gestured for him to hurry up.
"Hmph! Fine! Your opponent for this match is my Bronze Valkyrie!" He waved his wand, causing a bronze petal to drop off. The petal landed before blossoming into a fully formed golem. I had to give him credit that was a beautiful display. Something about the golem sent a feeling of unease through me, however. The false eyes looked too alert.
"So, not only do you take my right to choose a method of combat, but also hide behind a construct? Fine then. We'll play it your way," I smirked just to infuriate him. I cast a quick series of spells. Mage Armor and Summon Weapon twice. A pair of longswords appeared in my hands as crackling energy formed over my field jacket.
"He's a Mage?"
"What is this?"
"Does that mean he's a noble?"
The speculations only served to unsettle Guiche even further.
"Why didn't you tell anyone you were a Mage?" He demanded shakily.
"You didn't ask," I grinned at his discomfiture.
"Then surely you can handle more than this!" Guiche summoned six Bronze Valkyries in total to the field. He made a seventh to stand guard beside him. Not a bad strategy really.
As I raised the twin swords it was like a switch flipped. I felt the Runes ignite. Instantly I knew exactly how to fight with two longswords, subtly shifting my stance to better accommodate the balance. Amusingly I was standing in the Archer stance. Mage Armor would protect my torso from harm.
The Bronze Valkyries stood closer together as a cohesive unit. I cast Blurred Movement to make it harder for them to hit me. Guiche was absolutely certain of his safety. I had to deprive him of that. My first step carried me a surprising distance, but the Gandalfr Runes helped to orient me. Useful. The Bronze Valkyries appeared to be moving through molasses as I easily evaded their coordinated charge. My swords were a blur of motion shearing through their legs. I wasn't trying to actually defeat them, just hinder their movements.
"What the…!? Keep him away from me!" Guiche cried to his defending Valkyrie.
Too little, too late, as I sliced through both of its legs. I finally came to a stop with both swords crossed at his throat. Guiche stumbled back and fell on his butt. Obligingly I lowered my swords so that one pointed at his throat and the other at his groin.
"You yield," I told him.
"I yield…?" He blurted out.
"Glad we understand each other," I smiled and dropped the swords. Both blades vanished as soon as they left my hand. Theatrics were important. I turned and strode away from my defeated foe like a boss.
A burst of energy surged through me without warning. Instantly I knew what it was. A fragment of ROB entered me. Is that why Guiche was acting so strangely? Crud. I was a total jerkass to a mind controlled teenager. In the future I would have to figure out a way to determine who was afflicted. Out of character behavior? Blatant villain stupidity? Something to think about soon.
"You were fantastic!" Louise gushed. There were almost literal hearts in her eyes. Stars! Stars! I refuse to accept this!
"He certainly was," Kirche smirked. Just like that I was back on her radar. Dang it all.
"Hmmm..." Tabitha, the adorable Chevalier with a higher kill count than entire Special Forces teams, nodded quietly.
"So dashing..." I was probably not supposed to hear Siesta mutter to herself.
Right. So that happened. Louise and I had brunch as breakfast was interrupted. We were the talk of the school. Siesta spent practically the entire time waiting on us specifically. Kirche and Tabitha invited themselves to sit with us. It was at that point I remembered something incredibly stupid. I bought Girl Magnet at 2 for extra points. Hopefully I would be able to buy it off soon. Unless ROB did something silly like allocate my points.
Louise froze in mid motion. Not like she was startled, but actually frozen. A quick check of the Alvis Dining Hall showed that everyone was frozen like her.
<Congratulations!>
The words appeared in midair like before.
<You have managed to obtain one of my fragments. Kudos.>
"Thanks. What does it mean?" I asked.
<You were probably wondering how 'leveling up' would happen. What you experienced from defeating Guiche is a level up. Surprise!>
"How are we handling that?"
<Simple enough. Choose a Class, spend your points, get a level. Oh yeah and no buying off defects.>
Bummer. I would ask 'why not' but I had a feeling it was because the entity thought it was funny.
