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Noblesse Oblige [Znt/SI]

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defenestrator said:
So from how I'm seeing it in my head: it starts like a projectile Rasengan that grinds through an enemy's armor (wether mundane or magical), before expanding and acting like a reverse blackhole wherein any loose bits or limbs are pulled outward. Possibly turning the enemy into a frag grenade of rent steel and giblets too.

Eyup, Vicious WInd indeed.


Yeah, I can imagine how that must feel. Like being sworn in as President Incompetus, or Judge Shitastain, with the audience giggling for extra salt on your wounded pride.

Which makes me wonder: if the Runic names were decided by committee, then how did The Zero get through? Didn't Colbert highly respect Louise' efforts to catch up with her peers? What, was he sick that day or was he too dense to see the name as an insult?
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I'd say that this is a ceremony that Shade created, if I'm wrong it means that Colbert and Osmond dropped the Idiot Cannonball.
 
I will laugh my ass off of it turns out Karin goes all dere for the training. You feared the harshness but the true fear is awkward mom hugs.

Also the spell practice with Wards has no mention of the founder in any of the spells. Fairly sure thats a bit heretical.
 
The speed at which this updates is amazing. The previous chapter is always fresh in my mind whenever I read the latest, making the reading experience much more fun on the whole.

Also, the Vicious Wind.

Nice name.
 
defenestrator said:
Which makes me wonder: if the Runic names were decided by committee, then how did The Zero get through? Didn't Colbert highly respect Louise' efforts to catch up with her peers? What, was he sick that day or was he too dense to see the name as an insult?
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Didn't she protest that "The Zero" wasn't her name? I always thought it was just something the students had come up with to tease her with.

Introducing a formal event that names them kinda doesn't work with that, unless you assume that Louise didn't go through the ceremony for some reason.
 
Only a year into his public education and he's already been slapped with a derivative runic title that traps him in his mother's shadow. I like it.
 
Great name, Shade. At least Henry didn't get something ironic like, "The Ripper". All of those jokes just went down the drain. Thank the founder, eh?
 
Vicious Wind, huh. Not terribly imaginative considering it sounded like a kind of rending tearing implosion going on. Still, doesn't have to be imaginative to be known, admired, or feared.
 
Lagrange said:
Didn't she protest that "The Zero" wasn't her name? I always thought it was just something the students had come up with to tease her with.

Introducing a formal event that names them kinda doesn't work with that, unless you assume that Louise didn't go through the ceremony for some reason.
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Indeed it isn't official. I think Louise just didn't get one.
 
Ey, If your going to be trapped by a name, at least it's supper badass and you get to be an understudy to the chief asskicker.

Even if it hurts, it's not going to kill you. It can't be any worse than serious training here,

Gambate, fictional andorial!
 
Am I the only one getting Bloodborne vibes from the spell?

ilalthal said:
I will laugh my ass off of it turns out Karin goes all dere for the training. You feared the harshness but the true fear is awkward mom hugs.
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"Okay so I just...."

"Yes Henry, always be light on your feet."

"Oh my whittle boy is doing so well! I can't wait to teach him everything I know! N-No, I can't hug him now!"
 
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Chapter Twenty-Eight
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    • Chapter Twenty-Eight

    I returned home on the same carriage that had brought me to the academy, my eyes actually holding back my tears as I thought about all of that delicious freedom I was going to be living without for the rest of the school break. My clothes were pristine, my appearance unblemished, if not for a small area near my brow where I had been cut by a rock while falling due to the air hammer of Jean-Jacques and that, while healed, had left behind a tiny, insignificant scar.

    The moment I saw the la Valliere mansion loom over the horizon, I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

    I stepped down from the carriage and watched with a pensive outlook at the servants who bowed at my passage, having placed themselves in two distinct lines to welcome me back. If only the imperial march had begun to play, then I would have felt at ease just like the Emperor of Star Wars. Inside the mansion's main entrance hall there were simply more servants, and one escorted me all the way up to my father's office, who was standing in wait of me with his arms crossed behind his back and a stern expression settled on his face.

    "Father," I said. "I'm back."

    "Ah, Henry," Pierre turned to look at me with a small smile. "Just in time. Your mother is out patrolling the border, but she will be back soon enough," he smiled a bit wider this time, "I heard you have a Wind affinity," he chuckled. "Though the vicious part doesn't really sound much like you, does it?"

    I chuckled in turn. "I guess my spell was kind of vicious, but it was against a straw mannequin, so it might have made the end result a bit larger than intended." I walked closer. "Did mother say anything about it?"

