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Chapter Text

The sun stood high atop the clouds one warm morning in the Kanto Region. The fields of Pallet Town were decorated with budding summer crops. Long grass danced in the breeze, swaying and stretching like rolling waves. Pidgey and Spearow pecked along the ground, hunting unsuspecting Caterpie and Weedle. Grass-type Pokemon sat in the warm sunlight, basking in the refreshing rays.

The town was the very image of tranquility, until an explosion of water and electricity columned into the sky, sending flocks of flying-types into a hasty retreat to quieter fields. The sounds of an evident Pokemon battle were a fairly common occurrence. After all, this was the location Professor Oak's Pokemon Ranch. Trainers sponsored by the Professor usually left their extra Pokemon at the ranch as they traveled with their legally restricted team of six. Pokemon testing themselves in "wild" battles were par for the course. This battle, however, was between two trainers who had been awaiting this rematch for many years.

Two teens stood dozens of yards apart at Professor's Oak's Pokemon Ranch. The taller, dressed in an indigo pullover and blue jeans, stood behind a towering blue turtle Pokemon with twin cannons perched on its back. The second teen, dressed in a short-sleeved jacket and blue cargo pants, stood behind a small electric-type Pokemon. The two Pokemon had clashed attacks earlier on the behest of their trainers for a simple show of force. Now that they had each confirmed their power to the other, it was time for the real fight to begin.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Blastiose, block it with Rapid Spin!"

Pikachu, the electric mouse Pokemon, jumped high into the air. The red spots on his cheeks cackled with electricity that flooded his entire body. Tucking in his limbs in exertion, he cried, "Pika Chu!" as he unleashed a forking bolt of electricity at the formidable Blastiose.

Following its trainer's command, Blastiose tucked in its limbs and cannons before spinning on its belly. The powerful Thunderbolt ricocheted harmlessly off the water-type Pokémon's spinning shell, exploding a patch of ground nearby. Pikachu landed on the ground as Blastiose popped out of his shell, the two Pokemon reevaluating each other.

Despite the failure of his Pokémon's attack, Ash Ketchum grinned at the sight of his opponent's tactic. "This is just like old times," he called out to his opponent. "You haven't lost your touch."

Gary Oak, his childhood rival, returned with a grin of his own. "I may be a researcher instead of a trainer now, but I still keep my Pokemon in top shape," he bragged. "Now, show me what you've learned from traveling the world!"

"You've got it," Ash replied. "Pikachu, keep up the pressure! Use Iron Tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu replied in affirmation. Running forward, his tail gained a metallic sheen. With Gary giving no command for a counter-attack, Blastiose watched the attack in anticipation, ready to dodge or counterattack when the order arrived.

"Grab it!" Gary cried.

Pikachu jumped into the air and spun his hardened tail down at the water-type's head. "Blast!" Blastiose roared as he reached with surprising reflexes, slamming his two arms together, catching Pikachu's tail in between.

Pokémon and trainer widened their eyes in surprise. "That's new," Ash commented. "But we're not done yet! Use Thunderbolt!"

"Throw him!" Gary countered. As Pikachu gathered electricity in his cheeks, Blastiose swung him away to Ash's side of the field. The Thunderbolt went wide as it carved a gash in the field nowhere near its intended target.

"You're using basic movements to counter Pikachu's moves?" Ash exclaimed in surprise.

"That's right," Gary said with a sneer. "Bruno of the Elite Four showed me how sometimes the basics were more than enough to deal with even the most powerful of Pokémon. Of course, your starter has nothing on mine, but it still applies."

"I see," said Ash as a determine grin crept up his face. "In that case, we'll just have to give you more than you can handle. Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" The electric mouse dashed forward, covering ground with a speed that left a glowing streak in his wake.

"You never learn, Ashy-boy. Rapid Spin!"

Pikachu's attack was fast, but before he could reach his target Blastiose had already retreated into his shell and rotated, creating a simple but effective defense. The rotation caused Pikachu himself to be deflected, sending him spinning in a wild tumble through the air.

"Use Iron Tail and grab it to control your movement!" Ash called out.

By tucking his body into the Iron Tail and using it balance his air control, Pikachu was able to safely land tail first into the ground. Unfortunately, his tail ended up getting stuck deep in the dirt while his body dangled inches of the ground. "Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed in shock. He struggled to wedge himself free, but he barely managed to make himself wobble.

"You just made my job easier," Gary sneered. "Blastiose, finish this in one attack, Hydro Pump!"

Instead of appearing worried over his partner's predicament, it was Ash's turn to smirk. "Counter Shield!"

Pikachu, passed his efforts to to pull himself out of the ground, paused at his trainers words. With a grin of determination, he channeled electricity into his cheeks, and forced it down to the tip of his tail.

Blastiose's Hydro Pump carried two high-powered jets of water. But just before the attack could reach the electric mouse, the ground erupted with an explosion of dirt, rocks and electricity. The powerful water-type attack ripped through the rocks and dirt, but the force of the explosion dissipated its power greatly while covering the area in a blinding dust cloud.

"You used that move back in the Sinnoh League," Gary remembered. "But it looked different back then."

"It's an adaptable technique for both offense and defense," Ash replied. "Don't think that just because you've seen it once that you've seen it all.

"Nice trick, but you'll need more to beat us. Keep an eye out for Pikachu!" Gary called out.

"Now it's our turn to put on the pressure!" Ash declared. "Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu came barreling out of the cloud, running straight towards Blastiose.

"Hydro Pump!" The cannon barrels on Blastiose's back took aim at the rapidly approaching Pokemon. With no cover and already committed to a frontal attack, Pikachu's options were limited as the water shot towards him.

"Spin!"

"Spin?"

Instead of trying to weave around the twin streams of water, Pikachu dove straight into the small gap between the two attacks. Spinning in a corkscrew, Pikachu's spiraling momentum shaved off the stray water pressure from the twin streams while allowing him to carry his momentum forward. As Blastiose's attack ended, Pikachu landed on his feet without missing a beat.

"Alright!" Ash cheered. "Keep the momentum and add in a Volt Tackle!"

Gary's eyes widened and he recognized what Ash was doing. "He's combining the speed of Quick Attack with the power of Volt Tackle!" he exclaimed. "Blastiose use Skull Bash!"

Blastiose tensed all its muscles, increasing his defenses, before slamming his head into Pikachu's speeding missile. The electric-type Pokemon was covered in cackling sparks that outlines his entire body. Both Pokemon had narrowed eyes as they clashed literally head to head.

The resulting explosion sent dust, rubble, and forks of electricity scattering across the field. Both trainers braced themselves as the force of the blast rippled their clothes. Ash had to press the bill of his cap against his forehead to prevent it from being blown away. As the smoke cleared it revealed the two Pokémon to be still standing, but both panting, heavily damaged.

"You boys sure did a number on this place," a grandfatherly voice called out.

"Gramps!"

"Professor Oak!"

The grey-haired professor had wide smile on his face as he strolled onto the battle ground with both hands sitting casually in his lab coat pockets. "I hate to interrupt your battle, but Delia just made delicious punch. Care to join us?"

The two trainers surveyed their Pokemon and battlefield, then to look at the Professor.

"I guess we'll just call this a draw; that fine with you, Ash?" Gary asked.

Ash nodded. "But we'll definitely finish this another time," he replied.

"You can count on that." Gary returned Blastiose as Pikachu clambered up to Ash's shoulder. "Want to race back?" Gary asked.

"Sounds good to me!" Ash replied.

"Go!" Gary shouted without preamble, sprinting as fast as he could.

"No fair!" Ash protested, quickly working to make up for the headstart.

"Smell ya later, Ashy-boy!"

Professor Oak sighed contently as he watched the two boys run off. "It's almost like they've never changed these past six years," he said to himself as he followed them at a leisurely stroll.

In a wide field dotted by clusters of trees, four people sat in a circle on recliners. A picnic blanket, complete with a spread of sandwiches and a picture of berry punch, lay in the center. Pikachu lay underneath Ash's chair, napping in the warm shade.

"Your first morning back in Kanto and the first thing you do is have a battle," Delia Ketchum scolded her son lightly. She had brown haired with parted bangs in the front, that trailed off into a ponytail kept with a blue ribbon. "Honestly, what happened to the days where you'd pay attention to your mother?"

"Sorry, mom," Ash replied sheepishly.

"Gotta listen to your mother, Ash," Gary teased with a grin.

"Don't think you're off the hook either Gary Blue Oak," Mrs. Ketchum said with a disapproving look that sent shivers down Gary's spine. "Dragging my poor boy out of the house before he even finished his breakfast, you're honestly just as bad as he is."

"Heh, sorry Mrs. K," Gary replied while sheepishly scratching his head.

"Boys will be boys after all," Profossor Oak said with a content sigh. "You two have grown for sure, but I still remember the day you both set out to become Pokemon Trainers."

"I remember it too," said Deliala whimsically. "You were both so small and cute."

"Looks like you haven't changed all that much, right, Ashy-boy?" Gary teased.

"I'm growing!" Ash protested.

True to Gary's teasing, there was a significant height difference between the two. Over the years Gary had grown even taller than his grandfather and Ash's mother. And when he was wearing a lab coat, you would think he was young adult fresh out of college. Ash, on the other hand, was still shorter than the Pokemon Professor, and had to look up every time he wanted to look his mother in the eye. While Gary had skipped into adulthood, Ash could still be mistaken for twelve, at most thirteen-year-old child.

"You're almost seventeen, you're almost done growing," Gary snarked. "Gonna have to work overtime to catch up to me."

"I'm not going to settle for catching up," Ash declared. "I'm going to beat you!"

"You might want to try making challenges that you can actually effect," Professor Oak chuckled. "There's not much you can do about your height."

"Well, I'm already going to be a Pokemon Master, so there's not much else I want," Ash replied.

"How about finding more legendary Pokemon?" Professor Oak suggested.

"I'm pretty sure I'll meet some more on my travels," Ash said confidently. "That's a part of the package."

"Not for normal people," Gary said under his breath.

"I know," said Delia, clapping her hands together. "How about you settle down with a nice girl?"

Ash stared at her, dumbfounded. "Eh?"

"She's right," Gary agreed with a nod. "All those female companions you travel with, and you haven't asked out a single one of them. I'm ashamed for you."

"Why would I ask them out?" Ash asked. "They're my friends."

"And you don't feel different about any of them?" Delia pressured her son.

"What do you mean different?" Ash asked. At the two's intense stares, he sweatdropped. "I get it, alright!" he exclaimed shaking his hands. "I just don't have anyone in mind." Well, at least not someone he had certain. He still remembered the kiss Serena had given him when he had left Kalos. And looking back on his goodbyes with several of his female friends most of them seemed to be really close to him.

His mom and Gary physically deflated. "I guess I'll just have to wait for next year," Delia said dejectedly.

"Ash will be lucky he finds someone in a year, given how dense he is," Gary snarked.

"Leave the poor boy alone you two," Profossor Oak waved them off. "Ash is a growing boy; he'll make his decisions in his own time."

"But I can't wait for Ash to find his special someone," Delia pouted.

"Don't worry," Professor Oak said with a wink. "It's only a matter of time before his eyes open. Until then, planning his love life will have to be on hold."

"Thank you!" Ash sighed, relieved to finally have someone on his side. A moment passed. "Wait, what do you mean 'on hold'?"

That night, Ash and Pikachu lied on their backs on top of the roof of Ash's home.

"Pikachu?" his Pokemon asked questioningly as Ash let out a quiet sigh.

"Just thinking, buddy," Ash replied. While Ash couldn't understand the words Pikachu said, years of bonding allowed him to feel the meaning and emotion behind the sounds.

"Pika, Pika-pi?"

"We both know that in order to get stronger we'll have to go soon," Ash said. "But I realized that I've been neglecting too many people back at home. My mom, Mr. Mime, Professor Oak, Gary, Tracey, Misty, Brock, heck, I still need to find Pidgeot and see how she's doing."

Pikachu nodded as he gave an affirmative "Chu."

"Becoming a Pokemon Master is my dream, but I don't want to pursue my dream while leaving everyone I care about behind. The friendships we've made are important to me." Ash smiled, and paused to rub the top of Pikachu's head. "So, how about before we figure out where we're going to go next, how about we take a trip around Kanto and visit everyone we haven't seen in years?"

"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu declared, pumping a tiny fist into the air.

Ash grinned. "I figured you'd be on board! We'll have to figure out how we're going to travel the region without missing anyone, but that can wait for tomorrow." Ash opened his mouth in a wide yawn. "For now, let's get some sleep."

Pikachu nodded, hopping down from the roof onto Ash's windowsill. Not hearing his trainer behind him, he turned and saw Ash staring out into the night sky. "Pika?"

"I'll be right there," Ash assured his Pokemon. "Just looking at memories."

With another nod, Pikachu hopped down into Ash's room. It had been a long day, and he was looking forward to some shut eye.

Ash sighed as he took a look at starry expanse above and windswept fields below. "To think we almost lost it all," he whispered. He clenched his fists as he stared resolutely into the horizon. "Team Flare, Lysander, they were so strong. We barely managed to beat them with all the help we got. And there's probably more criminals out there doing the same thing. If I don't get stronger, who knows when we will lose at the wrong time."

"Guess what, world!" he shouted in defense, raising a fist to the sky. "I'm going to be the strongest. I'll be a Pokemon Master, and the world will never be in danger again. Not so long as I and my Pokemon are there to defend it. You hear me?"

In the house below him, two Pokémon and one mother had a smile on their faces as they heard Ash's declaration. "That's my boy," said Delia proudly.

Ash, having gotten his frustrations out of his system, stood to jump down to his room's window. When suddenly, a glowing green circle appeared before him. Ash blinked in surprise as a pentagon appeared in the circle. Then came a five-pointed star, with each point touching a corner of the pentagon. A band of unfamiliar symbols wrote themselves onto the inner rim of the circle.

"What is that?" he wondered, leaning forward to get a better look. "Looks like something from an ancient ruin."

The circle began to glow, and the bright lines that made the shapes began to fill the gaps between themselves until the circle became enveloped in a solid green glow. Curiosity drew Ash even closer, and he took a step forward.

And then he realized he was on a slanted roof.

"Ahhh!" Ash yelped as he slipped forward, pinwheeling his arms to no avail. His shoes eventually lost purchase as he fell headlong into the floating green circle.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cried, hearing Ash's panicked screams and running outside. The yellow Pokemon was barely able to glimpse at the strange green portal before it disappeared.

"—ahhh!" Ash finished yelling as he landed face first into—grass?