Another level of Student and I was given 9 points to spend on top of that. I decided to add 'Healing' to my Dynamic Sorcery. Now that I knew where I was it was easier to make plans. For one I wanted Healing spells. Among them was the spell Remove Disease. A spell that did not exist anywhere in Halkeginia and the key to saving Cattleya. That was eight points spent altogether. I bought another rank of Mind Shield to resist the Runes influence better.
As time started moving again I was left with more questions than answers. Did this mean the fragments were going to influence canon? Did it mean that nothing I did would actually derail events? How much more dangerous would it make the ones influenced? Were the girls going to stop staring at me like I was a hunk of meat?
The answer to that last was 'Hell no.'
lvl 11
Health Points: 95/95
Energy Points: 143/143
To be fair, SI!Ding; Guiche was being an a-hole at this point in the story anyway, if not necessarily to this extent. (Huh? What do you mean 'he can't hear me'? )
Btw, was the Girl/Guy Magnet drawback more powerful in the D20 book, because the 3e version doesn't give you swarms of admirers until the 3rd tier? (The Tier-2 one is about where Saito was in canon.)
Louise decided that I needed a sword. While I could conjure new swords as needed, it made more sense to have one on hand. Fine by me as I also needed to visit a blacksmith to get some tools made. The reason I didn't bother with a toolkit was because money could solve my problems. I could conjure tools too but they would disappear as soon as I set them down. Armor was tempting, but Mage Armor could handle that, so could the Gandalfr Runes. Tools and a sword headed my list of needs. Hopefully I could find Derflinger. Powerful magic sword with vast knowledge? Yes please!
There were other things I needed to do. One was convince Louise that she needed a personal maid. Someone who could wake her up and not have to use an Alarm spell. I think I could sell her on that easily enough. Second would be to ask Siesta if she wanted to work for the Valliere. I would be the one paying her as I had a ridiculous amount of money. Which should short circuit the whole Count Mott fiasco. I wanted to find a way to investigate and see if he was as bad as the anime made him. That reminded me I needed to do something about Fouquet.
"Honestly I can let canon takes it's course up until the golem. A couple Magic Missiles should take care of her. I won't even need to fight the golem," I decided on the strategy. Canon might say that she wasn't a terrible person, but she was willing to crush Louise with a golem. After that she would have used the Staff of Destruction to kill innocent children. Not to mention the golem attack in La Rochelle. Future events did not wipe the slate clean. That isn't to say I would try to kill her. I just wouldn't be gentle.
The ride to Tristania would be the best time to start working with Louise. We would have about an hour to just talk. I just had to convince her she needed a maid first. Then we could discuss when to start training her magic. Thanks to Knowledge Arcane I had a broad range of ideas for helping bring out her power. There was no logical reason that she shouldn't be able to cast non-attribute spells. The simplest spell to teach her would be the same go-to spell I use. Prestidigitation.
It was a useful spell!
The fact that it could affect up to 60 ft in an hour was just icing on the cake. Your room needs cleaning? Prestidigitation. Your clothes need a wash? Prestidigitation. You smell funky? Prestidigitation. Your porridge tastes like, well, porridge? Change the flavor with Prestidigitation! You could even cover up blemishes and give yourself an instant disguise for a whole hour!
I managed to find Siesta soon after leaving my room. The cheerful maid was busy rushing about doing early morning chores. She smiled brightly upon seeing me.
"Good morning, Rob. Was there anything I can help you with?" Siesta asked pleasantly. Convincing her to just call me by my given name was a fight. If she did end up working for Louise and myself, the informality would have to be in private. Meh. Minor obstacles.
"I was wondering if you could wake Louise for me?" I asked.
"Ah, yes. Of course I will. It would not be proper for a young man to be alone with a young woman," Siesta giggled with lightly flushed cheeks. Good thing I'm not a mind reader or my face would turn beet red. As it was I was still a bit flustered at her open behavior. Harem Anime cliches would kill me yet.