    "No," Pierre replied. "She did decide to do a surprise patrol of the borders, but beyond that I am sure she will be quite pleased. She also insisted we could handle the caring of another manticore in the stables, so you will be taking riding lessons from her-"

    "Father, on a scale of one to ten, how much time will my mother take away from my break?" as I asked that, the Duke de la Valliere laughed gently, and then patted my shoulder with quite a gentle squeeze.

    "What a silly question, Henry. You know your mother does not do half-measures. She has quite a lot of free time, with most of the fiefs under yours and your sisters' care, and she was getting quite restless," he laughed nervously. "I am sorry, my son, but when I saw that she intended to start putting in order my own library of ancient war treaties, I had to intervene."

    "You sold me, father," I said in disbelief. "You sold me!" I swatted his hand on my shoulder away, "How-How could you!? I trusted you!"

    "One day, Henry, you will understand," Pierre said with a firm and resolute nod, "But do not speak about betrayal to me! You betrayed me first! Bringing that man, that Jean-Jacques into the family so that he could sink his claws in Cattleya! My poor daughter, in the hands of a Viscount!" he had tears in his eyes, "Only princes would have been acceptable! And acceptable is a large margin to fill, so perhaps, under great stress and duress I might have allowed it if the pope had given his blessings-"

    I clenched my fists, "you threw me to the wolves, father."

    "Your mother isn't a wolf, son. Just...really enthusiastic about having her eldest son follow in her footsteps?" Pierre coughed nervously, "Wouldn't you like to meet your manticore?"

    I stared at him, "Is it a fluffy ball of feathers and love and friendship?"

    "No son...it's a manticore," Pierre sighed. "You will be making this difficult, won't you?"

    "Not really," I said with a shrug, "but I am still expecting my hippogriff. A promise is a promise, father," I narrowed my eyes. "You won't go as far as to renege on your most noble promise now, will you?"

    "Of course not," the Duke said most solemnly, he smiled then, "But now let me look at you a bit better! You've grown so much, it doesn't even feel like half a year has gone by-" he squared me up and down appreciatively, "You must be making the young ladies fan themselves quite a bit, my son! Why, when I was your age the things I did for a chaste kiss on the cheeks-ah, those were the times!"

    Don't remind me, father, that your porn power is awfully inadequate. Please, it hurts to even think about what you consider extreme smut seeing as playboy is deemed as the ancient relic of the Zerbst that can make old men revitalize themselves.

    "Pierre," the sudden cold voice that filled the room made me stop in my tracks. Pierre de la Valliere froze mid-speech on how wonderful a young lady of his times had been with his full globes, "What are my ears hearing?" Karin de la Valliere stepped into Pierre's office with a few, firm but precise steps, and came to a halt right in front of me -since I had turned to face her fully. "Our son comes back and rather than send that useless owl familiar of yours to warn me, you decide to have a chat about this Miss Trementine?"

    "She's the Marquesse De Rocheaux now-" Pierre's next words were cut short by Karin's glare, who made him zip himself up quite quickly.

    "Mother," I said with a stiff back and my shoulders squared. "It is nice to see you are well." I bowed lightly, "How was your border patrol?"

    "It went well," Karin said stiffly, "Very well indeed-there was nothing out of the ordinary," she narrowed her eyes, "About your runic name, I have received a letter from the headmaster detailing it. The vicious wind is not something I hope was given to you lightly, so I will be testing it myself if you are truly worthy of that name."

    My smile remained stiff, "O-of course," I said. "As you wish, mother."

    Karin nodded firmly, "That can be done tomorrow. For today, you should visit your sisters. Eleonore has returned home and is currently in the library, while Cattleya and Louise are in the gardens behind the villa, enjoying tea."

    I grinned. "Mother, may I ask if the same improprieties allowed for departure are allowed also for the day one returns home?"

    "No," Karin said flatly, emitting a singular huff, "They are most certainly not allowed, Henry. That disrespectful attempt of yours was allowed only on the grounds that it would be a one time thing. A proper noble handles himself with care, all the times."

    "I understand, mother," I nodded. "I will keep that in mind."

    "Yes, you do that," Karin nodded quite firmly, not understanding the double sense. "We will speak more after dinner."

    "I...look forward to it, mother," I answered with a small smile, which earned me a noticeably softer glare than usual. She was probably glad I had come back home, but of course wouldn't say anything to corroborate such a thesis.

    I began to walk outside, only for Karin to speak up once more as I reached for the door. "Henry," she said suddenly, "while not at the levels of Eleonore, you did well enough during your classes to warrant a reward. There is a gift in the stables for you-you may name it whatever you wish, as long as it is proper."

    I nodded. "I'll go meet it once I'm done visiting my sisters, mother. Thank you," I added, forcing out a smile as I stepped out and closed the door behind me. I clenched my left hand and grinned, shaking my head even as I began to walk towards the far end of the hallway, in the direction of the library.

