Breaking In Louise (ZnT Discussion) Pt 3

It's obviously Bitch Puddin' from Robot Chicken.

If it was "such a pity" rather than "what a shame" I would guess Dhoulmagus from Dragon Quest VIII...

Here we go! A Baldur's Gate/ZNT Starring a SI postgame character...

We'd go with game mechanics here. So poor Nae March (Or CHARNAME reorganizing the letters ;-) has only abilites from the game.)


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A green Portal opened in front of Nae March. In the middle of the Abyss. What the? Who would be Stupid enough to invade in his own domain, some Brave archmage, wanting to destroy the very recently ascended god of Murder?¿ or perhaps an army would be invading in order to distract him from something else?

He growled. Not even two minutes since he accepted the Solar offer to inherit his father portfolio, and someone was already messing with him. with a mere thought, and a flash of light, his trusty staff of the magi was in his hands. Even if he was a newly minted god, his domain, would still empower him, but against other gods, or divine creatures, he was like a Lvl1 once again.

With a wave of his hand, the ground filled itself with arcane Spike traps, and a pair of Time-stop traps for good measure to let him time to react to any unforeseen events. the the Staff of the magi rested itself into his hands, while he watched very carefully the magical portal.

Nothing was coming across. Talk about anti climatic.

He felt a small wind, like an open invitation to enter the portal.

Was this some joke from Imoen? To spook him or something? To get him back for the whole "Me and Imoen are inseparable, both of us shall ascend". Really...

"Immy, using godly powers to scare me isn't very nice!" I know you are still angry, but this is childish!"

"Go to hell NAE!!!!" came a tearful reply from wherever she was avoiding him. Geez...

A feeble breeze caressed his face, returning his attention to the green glowing portal... was it growing stronger?

Really? Either they were really stupid, or someone had guts to pull this stunt. Balls the size of wa..-Wait! scratch that. Portal-someone was actually desperate. He could feel it in the magic of the portal. tinged into the green glow itself. Huh, someone was in trouble, and was actually desperate enough to pull this.

...Who resides upon the heavens...

huh? a girl's voice?

March approached, the portal, and suddenly... a gale, no a typhoon!!!

...I desire and here i plead from my heart...

'Shit! Shit!!' a trap, this was a trap!!! "IMMY!!!" Nae said, while anchoring himself into the floor, glaring at the portal.

"IMMY, KEEP AWAY!! RUN!!!"

Suddenly, the winds stopped altogether, and before Nae could react, the portal moved forward and engulfed him, Away into a world with two moons.

"NAE? NAE? NAEEEEEEEEE!!!"

Came an strangled half-cry half shout, from a distressed goddess...

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An explosion... Smoke... And a form sprawled face-down into the floor. the students first glance , the most eye catching features would be the garish multicolored robe, which glowed, glowed!! a belt, a strange staff, two swords and a blue purse strapped into his belt... It looked like a very extravagant noble?

Louise summoned a jester?

"GODDAMMIT" the prone figure cursed.
"WHAT THE HELL?" "IMMY? IMMY?!? WHERE ARE YOU?"

Louise looked at Colbert? what was her familiar shouting? It seemed gibberish to her. was her familiar from far away?

The figure rose slowly, unsteadily, And the students and professors alike stared, like deer looking at the headlights.

"ELF!!"

"It's an ELFF!!"

"OH MY GOD!!"

"IT'S ANGRY!!"

"AHHHH!!!!"

"SHIT!!!! SHIT!!! CALL THE GRYFFIN KNIGHTS!! CALL THE ROYAL GUARD!! THE ARMY!!!"

"ZERO KILLED US ALL!!!"

"WE SURRENDER! WE SURRENDER!!!"

the tentative familiar of Louise was angry, really angry his eyes radiating fury and shouted.

"I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS DID IT! BUT I WON'T GO DOWN EASILY!"

"Fireball!" Professor Colbert interrupted the angry tirade of the summoned creature. willing into existence a car sized fireball in a collision course towards the angry elf.

To everyone's shock, the fireball, instead of cooking the bloodthirsty being, rebounded back towards professor Colbert! who barely managed to throw himself out of the incoming fire.

The elf made a few gestures "Stoneskin", his skin and robes lost their vibrant colors taking the consistence of rock. Immediately, with a flick of his wrist, tens of elf doppelgangers manifested around him. After this, the Elf ran towards his fallen staff... And to everyone panicked surprise, he picked it up, and disappeared altogether from view.