"Ow," he groaned as he pulled himself into a sitting position. "What was that cir…cle?" His voice trailed off as he realized that he was lying down in what appeared to be a castle courtyard. He was surrounded on all sides by people in long robes, most of whom looked about his age. Each person had an unfamiliar Pokemon sitting on or nearby them. The only exception was standing in front of him. A girl—at least as short as he was—looked at him with a mix of confusion and disappointment in her pink eyes. Wavy bright pink hair curtained down to the unpractically short skirt she wore under her cloak. In her hand she held a stick that was pointed in his direction, but she didn't seem to be threatening him with it.

A tall, redhead girl—no, woman, given her generous figure—said something in a language Ash found vaguely familiar. The pink haired girl in front of him turned towards the woman, angrily making a retort. Given that the other robed people were laughing and pointing in the pink-haired girl's direction, Ash deduced that the redhead had made some kind of insult.

Not that this deduction helped with his current predicament.

Another robed person, this time a balding older man with glasses, said something to the pink haired girl. Their conversation flew clear over Ash's head, but the man was serious while the girl was dejected. Still, Ash found himself looking on the bright side. The more they spoke, the more familiar the language sounded to him.

The trainer stood up and waved his hand in the girl's direction, but she didn't even glance his way, being too focused on her conversation to notice him. "Uh, hello?" Ash tried, interrupting whatever the pinkette was saying.

The girl glared at him in a way that reminded Ash of a certain spoiled noble girl he had met on his travels. And with that, the last gear in his mind clicked. Somehow, he was in a place where spoke the Ancient Kalosian language.

"Don't tell me it's time travel," Ash complained, putting a face to his hand. "Celebi's time portals normally don't look like that."

The girl seemed even more annoyed by him, if her stick waving and angry expression were to go by.

"Are you a witch?" Ash asked, the combination of wand and robe just now putting the connection. The girl tilted her head to the side in what Ash guessed was confusion, but still continued glaring at him. "I guess not, you don't have a broom after all. Or would that be a stereotype."

The girl's glare deepened as she spoke in a harsh tone.

"Hold on," Ash said placidly, more for his benefit than hers. "I think I remember some ancient Kalosian. Let's see. Hello?"

While Ash could tell that his accent was pretty terrible, the surprise on the girl's face showed that she at least understood what he had been trying to say. "Hello?" she echoed.

Ash nodded, relieved at finally finding a place to start communications.

And then the girl said a rapid-fire sentence that caused him to blink in confusion. Seeing his bewilderment, she slowed down. Ash shook his head and shrugged. Even with the words slowed down, he couldn't tell what she was trying to say.

The girl huffed in annoyance, but then used words simple enough for him to understand wat she was saying. "I, Louise. You?"

"Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town," Ash replied with a relieved grin.

Now, a lot of people held misconceptions that just because Ash was impulsive and more of an emotional doer than logical thinker, that made him stupid. While he wasn't the brightest tool in the shed, he thrived in adaptability. Based on Louise's mannerisms and his knowledge of old Kalosian customs, he guessed she was a member of nobility. Giving a formal bow that he had learned was proper to give to Kalos nobility back in the day, he continued, "Pleased to meet you, Miss Louise."

The girl looked even more surprised than before, but she gave a small, albeit smug, smile. What she said next was lost to him, but he could make out his name being said. She stepped towards him, frowned, and then motioned for him to bend down. Ash chuckled, finally taking note that the girl was a good deal shorter than he was. When the girl glared, he quickly stifled his mirth.

"Sorry," he apologized, leaning down towards her. The girl huffed, muttering something about being thankful under her breath, so he guessed she forgave him.

In hindsight, he really should have noticed the cues. She grabbed both sides of his face, pulled him close, closed her eyes, leaned forward…

And kissed him.

Ash stared dumbly as the girl pulled away, a fierce blush creeping up her face. "Uh, wah?" was the most eloquent response he could muster. Serena had kissed him once, but he still wasn't sure what he felt about that. She was close to him, but that had been his first kiss. And Louise, he had met her only five minutes ago! He had no clue what was going on her mind.

Then again, Ash reasoned, he was probably in ancient Kalos right now. Kissing was a part of their culture, so maybe it didn't have as much meaning as he was used to.

Though, he was almost certain it was supposed to be on the cheek.

And Louise was blushing even worse than he was.

He dismissed his musings. "I don't really get what that was about, but it's nice to meet you to," he said with a sincere grin.

To his surprise, she looked annoyed once again. "Was it something I said?" he asked.

Then he noticed a burning sensation originating from his left hand. "What is this?" he asked, falling to his knees as the pain spread through his body. Heat prickled underneath his skin cooking him worse than the last time he had a sever fever.

Like the bolt of a lock tumbling into place, he felt something click inside him. He felt a familiar power ripple through his body. A series of runes burned themselves on his hands, but what he was feeling was inside his entire body.

The robed teenagers looked in surprise as the power the boy was exerting caused ripples over the grass. The familiars were cowed, and the blading man felt a stirring in his chest that he hadn't felt in a long time.

Over in a tower, the Headmaster perked up from his seat in his office. "What a tingly sensation," he remarked.

"Don't say anything weird while I'm in the room," his secretary deadpanned without looking up from her work.

Back on ground level, Ash blinked as the sensation died to a low hum. He could barely feel it, but there was definitely something different about himself. "What was all that about?" he asked. He looked himself over, finding no answers for his sudden fever and curing. Taking a look at his left hand, he noticed marks peeking out from underneath his fingerless gloves. Peeling the glove, he examined the marks. They were tall letter-like symbols, much like the ones he saw on the circle that brought him there in the first place.

The older man looked at Ash's hand in surprise, but quickly returned to his neutral expression.

"Um, I don't suppose any of you understand me, do you?" Ash asked.

The pink haired girl turned to the older man. After a brief conversation the man nodded and pointed his staff at Ash. With a word, Ash felt something spread from the man, to the staff, to him.

A new tingle covered his body, and then faded to normal. "What was that all about?" he asked.

"I see my translation spell worked," the older man said.

"Good," Louise said. "Now maybe he'll listen when I tell him to shut up."

"Uh…" Ash sweatdropped, off put by the unexpectedly negative attitude. This girl was even worse Misty when he first met her. At least the ginger gym leader waited to greet someone properly before acting condescending. "Did you say, translation spell? Wait, are you a wizard?"

"The proper term is mage, commoner," Louise lectured. "You may be ignorant, but you can at least get that right."

"Commoner?" Ash Ketchum echoed. "Definitely time travel," he muttered under his breath.

"Don't mutter in the presence of nobility!"

"Alright!" Ash raised his hands in surrender. "Yeesh, you're louder than a Zubat."

The pinkette gave him a suspicious look. "What in the Founder's name is a Zubat? Are you insulting me?"

"Oh, right, different regions," Ash said sheepishly. "Never mind. Actually, now that we can talk to each other, I think we started off on the wrong foot. My name is Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon Trainer from Pallet Town. And you are…?"

Louise huffed. "Well, even if you are a commoner, it would be best that I introduce myself properly." She took a deep breath. "My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière," Louise declared proudly. "And as of today, you have the honor of being my familiar."

Ash blinked.

"Eh?"

Chapter Text

"So, you're saying that you summoned me with a spell to be a familiar?" Ash asked.

"Correct," Louise replied.

"And what's a familiar?" Ash had to ask.

The young noble looked thoroughly unimpressed by his question. "Even a commoner such as yourself should know something as simple that.

Ash sighed. "Humor me, please."

The two were sitting in Louise's room. Louise was sitting on a chair in front of small table. She sat with relaxed ease; her chin rested one her hand while the other gripped the handle of a teacup that sat on the table. Ash was sitting on the floor on his knees. After the boy had expressed his confusion at the summoning grounds, Louise had looked mortified and immediately dragged him away from the explosion site. As he was dragged past the circle of robed people, he heard the blading man dismiss the everyone for "familiar bonding". Whatever that meant.

Louise studied her familiar for a moment. "You're serious," she said with a disappointed sigh. "Well, I suppose I should inform you of your current situation. You won't be of much use otherwise. Be grateful."

"I am very grateful," Ash said with the straightest face he would muster.

Louise, completely missing his pained and borderline sarcastic expression, explained, "A familiar is creature that is summoned by mages to be their lifelong companions. Familiars tend to match their master's affinity and live to serve their masters in any way needed. Additionally, a strong familiar also serves as an invaluable protector."

"So, they're basically partner Pokemon?" Ash asked.

"Pokemon?" Louise asked, stumbling over the unfamiliar word. "What's that?"

Ash raised an eyebrow. "The creatures with all those people outside," he replied as if it was obvious.

"Those aren't Pokemon," Louise said slowly, looking at him like he was an idiot. "Those were familiars."

"Then familiars are Pokemon?" Ash guessed.

"Obviously not, since the spell didn't translate the word," Louise said irritably. "What's a Pokemon?"

"Well…" said Ash slowly as he thought back to the many lectures, he had heard from Professor Oak. It had been years since actually sat down and listen to one, but he definitely had heard enough of them to put some kind of explanation together.

"Pokemon are the most common creatures to exist in the world. They come in various shapes and sizes, and are a large part of the ecosystem and society. Some species are used or hunted for food. Others are kept as pets, protectors, or just roam in the wild."

"Those sound less like familiars and more like animals," Louise said accusingly.

"What's an animal?"

The deadpan look Louise made Ash feel very subconscious. "Like I said, I'm not from around here," he defended himself.

"Who ever heard of a place where animals don't exist?" Louise asked incredulously.

"Pokemon are the most common creatures where I come from," Ash replied. "Familiars and animals are new to me."

"Most familiars are animals!" Louise shouted.

Ash blinked. "Wait. Let me see if I got this straight. The creatures I saw when you summoned me are familiars, but they're also animals?"

"Most of them," Louise stressed. "Some, like Zerbst's salamander or Tabitha's wind dragon are magical creatures."

"So, Pokemon?"

"How am I supposed to know?" she asked in annoyance.

"Dragon is a type of Pokemon," said Ash. "And when you said, 'magical creature', the meaning sounded the same as Pokemon."

"Magical creatures can breathe fire, create tornadoes, shoot lightning, or have otherwise elementally based abilities," said Louise smugly. "You can't tell me that your 'most common creatures' are capable of that."

Ash's response quickly wiped the smirk off her face. "Actually, fire and dragon-type Pokemon typically breath fire with Flamethrower, Dragon Rage, or Dragon Breath," Ash responded. "Tornadoes are also easy to make for any powerful flying-type that know Gust or Whirlwind. And all electric-types are known for generating and releasing electricity."

"…Tell me you're joking."

"But I'm not."

"You can't tell me that it's normal for magical creatures to walk around normally in the world without destroying everything around them!" Louise shrieked. "That's why the Dragon Riders and Griffon Corps have such strict regulations for entry! It's impossible for most people to control them!"

"Most of the time we don't need to," Ash replied. "Pokemon Rangers are responsible for dealing with the majority of wild Pokemon running amok, while Trainers like myself deal with smaller problems we come across. Any Pokemon that's strong or clever enough to stir up trouble usually is worth catching."

"You catch these creatures?" Louise asked skeptically. "Are you even a line mage yet?"

"What's a line mage?"

Louise sighed. "Of course, a plebeian such as yourself wouldn't learn the basics of mage society," she lamented. Ash held back a groan as Louise crossed her legs and assumed a lecturing tone. "Magic is ranked based on how many elements you can layer on top of each other. For example, you can be a line mage if you can use two elements, like earth and fire, together in a combined spell. Or you could layer the same element on top of itself, making it stronger."

"Wait, you can become a line mage by using two types, or using the same twice?" Ash asked.

"Layering the same element in a spell, yes," Louise replied, frowning at his interruption.

"So, how do you tell the difference?" Ash asked. "I mean, using the same move twice is difficult, but how does that make you better at that type?"

"Element," Louise corrected. "Any accomplished mage can tell the difference between a dot mage and a line mage when it comes to the element of their spell."

"Are the accomplished mages all line mages? Or are some of them dot mages?"

"As if a dot mage could be accomplished at anything," Louise huffed. "Most mages at this academy are at dot level, but most adult mages are at least line mages. Triangle mages are more common for families of higher nobility and are very powerful. Square mages are few and far between, and the power they wield is legendary, capable of taking down entire armies by themselves!"

Ash nervously chuckled as a bead of sweat ran down the side of his head. "You really like square mages then," he assumed.

For some reason, Louise blushed. She tried—and failed—to hide it by taking a sip of her tea. She made a sour face. "Lukewarm," she muttered, setting the cup down.

"Louise—"

"I am your master," Louise interrupted. "You may not address me on first name basis."

Ash heavily resisted the urge to facepalm. He reminded himself that he was in Ancient Kalos—though, he was starting to wonder how far into the past he had been flung—and society was different back then. "Louise—no, Miss Louise? Lady Louise? I'm not sure what your title is. And no—" he interrupted when she opened her mouth. "I am not calling you Master. That just sounds weird."

Louise gave a very slight nod at that. "Fine, I permit you to call me Miss Louise or Miss Valliere. I have no noble title yet, but when I do you will address me as Lady."

"Sure thing, Miss Louise." While it was a little weird for Ash to call someone his age by "Miss", at least he didn't have to call her something embarrassing. "So, now I'm curious. What kind of mage are you?"

Louise immediately became red and fuming. "And what business is that of yours?" she asked tartly.

Holding up his hands in surrender, he replied, "Like I said, I'm just curious. You said familiars tend have the same element as their mas—summoner, so I was wondering if that held true for me too."

"Are you a mage?" Louise asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't think so," Ash replied. "But I'd like to find out."

"Are you a noble?"

"Nope."

"Then there's you're answer," said Louise. "Only nobles are mages, so a commoner like you can't be a mage."

"So, if I'm not a mage, I can't have an element?"

"Correct."

"That sucks," Ash said with a disappointed sigh. Then he slammed a fist into the palm of his other hand. "Oh, yeah. Miss Louise, what type were you? I got off topic…" his voice trailed off as Louise met his eyes in a deadly glare. "Oh, is it a secret?" he asked. "Or rude? My bad, I didn't know."

Louise raised a hand to silence him. "It's not a secret," the young mage grumbled. "You're going to find out anyway, so there's no point in keeping it hidden." She took a deep breath before asking, "Did you hear the other students calling me a Zero?"

Ash thought back to him being dragged through the castle grounds. "I think so," he said. "Louise the Zero, I think they called you." Seeing her wince, he immediately apologized, "Sorry! I'm guessing that's not a nice nickname."

"No, it's not," Louise confirmed. "But it's not entirely inaccurate. I'm called Louise the Zero because I'm a failure of a mage with no element or magical ability."

Ash stared at Louise with unblinking eyes. "How did you summon me then?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"I don't know," Louise admitted. "That was the first spell I managed to cast, and it still blew up in my face."

"It blew up?"

"Yes."