    My steps were perhaps a bit faster than normal, but it would be fine.

    I had just lost the freedom to write, and I wouldn't be regaining that until I returned to the academy.

    I had just lost my hard earned freedom after having tasted it for the first time in years, but it would be fine.

    The truest of despair, as Caster of Fate Zero would say, wasn't to kill a victim, but to show them a way out and once they were so fully entranced with the prospect of being free, of being safe, of having hope in their hearts blossom-then ripping it away would give the uttermost level of despair. That was Caster of Fate Zero, a cruel servant to a cruel master.

    Yet, it did not make those words any less true.

    He who knows not what freedom is, will never understand how horrible it is to have it taken.

    But I was sure Cattleya would cheer me up.

    And if not her, I'd pinch Louise's cheeks a bit.

    First, though, I had to pacify the dragon in the room.

    Thus, I knocked at the door of the great dragon of the Valliere mansion, and stepped inside. "Big sister Eleonore?" I said as I walked closer to where she was sitting, a large and thick tome in front of her with parchments all around it, with drawings and scribbling on them already. "How are you-"

    "Ah, Henry-" Eleonore's head turned sharply, the various parchment scattering on the floor as she stood up and drew closer to me. She was taller than me -but not for long, not if my growth spurt kicked in when I thought it would, and her eyes were as stern as always, if with a small grin on her lips. "You have returned? So, the Vicious Wind, uh? I don't see it," she neared her fingers to pinch my cheeks, "Where does it says vicious on you, uh? They made a mistake. Perhaps daydreamer might have been better."

    I swatted the fingers away with a huff. "Then, rather than Iron Lady, they should have called you Cheek Pincer."

    "Oh?" Eleonore drawled, raising an eyebrow, "Are you talking back to me? I'm the eldest, you know!" she huffed, "What gives you this cheeky attitude, uh? You reached Triangle, perhaps? You're not even a Line mage. Did you refine silver? No, I'm sure you haven't even refined steel."

    "I'm merely stating facts, dear sister," I said with a chuckle. "It's nice to see you again," I added. "Can I hug you? You look like you could use a hug."

    "That's the summit of improper behavior, Henry. You're no longer a child," she said, readjusting her glasses. "But seeing how you missed me so much, I guess I can concede it just this once-"

    "You're the best big sister ever!" I said with a giggle as I proceeded to hug her tightly, much to her surprise and audible gasp. There you go, Karin. That's where nobility's etiquette can go die in my opinion.

    To hit the main enemy boss, you must first make the foundations around it crumble. Instead of aiming at the Death Star, aim at the Shields Generators first.

    "All right," Eleonore said after a short while, "Enough now-"

    "It's only a hug when both sides participate, big sister," I said with a slightly whiny sound, which actually made Eleonore twitch a bit more.

    In the end, she caved in.

    And etiquette shall hold no dominion.
     
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    • Thanks to the FF7 fic, I find myself highlighting these chapters and looking for invisitext. Luckily Henry hasn't had to deal with Jenova.
     
    shadenight123 said:
    I stared at him, "Is it a fluffy ball of feathers and love and friendship?"
    "No son...it's a manticore," Pierre sighed. "You will be making this difficult, won't you?"
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    I'm having flashbacks to Unforeseen Consequences.
    That something did not remain hidden long. Striding out of the forest with grace seemingly impossible for its size strode a being of shadows. The entire party tensed as the moonlight slowly dispelled the shadows clinging to the beast. Standing nearly twice as tall as Sylphid with the body of lion, the wings of a bat and the tail of a scorpion strode the most massive manticore they had ever seen. Well, all except two. The two Vallieres had seen a manticore this size before. They had seen this manticore before.

    "Mr. Fluffles!" Cattleya shrieked with excitement as she slammed into the manticore's mane, gripping the fur and latching on to the massive animal like a leech. The ancient manticore's ominous presence was quickly dispelled as it tried and failed to gently let Cattleya down. Leaning down this way, bowing that way, each time the manticore lowered the portion of its mane Cattleya was clinging to she would simply climb until eventually she was atop the beast's head scratching that oh-so-wonderful place behind its ears.

    Giving up, the manticore lay down and accepted the pleasurable sensation. "Hello, Alistair." Louise used the manticore's proper name as she place a hand on his massive snout. The huff of breath that followed teetered Louise on her feet. "Cattleya?" Louise questioned upward.

    Cattleya popped out from beneath the field of fur, "Oh right! Everyone, this is our mother's familiar, Alistair the Manticore, but you can call him Mr. Fluffles." Alistair huffed at the nickname and gave a stern look to the group in front of him. Only his charges were given that privilege, not them.
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