"HE TELEPORTED?"

"WHERE IS HE?"

"BRIMIR SAVE US, HE'S GONE INVISIBLE!!"

"I'M OUTA HERE!"

Louise stared at the pandemonium, around her. Frozen in shock. She had summoned a clown elf, An angry clown elf. A clown elf that was going to kill them all. What had she done? What she could do?? If the Elf didn't kill her, the headmaster would, and if not, her mother would finish the job!

Suddenly, the Elf appeared, few meters away to a panicking malicorne, that was raising several golems around him and Montmorency, And while ignoring the earth mage, he directed a word towards the still recovering professor, and he disappeared again. *CRACK* an Spell. Louise whirled around looking for the victim, and she could only stare at the squirrel next to professor Colbert fallen staff. A Squirrel?

Before even Louise could digest the horrible fate of professor Colbert, the rock covered elf appeared for a brief instant, to shoot an spell "SLEEP" towards Guiche and the students gathered behind her Golems. She could only stare, horrified, how six students, including Guiche fell instantly to the ground. Louise griped her wand, did the Elf just murder six defenseless students in cold blood? in addition to professor Colbert horrible fate? Being a Squirrel for all eternity?. Tears started to fall from Louise eyes. This was the end. If fate decreed that she was to die here, She would not run, She'd face death looking at it's face, not her back. Maybe she should gain her fellow students a few moments to run, to try to spare them from her mistake. After making her decision, She raised her shaking hand and shouted: "RUN! I'LL DELAY IT!!!" While she pointed her wand into where the elf last appeared.

Unfortunately for her, her shout seemed to attract the attention of the elf, and she felt a hand in her shoulder. Her bladder took that moment to empty itself in fright, and she screamed, emptying her lungs of air in the process. The last she saw before losing consciousness was the world fading, being replaced by a reddish cavern.

****

Nae relaxed himself after returning to his pocket plane. At least he wasn't completely cut from his heritage and he he had managed to recreate and access his old pocket plane. Concentrating deeply, he could barely feel a tiny connection to his worshippers and Imoen having a panic attack somewhere very, very far.

Ah, and there was the unconscious girl to take care of. She had some explaining to do.

I hope you continue that one, even if it's probably better in the Breaking Of Louise section, nice to see one where there is no chance of giving the familiar the kiss, and instead to have a true panic...

In a moment of stupid i suggest this:

* * * *

"At last! After ten-thousand years I'm finally free to conquer Ear-" The heavily adorned woman paused in her rant as several vitally important things caught her attention. Several things which, in fact, added up to a rather unexpected conclusion. "This... This isn't Earth!"

* * * *


Because... yeah. Just because.

I'm sad I'm being ignored just like that. I seriously thought I would have gotten at least some recognition, but nooo, only everybody else

.... oh the crack.

Suddenly, she makes Siesta grow. Megaziesta defending Tarbes from the invasion!

That Baldur's snippet sounds more along the lines of Breaking Of. Speaking of, Minsc would make an interesting familiar. After all the crossovers where Louise and Co think that the familiar is a barbarian from faraway and uncivilized lands, for once, they are... basically right.

Or Xan, world's most depressed elf.

So graduate classes ARE in general harder than regular college classes. Good to know.

It's been suggested before.

[yt]2sXpInWFVVo[/yt]

An explosion's a bad choice for close range combat.

JC Denton from Deus Ex. But you knew that.

Ah, spoken like a true french!

Stick with the PROD. Prod with the PROD. Just in case so, we're police.

Really? I happen to find an explosion THE solution to CQC. Just blow everything up and you win.

Napoleon would like a word with you.

All of Frankish history, starting from the man named Charles Martell all the way to another Charles, with the last name de Gaulle, would like a word with him, actually.

Not that Guardian Box was being at all serious.

Bah, two words; Regen Aug :drevil:

Technically, he wasn't French.

Joan of Arc, then. Or Chucky de Gaulle and the French Resistance, sticking it to the Nazi occupation since 1940.

Previous snippets listed here.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Louise shuffled her feet nervously, even as Old Osmond looked on at her and Nimble Rabbit with a kindly smile. The Headmaster had called for the two of them to check up on the progress of their… well, Louise supposed it was supposed to be negotiations, but to be honest she hadn’t really tried to convince Rabbit to become her familiar… at least not directly.

At least Osmond seemed content at the moment, even though she had ruined his office the day before. Though getting off free for that did make her suspect that either he had some punishment planned for a later date, or that her luck in general would take a decided downturn to make up for it.