"And that's a normal thing?"

"Yes," Louise said with a frown. "Laugh it up, familiar."

"Ash," he corrected reflexively. Seeing her expression sour even further, he tacked on a "Miss Louise," before continuing, "But if you make things explode, doesn't that count as a type, I mean element?"

"It's not fire magic," Louise said with a scowl. "And it's obviously not water, wind, or earth either, so according to the Founder's magically theory, my explosions aren't a type of magic."

Ash hummed thinking over when he knew when comparing her description of magic to the Pokemon types her was familiar with. "Then what if it's another element of magic?" he suggested.

To his surprise, Louise looked at him with horror. "Heresy," she whispered.

"Was it something I said?"

"The only other element is the Founder's element, the Void. And since he died six thousand years ago, no other mage has inherited his element! It's impossible!"

"Sometimes powers can be inherited over a couple of centuries gap," Ash said, remembering when he discovered he shared the same aura as Sir Aaron of Rota. "Maybe it could happen—"

"Not a chance!" Louise shouted vehemently. She rose to her feat and pointed her wand at him. "And I won't stand for hearing such heresy from my familiar! What would a peasant know about this anyway?"

"Well, I can't say much about magic," Ash admitted, keeping a close eye on her wand. "But in my region, I know that there are eighteen different types of Pokemon, so I think there should be some similarities."

"EIGHTEEN!"

"Yeah," Ash replied, rubbing his ears to relieve the pain. "Since Pokemon are pretty much the same as magic beasts, even if their typing is classified differently, I could compare the different types of Pokemon to magic elements and guess at what you're type of magic is. Not sure if that will tell you what element it is, but it's worth a shot, right?"

Louise slowly sat back down, stowing her wand into a pocket of her robes. Putting a fist under her chin, she considered his proposition. "Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt," the young mage admitted. "But what makes you think you'll be able to find anything when many mages in Tristan could not?"

"Maybe because I'm looking at it from a different angle," Ash suggested. "I'll admit that I'm nowhere near as smart as Professor Oak, he'd probably be able to figure it in a week easily, but I do know quite a bit about Pokemon. I've been a Pokemon trainer for several years now, so I have experience dealing with many different Pokemon and their types."

"Pokemon trainer?" Louise echoed.

"Yup! I traveled around several regions with my partner, Pikachu. He's, well, I guess he's what would be a familiar to a mage. I received him from Professor Oak when I started my journey."

"A pet that someone gives you is nowhere near the level of significance that a mage has with their summoned familiar," Louise sniped.

"Even if I didn't summon Pikachu with a spell, he's still my best friend," Ash argued. "We've been through a lot together. Traveled to new regions, met new Pokemon, made friends, fought opponents, participated in a lot of competitions, and even met some legendaries! He's my closest companion, and the bond we share is powerful."

Louise looked at him with a mix of awe, envy, and disbelief. "And where's your familiar Pokemon now?" she asked.

Ash visibly deflated, his bright smile dissolving into a depressed frown. "When I fell through your portal, I got separated from him."

"Oh," was all Louise could say as she looked at Ash's despondent face. "Well, you should be proud to serve a noble of my rank as a familiar. I will become a renown square class mage worth of the Valliere name."

"Sure thing," said Ash, a smile small reaching his face, though not quite his eyes. Seeing the pinkette's passion did raise his spirits just a little. "Well, we should probably get ready for bed," he said, noting that the sunlight was now a rosy red and the sun was falling over the horizon. "Speaking of which, where am I supposed to sleep?"

"Here, of course," Louise responded.

Ash noticed that there was only one large bed and a pile of hay against the wall. "Are you fine sharing the bed?" he asked.

Louise's usual glare was back in full force. "Why would I share a bed with my familiar when I had a made prepare a perfectly good straw bed by my side?" she asked indignantly.

The boy blinked. "Do people normally sleep on hay?" he had to ask.

"You're a familiar, so it shouldn't matter," Louise replied.

Ash was starting to believe that his "Master" was not quite right in the head. "Well, I guess I've slept out on worse," he said.

"Good, you should learn to get used to your place," said Louise, eliciting a sweatdrop from Ash. The single bead turned into a waterfall as Louise began taking off her clothes.

"What are you doing?" Ash screeched as he turned away and covered his eyes.

"Changing into my night clothes," Louise said unabashedly.

"You could at least let me leave the room!"

"Why would I do that? You're going to be sleeping here."

"But you're a girl and I'm a guy." Ash felt like he was talking to a child at this point. "You shouldn't be changing while I'm here."

"You're my familiar, so that doesn't matter," Louise said. "Now turn around already."

Ash did so hesitantly, only peering through his fingers just in case. To his relief, Louise was now wearing a nightgown. "Wash these for me," she said, throwing an article of clothing at him. He instinctively snagged from the air before it could land on his head. "It's been a long day and I'm exhausted."

"How am I supposed to wash—" Ash looked down at what he held in his hands and dropped it quicker than a hot potato. "Why would you give me this?!"

"Be quiet, I'm sleepy," Louise ordered as she snuggled under her covers. She had only just closed her eyes when she heard the door slam. Sitting upright, she noticed where Ash had left her underwear lying on the floor. "Tch, my familiar is weird and less reliable than I had hoped," she said to herself. "He could have at least taken it with him if he was going to find a wash bucket."

Later that evening, Professor Colbert was searching through the academy library. The Tristan Royal Academy was a treasure trove of ancient books and scholarly texts. The runes on the hand of Miss Valliere's familiar struck a chord in the balding professor. He knew he had seen them somewhere before. It was all a matter of finding the right book.

A student with short blue hair looked up from her book as she saw Professor Colbert sit a stack of books on a nearby table and begin skimming through them. While the professor was one of the library's more frequent visitors—and she would be the first to know—it wasn't often that he would pour through books with a fervor that bordered obsession or desperation. She watched Colbert for a moment, and then returned to her book. Whatever the professor was doing, it wasn't any of her business.

"There it is," the man said aloud. He ran a finger over the image depicted in the book. "Yes, it's a perfect match." Reading the text underneath, his eyes widened comically before saying aloud, "I need to show this to the Headmaster." Taking the book with him, he left the library in a hurry. He was unaware of the blue eyes that followed his movements and caught a look at the image in the book he held.

Chapter Text

Ash was stirred to life as the light of the sun crept over the castles walls and began the slow and painful process of cooking his eyes through their closed lids. Normally, he would roll over and pull his blanket over his eyes to shield them from the oppressive golden rays. However, for two reasons, this was currently impossible. First, he was sleeping outside with only a short jacket as a pillow. Second, a heavy weight was draped over his body, preventing him from moving.

Groaning in morning drowsiness, Ash stretched out his hand to push off the weight. To his surprise, he felt the smooth pattern of scales. "Get off me, Charizard," he mumbled, trying have half-heartedly to remove the weight from his body. Charizard usually didn't settle on him when sleeping, and dual fire and flying-type wasn't with him when he went to sleep, but Ash's sleep-laden mind didn't even register those facts. Only when a screechy growl emerged from the long neck he was pushing did Ash realize something was wrong. Charizard's growls were low, throaty rumbles like coal tumbling down a hill. This sound was much shriller. Still unmistakably draconic, but not from his longtime Pokemon.

Opening his eyes, Ash found himself staring into a pair of large emerald green eyes. The reptilian face that carried the eyes was covered in blue scales. The top and sides of its face were framed by protruding studs, each large enough for Ash to wrap a hand around it. The dragon raised its neck, shielding Ash's eyes from the morning sunlight and allowing him to see the white scales that covered its underbelly.

"Woah!" Ash exclaimed as he snapped awake and attempted to sit up. Even with most of the dragon's neck elevated, the remaining mass on his body firmly held him in place. He looked down from the dragon's emerald eyes and pearl white neck, and finally realized the sheer size of his new acquaintance. The blue dragon was the size of some legendary dragons, though quite a bit slimmer. Its wings were mostly folded in, but Ash could tell that each wing was almost the size of its body.

"So cool," he said breathlessly. "You're a pretty large dragon-type, aren't you?"

The dragon gave a chirpy growl, opening its mouth wide. Ash squirmed, eyes flying open, and then laughed when a long pink tongue swept up half his face. "Ha ha, no stop—ha! It tickles!" After a few more licks, the dragon got the message and stopped the assault on his face.

Ash couldn't help but chuckle as he wiped the dragon slobber of his face. "Mind letting me up?" he asked. The dragon looked at him curiously, then raised its upper body to let him squeeze out. "Thanks."

Finally, free to stand to his feet, Ash was able to take in the full size of the dragon. As he suspected, it was the size as a small building. "I wish I knew what Pokemon you were," he wondered. "You're definitely bigger than a normal dragon-type Pokemon."

The dragon looked offended and nipped at his shoulder.

"Ow! Okay, I meant it in a good way," Ash protested. The dragon chirped happily as it gently flapped its wings. The resulting gust forced Ash to hold his cap against his head lest it fly away. "You remind me of an old friend of mine," Ash chuckled. "Actually, more than one. Girls tend to always get offended when you talk about how they look."

A deep rumbling drew Ash and the dragon's attention to the young trainer's stomach. "And that means it's time for me to find something eat," Ash commented sheepishly. "You wouldn't happen to know where I can find some food, would you?"

The dragon tilted its head to the side with a thoughtful look in its eyes. It sniffed the air and curled its lips into a slight smile. Then it raised its leg and pointed a clawed toe in a direction.

"Thanks, I owe you one!" said Ash. He jogged off in the direction the dragon pointed. "I'll see if I can bring you something back!" he called over his shoulder.

The dragon made a happy rumbling sound in response.

True to the blue reptile's directions, Ash's nose twitched as it took in a plethora of delicious scents. The young trainer couldn't make out what his nose was picking up, but he knew that whatever it was, it smelled absolutely divine. His stomach growled in agreement. With great haste he approached a large set of doors, only to pause when he noticed a midget with pink hair standing next to the entrance. Her normally cute face was pinched in a frown, and her rosy eyes bore into his with intense disapproval.

Ash's pace slowed to a crawl as his mind worked in overdrive to come up with a suitable greeting. "Uh… hello," he tried, plastering a lopsided smile to his face. "Nice weather we have this morning, am I right?"

Louise did not look the slightest bit impressed. She had spent the morning looking for her familiar, only surrendering to her hunger when it became apparent that he was no longer in the student dorms. She had waited by the dining hall entrance for almost half an hour now, waiting for her familiar to follow his bestial nature and come to eat. And when he finally showed up, he was smiling and brushing off his actions with a criminally pathetic joke. Needless to say, she was far from pleased. "Where were you last night?" she demanded to know.

"Outside," Ash answered promptly.

"And why were you outside?" she pressed. "Not only did you neglect the one duty I gave you for the night, but you also completely ignored the sleeping area I had set up for you. How ungrateful!"

Ash winced, remembering the "duty" she had bestowed him. What was wrong with this time period? What kind of girl just gives her dirty underwear to people? "The pile of hay?" he asked in attempt to keep his mind on the less disturbing aspects of Louise's behavior.

"A suitable sleeping arrangement for a familiar, is it not?" Louise said. Her tone displayed the absolute certainty she had in her words, which made Ash all the more concerned.

"Maybe if we were out in the wild," Ash replied carefully. He had slept in beds of hay a few times in his travels, but normally when he was camping out on a farm. And even then, the pile was usually large enough to serve as comfortable padding and was covered by a soft blanket. If the hay that had littered the corner of Louise's room was put in a proper pile, it would be enough for a familiar the size of Pikachu, but not someone even as small as himself.

Ash sighed. "Sleeping on a bed of hay isn't what people do while indoors. And offering me a pile of hay to sleep on without so much as a blanket is a bit insulting." That was an understatement, but he was trying to break it to her gently.

"I see," said Louise. Indeed, it did appear that she was considering his words. "Then I will have the maids procure a sheet or old tablecloth for you to cover yourself." Unfortunately, she had yet to understand what he actually meant. And his friends called him dense!

Ash facepalmed. "One step forward and two steps back," he muttered from underneath his hand.

"Speaking clearly," Louise ordered. "I have no time for your antics."

"Yes, Lou—Miss Louise," Ash corrected himself. "I think you're missing the point."

"How?" Louise asked. "It's a master's job to provide for their familiar, and that is what I'm doing."

"And as a human, my needs are closer to yours," Ash replied, feeling as though he was explaining himself to a child. "I'm not a pet and I don't like being treated like one."

Louise's rosy eyes grew cold as Ash finished saying his piece. "Let me make this perfectly clear," she said. "You are my familiar, and I am your master. If I say you should do something, you should do it without question."

"That's not how you're supposed to treat people," Ash pointed out.

"You are a familiar, not a person," Louise responded.

Ash's patience was quickly waning under the noble girl's sheer audacity. "I'm a human," Ash said insisted. "How could I be a human and not be a person?"

"Familiars are supposed to follow their master's orders," Louise insisted stubbornly. "None of the other familiars complain."

"Maybe because they don't talk?" Ash deadpanned.

"Exactly!" A small smile graced Louise's face, but it only made Ash feel sick. "Maybe you should learn from them."

Dumbfounded, Ash could only gape in response as the girl turned on her heel and strode into what he assumed was the cafeteria. "Is she really this crazy?" he wondered aloud. "How spoiled can you be?" He slapped his cheeks. "Right, back in the day nobility could do pretty much whatever they want. But treating a Pokemon like this wouldn't build a good bond and doing it to a human doesn't even make sense. Is this place that messed up, or is it just her?"

With a depressed shake of his head, the trainer finally stepped inside. The scent of tantalizing foods flooded his nostrils, but it wasn't enough to clear the cloud that blanketed his mood. Ash found Louise seated at a long table, where other young mages were also dining. A maid—one of the many who were bustling around the large room—set a large platter in front of Louise. Bread, jam, meat, and drinks were arranged in an elegant spread before her. Ash's eyes widened as he took in the sight. The meal looked like it was enough to fill him up; it was impossible for him to believe that this dainty girl who summoned him would be able to consume everything that was set before her.

"That looks delicious," he said hungrily as he pulled back a seat next to her.

Louise's glare froze him in his tracks. "Familiars don't sit at the table with nobles," she said primly.

Ash sighed. The cultural differences were beyond annoying at this point. Sure enough, as he looked around, he found familiars perched on their masters or seated by their chair, but not one was seated properly in a chair. "So where should I eat?" he asked, exasperated.

Louise pointed at her feet. Sitting on the floor was a simple wooden bowl. Its contents: a slice of bread. "I had one of the maids fetch this for you," Louise said.

"A single slice of bread?" Ash asked incredulously. "That's not a proper breakfast!" His stomach rumbled in agreement. "Look at everything you have in front of you! I could eat half of it and you'd still have enough."