Louise didn't seem to appreciate being awakened by Siesta any more than the Alarm spell. Some people just aren't morning people. She did appreciate having someone to dress her. In medieval times it was the Lady's Maid who did such things. It was a position above a servant but not quite a retainer. Basically a sign of the noblewoman's social status.
"Thank you for waking me, Siesta," Louise said formally. The kind maid smiled at being acknowledged by name. This might actually be easier than I thought.
"You are quite welcome, Miss Louise," Siesta dipped a brief curtsy.
"Rob...Why are you staring at us like that?" Louise asked suspiciously. Siesta tilted her head in confusion. I was staring? Oh. Right. I tended to just stare straight ahead when I was thinking. Words don't fail me now!
"I was just thinking. I can't really tend to my mistress as she deserves. A young man in the same room as young lady? There would be a scandal. However, perhaps a proper Lady's Maid would help? Since the two of you get along so well I was considering purchasing Siesta's contract. That is if there are no objections?" I smiled politely while praying to Nep this wouldn't blow up in my face.
"Hmmm..." Louise didn't dismiss the offer outright. Good. However, the one who could kill the deal was Siesta. The gentle maid could refuse and I would be dead in the water.
"Oh please, My Lady. May I serve you?" Siesta clasped her hands together imploringly.
"At this rate you would be more my Manservant than a Familiar. Since Siesta is okay with this we can take care of it today. We can go to Tristania afterward," Louise decided.
Buying Siesta's contract was depressingly cheap. Five gold per year of service with a five year contract. She didn't seem to mind and Louise looked as if this was normal. No one even asked Siesta what she thought of having her contract bought. I understood now how Count Mott, whose reputation was well known, was able to get her. The only saving grace was how servants seemed to be literate.
"We will need to hire a carriage from the school. Horses are free, but I don't know if Siesta has even ridden a horse," Louise glanced at our maid curiously.
"I have actually," Siesta quickly assured her.
"Rob? What do you think?" Louise asked.
"Let's take a carriage. While we're in the city perhaps we should buy a few things. Such as riding clothes and other outfits," I suggested.
"Perhaps it is for the best. Hmmm...Yes. A proper uniform with the Valliere crest," Louise decided with a firm nod.
"Clothes?" Siesta looked amazed.
"Is there anything else you can think of?" I asked her. She glanced to Louise for permission only to receive a nod.
"Perhaps books? I like to read. Romances mainly...I usually borrow them from the library, or whatever I scrounge from my pay. Ah! I spoke too freely," Siesta dithered.
"How does 5 gold a month sound?" I offered. The maid's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
"Can you afford that?" Louise didn't say 'no.' She was just making sure I could afford the extra wages.
"Easily. In fact, if there is anything you would like as well, please don't hesitate to ask," I looked Louise in the eyes.
"Perhaps we could get started on my magic?" Louise suggested.
An hour by horse turned into three by carriage. Siesta looked happy but also stunned at her good fortune. The high of her raise hadn't worn off yet. Five gold a month didn't sound like much, but it was a significant jump. I could easily afford more but I didn't want her to die from shock. Louise was almost bouncing in her seat, waiting for me to get on with her instruction.
"I need to hear it from you first. What have you tried?" I asked gently. Better to lead her gently rather than just say she needs to learn non-element spells. That would probably go over like a lead balloon or a fart in a crowded elevator.
"I have tried all of the spells in the curriculum. Everything I do just explodes. Fire? Explodes. Water? Explodes. Wind? Explodes. Earth? Explodes! They don't even explode in the proper element," Louise hugged herself. Without consciously thinking about it, Siesta laid a comforting hand on her knee. My mistress looked briefly surprised before smiling gratefully.
"Perhaps we could try a spell that is...outside of the element structure?" I demonstrated Prestidigitation for her again by making a crude little figurine.
"Conjuration?" Louise asked.