“So, from what I’ve heard you’ve had a nice tour of the campus, Mr. Rabbit,” Osmond said. “What do you think of it?”

“Fairly nice all around,” replied Nimble Rabbit. “A bit more open than I’m used to, mind. Other than the center of town in Leaning Hill itself, the only without trees are those that have been cut down for the lumber, and some of the ruins.”

“Oh? Ruins, you say?” asked Osmond.

Rabbit nodded. “Yeah, there are a few scattered in the woods. Usually overgrown and all but toppled, but a few are in halfway recognizable shape. Every few decades some sorcerer or Scavenger Lord comes by looking to see if there’s anything still around, but as far as I know they barely find anything worth the trip.”

“Interesting… I’m sure either Jean or myself would be interested in hearing about those, when time allows,” Osmond said. “But that’s neither here nor there. Have you spoken with him recently?”

“We met with him last evening in the library, to see about arrangements for Nimble Rabbit,” Louise said. “He allowed the use of the cot in his workshop for Nimble Rabbit to sleep.”

“I appreciate it, though it’s not really all that restful even putting aside being a temporary thing,” Rabbit added.

“Of course, of course,” Osmond nodded. “Miss Longueville can arrange for something to be set up by tonight for you. How was Jean’s progress, by the by?”

Louise sighed. “Nothing of use for our situation. Some things on unfulfilled summonings, but nothing on undoing them.”

Old Osmond nodded. “I’m afraid he’d had no luck since, either,” he said solemnly. “He’s even spent some time in the closed sections of the archives, but there’s no precedent that he’s found or can recall. If it were a case of mere location, we would be able to return Mr. Rabbit by conventional travel… at least in theory. However, due to the differences in how he describes the lands he’s from, any such place is either farther than any maps reach, or somehow not even of this world.”

Louise flinched slightly. Definitely not something that Rabbit would be happy with, regardless of the validity… and her being the cause…

“Damnit… should have known,” Rabbit said. “Is there any chance at all, do you think?”

Osmond spread his hands. “If there is, the knowledge is either so obscure that we don’t know where to look for it, or has never been chronicled. Outside of checking with what manuscripts that may be at the capital, or the archives of the Church in Romalia, there is not much that can be done at this point. And just to note, access to those sources would be severely restricted, and would need some pressing matter to be allowed seen.”

“Which someone like me probably wouldn’t count for,” muttered Nimble Rabbit.

“Unfortunately not,” Osmond confirmed. “While your… unique traits and story are something of note, they wouldn’t be useful for the case of trying to send you back to your homeland I’m afraid.”

The god-blood just looked off to the side with a grimace. Louise turned back to the headmaster. “Is there anything else, sir?”

“Not for the moment, Miss Valliere. Though I would suggest working out just what course you and Mr. Rabbit will take soon; while we can house him for a short while, unless he takes up a position here at the Academy, or accepts becoming your familiar, more permanent lodging would be…”

“I understand, sir,” she said.

“The two of you may leave,” Osmond said, nodding. “I apologize for being the bringer of bad news.”

Louise bowed, and tugged Rabbit’s sleeve to get his attention. “Is there anywhere you would like to head for the moment? I…” She broke off. “You can go on your own, I suppose, but…”

He just shrugged listlessly, and the two of them headed out, Louise taking the lead.

Unsure just where to go for the moment, and what Rabbit’s thoughts were, Louise decided to head for the Academy courtyard. There were other students milling about, but it was easy enough to find a secluded corner table away from the main throng to sit down at. Flagging down a servant for some drinks, Louise closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry.”

Rabbit glanced over from his seat.

“It’s my fault that you’re stuck here. I’m such a Zero that not only did I mess up the summoning, but now you’re stuck here, and… you don’t have to actually stay here, at the school, you know. I’m sure that you could find work elsewhere if you wanted. I wouldn’t blame you at all; I know that if I was separated from my family and home I wouldn’t want anything to do with some failure who had caused it.”

He stared at her for a while before lowering his head. Louise wasn’t sure if she should just leave him alone, head back to her room and try to figure out what she could do then, when he spoke up.

“You’re a good kid, you know that?” he sighed. “I mean it. Most Dragon-bloods probably wouldn’t have even cared about apologizing, let alone blaming themselves like you just did.”

“It is my fault, though,” she objected. “My spell was the one that brought you here, and-!”