"That's not proper," Louise insisted, indignant that he would dare question her eating habits. She was a growing girl; she needed every edge she could find if she wanted to overcome her late growth spurt.

"Really?" Ash asked, leaning closer. "Because I'm seeing plenty of familiars stuffing their faces, and none of their partners seem to mind!" His waved his arm to across the table where, true to his word, familiars were freely helping themselves to their master's food. In fact, some of the mages were even hand feeding their familiars. Joy and contentment radiated from the scene, unlike the tension between the two.

Finally, Ash's words appeared to get through to Louise. A faint blush crossed her cheeks as she said through clenched teeth, "You're not supposed to act like this."

"Act like what?" Ash asked loudly. He didn't even notice as the students' attention was being drawn to his and Louise's argument. "A person who can talk and think like you do? I don't know where you learned about taking care of Pokemon, familiars, or whatever you call them, but what you're doing is not right."

"And who are you to say what I'm doing is wrong?" Louise hissed, rising from her seat. "I am your master. You are my familiar. You are not supposed to question me."

Ash groaned, rubbing his temples as he fought back from snapping at her any further. "When I first got my partner, Pikachu, I was just like you," he admitted. "I tried to force him to do everything I wanted, fought with him when he didn't do everything I said, and didn't treat him like he had his own feelings. It took several days and a very scary experience for us to learn to work together. I don't know about you, but if we're going to be working together, I'd like if we'd learn to get along before our lives depend on it." Knowing his luck, he'd probably end up in some crazy adventure sooner rather than later.

"And I'd like it if you would go back to acting like a proper familiar!" Louise shouted. "Even when you were clueless, at least you had the decency to act like you knew your place. And now you think you can talk to me as if we have equal standing!"

"Partners are supposed to talk to each other—"

"I am your master," Louise insisted. "Not your partner. If you want to partner with your Pinkathing that someone gave you as a pet, go ahead. But I summoned you to be my familiar!"

"And I didn't ask to be summoned!" Ash shouted back. "If you hadn't summoned me, I wouldn't have been separated from Pikachu!"

"Well, I wish I hadn't summoned you, so I would have a proper familiar and not a stupid mutt of a commoner!"

"Then why don't you just send me back?"

"I would if I could, idiot!"

"You're useless!"

"Not as much as you! You're a terrible familiar!"

"I may not be a good familiar," Ash growled. "But at least I'm a good trainer, and I try to be a good person. That's more than I could say for you, a complete failure of a mage, a noble, and a person, Louise the Zero!"

Shellshocked, Louise stood frozen as Ash dashed out of the cafeteria. Neither she nor the young trainer noticed the growing whispers from the students. The rumors and insults slid off Louise's ears like water on a duck's back. She had long grown used to holding her head high despite what others said about her. Yet, something was different this time. Holding back tears, she sat down attempted to continue her meal. But the food tasted as bitter to her tongue as Ash's words felt to her heart. "Stupid familiar," she muttered half-heartedly.

Ash kept his down as he pelted away from the cafeteria. A tall redhead tried waving him down as he ran, but the boy didn't even notice. "What do you think has him in a rush this early?" she asked her petite blue-haired companion.

The smaller student briefly looked up from her book to observe Ash's retreating form. "Unsure," she replied curtly, before resuming her walk.

The redhead's eyes lingered on the human familiar for just a few moments longer, but eventually followed her friend into the cafeteria. "He looks interesting, but I suppose I'll have to snatch him up another time," she lamented.

Ash continued to speed down the walkway, not losing any speed as he dashed around a corner of the building. His forehead was immediately met by a soft, springy cushion. Ash rebounded, landing butt first onto the ground as a metallic crash sounded.

"Ow," two voices said simultaneously. Ash looked up into the blue eyes of a young lady in a maid uniform. Her black hair fell barely past her chin, and in front loose bangs stopped right at the tops of her eyes.

"Sorry, that was my fault," Ash apologized, pulling himself to his feet and offering her a hand.

"No, I wasn't paying much attention either," the maid said hesitantly accepting his hand. To her surprise, despite his young appearance, he had no trouble pulling her to her feet. Facing him, she could see that she stood just slightly taller than he did.

"It's my fault, I shouldn't have been running around a corner without being careful," Ash insisted.

The maid giggled. "How about we both accept that we're both at fault?"

"Yeah, sounds good," Ash said with a laugh.

Smiling, the maid picked up the tray she had dropped. "Oh no," she lamented as she saw the croissants, she had been carrying were all scattered across the floor.

Seeing her picking up the scattered pastries, Ash bent down. "Let me help you with that," he said, scooping some of the scattered treats.

"You don't have to do that Mr. Familiar," the maid said quickly. Seeing Ash's pained expression, she looked even more embarrassed. "Sorry, are you not the human familiar Miss Valliere summoned yesterday?"

"I am," Ash replied slowly. "But please don't call me a familiar. I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town."

"Siesta, of Tarbes," she introduced herself. "I've never heard of Pallet Town, is it in the countryside?"

"Yes, but technically no," Ash replied. Seeing her confused expression, he explained. "I'm from the Kanto Region; it's very far away from here."

"Strange, I've never heard of Kanto. Were you summoned from another country?" she asked in surprise.

"Pretty much."

"Oh, that means you must have a translation spell on you. I was wondering why your words weren't properly matching your lips."

"Is it that obvious?" Ash asked.

"Not unless you know what to look for," Siesta replied with a disarming smile. "Serving as a maid, I have to be a bit more attentive than most people."

"That makes sense," Ash replied. The brief lull in their conversation caused the two to realize that they had long since gathered up the fallen food.

With a squeak, Siesta stood up with the tray. 'Thank you for your help, Mr. Ash," she said. "Sorry, but I have to throw these out and get replacements from the kitchen." With a quick bow, she turned back in the direction she had come.

To her surprise, she found the tray pulled from her hands. "Let me help you with that," Ash said with a smile.

"I couldn't possibly ask you to do that," said Siesta. "It's my duty."

"Well, I did run you over, so I need to make it up to you. Besides, I need something to do anyway." He picked up one of the croissants, rubbed it on his shirt, and then took a big bite out of it. "Plus, I'm hungry. The kitchen sounds like a good place to be right now."

Siesta's eyes lit up, but she still looked conflicted. "But I thought the students were spending time with their familiars right now."

The pained expression returned to Ash's face. "Miss Louise and I are having problems right now," he responded. "I think we both need some time to cool off."

"Oh, I see." Actually, she didn't, but Siesta was smart enough to know when not to pry. "Well, I guess I can't say no to an extra set of hands. The kitchens are this way."

Siesta led Ash to a non-descript oak door. When they stepped inside, Ash was floored by the number of delicious aromas flooding his nose. "This smells like heaven," he said, a strand of drool leaking from the side of his mouth.

"Remember, we're serving the nobles first, then we get to eat what's left over," Siesta reminded him.

"Right," Ash replied, wiping the drool from his face. "Let's do this!"

"Siesta!" A loud voice bellowed. "Why are you coming back here with my tray? HMM?"

Ash looked towards where the voice had come from, then had to crane his head to see the giant of a man who had spoken. Standing out amongst the kitchen staff like an adult in a group of children, a heavyset man looked down with piercing gaze. His maroon hair stood tall despite the chef's hat sitting atop it, casting shadows over the upper half of his face. Green eyes that twinkled in the shadows cast their petrifying gaze on Ash and Siesta.

Despite the intimidating the man was emanating, Siesta found the courage to speak, "Head Chef Hugo, I fell while carrying out the croissants and need a new plate."

"What!" The sound rang in Ash and Siesta's ears like the roar of a wounded predator. "How could you drop an entire tray of croissants! I gave you one tray, one tray! And do you know why I gave you one tray? Do you? So you could carry it with both hands. But no, you still managed to drop my precious croissants."

"Actually," one of the assistant chefs interjected timidly. "That was the batch I made—"

Chef Hugo's neck swiveled so quickly it made an audible snap. "This is MY kitchen! So everything made in MY kitchen is MINE! You understand? Good, now get to work!" The now shaking staff member quickly began kneading his dough in the frantic frenzy of a possessed man.

The head chef's head snapped back to Siesta and Ash. "Now, care to explain how you dropped my tray of croissants and why you brought back an oddly dressed child in my kitchen? If your family came for a visit, they'll have to do their visit not on my time."

"He's not one of my brothers," Siesta explained. "He's the famil—ahem, he was summoned by Miss Valliere yesterday."

"It was my fault that Siesta dropped the croissants," said Ash. "I was running around a corner and wasn't looking at where I was going when I crashed into her. She didn't do anything wrong." Siesta opened her mouth to protest, but Ash nudged her leg with his foot and gave her a wink.

The mountain of a man focused his attention on Ash. "And how do I know you didn't do it on purpose?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"Why would I do that?"

"To get a free helping." Chef Hugo pointed a meaty finger at the half-eaten croissant in Ash's hand. "If all the croissants dropped by accident, why are you eating one!"

"Because it's a shame to let good food go to waste!" Ash retorted. "This pastry is delicious! I'm no connoisseur, but as I food lover I can recognize the delicious flavor, the ideal fluffiness, and the flawless flakiness in this croissant!"

Chef Hugo stood silent. Siesta looked back and forth between the boy and the man, waiting to see who would make the next move. It was the man who broke the standstill. "The perfect croissant is baked with the love of the chef's heart," he said in a low voice.

"I can taste the passionate love that's wrapped in the many layers of this delicacy," Ash replied seriously.

Chef Hugo stepped forward and clapped a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Boy."

Siesta took a hesitant step back as Ash and Hugo looked each other straight in the eyes.

"You are a young lad after my own heart."

Siesta blinked and looked up to see tears running down Hugo face. "Chef Hugo?" she asked hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm feeling more than okay!" Chef Hugo replied heartily. "Boy, there are few who enter this kitchen knowing the true value of a meal cooked with love, less so ones your age! Once we're done serving up the noble children, have your pick of anything you like!"

"Can I help Siesta in the meantime?" Ash asked. "I want to make it up to her for running her over."

"Go ahead!" The man replied with a grin. "There's a spare uniform somewhere around here. Wouldn't be the first time we had little boy like you running tables. Siesta!"

"Yes?" the maid squeaked.

Hugo made a show of slapping Ash's back, nearly bowling the boy over. "Show the lad where everything is and then get back to work. These nobles aren't going to feed themselves after all!"

Ash and Siesta exchanged a bewildered look as the man walked away with a hearty laugh. "How'd you know how to get on the chef's good side?" Siesta asked in surprise.

"Oh, I've traveled with a couple of chefs before," Ash replied. Notably two that he regretted not meeting each other to have a cook off. "One of them was a very… enthusiastic connoisseur. I picked up a few things."

Siesta smiled as she showed Ash to where they kept the spare uniforms. The boy was an enigma, for sure. He was more well-mannered than a normal commoner, but he lacked the bearing of a noble. His words and actions were genuine and kind. While she didn't have any initial thoughts to how a human familiar would act, this was definitely not what she expected.

"How do I look?" Ash asked, stepping out of the closet he had gone to change in. The uniform was a bit of a tight fit but given the smooth muscles that showed from underneath the fabric, it looked perfect on him.

"You look like a perfect gentleman," she replied honestly. Siesta briefly wondered if he was old enough to be in a relationship but shook the thoughts away. While his musculature was tempting, given how young he looked, he was probably at least three years younger than her. And with the similarities of their faces, it was no surprise Chef Hugo had mistaken him for her little brother. She would have to wait a few more years before she could set her eyes on him.

But as she watched him serve the nobles that sat out in the courtyard, she couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he was a few years older. The easy smile on his face put her mind at ease. The graceful and energetic spring in his step made her want to fall in step with him. He wasn't like a knight from one of her storybooks, but at the very least, he was a joy to watch.

Just as she passed by one of the small tables, she noticed a small perfume bottle roll out of the pocket of a blond young noble's robe. The vial tumbled over the grass and came to a stop at Siesta's feet. The maid picked it up, quickly realizing that it was probably worth more than she earned in a month. She looked at the noble who dropped it, who was lavishly wooing his female companion. "Excuse me, sir," she interrupted softly, not wanting to intrude but knowing that she had best return the item immediately. Handing the vial to the blond young man, she said, "I believe you dropped this."

Chapter Text

The arrangement of tables outside the cafeteria reminded Ash of some outdoor cafes he'd visited in Kalos. The chairs and tables were made of a white wood and the seats were padded with a soft pink cushion. Each table was large enough to sit four people comfortably, but they were typically set for two. Given that every mage had their familiar nearby, the greater seating spread was understandable.

While it was technically still breakfast time, the outdoor seating was being used by students who were eating light refreshments, rather than a hearty meal. Though, after seeing how large of a meal the students were served, Ash wondered why very few of the students looked overweight. Ash knew he was a big eater, but as a Pokemon trainer he burned a lot of energy between traveling and training. Unless mages had an exercise regimen that he didn't know about, there was no way from them to stay slim after eating so much. Then again, what did he know about magic or mages?

Ash wasn't there to question the noble's dietary habits. He was there to serve as a waiter. At least for now. While the raven-haired trainer had no real work experience, he took to the job rather quickly. Between Siesta and some of the other servers giving him tips, and his memories of being served on some of his few visits to high end restaurants, he had pretty much all the tools he needed.

"Two teas with lemon wedges, one parfait for the lady, and a jam on toast for the gentleman," Ash recited as he came to a stop at one of the small tables out on the courtyard grass. After setting down the drinks and appetizers—gently, as he had quickly learned that he was generally too rough when it came to silverware—he spun the tray around the palm of his hand before grabbing the rim and tucking the tray to his side.

The two nobles gave polite applause. "A good show," said the male mage. The duck in his lap quacked in agreement.

"Most certainly," said his female companion. Her hands idly brushed the fur of a black cat that rested on her shoulder, much like Pikachu rested on Ash's. "Tell me, where did Louise find you?"

Ash's expression faltered at the mention of his summoner, but he forced the smile to remain on his face. "Louise summoned me from very far away," he said, whispering conspiratorially.

Polite laughter followed his remark. "He plays into character so well, Genevieve," the boy said.

"He's as fine as any trained performer, Edgar," the young lady agreed.

Ash looked at the two, confusion evident in his features. "Excuse me, but what do you mean by 'character'?" he asked.

The two nobles exchanged a glance, and the burst into another round of tittering laughter. Genevieve pretend to cover her laughter with a dainty hand as she responded, "Everyone knows that Louise the Zero could never summon a familiar."

"Indeed," Edgar agreed with an amused grin. "For a talentless girl like Zero, it would take a miracle of the Founder to have one of her spells work properly.

"But the only miracle she pulled off was managing to sneak you into her explosion for the grand reveal," Genevieve snickered.