"Prestidigitation. A spell useful for all sorts of purposes like cleaning, changing hair and eye color, making little objects, and minor levitation..." I demonstrated the changing colors by giving myself blond hair and green eyes. The figurine slowly, very slowly, rose from my hand.
"One spell does all that?" Louise eyed the wobbling figurine in wonder.
"Cleaning with magic?" Siesta almost drooled at the idea. To be honest I didn't know if she could learn to use cantrips. If she had any talent in magic, how would we have known? It didn't say in canon one way or another.
"You won't need a wand for this," I assured Louise. My mistress looked confused a moment, but then remembered I wasn't using a wand.
"What do I have to do?" She asked.
I wasn't sure how long it would take Louise to pick it up. We had roughly two and half hours for instruction. She was so sure it would work this time. I spent the time equally teaching and praising her. To be honest I wasn't expecting a miracle. However, Louise surprised me. My mistress got the spell right on the very first casting. There was a side effect however. The figurine she conjured was the size of a terrier. She gasped with delight.
"I got it! I got it!" Louise clapped her hands.
"You did! Congratulations!" I applauded her. She learned it in less than an hour! How could I not praise that?
"Oh my! Can you make it float too?" Siesta turned shining eyes on Louise. The pink haired girl smiled and made a gesture for it to lift. I was too late to warn her that the spell could only lift a pound of matter.
The figurine hovered in midair in blatant defiance of what I knew.
"Why have I never heard of this magic before? Perhaps he is a prodigy of magic and doesn't need a wand. Does this mean I am a prodigy as well?" Louise excitedly babbled to herself.
Siesta looked longingly at the floating figurine. Despite the shaking of the carriage it still hadn't wobbled once. I tried to push on it but it wouldn't budge. It took Louise to finally get it to land. The maid looked hesitant, but strangely resolved.
"Visualization...intent..." Siesta murmured.
"I don't seem to have the same limitation for the spell as you do," Louise beamed happily at me, then shrunk back suddenly.
"What is it?" I asked while trying to keep an eye on Siesta and pay attention to Louise.
"Oh, well, I didn't mean to say I was better than you..." She was quick to assure me.
"I knew you were talented with the right motivation. As your teacher it does me proud that you have succeeded so well," I patted her shoulder.
"Thank you!" Louise chirped before turning a confused look on Siesta. "What is she doing? EH!?"
The shocked exclamation had to do with Siesta turning her hair a stunning shade of blue. I really should have foreseen that the universe would screw with me. She sat in silence as shock settled over her features. Louise turned to me for an explanation. Quick brain! Think of something rational to say!
"Damned if I know. She might have some noble blood in her line somewhere. Cantrips are basic spells used to build up to greater magics. For all we know this could be the limit of what she can do," I shrugged then winced internally. Didn't I just get finished building Louise up only to tell her it was a cantrip? Siesta didn't seem to care. She got exactly what she wanted. My mistress might not be so philosophical.
"Just a cantrip? A basic spell that anyone can do?" Louise wasn't quite as elated as before.
"Oh goodness...I'm so sorry!" Siesta looked distressed at bringing her down. No, Siesta. I'm the one who fucked up the explanation. In trying to explain how a maid could cast magic, I implied it wasn't a great feat.
"No no...I suppose...no. It is progress. Progress should be celebrated," the smaller girl managed to regain some of her former cheer.
"Well there are other spells we can work on during the trip back," I offered.
"Ah perhaps I shouldn't be here for those...I was too curious and acted above my station..." Siesta looked like she would fall apart any moment. As a maid she was meant to be in the background. She let herself into our magic lesson.
"Don't you dare!" Louise exploded. Siesta and I both jumped at the sudden outburst. "You have a responsibility to learn to use your magic properly. I will not be the kind of person who holds someone back for their own gain. That is the truest sign of weakness." She whipped out a riding crop from...somewhere and pointed it at Siesta commandingly.
"Y-yes!" Siesta yelped and sat up straighter.