“Nah, I…” Rabbit sat back up straight. “From what I know about summoning things, which I’ll admit is way different from what you all do, unless you know exactly what you’re trying to get you never get a specific elemental… or demon or spirit or whatever. You need special knowledge and tools just to get the right type most of the time.”

“But… I’ve been trying to think of how to convince you to become my familiar!” she exclaimed. “Only I can’t think of any good reasons of why you’d want to stay here… Even if I thought you’d be willing to forget about your home for money I’d never be able to pay enough for that, the alchemical labs are the only thing in the school that really interests you, and… me! I can’t even do any magic right without it blowing up; who’d want to work for someone like that!”

Louise was breathing heavily after her rant, staring down at the ground. She didn’t want to admit all that… she was a Noble. Not only did that mean that she should be superior, but that she should be… well… noble. She shouldn’t be thinking about how to manipulate someone. She couldn’t even succeed at that.

She barely heard Rabbit mumble “Flower protect…” before she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jerking upward, she saw him reaching across the table.

“Look… that’s a lot better than I would have expected otherwise,” he started. “And I suppose it’s a point in your favor there that you couldn’t think of anything. Means that you aren’t ruthless enough and such to be able to pull that on a man when he’s down. And what with this apparently being a chance for you, I can’t blame you for trying to make the most of it for yourself either.

“Yeah, I don’t like this, you can be sure of that.” She flinched under his hand, but he continued. “If I could get back to Leaning Hill, it’d be in a heartbeat. I just don’t blame you though, as you certainly haven’t shown that you weren’t able or trying to plan any of this out. And… really, hearing you talk about yourself like that is all kinds of wrong. I can’t say I understand how bad it is, but it’s not something someone as young as you should be going through.”

“I’m 16…” she mumbled.

“From a relative point, it’s not that much different to me. Not a good way to see yourself in any case.”

Louise looked at him for a moment. While Rabbit’s eyes weren’t able to convey anything she could recognize due to their bizarre appearance, the rest of his expression seemed to be sincere. She nodded, and gently pulled his hand off. “Thank you for that, at least… though I don’t doubt you still don’t want to be a familiar.”

“Can’t say as I do, no. Though there’s not much else for me here that I can tell. Your earlier confidence aside, I’m not so sure as to my chances elsewhere, if not even your school master and the professor have heard of god-bloods.”

“You might be right…” Louise admitted. “Outside the Academy, it’s possible you might be mistaken for an Elf by those who wouldn’t know better. That could be… bad. Even if they didn’t you’re different enough that questions would be asked.” She looked him up and down consideringly. “You’re taking all this much better than I would think anyone would. I’m not sure if I should be happy or worried.”

Rabbit grimaced. “With the way you were bringing yourself down, I couldn’t just let you go on like that, especially due to all those reasons I gave why I don’t blame you, but… I’d really like to hit something. Not a person, mind, just… something. Get it out of the system, you know? But there’s nothing that would be useful for that around here that I wouldn’t get in trouble for.”

“I’ve lost many pillows to that kind of thing,” Louise said ruefully. “Would something like that work?”

“I’d prefer a nice solid tree if I’d the choice,” he replied after chuckling for a moment. “Resilient; you know you’ve hit one after, if just by the blood on your knuckles. The ones here are too thin, though… and again, I’d rather not get in trouble with the groundskeepers if I can help it.”

“As you like. Maybe there’s something that we can find… Not many take it unless they plan to join the army, but there is a dueling class taught here at the Academy.”

“Not much for a blade, other than using a hatchet in a pinch. Still, it’s something.”

“Would like to see the classroom after our drink?” Louise asked.

Rabbit hummed in thought. “Not at the moment, actually. I’ve lost the edge of my temper for the time. I would care to see if there’s an herb garden or greenhouse for the labs you have here. Some of the ones I saw when we were in the building weren’t familiar. I’d like to see what they’re like fresh, if they’re grown here.”

“I think there are a few, yes,” Louise mused. “Most of the rarer ones need to be gathered in the wild, or ordered from stores in town, but there should be some here.”

As their drinks arrived and were served, Louise pondered the new situation. Nimble Rabbit was unlikely to ever find home… that he didn’t blame her only blunted her pangs of guilt. But he was… if not actually coping… then at least not breaking down at the thought. And he was still willing to talk with her.

That was surprisingly gratifying for her. In all her time at the Academy, she’d never really had anyone to talk with; even a bit longer than that, as Cattleya was back home and unable to travel. Being able to do so… even with a not-entirely-human man of unknown age… was comforting.