"Tell us, how did you pull that trick off?" Edgar asked with casually curious tone.

"There was no trick," Ash stated honestly. "Louise summoned me to be her familiar."

This only sent the young mages into another fit of giggles. "I see," said Genevieve, "she paid you to keep quiet about it. It's a wonder her family insist on protecting her; her failures make the rest of the Valliere's seem incompetent."

"If that's the case, you need say no more," Edgar told Ash, who staring at the two in obvious bewilderment. "I suppose we'll have to pry the answer out of the Zero herself."

The conversation was leaving Ash a bit perturbed. "That's not a very nice nickname," he commented. He felt hypocritical saying so, given he himself had used it to her face less than an hour ago. But despite the problems he had with Louise, he didn't feel right letting her be mocked behind her back.

"That's none of your concern," Genevieve said dismissively. "Zero has earned her title by her failures. It's mage custom, a commoner like you wouldn't understand."

Edgar nodded along, then he snapped his fingers and made a shooing gesture. Ash caught the cue easily, but only barely remembered to bow before turning around and making his departure.

As Ash walked by the tables of students, he began to exam young nobles in a new light. He had thought—hoped—that Louise's behavior was unusually rude for a noble, but it was becoming apparent that such was not the case. While she seemed to be particularly unreasonable with him, her classmates had hadn't proven to be much better. Ash was quickly realizing that the people who gave Louise the title of "Zero" weren't holding themselves to higher standard; they were just bringing her down like common bullies.

Their attitude made Ash suspect that there was more to Louise's outburst. He remembered that when he was summoned, he had seen students pointing in his direction and laughing. At first, he had assumed that the students had been laughing at his appearance. After all, his clothes were radically different from theirs. But now that he thought about it, they may have been mocking Louise, or—more complicatedly—mocking Louise through him. If it was considered "normal" to laugh and insult your classmates, Ash had to wonder if Louise even knew how to treat a person right, let alone someone who wasn't a noble.

"This is entire place is messed up," Ash muttered under his breath. "Ugh, I really need to figure out how to get home before I go crazy." Time travel sucked; he would keep that in mind in the future.

"Excuse me, sir. I believe you dropped this."

Hearing a familiar voice, Ash turned to see Siesta handing a small perfume vial to one of the noble boys. Unlike most of the students who wore their uniform shirts and robes pinned up with a pentagon claps, this young mage wore his shirt open at the top, showing off a portion of his toned chest. The noble boy made a half turn, noticed the vial, and then ran a rand through his tussled blond hair as he turned away. "You must be mistaken, that isn't mine," he said in a haughty voice.

"B-but it fell out of your pocket, sir," Siesta stammered.

A noble girl with long blond ringlets snatched the vial out of the maid's hands. After examining it closely, she slowly turned to the boy. "Guiche," she said tensely. "Why do you have another girl's perfume?" Suspicion was evident in her gaze, causing her fellow blond to sweat nervously.

"My dear Montmorency, you are the only one in my life," Guiche professed. His blue eyes gazed into the matching ones of his girlfriend. "I don't know where this peasant found this perfume, but I can assure you, it did not come from me."

Montmorency's gaze softened, but still held lingering doubts. "Are you saying that you've never seen that perfume in your life?" she asked.

"Never," Guiche swore. He took her hands in his and knelt on one knee. "My sincerity is pure."

Ash was starting to have the sneaking suspicion that this guy was a womanizer. Guiche made declarations that were as over the top as Brock's, one of his previous companions. Their posture and flowery words were a near perfect match, the only difference is that this guy actually managed to get a girlfriend.

And he might be cheating on her.

And lying about it.

Ash decided it was best not to get too involved and jump to conclusions. He considered walking away, but curiosity and a need for a distraction urged him to see the result.

Montmorency leaned in close to Guiche, until their faces were inches apart… and sniffed him. Frowning, she stood up and shook off Guiche's hands. "Funny how your robes smell like the contents of this bottle," she said suspiciously. "Are you having another girl behind my back?"

Guiche was now sweating profusely, which wasn't helping his case. A nervous smile crept onto his face as he spoke, "My dear Mon Mon, you wouldn't seriously accuse me of falsehood and unfaithfulness on the word of a servant, would you? I've pledged my love to you. You're the only girl in my life."

"Guiche," a small voice said in a pitiful whimper. The entire crowd turned to see a brunette girl in a brown robe, looking at Guiche with teary eyes. "Does this mean, you don't care about me after all? Did all our dates mean nothing to you?"

Ash's eyes followed Monmorency's face swiveling to Guiche, then the other girl, then back to Guiche. "You were cheating on me!" she exclaimed, stabbing an accusing finger at Guiche. "And with an innocent first-year!"

Guiche smile twitched frantically as he looked at the two girls before him. One, looking at him in tears, the other, veins popping in rage. Both hurt by the deep sting of betrayal. "You see," Guiche began cautiously. "There's a perfectly good explanation for this—"

The simultaneous slap that followed echoed across the courtyard. Huffing, both girls stomped away, leaving Guiche collapsed on the ground.

Ash winced. Clearly, Guiche deserved what he got, but that still had to hurt. With the show over, the students began to disperse. Some went back to the old conversations, but the majority gave their comments on the affair. Apparently, Guiche's womanizing antics were well known to everyone in his year, but it wasn't often that his actions caught up with him.

Ash decided it as better to not stick around to hear more demeaning comments from the students. With his distraction now over, he turned to return to the kitchen.

"You, maid!"

Ash immediately made a one-eighty as he found Guiche, back on his feet, glaring at a confused Siesta. "What now?" Ash muttered under his breath, exasperated.

"Yes, sir?" Siesta replied hesitantly.

Guiche stood tall and pointed his entire arm in Siesta's direction. "How dare you publicly humiliate me!"

Hushed mutters swept through the remaining crowd of students. Siesta looked taken aback. "That wasn't my intent," she said apologetically. "I-I was just trying to return it to you."

Guiche leaned towards her, prompting Ash to step closer to hear them clearly. "When I told you that it wasn't mine, that was your cue to give it to me discreetly at a later, less public time," Guiche reprimanded her. "Honestly, to think you know nothing of discretion."

Ash's jaw dropped, failing to comprehend Guiche's brazenly twisted logic. While the mage wasn't shouting to the rooftops, he was openly discussing his plans for subterfuge. Not only was that the opposite of discretion, but why did he think Siesta should cover for his lies?

"I'm sorry, sir," Siesta apologized, bowing low. "It was an honest mistake."

"Your 'honest mistake' cost me two fair ladies," Guiche said dramatically.

Actually, now that Ash thought about, everything in the blonde's actions and words were unnecessarily dramatic. The guy was not only a shameless, two-timing flirt, but he was a showboat to boot! Ash now felt remarkably less bad for the gossip Guiche received. While Louise seemed to be bullied solely due to her lack of magical ability, Guiche was more of a pain than Ash's former rival, Gary, had ever been.

"Katie was a cutie, and my dear Mon Mon probably won't speak to me for weeks," Guiche lamented before giving Siesta a sneer. "I think I'll have a talk with the Headmaster about your employment. Commoners who can't follow obvious social cues shouldn't work at such a prestigious academy."

Ash clenched his hands into fists. He knew that jumping headfirst into situations tended to make things worse, but this was beyond ridiculous. What concept of "nobility" did these students have? The strong rule over the weak? That was outdated! Right, time travel. That was how things worked back in the day. But that didn't mean he had to stand for it.

Siesta was trembling at this point, eyes wide with terror. "No, please, I need this job," she said desperately. "I have a family back at home who need the money."

Guiche made a show of shrugging his shoulders. "I don't see why the matters of a peasant should concern me," he said casually. "Especially one that can't even do her job properly."

Every word that dripped from Guiche's lips sizzled in Ash's ears. "That's enough!" Ash snapped, moving to stand in front of Siesta with his arms open wide. "Leave Siesta alone!"

Guiche looked taken aback. "And who are you supposed to be?" he asked.

"Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town."

"Pallet Town? Pokemon? Never heard of those before," Guiche replied. He gave Ash a scrutinizing look, then snapped his fingers. "Oh, wait, you're Louise's familiar, aren't you? I didn't recognize you wearing your servant clothes. Does this mean Louise has given up on her charade of summoning a human as a familiar?"

"It wasn't a charade!" Ash protested. "Louise did summon me!"

"Right," Guiche drawled as he twirled his wrist lazily. "And what business do you have raising your voice at a noble such as myself? Do you realize that I could have you fired just as easily as this maid?"

"You can't have her fired because you wanted her to lie for you," Ash retorted.

Guiche tutted as he shook his head. "Of course, Louise would get a servant as undignified as herself," he said with a dramatic sigh. "Listen, boy, I'm not in the best mood right now, and I really don't like your master. However…" Guiche's gaze flickered to Siesta before returning to meet Ash's eyes. Lowering his voice, he continued, "I do enjoy the white knight show you're putting on for the lady. Wondrous performance; I respect a young man with guts. But this matter is beyond you. Go run along and do whatever it is your kind do."

Ash had no clue what Guiche was talking about, but he wasn't about to let himself get sidetracked. "Not unless you leave Siesta alone," he said firmly.

"Honestly, boy, I am trying to be merciful here," Guiche said. "But if you insist on standing in my way, you will reap the consequences of your actions."

"Just like you did?" Ash suggested cheekily.

Guiche pinched his lips in a tight frown. "It seems we cannot settle this with words," he said coldly. "Very well, if you wish for me to pardon the young maid, I shall graciously grant you an opportunity. All you have to do is beat me in a duel."

Siesta looked horrified, but Ash, having his back turned, didn't notice. "A duel?" he echoed. "Like, a battle? But I don't have my Pok—I mean, a familiar."

"A duel between familiars? Oh, Founder, no," Guiche scoffed. "A proper duel is an honorable fight between men! Well, noble men, at least. After all, no commoner would dare face a noble in a duel."

"I accept."

Siesta gasped. "No, wait—"

"Oh ho ho, confident, are you?" Guiche said with a sly grin. "Very well, I will be awaiting you at Vestri Court." Guiche turned with a dramatic flair of his cape. "Don't get cold feet now. Though, no one would blame you if you did."

"I'll be there!" Ash affirmed. He glared at Guiche's back as the noble boy walked away.

"Mr. Ash, you can't!" Siesta protested, grabbing the boy's arm. "I'm not worth it."

Ash was momentarily stunned by the sudden gesture of concern, but then gently removed her hands from his arm. "Don't say that," Ash said kindly. "You're my friend, and I never let my friends get pushed around."

"I'm flattered, but this a duel, with a noble," Siesta insisted. "Please, you can't fight him!"

"Don't worry," said Ash with a confident grin. "I know a little bit about fighting, he won't beat me that easily."

Siesta looked into his confident eyes, full of innocence and blissful ignorance. "I'm sorry," she whispered before turning and bolting away.

Ash watched her sprint towards the doors of the cafeteria with a confused look. That was an oddly strong reaction to a simple duel. He supposed that someone who worked at a school wasn't used to seeing people fight. Speaking of which, he had completely lost track of Guiche.

"Excuse me," Ash called out to a nearby student, a pudgy blonde boy. "Where's the Vestri Court?"

"In the west courtyard, obviously," the other boy said with a laugh as he pointed in a direction.

Ash could hear the boy mutter, "This'll be fun," under his breath as he walked away in the direction he indicated. The trainer sighed and followed. After everything he had survived in his travels, he doubted that students who sat around and gossiped all day would be able to easily beat him in a fight. Out of all the student's he'd seen, Guiche was the one of the few who looked physically fit, but given his playboy nature, it was highly unlikely that he would be able to match Ash in a contest of strength, toughness, or agility.

The path to the Vestri Courtyard looped around the central Academy building. It looked pretty much the same as the other courtyards Ash passed. The only thing that confirmed that he was in the right place was the crowd of students gathered the tall, blonde haired Guiche.

Ash moved to enter the crowd, but the sound of someone screaming his name gave him pause. Recognize the voice, he wearily turned around to see Louise, followed by Siesta, running up to him. At least, he assumed they were running. They weren't moving very fast, a jog at best, but both were huffing and puffing as they finally came to a stop a few feet away from him.

"Hello," Ash said neutrally to Louise before giving Siesta a questioning look. He had a lot he wanted to say to Louise—both good and bad—but this was really not a good time.

"What do you think you're doing!" Louise exploded. Despite her heavy breathing, she seemed to have no trouble yelling at him. "I just finished breakfast when this maid—"

"Her name is Siesta," Ash interrupted.

"—comes rushing in saying that you accepted a duel with Guiche and it's all her fault!"

"But it wasn't her fault," Ash denied. "I offered because he was being a jerk."

"Stop interrupting me!" Louise shouted, throwing her clenched fists to her sides. "Is this a joke to you?"

"No," Ash replied seriously.

"Then why in the Founder's name did you think it would be a good idea to accept a duel from a noble?"

"He was blaming Siesta because he got slapped by his girlfriends for two-timing," Ash replied, trying and failing to keep the rising anger from his tone. "Just because he's a noble doesn't mean he can lash out at others just because he's hurt."

Louise winced, making Ash realize that he might have had a bit too much bite in his words. "Maybe Guiche was in the wrong," she said tentatively. "He does have a reputation for being a skirt chaser. But he's a noble, and you are not. You can't tell a noble that they're wrong."

"Because nobles are perfect?" Ash suggested drily.

"Well, no," Louise admitted. "But there is a hierarchy, and you have to respect it."

Right, social class was very important in this era. And currently, Ash found himself on the bottom of the social pyramid. "And does respecting the hierarchy mean I have to forfeit the duel and let Siesta be fired for something she didn't even do?"

"Technically, dueling is illegal on school grounds," Louise replied. "But since he challenged you, it is your right to accept it. That still doesn't make it any less of a terrible idea. You're going to get hurt. Listen, Guiche is arrogant, but that makes him easy to please. If you apologize, I think he'll let you go. If he doesn't, I can ask him on your behalf."

Ash raised an eyebrow. That sounded less like a demand, and more of a concerned request. "But what about Siesta?" he asked. "I'm fighting this duel for her, not for myself."

Louise bit her lip as she looked to the maid who had been silently watching their exchange. "I will be fine Mister Ash," Siesta said. "I have done good service so far, so the Headmaster is unlikely to fire my on the spot. I'll probable only be reprimanded and have more duties for a while." Even as she said this, her legs still trembled, which did not put Ash's worries at ease.

"That's still a punishment you don't deserve," Ash insisted. "I'm going to beat Guiche in a duel, that way he has to let it go."

"You can't," Louise snapped. "He's a noble and you're a commoner. You think you can beat him in a duel?"