Louise didn't want to try to learn anything else during the carriage ride. She was still too angry to focus. Whether it was at me for minimizing her accomplishment, Siesta for succeeding at magic, or some combination of the above, her concentration was shot.
The capital city of Tristain would have been a quaint look at medieval life if not for one thing: garbage. I managed to forget that people just tossed their trash in the gutter. That included chamber pots. I used Prestidigitation to clean the air around us. It was a trivial use of a cantrip and it helped keep my gorge down. Louise and Siesta didn't seem affected but they were probably used to a city's smells. My mistress did flash a grateful look in my direction.
"What I wouldn't give to just use Prestidigitation to clean the gutters," I muttered to myself. Tristania could be the cleanest city in the world with enough castings.
"It does work..." Siesta gazed in awe as the stones at her feet sparkled like new.
"I suppose you won't have as much to do now," Louise remarked.
"I suppose not," Siesta shook her head.
"Huh. I could actually clean my own clothes and myself with this spell," Louise realized.
"Which...would actually leave me out of a job..." Siesta swallowed softly.
"Hardly. Maids are more than just for their use in cleaning. A proper Lady's Maid also acts as a confidant and companion in private. Since my Familiar is a man I need someone to see to my needs," Louise waved the maid's fears away.
"It's true. People would talk if I was seen coming out of her room in the morning," I remarked. Okay, so this was slightly inconvenient. At least this way I could deny Wardes and his desire to spend the night with Louise. They were betrothed but that didn't matter in a medieval society.
"Hee hee hee..." Siesta and Louise's minds dived straight into the gutter happily.
There wasn't much I could except to grin and bear it. Even if I didn't encourage them the 'Girl Magnet' defect would still remain active. I could try to talk them down later. Maybe it would even work.
"Where do we go first?" Louise asked.
"I have to go to the blacksmith. There are some tools I need and I'll probably have better results. Then I'll need to find a proper sword. Would you like to do the rest of the shopping?" I asked. Please say yes because I really needed to get away.
"Of course. Ah, what is our budget?" Louise turned back.
I gave them five hundred gold. That should keep them busy for awhile. Louise and Siesta stared at the money I just so casually handed to my mistress in shock. The pair made themselves scarce, almost like there were afraid I would change my mind. I called out that we would meet up at the stables. Hopefully they heard me.
Blacksmiths were generally near the edge of the city, mainly due to the noise. Rather than try to guess I asked a random passerby who directed me to the south wall of the city. If I needed any further proof that Tristain was supposed to be the 'good guys' it was best shown in their treatment of commoners. People bustling to and fro with smiles for their neighbors. It was Disney with a splash of realism. That realism was in the form of strange odors, but I didn't need to mention it again.
The smith was a big man, stripped to the waist, and wearing a leather apron. He wiped the sweat from his gleaming bald head. The man had muscles on his muscles. I found a walking stereotypical blacksmith. Amusingly I was still taller than him by half a foot.
"Well now ain't you a big one?" He called jovially.
"It's a right pain with all the low hanging ceilings," I called back. The man laughed.
"I can imagine. What can I do for you stranger?" He asked.
"I was hoping to get some custom work done. Special tools, components, and wires," I explained.
"As long as you have the coin," he nodded agreeably.
I brought out my sketchbook. The smith looked intrigued at the simple wire binding. He gestured for me to hand it over. I really hoped he could help me. Everything I needed was carefully drawn to scale. The smith arched an eyebrow when he reached the page of screws.
"What are these?" He asked absently.
"Screws. Their unique shape allows them to bore into wood and grip more tightly than just a nail. This is a bolt, when used with a nut, can be used to hold two pieces of metal together," I pointed the parts out in turn.
"Ah and this is the tool for securing the screws...I imagine this vice looking tool is for the nuts and bolts," the blacksmith was quick.
"The threads need to be made just right. I was going to see about contracting an Earth mage for making the threads..." I started to say only for the smith to point at his waist. A wand rested at his side.