Yay, more update of this story

Frenchies got nothing on polish resistance.

Not that my dear friend here wasn't right saying

Go get yourself a thread you silly monkeys.

Louise had decided to skip the festival, and its showcasing of the student's prize familiars.

"... There's something you said, earlier. I didn't think about it at the time, but it's been nagging at me..."

"Hm... is that so?" Rumia said, without much interest, floating upside down outside the window, skirt defying gravity as she stared at the moons.

"Yes." Louise answered simply. "It was about the wolf... it didn't strike me as odd, until I'd stopped to think about it. You said that you didn't know they could grow so big, because before they could something would eat them... or they would 'change'."

"Did I say that?" Rumia mused. "... I can't remember."

"Some sort of predation could account for the first part, but..." Louise continued, having begun to stare at the moons herself, unable to shake the curiosity about what, exactly, it was that her familiar found so captivating in them. "... The second, I don't understand. They begin their lives as wolves... and then, some become... something else?"

"Yes." Rumia answered scornfully. "Any kid knows that much."

"I don't." Louise insisted, trying to get across that she might, just possibly, not know every detail of what might be considered 'common knowledge' from wherever her familiar had originated. Rumia blinked slowly in response.

"... Oh." She said simply. "Hm... really? That's weird. But yeah. If an animal gets old enough, or smart enough, or strong enough, or scary enough, then it stops being just an animal. It becomes Youkai." Rumia said simply. "Just like things can change, if they've been around long enough."

"Youkai...." Louise mumbled, thinking to herself. "What is..."

She broke off as, suddenly, the shadows of the night deepened subtly, and Rumia's eyes were directly in front of hers, set in an upside-down face and glowing like coals.

"Humans can do it too." She said seriously, with the first glimmer of interest she'd shown for the whole conversation. "Not all of them. Boring, dull, normal humans have no chance. They have to be interesting. Magic helps."

"Does it...?" Louise asked, uncertain of where this conversation had turned, as Rumia floated back a bit.

"I heard it from a firefly, who heard it from the witch and magician of the magic forest~" She confided slyly. "A human that studies magic... they can find a way to change, just because they want to. It seems like none of them do it the same way, though."

Louise wasn't quite sure what to make of that statement. An insect had told her something, and she considered it reliable inf.... ah.

"This firefly... it had become a Youkai."

"Smaaa~aart~" Rumia giggled, before floating away, interest in the conversation having likewise drifted off, and quickly moving out of vocal range despite her seeming lazy speed.

Louise still didn't even know what a 'Youkai' was... getting any significant quantity of pertinent information from Rumia was like catching hold of a cat's tongue. Well, there would be other nights, she reflected, still watching the moons move slowly through the sky.

There was a tapping at her door. A quiet knock, requesting entry to her sanctum. She opened the door, and was greeted by a hooded figure, who didn't hesitate before sweeping her into gentle arms. She would later be very grateful she had no weapon to hand, and that her wand-arm was pinned in the gesture of affection, for while she would never admit it to anyone, and even deny it to herself, while her first, initial reaction in the few moments before the intruder's identity was revealed was to panic... her second was to seek out a way she could attack.

"I missed you at the celebration." A soft voice spoke, and her eyes widened as the person stepped back, lowering their hood.

"Highness..."

"Please. My dearest Louise..." the princess, Henrietta, demurred. "We are friends since childhood, are we not? If there are any who could call me by name, it would be you."

"... I am honored." Louise whispered, through a dry mouth, trying to forget that she had only just imagined three seperate ways she might escape her old friend's grip, and what she would have continued on to do if she had. "Please, enter. Forgive me. I have not, of late, been in a particularly festive mood..."

"You bury yourself still in study, to the detriment of your social life?" The princess teased, only for it to fall flat as Louise averted her eyes. "I jest, of course. I meant no... I have heard tell of your recent woes... and your recent deeds. In private parlors and secluded dining halls, it seems you've cast off the appelation of Zero... those with a taste for gossip now know you by different names. The Crimson. The Hunter. .... The Scattered Blood."

"In truth..." Louise replied somberly. "I may have preferred my previous moniker, object of scorn though it was intended to be."

"Ah. And is it all so terrible, my dear Louise? You have lived on your own merits. Noble strangers now speak of you with a sense of respect, where before was only derision. You are a Chevalier..."