"And what makes you so sure I can't?" Ash asked. "You never know unless you try."

"He's a mage!" Louise insisted. "Why can't you get that through your thick skull!"

"And what, him being a noble and a mage means he's going to win?"

"Yes!"

Ash looked at Louise with disappointment and annoyance. "You know, I was going to apologize to you for what happened this morning," he said. "But you're just saying the same things over and over again. Fine! If I can't talk you into changing your mind, looks like I'll have to prove it on the field." He turned away and walked towards the crowd of students.

Louise's foot stamped hard into the ground. "Argh! That stupid familiar!" she seethed. "Is he trying to get himself killed?"

"I'm terribly sorry Miss Valiere," said Siesta, bowing to Louise. "It's my fault that Mister Ash got caught up in all this."

"Yes, if it wasn't for you my familiar would be risking his life fighting Guiche of all people," Louise said absently. The maid visibly wilted. "But his actions are his own, so I'm not going to blame you just because he's an insufferably stubborn oaf." She tsked as she watched the crowd part, allowing Ash to stand alone in the center of the court with Guiche. "I am not going to stand for this." She began making her way to the circle as well, with Siesta following at her heels.

Guiche looked the perfect image of a noble as he stood in the sunlight. His blue eyes were as clear as the crystal sea. His smile overflowed with confidence. The gentle wind ran through his golden hair. The sun gleamed off the portion of his exposed, hairless chest. A single rose rested in hand, giving the final touch of elegance.

To Ash, that rose and stance reminded him of another villainous young man. Their faces were not the slightest bit alike, but their poses were uncannily similar.

"I'm glad you had the courage to show up," said Guiche. "Though it seems your master has some issues with your presence here."

"I mean, I've already accepted, so it would be dishonorable to surrender before we began, wouldn't it?" Ash replied.

Guiche nodded in approval. "You fit the role so perfectly, it almost brings me to tears," he said passionately. "Shall we get started then?"

Ash, still having no idea what role Guiche was referring to, nodded. "Let's do this."

"STOP!"

The two boys paused as Louise burst into the circle and ran up to Guiche. Siesta, who had been following her, remained on the outer edge of the circle, knowing better than to try pushing her way into a crowd of nobles.

"What is this?" Guiche asked mockingly. "The Zero has come to fetch her familiar? I'm afraid you'll have to wait, we're a little busy at the moment."

"Guiche, that's enough!" Louise said sharply. "Duels are forbidden."

"Duels between two nobles are forbidden, Louise," Guiche corrected her. "He is a peasant, a servant. There are no rules that say we cannot duel."

"That's only because no peasant with sense would duel a mage!" Louise retorted. "This is wrong!"

"Louise," Ash interjected. "Thanks for the concern, but that was a bit insulting."

"Indeed," Guiche agreed. "Your familiar lacks tact, grace, and poise, but he has the courage of a man. Using the manners of the noble knight order, he wishes to woo the heart of his maiden. You cannot stop him now!"

Ash blinked. Several times. "I'm starting to think we're not on the same page here," he deadpanned.

"Besides," Guiche continued, as he flung his flower, letting a single petal fly off and fall to the ground. "Both participants are ready, so the duel has begun!"

As the red petal gently landed on the ground, it became surrounded in a white light. Earth surged up, forming a humanoid shape. Grey armor clad most of its body, including its boots, gauntlets, helmet, and oversized shoulder plates. A small white wing adorned each side of the golem's helmet, which covered a near featureless face. The golem was designed to mimic a female body, with two protrusions in its chest plate, and inexplicably thin waist. A white skirt—the only part besides the helm's wings which did not look like it was made from the earth—clothed the golem's legs. In its hand, it wielded a simple spear, made in the same color as the rest of the golem's body.

"What did you do?" Ash asked in surprise. "And what is that?"

A smug smile broke across Guiche's face as he took in Ash's awe. "I suppose I did forget to introduce myself properly," said Guiche. "I am Guiche de Gramont, and my runic name is Guiche the Bronze. As such, my Valkyrie will fight you."

"So cool!" As much as Ash disliked Guiche, he was always excited to see something new. "So, this is what magic can do." Ash took another look at Guiche's golem, and had to ask, "Is there any reason you made your golem a girl?"

"All of my Valkyries are lovely ladies," Guiche replied proudly. "Why?"

"…never mind." Ash was not prepared to go down whatever rabbit hole that conversation would be. "So, what are the rules for the duel?"

"Simple, the first to get their opponent to surrender wins," Guiche replied. "Now, let us begin!"

"Hold on," Ash interrupted, holding up a hand. "I thought this was supposed to be a one on one duel. How come you get to have help?" He pointed to the Valkyrie, which had lowered its spear in preparation to charge.

"I am a mage. And my Valkyrie is an extension of my magic," Guiche explained. "Did you think I would demean myself by using a commoner's weapon?"

"Well, I don't even have a weapon, so that's not really fair," Ash pointed out.

"That's what I was trying to tell you!" Louise shouted. After realizing that the two weren't going to cancel their duel, the pink midget had retreated to the edge of the circle. "A commoner can't beat a mage! You can't win a duel without magic!"

"You should have told me it was a magic duel in the first place!" Ash called back.

Louise's retort died in her throat as her eyes widened in terror. "Behind you!" she cried.

Ash turned and immediately ducked low. The Valkyrie had taken advantage of his distraction to swing a punch at his chest. Ash could feel the breeze the metal gauntlet created as it narrowly passed over his back. Without any respite, Ash was forced to roll out of the way as the Valkyrie's arm crashed down to punish his choice of dodging. A lunge of the Valkyrie's spear was evaded as well as Ash continued to dodge on the diagonal to avoid being cornered. While he didn't have a plan of attack yet, the golem's movements were predictable and not particularly fast.

"Louise's familiar is a nimble little one, isn't he," Kirche commented as she watched Ash avoid the golem's blows with quickly growing ease. The buxom redhead stood with the petite Tabitha at the edge of the circle. As per usual, it was Kirche's forceful suggestion that brought them to watch the latest spectacle of the academy. She was eager to see how badly a commoner familiar would fair against one of the more talented mages of their year. To her pleasant surprise, Ash had managed to go a full minute into the fight without being hit once.

"Not enough," Tabitha commented. The blue-haired wind mage, as per usual, held a small book in her hand. However, she paid it little attention. Her bespectacled aquamarine eyes were fixed on the peculiar familiar Louise had summoned.

"What do you mean?" Kirche asked. Tabitha did not reply right away, giving Kirche the time to reevaluate the situation. "Oh," the taller student said. "I see. That is a problem."

Punches, swings, and stabs came from the golem's fist and spear. Each blow was carefully avoided, but Ash made no move to counterattack. After every successful evasion Ash continued to keep his eyes on his opponent, ready to react to whatever strike came next.

"You're faster than I'd expect," Guiche admitted. "But my Valkyrie will never tire. If you think you can win by running away, your defeat will be slow but guaranteed."

"I already know that," Ash replied cheekily as he sidestepped another swing from the Valkyrie's spear. "I've just been waiting for a good to go on the offense!"

As the Valkyrie swung another punch, Ash made his move. Instead of dodging back and to the side as he usually did, Ash ducked forward, moving towards the golem's exposed side. With the golem's limbs terribly out of position, he seized the advantage of the moment, and landed a solid punch directly at the skinniest part of the golem's waist.

A sharp crack echoed through the courtyard.

"Yeouch!" Ash howled as he took a step back and gripped his throbbing hand. "That hurt!" Thin or not, punching through solid metal had been met with greater resistance than he expected.

"Look out!" he heard Louise cry. Briefly distracted by the pain, Ash turned around just in time to see the Valkyrie swing the blunt of its spear into his chest.

The impact knocked the wind out of Ash's lungs. He was flung off his feet and tumbling over the grass. After multiple rolls, he came to a stop and gave a pained groan.

"And that hurt more," he grumbled as he pushed himself to his feet. By some miracle, his cap had managed to remain on his head, though it now hung at an askew angle. "This is going to be harder than I thought."

"You can't punch a golem!" Louise shouted.

"If you have any ideas now would be a good time," Ash called back, this time keeping his focus fixed on the golem as he talked.

"Commoners can't beat mages!" Louise exclaimed. "That's why you shouldn't have accepted this duel in the first place."

"Well, I already accepted, and I can't go back in time to change that." Ash noted the irony in his own statement. "All I can do is think of a way forward."

"Don't be an idiot! You've already gotten yourself hurt!"

"I've been worse," Ash replied honestly. "Besides, I'm fighting for a friend. I can't give up now!"

Guiche, who had halted the golem's movements to observe the two's byplay, gave a slow applause of approval. "You truly do play the role so well," he said. "If only you were a noble, it would be an honor to have a proper duel with you. Alas, I will have to show you why commoners are inferior to nobility."

"Being born a noble doesn't make you better than anyone else," Ash retorted.

"By the Founder, it does," Guiche refuted. "After all, you can't even beat my single Valkyrie. You should surrender now, while you still have some dignity."

"Not a chance," Ash replied, clenching his reddened hand into a fist. "You're going to be the one to surrender to me, Guiche."

"That is, Mister Guiche, to you," Guiche replied. He threw out his rose-clenching hand. "Valkyrie, finish him!"

Ash threw himself back as the Valkyrie stabbed through the space his chest previously occupied. "It can go even faster?" he said incredulously.

Several of the students were making similar observations. "Of course, that showboat was toying with him," Louise scowled. "Stupid familiar, he's going to get himself killed."

Kirche's expression shifted from excitement to disappointment as she watched Ash desperately dodge the golem's strikes. "Looks like Louise's familiar isn't as good as I thought," Kirche sighed. "What a pity, I was cheering for him. Well, I suppose I was more cheering against Guiche, but the point is moot. Now that he's stopped playing with his food, the little boy won't last much longer."

"Not yet."

"Oh? Is there something I'm missing, Tabitha?" The bluette didn't answer, prompting Kirche to grab her from behind and let her abundant chest glomp the top of the shorter girl's head. "Don't be stingy, let me in on the secret."

Tabitha narrowed her eyes as she carefully observed the face of the commoner who would brazenly defy millennia-old customs. While he had the body and face of a child, there was a keenness to his gaze that gave the battle-hardened mage pause. "Determined."

Ash watched the golem's movements carefully. With the metaphorical kid's gloves off, the golem was almost as fast as he was. Luckily, it wasn't nearly as nimble, but that wasn't enough. As Guiche said, the golem had no exhaustion, and while Ash wasn't even winded yet, he knew that it would only take one mistake to receive another painful hit. With punching the golem not being a viable option, he briefly considered tackling it instead. But he shook his head. He didn't know how strong the golem was, but his odds of beating a walking suit of armor in a contest of strength was little to none.

The trainer's options were very limited, and victory looked beyond his reach, but he couldn't give up. Not on Siesta, and not on himself. As a trainer he had overcome many challenges. Even though he no longer he had his friends and Pokemon by his side, he wouldn't be able to face himself he didn't give this fight everything he got.

He needed some way to get around his predicament. He was facing an opponent that he barely outsped and he couldn't hope to beat in a direct fight. He also couldn't afford to draw the fight out, otherwise he'd get smacked around till he was black and blue. And despite those obstacles, he needed to force Guiche to surrender.

The thought came so suddenly he almost had his head nailed by a Valkyrie's punch. "Of course," he said, a grin overtaking his face. "You're my obstacle," he said to the Valkyrie, "but you're not my opponent!" As the Valkyrie lunged forward with its spear, Ash dove forward.

"Don't!" Loiose screamed as she watched her familiar throw himself at his opponent.

Ash rammed his shoulder at the golem's thin waist. The armored construct was durable, but it wasn't as heavy as it was tough. Its stance was also unsteady, a product of being puppeteer by someone who had yet to master the stance himself. With little resistance, the Valkyrie bent in the middle and fell to the ground.

To the crowd's surprise, Ash didn't try to fight the Valkyrie further. Once the golem's back had hit the ground, he rolled onto his feet and sprinted towards Guiche.

The mage's blue eyes widened in surprise. "Protect me, my Valkyries!" he called hastily, shaking six petals from his rose wand.

With six simultaneous flashes of light, bronze golems rose from the earth in a semi-circle around Guiche. The Valkyries looked identical in build to the first, but each wielded a unique weapon. One wielded a mace. Another a battle axe. A broadsword, a halberd, a rapier, and even a braided whip.

Ash had to slide to a stop to avoid crashing into Guiche's newly formed guards. "You have more of them?" Ash asked incredulously.

"Did you think I would be called Guiche the Bronze if I only could summon one mere Valkyrie?" Guiche shot back, his confidence regained now that he found himself safely protected by his entourage.

Ash gritted his teeth as he reexamined the situation. Precious yards separated him from Guiche. But with six golems in front and one rising to its feet behind him, he was in the worst situation he'd been in since the beginning of the fight.

"How exciting," said Kirche as she teased her tongue over her lips. "With every passing second they manage to up the ante. So deliciously entertaining, isn't it Tabby?"

Tabitha gave an almost unnoticeable nod. "Trapped," she said. "Desperate."

"Any guess what he's going to do?"

"Defeat," Tabitha said promptly. "Too weak."

"True," said Kirche. "Without magic, there's no way for him to bridge the gap. At least it was fun when it lasted. Hopefully Guiche doesn't ruin his cute little face too much." Kirche took notice that despite the short mage's forgone conclusion about the fight's result, she still peered over the edge of her book to watch the combatants. Kirche let an amused grin spread across her face. If Tabitha still was invested in this duel, there was a good chance it wouldn't end here.

Guiche laughed as he had the golems spread out and surround Ash on all sides. While he was confident in his victory, he still made sure that he had three golems close to him, leaving Ash's back exposed except for the lone lance-wielding Valkyrie.

"This has been amusing, but I will end you here," Guiche said dramatically, throwing out his cloak to catch the slight breeze that drifted through the courtyard. "But do not despair, your loss will be remembered as a good one. I will never forget the one duel I had with a commoner with the guts to fight a noble!"

Ash had to wonder if Guiche had to spend every spare moment propping himself up and putting on speeches. While he could call the taller boy out on it, he needed every moment he could spare. Retreat was possible, since only one golem stood directly behind him, with the others covering his front and sides. However, that would mean giving up all the ground he made to approach Guiche. Additionally, he didn't know how long Guiche could puppeteer all seven golems, but it was probably much longer than Ash could dodge their strikes.

He needed something. Anything. A way to turn this battle around.

Breathe in

Ash felt a twinge in his chest. A familiar tug that begged for release.

Breathe out

Ash closed his eyes, searching out the source of that feeling.

Breathe in

He could feel it. A flame. Trapped in a small container.

Breathe out

He poked it. Coaxed it. It flickered in response.