"I don't use it for crafting often, but it saves me from having to pay extra for special metals," he smirked.
"Do those savings get passed on to the customer?" I smirked in reply.
"I am certainly more affordable than most others," the smith bragged.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get involved in trade?" I asked.
"I'm the fourth son of a minor noble. It was either get an honest job or be out on the street," he shrugged.
"My name is Rob Drakona," I introduced myself with a mix of my real and RP name.
"Andre Fabron," he shook my hand firmly. Manly Blacksmith? Interesting name for certain.
"How much will this cost?" I asked.
He flipped through the sketchbook absently, while thinking.
"Fifty five gold pieces. If you make me your only supplier I will only charge forty," Andre glanced at me.
"Excellent! I was hoping to have a dedicated supplier," I couldn't help smiling.
"Was there anything else?" He asked.
"I'm going to need enough supplies to stock a lab. Alchemy, smithing, and the like," I said.
"Smithing?" Andre arched an eyebrow.
"In case I need to shape metal for a project in a hurry. Otherwise I will definitely come to you," I was quick to assure him. I was not a professional and I did not want to offend a master.
"No no I get it. You're a builder. A researcher. I do specialty work for a professor at the Academy," he assured me.
"Funny, that's where I'm staying at the moment," I grinned. So he knew Professor Colbert? I was buying all of these things without a lab. Hopefully he would know of a spare lab I could use.
"Well that makes it easier! I can send it to him if you like. Since, judging by your nervous look, you didn't get a lab of your own yet," Andre noted slyly.
"That would be a big help," I sighed.
Getting the Blacksmith tools I needed was easy. He would make them himself and send them along. I also needed a goldworking and silverworking set up. The alchemist he directed me to charged an arm and a leg, but I was paying for quality. I had a request for some unusual chemicals. After some explanations of what they did, he showed me to the exotic concoctions. My purse took another hit as he was not parting with them easily. I could extrapolate the specific chemicals I needed from what was available. Which lead me to buying the specific glasswork I needed to make a distillery.
Even after spending eight thousand gold my pouch still bulged. I better hit up the weapon shop and find Derflinger before I spent anything else. Just because it still looked full I went from seventeen thousand down to nine. I still wanted to pay a researcher to come and do the boring parts of magic research for me. Maybe Professor Colbert knew someone? Since my materials would be going to him it would just be easier to get him on board. The man was a genius of magic and technology after all.
So much to do and so little time.
The inside of the weapon shop was, well, pretty bland. I was expecting something a bit more attractive. Sharp objects are rarely boring, but the shop owner managed the feat admirably. I already knew what to look for so it wasn't like I cared if his business sense was lacking. There was a barrel of old swords by the counter. Weapons with history stuck in a bargain barrel like trash.
"Is there anything I can help you with young Master?" The shopkeeper grinned. My clothes probably clued him in that I have money.
"Just looking for something in particular..." I cast Detect Magic. A radiance lit up the barrel like a mini star.
"Ooh...Shiny!" A rusty voice (no pun intended) remarked.
"D-Did you just use magic on my swords?" The shopkeeper didn't quite know how to handle this.
"Told you I was looking for something. There we go," I pulled out Derflinger triumphantly. The bright radiance from the spell blinding us both. We needed a moment to blink the spots from our eyes. Honestly I could see that being a great distraction in combat. Flash bomb right in the enemy's face.
"What do you want with that piece of junk?" He complained.
"Clearly your finest qualities are not in your intellect," Derflinger said dryly.
"How much for the rusty piece of junk?" I asked blandly.
"Ten gold. I've been trying to get rid of it, but no one wants a mouthy sword," the merchant said.
"Here's twenty. I want a cleaning kit as well," I told him.
"It's your coin. Even if I think you should try this beauty on for size..." He wandered into the back. A few moments later he came back with a gaudy lump of crap in the shape of a sword. I appraised it at a glance. It wasn't even alchemical silver like the merchant was claiming. Oh. He was actually talking while I pondered the offense against swords everywhere.