"That is yet to be decided." Louise countered. "I have merited an appraisal, with a recommendation. There has of yet been no debate or conclusion drawn regarding-"

"You will be a Chevalier." Henrietta interrupted, a sense of firm finality to her words. "I can think of none who deserve it more. If needs be, I shall personally assure it."

"There... there is no need to go so far on my behalf, Highness.... my lady Henrietta..." Louise amended at the princess' stern look. "... And I fear you have tipped your hand early, in so promising. You have not come tonight simply to speak of childhood capers and reminisce as the hours pass."

"Ah... and where has gone my precious Louise, who was so easy to rile, and so simple to placate, who could not grasp speech that was not forthright and honest in its entirety?" Henrietta mused wryly.

"She grew older, and, one hopes, a trifle wiser." was the only reply Louise could give.

"So cold, my Louise..."

"Door!" the sword barked, having sat quietly until then. Henrietta started at the sudden noise, but Louise had already surged into motion, hurling herself out of the chair and to the entry, wand already in hand as she flung the door open, lifting it.... and ground to a halt, tip only inches away from the face of a suddenly flinching classmate.

".... Guiche de Gramont." She rasped, then shook her head. "Give me a reason. Any reason, to not execute you for spying on the private conversations of your princess." She continued, hoping that any amount, even a fragment, of the desperation she held for him to actually have a reason was seeping through.

"I did not know it was her Majesty." Guiche replied quickly, eyes focused precisely on the tip of Louise's wand. "I spied her first from a distance, and saw only a lovely flower wandering these dark and empty corridors, and could not help but follow. I had taken her only, at most, to be a lost handmaiden, and by the time I drew nearer she had already arrived here. ... Following that, my curiosity grew too strong for me to contain, and for that I can only throw myself upon the mercy of yourself and her Highness, and pray you can forgive my moment of weakness and lapse of sound judgement."

"... It sounds a likely enough tale." Louise admitted, relief filling her as she did so. She did not remember to lower the wand, however, until Henrietta's giggle caught her atention

"Ah... my dear Loiuse, you've quite terrified the poor young man, do put your wand away. De Gramont? You would be the son, then, of General Gramont..."

"Indeed, it is as you say, Majesty..."

"You need not be quite so formal, good sir, I am not yet Queen. 'Highness' will, I believe, suffice. Though... indeed. You may prove to be of some use in this matter, and thusly earn the forgiveness you seek."

"Order me, Highness, and I will fulfill any task, or perish in the attempt." Guiche vowed, kneeling partly from a sense of respect and sincerity, and partly because his legs were still weak from the panic which came when one had the business end of Louise's wand anywhere near their head.

"Indeed. Now... it is not yet public knowledge, but I am due to be wed to a Prince of Germania. Ah, do not frown so, my Louise... I know well your opinion of the country, and its citizens, commoner and nobility alike. You may count yourself assured that I would not have been agreeable were it not a political necessity, and that it will be a powerful match. Even so... there is one small matter that must be dealt with, with the utmost of discretion. A trifle... yet with the potential for significant embarassment should it come to light. A single letter, currently in the keeping of prince Wales of Albion..."

---

Politricks chapter, mostly. I actually enjoyed writing it a touch more than I thought I would.

Louise is starting to piece together what exactly Rumia is... slowly.

Of course I can't help but think Louise might reach a rather odd conclusion eventually about what she is. I mean Rumia might consider her 'Interesting' although not as interesting (or scary) as the Black-White Magician.

Also Glad to see that Louise has a new title.

Bringing Ruima to a new place. You KNOW she'll want to sample the local flavor.

Although Derf is certainly old enough to have awoken... You are now imaging Derf having become a Tsukumogami.

What I am looking forward to is when Rumia sees Wardes' Griffin...

Rumia: Ooh~ Big Chicken!

Rumia might actually RIDE on the Griffin because Albion is simply too far for her to fly too. Or the path she'd take would be NOTHING like a straight line.

Just imagine the "Flight Path" start veering off randomly being labeled 'Food Stop' then wandering off about for half a day 'Got bored' then suddenly stopping for a bit and beginning again 'Crashed into a Tree. Fell Asleep.' She'd get there but it'd take a month or two.

You know, I guess that Guiche just forgot for a second or two who is Zero's familiar, the reaction he is going to have about it is going to be amusing...

Unless he remembers the exact fate of her companion that particular night in the forest, then fear and hate will be the most common reactions, even to the point they might compromize the mission.