Breathe in

The flame started to rise, growing and filtering out of the container that trapped it.

Breathe out

The flame surged, growing larger and brighter than before.

Breathe in

Sounds entered ears. Light entered eyes. Scent entered nose.

Breathe out

He reached out and felt the world.

Breathe in

His own flame, surrounded by the flames of everyone around him

Breathe out

The world, seen through the images of blue fire.

Breathe in

Figures, weakly flickering with the blue flame of life, rush forward.

Breathe out

Ash's eyes snapped open.

Chapter Text

The echoes of hurried footsteps resounded down the Academy halls. Students stepped aside as they watched a typically calm Professor raced through the Academy and up the stairs to the Headmaster's office. He heard muffled discussion from behind the solid oak door, but he was in too much of a hurry to knock. "Miss Valliere's familiar and Mr. Gramont are dueling in the Vestri Court!" Professor Colbert announced, throwing open the door to the Headmaster's office.

He stopped cold as he observed a red-faced Longueville stamping her boots into the Headmaster Osmond's back. The silver-haired man was lying on the floor, strangely not resisting despite his groans. The two slowly turned in Colbert's direction with unreadable expressions on their faces.

"Am I… interrupting?" Colbert asked politely.

"Oh, no," the secretary replied. She gave the professor a polite smile as she tucked a few stray strands of her long green hair behind her ears. One particularly stubborn strand fell along the side of her nose, completing her usual appearance. "Old Osmond was complaining about his back pain, so I decided to give him a massage. After all, my duty as his secretary is to manage all aspects of his life, including his health. Isn't that right, Headmaster?" She asked as she dug her heal into the lower part of Osmond's back.

"Yes," the old man wheezed. "Oh! My back! Ahem, never felt better. Thank you for your service, Mrs. Longueville."

The bespectacled secretary gave a polite smile that did not reach her eyes as she stepped off of her superior's back. "I'll be sure to continue your treatment whenever I see you in need of a reminder," she said pleasantly.

Osmond rose to his feet as Longueville returned to her desk. "Yes, Colbert, you were saying something about a duel?" the old man asked.

"Yes," Colbert said slowly as he watched the old man return to his seat. Whatever massage Longueville gave him seemed to be working wonders. The Headmaster didn't hunch over, stumble, or slow down in the slightest as he passed the desk of his young secretary to reach his own workstation. "Mr. Gramont apparently challenged Mrs. Valliere's familiar to a duel, and the familiar accepted. They're in the Vestri Court now."

"Oh? And why did you have to come to me?" Osmond asked. "I thought I made it clear dueling was illegal on academy grounds."

"Well," Colbert replied hesitantly. "There is a loophole to that."

"Loophole?" Osmond scoffed. "Preposterous! I put clauses for all ranks of students and nobility! All situations and circumstance are covered, often redundantly, even in triplicate! Do you know how many years it took to make sure that none of these students would be able to weasel their way around that rule? Tell me, what 'loophole' is there for this duel?"

"The academy rules state that no nobles may fight in duels, but it is my understanding that such restrictions do not apply to duels between nobles and familiars," Longueville supplied. "Under the wording in place, it seems that a noble is perfectly allowed to challenge any commoner or familiar they wish."

"Indeed," said Colbert, with a grateful nod to the woman. "And since Mrs. Valliere's familiar accepted the duel, it is no official. Or as official as duel of these circumstances can be."

"And what familiar is even capable of accepting a duel from a noble?" Osmond scoffed.

The two younger adults in the room exchanged glances behind their respective glasses. "Sir, Miss Valliere summoned a human familiar," Colbert reminded the old man.

Old Osmond raised his eyebrows. "Ah, yes, human familiar!" he said in recollection. "Colbert, about what we discussed last night—" The Headmaster paused as he gave a sidelong glance to his secretary. "Mrs. Longueville, would you please excuse us for a moment."

"Of course, Headmaster." The secretary rose from her seat and headed out the door. As soon as the door closed, she felt the magic of a sound proofing charm cover the room. Her golden-brown eyes narrowed, but she wouldn't waste her time trying to eavesdrop. With those two preoccupied, the woman had other business to attend to.

Colbert stowed his wand into his robes. While it was unlikely that Mrs. Longueville or any of the other staff would try to listen in to a private conversation, it was better to be safe than sorry. Especially regarding a matter as serious as this. "Louise's familiar is probably the Gandalfr."

"Which means Mrs. Valliere is probably a Void mage like the founder," Osmond said with a nod. "Yes, you said as much last night. What news to bring to a man in his bed chamber. I hardly slept a wink thinking about it!"

"My apologies, Headmaster," said Colbert sincerely. "But if this information is correct, shouldn't you use your authority as headmaster to cancel the duel? The Gandalfr is described to be the Left Hand of God, a peerless warrior that no man could hope to match. If the duel goes too far—"

"But this is also the best way to discreetly observe whether the familiar is the Gandalfr," Osmond countered. "Do not worry, Mr. Colbert, I am not planning to let this go out of control." The man pulled out a drawer of his desk and dug his hand inside it. "I think I have it," he said as he rummaged around. "No, that's not it. Ow, now why is that down there?"

"Sir?"

"Hold on, I think, yes! Here it is!" Osmond drew out a small artefact that neatly fit into the palm of his hand. It had the arrow markings of a compass, but its central part was as clear as the lense of a spyglass.

"And what is that sir?" Colbert asked.

"A fancy trinket," Osmond replied. "Using wind magic, I can get a birds eye view of a nearby area. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a good lower view." Osmond looked particularly somber about that weakness of the device. "But with this, I can observe the lads' duel from the comfort of this office!"

"But if the duel gets out of hand—"

"Bah! Remember that I'm the one who maintains the wards of the castle," Osmond reminded his younger subordinate. "I can easily raise a wall of earth or a summon strong gale if it looks like the lads take it too far."

While the Headmaster's confidence was well founded, as he was a renown square class mage, Colbert still wasn't convinced. "A fraction of a second is all it takes for something to go wrong," Colbert warned.

The headmaster waved a hand dismissively. "Hush now, it's starting!"

Louise was worried.

Very worried.

Contrary to her expectations, her familiar had not lost in the first sixty seconds of the duel. In fact, he had managed to avoid getting hit early in the duel. But every time he pulled out a new trick, Guiche pulled out a better one. Now her stupid familiar was surrounded by Guiche's Valkyries. In such a situation, he should be surrendering—ideally—or finding a way to retreat.

But what was he doing instead?

Standing still with his eyes shut like an incompetent moron!

"Open your eyes!" Louise shouted. "You can't beat them with your eyes closed!"

Her familiar made no response. His face didn't even twitch. It didn't look like he heard her and brushed off her advice, but rather he couldn't hear her at all.

"I'd rather you kept your eyes open in your defeat, but I suppose that would be too much for a child like you," Guiche taunted.

No response. A gentle breeze rippled through the courtyard grass.

Guiche's disappointment was evident on his face. "Tch, you were doing so well," he said despondently. "No matter, your defeat was inevitable! Allow me to show you why commoners never fight nobility. Valkyries, attack!"

"Move!" Louise shouted desperately.

Another breeze, stronger than before, rushed through the courtyard. To most of the students, it added a nice dramatic effect to the fight. The wind fluttered the Valkyries' skirts and blew back everyone's hair. It provided the ideal atmosphere – one you would expect from a legendary duel. But one talented wind mage noticed something peculiar. Instead of the wind flowing in a particular direction, it originated from a central source.

Louise's familiar.

The Valkyries charged forward, covering the ground with moderate haste. Guiche couldn't control all seven with the same coordination he gave a single one, but with Ash surrounded on all sides, there wasn't much the noble had to do. In fact, the hardest part would be leaving the boy in good enough condition to voice his surrender.

As the Valkyrie's weapons came within a foot of Ash, a surge of sheer force erupted from the familiar's body, knocking the golems back. Covering Ash's body was a blue glow, not unlike an ethereal flame. It wavered and flickered, dancing to the same wind that filled the courtyard. The grass by Ash's feet was bowed by the invisible waves of power emanating from his stationary form.

"What's that?" Guiche said in surprise. It looked like fire and wind magic, but that was impossible. Not only was Louise's familiar a commoner, but he also didn't have a wand.

"Just like when I made the contract," said Louise in awe. "How? How is he doing this?"

Ash's eyes snapped open. His normal warm brown irises were no more, replaced by a vibrant blue that seemed to carry their own glow. He looked down at the light and wind coming from his body. "My Aura?" he said in wonder. "Amazing!"

"What kind of magic is that?" Guiche asked, unconsciously take a step backwards.

A confident smile came over Ash's face. "It's not really magic," he replied. "And to be honest, I'm a bit rusty in using it. But now I have a chance to win this, so I'm still going to give this my best shot!" Ash turned the bill of his cap so it covered the back of his neck. He lowered his stance and put one leg behind his torso, imitating a sprinter's stance. "Here I come!"

He pushed off with his foot and shot forward like rocket, ramming into the closest Valkyrie. As his shoulder made contact with the golem's breastplate, a sharp crack was heard. This time, however, Ash felt no pain. Instead, the Valkyrie was sent flying away with a sharp indent in its armor.

"Tabitha, how is this possible?" Kirche asked in shock. She had been hoping for the fight to get interesting, but this had far surpassed her expectations.

"Uncertain," Tabitha replied. "Not magic."

"Really?"

"No wand," Tabitha said with certainty. Mages may have been blessed by the Founder with the gift of magic, but they needed a wand as a foci to cast any spells. There was no way to use the four elements without a foci of some sort, such as Guiche's rose-wand. The only creatures who could break this law of magic were the terrifying elves. Tabitha's eyes zeroed in on Ash's perfectly human ears. Not an elf then, which left the origin of his power a mystery.

Guiche frantically commanded his Valkyrie's to strike Ash. No longer was he concerned about containing their speed and avoiding a killing blow. Ash was much faster than before, and strong enough punch and kick the golems away with surprising ease. His only struggle was the reach of the Valkyrie's weapons, specifically the whip and the spear. Frowning, Guiche let the golems fight on automated commands, and focused his attentions on the two most advantageous golems.

Automated commands were an easy way to have a golem complete a simple task without needing to be supervised or manually controlled. Guiche, while skilled in golem creation, was far from the level of skill needed to have his golems fight properly without his input. There was a reason golem creation was considered at least a line mage skill. The ability to craft a sturdy, functioning golem, and give it basic automatic function was much more than what a typical dot mage could produce. Guiche's gift in golem creation gave him an edge over any other dot mage, but their automated efficiency left much to be desired.

Ash had a smile on his face as he danced around the Valkyries' attacks and retaliated whenever he found an opening. He could feel the Aura flowing out of his body. Even if a strike came from behind him, he could sense the movement and react accordingly. He was faster and stronger than before, allowing him to slowly but surely whittle away at the golems' armor.

However, it wasn't enough. The golems had clustered closer to Guiche once Ash revealed that he now had the ability to defeat a Valkyrie in single combat. While Ash could knock one or two aside, he couldn't punch down all seven before making his way to Guiche. Ash could take a chance jumping over their heads, but if he was attacked before he hit the ground, he'd have nowhere to dodge. He needed an opportunity.

Suddenly, two of the golems stepped out of formation to flank him, while the others maintained their defensive stance around Guiche. The armored constructs readied their weapons, a lance and a whip, and approached Ash cautiously.

Ash snuck a brief glance at Guiche, who seemed entirely focused on the two golems advancing towards Ash. While the trainer didn't completely understand how the golems worked, it was easy to assume that Guiche had some level of direct control. Ash figured that with Guiche's attention diverted, it would be easier to plow through the five golems on standby. Still, there was five of them. Aura or not, he didn't like his odds of dodging five different attacks. He would need to force an opening or catch Guiche off guard long enough to break through the Valkyries' defensive line.

The whip-wielding golem struck first. The braided whip lashed through the air, but only connected with air as Ash stepped out of the way of the attack. The other golem thrust its spear towards Ash, but he ducked and twisted away from that attack as well. Ash tried to strike the golem before it could recover its stance, but the braided coil of a whip forced him to dive to the side.

Ash refocused his attention on the spear wielding golem, predicting the pattern of the golems' alternating attacks would force him to dodge the spear next. However, this prediction left him unaware for what happened next. To Ash's surprise, the whip suddenly twisted in mid-air, changing it flight path, and snagging his arm in a tight bind.

"What?" Ash exclaimed. He tried to pull his arm back. The Valkyire holding the whip was dragged forward inch by inch, but Ash wasn't strong enough to pull it off its feet from this position.

Guiche smirked. "You underestimate my power," he said theatrically. "Finish him, Valkyrie!"

The spear-wielding golem charged forward; the point of its spear leveled at Ash's chest. Ash's eyes widened in panic. This was too far for a harmless duel. A spear to the chest could kill him! His eyes brightened, glowing like twin stars, as he saw the Valkyrie approach as if in slow motion. His focus shifted to his bound arm. The whip that held his arm didn't seem to be affected by gravity. It resisted his movements while remaining as rigid as metal pipe, leaving him with very little room to maneuver. With dodging looking improbable and blocking completely impossible, Ash had to resort to something crazy.

The crowd gasped as the Valkyrie's attack was halted.

"Did he just grab the spear to deflect it?" Kirche said, dumbfounded.

"Good reflexes," Tabitha commented, though she knew that was an understatement. The Valkyrie's whip was holding Ash's entangled arm in one position, leaving him with almost no space to maneuver. To be able to grab the Valkyrie's spear and twist his body while deflecting the attack required an absurd amount of strength and coordination. Whatever he was using to empower himself was breaking the abilities of a normal human.

Louise was equally flabbergasted. She was relieved that Ash had not been shishkabobed by the Valkyrie's lance, but this duel was making it hard for her to believe her eyes. She looked in shock as the runes on Ash's left hand glowed as he held the Valkyrie's spear.

Ash was also looking at his hand in surprise. He had honestly expected to be skewered by the spear. His plan had a very narrow window of opportunity, and he knew that he had seen the spear approaching his chest faster than he could push it out of the way. But once he touched the spear, the symbols on his hand had glowed white. Before he could even process his movements, he had managed to push aside the Valkyrie's spear while twisting his body into a narrow dodge that ripped his shirt and jacket, but left his skin unmarred. All without losing his grip on the weapon. And as he held it, he felt better, calmer, faster, and stronger than before.

"This is not Aura," he said in wonder and with certainty. He could feel and see the Aura emanating from his body, but the strength he felt now was radically different. If Aura was a warm feeling, this was solid force that flowed in tandem. Like a stream of steel running parallel to a river of fire. The power he felt was something new, and it was coming from those symbols on his hand.

He really needed to ask Louise about those funny looking marks.