"I don't think he's buying what you're selling. Clearly my new partner has taste," Derf preened.
"I have some familiarity with alchemy and that? That is not alchemical silver. In fact it's an ornamental sword and not a battle ready blade. The fact you are trying to sell it, as if it were, would be a crime," I informed him blandly. Just to be insufferable I slid Derflinger down the back of my jacket, using Portable Armory to make it disappear.
Anime hammerspace get!
Derflinger couldn't stop laughing at the expression on the shopkeeper's face. Portable Armory left any weapon I had readily available. It was like Pocket Dimension just for weapons. Now all I needed were more weapons. One of the things I had planned was to make firearms for my own use. Semi-automatic weapons would work great for the war effort, if I had a guarantee no one else would get them. I was planning on automating the weapon and armor fabrication process.
"I hope I didn't keep them waiting too long..." I muttered.
"I thought it was strange that a Gandalfr didn't have their master nearby," Derf remarked.
"Yeah...Try not to mention 'Gandalfr' too loudly. My mistress' safety lies in anonymity," I said.
"Gotcha. Smart guy! Not many people would try obscurity for a defense," the ancient sword said.
Thankfully the ladies were waiting for me at the stable. There were also a few dozen boxes waiting to be loaded. Five hundred gold bought all this? Watching the two chatting and giggling together made me feel good. I did the right thing in leaving them to bond while I ran from the shipping. Yes. I ran from them and I would admit to myself at least.
"Where is the sword you bought?" Louise asked. I drew it from my Portable Armory.
"It's so rusty..." Siesta noted with disappointment.
"Why would you buy something so dirty?" Louise wrinkled her nose.
"Because I am a fantastic singer," Derflinger said. Both girls froze in shock.
"It talks!" Siesta exclaimed in amazement.
"I can sort of see the appeal..." Louise admitted. Without being blinded by the shiny monstrosity she could see Derflinger's charm.
"Besides cleaning off rust isn't that difficult," I said. Siesta and Louise cast Prestidigitation, almost like they planned it ahead of time. Derflinger went from rusty to shinier than new.
"Well that was a thing," Derf was nonplussed.
"Huh..." It was a cantrip. It didn't have the power to remove rust. Louise was overpowering the spell to a truly fantastic degree. The surprising thing was that Siesta's contribution, rather than doing nothing, appeared to bolster the spell. More things to study.
At the rate things were going I was going to have more research projects than time.
During the journey back I kept up the lessons. There were a surprising number of cantrips that didn't require an element. I also gave teaching them Cure Minor Wounds a try. Louise picked it up on the first try. I cut my finger on Derf to use for practice. She healed the wound completely even though it was deeper than I expected. Siesta's was considerably weaker but still turned my cut into a faint bruise.
I would have to find a way to test, discretely, if other 'commoners' could learn cantrips.
When we reached the castle Louise called over a servant to take the packages. Her and Siesta left to ensure the packages reached their destination. I asked Louise if she could tell me where Professor Colbert could be found.
"What do you need him for?" Louise asked.
"I need somewhere to work on my projects. Not to mention a private place where we can work on your magic," I said.
"Good point. No offense to Siesta, but I am not certain letting anyone know about her...gift is a good idea," Louise said delicately.
"I would rather not have it get out," Siesta agreed.
Professor Colbert's lab was near the back wall of the Academy. Close enough if there was an emergency, but far enough away in case of explosions. Experimentation was often a risky proposition. He opened the door on the third knock with an expression of bemusement.
"Ah yes? Miss Valliere's Familiar, right? Can I help you?" He asked politely.
"Yes. My name is Rob Drakona and I was wondering if you might be able to help me. I am something of a researcher and an inventor..." I smiled.
"Is that so? So am I! Please come in..." Professor Colbert invited me inside.
It was the start of a beautiful friendship.
...I'll ignore the thunderclap coming from a clear blue sky.