As if in a daze, Ash pulled the spear out of the Valkyrie's hands. While the motion looked borderline lazily, he pulled with enough force to send the golem flying over his head, causing students to scurry away to avoid being crushed by its falling body. Next, Ash pulled on his whip-bound arm. The whip was pulled from the Valkyrie's grip and quickly lost its rigidness. It fell to the ground limp, just like any normal whip. Ash didn't even have to think as he closed the distance on the now disarmed golem and swung the spear through its midsection.

With the two lead Valkyries disabled, it was now down to the five in reserve. Guiche, despite shaking like leaf in an autumn gale, was committed to finishing the fight. He made three of his golems step forward to meet Ash head on, while the other two were held back in reserve. While Ash was able to dispatch two golems with ease, Guiche found it unlikely that he would be able to replicate that feat with five opponents. The three in front would force Ash to divide his attention between more targets than he had hands. And if one of the front golems fell, a replacement golem would be ready to take its place instantly. The plan was simple, but effective.

Unfortunately, the plan did not survive contact with the enemy.

Louise watched with a gob-smacked expression on her face as her familiar plowed through the remaining Valkyries as if they were straw dummies.

An axe came down to cleave to Ash in two, but it was easily sidestepped. Ash swung the spear through the Axe's handle and the hand that held it. Sensing an attack from behind, he ducked underneath a swing of a mace. A jab from the butt of his spear smashed into the attacking golem's head, knocking it clean off the body. Despite the fact that the golem did not seem to have a brain or any vital components in its cranium, its body collapsed once its head was detached. Ash could only suppose that it was design flaw, but he had little time to wonder about it.

The falling Valkyrie was quickly replaced by another that slammed down its halberd. Ash shifted his grip on the spear so he could hold it comfortably with two hands. In an impressive show of strength and dexterity, he used the shaft of the spear push the head of the halberd aside. The polearm cleaved into the delicate rapier of another golem that had tried to flank Ash while he was preoccupied. Unfortunately for that golem, it was unable to recover quickly enough after its weapon had been shattered. Ash stepped on the halberd to keep it in the ground while he swung the spear down on the Valkyrie's extended arm.

Ash felt a prickle on the back of his neck, prompting him to duck once again. Even without turning to his attacker, he could sense the shape and direction of the weapon being swung. The trainer stabbed the spear into a gap in the halberd's head as he ducked as low as he could. A broadsword struck the shaft of the spear and slid off, making Ash relieved that the entire spear was made of metal instead of just the head. The golem halted its attack in an effort to not overextend, but its fate was already sealed. Ash pulled the spear free while kicking the halberd away. A swift thrust into the sword-wielding golem's waist ended it.

As if consumed in a fit of vengeance, though more likely in Guiche's panic, the once-axe-wielding Valkyrie tried to punch Ash with its remaining arm. Ash easily sidestepped the blow. A jab with the butt of his spear smashed into Valkyrie's kneecap. Twirling the spear in his hands, he stabbed a gap in the Valkyrie's helmet.

The remaining two golems fought valiantly, but at this point, the fight was already over. The halberd Valkyrie's swing was too slow. Ash ducked underneath the attack and smashed off both its arms with one swipe of his spear. The butt of the spear was driven into the armored golem's waist, snapping it in half like its broadsword-wielding sister. The former rapier wielder now had a mace in its remaining hand, but before it could even strike, Ash had shifted his grip on the spear to make a one-armed lunge. The spear traveled straight through the Valkyrie's neck, appearing on the other side in a silhouette that would have been beyond brutal if he had been fighting a human opponent.

When the final golem hit the ground, the courtyard was silent. Everyone couldn't bring themselves to make a sound that would break the hush that had overcome them. Some students were scared that they could be breathing too loud. What they had witnessed was not a mage disciplining a commoner, but a commoner ripping through a mage's golems with the grace and might of a griffon knight.

Ash, for his part, took little heed for the crowd's silent reaction. He briefly glanced at Louise, who was staring at him with her mouth agape. Quickly deciding to deal with her later, he turned his attention back to his supposed opponent. Making eye contact with Guiche, Ash casually strolled towards him.

Guiche looked back into the shining blue eyes of his opponent. Each step Ash took was filled with confident ease. The ethereal blue still coated his form, and the shining white runes on his spear-wielding hand was on equally clear display. Ash radiated raw power and authority, rivaling some of the greatest generals Guiche had ever seen. And despite the intensity of the fight, Ash wasn't even breathing heavily. The sweat on his brow was that of routine work out, not a fight that defied every conceivable expectation!

Guiche, trembling, took a half-step back, and tripped over his robe. He watched with eyes wide in terror as Ash leveled his spear towards his face. The smaller boy's face was stoic, but the intensity of his eyes was terrifying. "I surrender," Guiche managed to choke out.

At once, the pressuring blue aura faded away, and Ash's eyes regained their warm brown color. He planted the butt of the spear into the ground, but, seeing as he didn't want to hold on to it any longer, moved to turn it upside down. Before he did so, he noticed something peculiar about the spearhead. He examined it for a long moment, before a small smile broke out on his face. Then he spun with with a flourish and stuck it into the ground. Once his hand released the weapon, the runes on his left hand also faded away.

Then, Ash stuck a hand towards Guiche. The blond looked at the hand in surprise, then looked up to Ash's assuring smile. Hesitantly, Guiche reached out to meet Ash's outstretched hand. The smaller boy hauled him to his feet with surprising ease. "You're good," Ash complimented him

"You were far more impressive," Guiche confessed. "I've never seen nor heard of any power such as yours."

"It's a bit of a rarity," Ash admitted. "But it looks like it saved me this time."

"You were terrifying."

"You almost skewered me."

Guiche started to sweat as the smile dropped from Ash's face. "My bad?" he said hesitantly.

Ash's eyes narrowed in just the slightest glare, but Guiche felt like he was being stared down by a terrifying predator.

"It won't happen again; you have my word!" the mage swore.

Ash gave him a scrutinizing look. "I guess I'll take your word then," he said, knowing that Guiche's word was dubious at best. "Which means you won't have any trouble with Siesta, right?"

"No, of course! I will treat her most courteously!"

"And you won't try to get her fired."

"I will give her glowing praise for her excellent service!"

A clever grin crept onto Ash's face, though to Guiche, it looked terrifyingly diabolical. "And you will apologize for scaring her."

"And I will apologize for scaring her!" Guiche vowed. "Wait, what?"

"You did something wrong and took it out on her. That means you should apologize, right?"

Despite the pleasant smile on Ash's face, Guiche felt a shiver go down his spine. "You are most certainly right. I will do that right now." He practically barreled into the line of students to reach Siesta.

Ash shook his head with an amused smile as he watched Guiche rush away. While he did want Guiche to correct his behavior, he hadn't expected the mage to look at him like he was a rampaging Tyrannitar. Ash didn't even come up to his chin! "Am I really that intimidating?" the trainer wondered.

Unintentional or not, Ash felt Guiche deserved a little scare. Ash was still feeling bitter about almost being stabbed. Though, when he had examined the spear after the fight, he did notice something peculiar. While the spear's shaft was perfectly smooth and its head gleamed in the sunlight, it was much blunter than he had expected. It wasn't smooth, as it did look sharp from a distance and while in motion, but it was noticeably duller than a weapon should be. While the impact would have been painful, it was more likely to crack a rib than run him through.

Perhaps Guiche had made it dull on purpose for the duel, or maybe he prioritized the appearance of the golem over the quality of its weapon. Neither option would surprise Ash. Still, he was glad he had managed to avoid that hit. Perhaps that was the reason dueling was banned at the school; it was way too easy for things to get lethal.

"How?"

Louise's voice, despite how soft it was, easily caught Ash's ear. He turned to his supposed master, who was staring at him with an interesting mix of confusion, relief, and annoyance. "How what?" he asked.

"How did you do that?" Louise screeched.

"Which part?"

"All of it!"

Ash blinked as he thought back to everything that had happened in the fight. "Experience, Aura, and luck?" he guessed. "Oh, and these new symbols on my hand. They were a huge help."

"That doesn't tell me anything!"

Ash winced as he took a step back and rubbed his ears. "Can we talk about it later?" he asked with a tired sigh. While he had been running on a hyper-adrenaline rush for the fight, fatigue was creeping into his body. The weariness was starting to creep into his voice as he had to force his eyes to stay open. "I'm kinda tired right now."

Louise finally realized that they were still surrounded by many prying eyes. "Come with me," she said, dragging him by the arm.

As he was dragged away Ash saw Siesta blushing furiously as Guiche stood in front of her with a hanging head. He couldn't catch what was being said, but given the expressions on everyone's faces, it seemed the mage was being true to his word.

Good, it looked like Guiche wasn't a complete jerk.

And now that Ash thought about it, he could say the same about Louise. While she was stuck in whatever messed up culture this time period had, she seemed to genuinely care about his well-being. Her warning about the duel hadn't just been about social power, but magical power. Ash had several years of experience as a trainer, and had observed the techniques of Pokemon rangers, martial artists, and even ninja. But even with all of that, he had almost lost to a measly one of Guiche's golems. And even with his Aura, he had barely held his own against Guiche once the mage went all out. If it wasn't for the runes, he might have lost the fight then and there.

Louise was loud, fussy, demeaning, and incredibly annoying, but she wasn't a terrible person. She just needed some help working out her problems. And Ash figured that since he was going to be stuck with her anyway…

Why couldn't they be friends?

"That was unexpected," said Old Osmond as the image on the magic device faded away.

"Louise's familiar could have been killed," said Professor Colbert.

"That is why we banned duels in the first place," Osmond huffed. "Too many nobles fighting over family conflicts and rivalries, ending up with young mages being maimed or killed before they could even reach adulthood. If Louise's familiar was a violent young man, Guiche himself could have been killed in response."

"But you could have stopped the fight."

"Yes," Osmond said readily. "I could have."

"Then why didn't you when Louise's familiar was almost run through?" Colbert wasn't quite yelling, but his voice was raised to a volume that most of his students had yet to hear. Louise's familiar wasn't one of his students, but he was still a child. The professor couldn't stomach the apathetic way Osmond was acting.

"Because I saw the look in his eyes," Osmond replied calmly as he observed into Colbert's passionate expression. "That was the look of a man who would not stop at anything to accomplish his goal. You saw it to, didn't you?"

Colbert looked aside as he gave a solemn nod. He had seen it before, but it was far more frequent in matters of life and death.

Osmond nodded as he continued, "If any moment in that duel would reveal the power of the Gandalfr, I knew that would be it. And if not, well, the school healers exist for a reason."

"Hadn't he used the Gandalfr powers when he was surrounded?" Colbert asked.

While a river of white hair covered Osmond's face, Colbert could trace the amused smile on it. "Is that what you think that was?"

"He had no wand, so it was obviously not magic," Colbert said logically. "And I have no other explanation for his increase in physical ability, the fire on his body that didn't burn his clothes or the grass, or the winds that managed to knock stone golems off their feet."

"That was a curiosity," Osmond admitted. "But remember, his runes didn't glow until after he touched the Valkyrie's spear."

"But if that power doesn't come from the runes, where did it come from?"

"Who knows?"

Colbert looked at Osmond incredulously.

The old man snorted. "I'm old and wise, but I don't know everything. Look in our library, order some books from the capital, or something. I'm not paying you to let me do all the thinking."

"Yes, sir," Colbert replied with professional recovery to his composure. "I'll get to it right away."

Osmond waved a hand to dismiss him. Colbert disabled the soundproofing charm and exiting the room.

After Colbert's footsteps faded down the hall Osmond slapped his forehead. "I forgot to have him bring back Longueville," he lamented. "What shall I ever do without my beautiful young secretary?"

Sighing remorsefully, he looked down, his eyes passing over the circular object still sitting on his deck. While it wasn't as useful as he had hoped when it came to peeping on beautiful young women—a dreadful design flaw—it did have its uses. After a moment's consideration, he reactivated the spying device. The image of Ash and Louise was displayed on the face of the device. While Louise kept a tight grip on Ash's arm, they were walking side by side instead of Ash being dragged around like a wayward pet. The two weren't speaking, Louise had a light in her eyes that showed that her heart was slowly starting to thaw.

"This boy is good for her," the old man said thoughtfully. "Maybe now she'll finally have someone to talk to in the academy." He was well aware of the difficulty Louise had been suffering, but there was little he could do without showing too much favoritism. His constant dismissal of her punishments already had too many people scrutinizing him. "Hm… but Miss Valliere is a bit of a handful, and rather lacking in feminine charm. Absolutely no curves to speak of. No hot-blooded youth would be able to handle her for too long."

The headmaster scratched his beard thoughtfully. "I need some way to make sure he doesn't get tired of his master before he manages to unlock her guarded heart. Make her more likeable? Impossible, she's as stubborn as her mother. Slip him a love potion? No, Miss Valliere is too smart. She would know something's wrong. Perhaps give him a break from her from time to time? That could work, but how?"

He pondered this for several moments before his eyes lit up. "Oh! I've got it!" The old man rubbed his hands gleefully. "Mrs. Longueville!"

Hearing no response, he glanced at his secretary's empty desk. "Looks like I'll have to wait," he grumbled. "But all good things come with time! Operation Honey Pot is a go!"

Chapter Text

With the conclusion of Ash's duel with Guiche, the Pokemon trainer thought he would be immediately dragged into the nearest corner to receive a tongue lashing from Louise. To his surprise, Louise quietly led him up to her room. She kept an iron grip on his arm, but didn't speak a word during the entire walk. Silence was better than yelling, but that just made Ash wonder if Louise was building her words like steam in a pressure cooker, ready to violently burst once at a moment's notice.

The students they passed stared at the duo but made no move to stop them or strike up a conversation. Unlike the scornful looks the students shot Louise in the past, they now looked in awe and confusion, especially towards her familiar. Word traveled fast in the academy. Since the duel was clearly visible from some windows, even students of other years had witnessed it. It was only a matter of time before every student in the academy learned of what had occurred.

Once the two finally reached Louise's room and the girl shut the door, Ash readied himself for Louise's tirade. To his surprise, when the young mage spoke, her voice was perfectly level.

"Are you hurt?"

Caught off guard by the kind question, Ash fumbled in response, "Yeah, I mean, only a little. Probably a few bruises at worst, nothing I haven't had before."

"Take off your clothes."

The initial question had lowered Ash's defenses, but the following order smashed a gaping hole into Ash's composure. "I can't do that!" he exclaimed, jumping away from Louise. "I don't know if you realized, but I'm a guy, and you're a girl. We can't just be taking off clothes in front of each other!"

Louise's was unmoved by Ash's bashful display. "How else am I going to make sure you're uninjured?" she asked firmly. "Stupid boys like you will say you're fine even if you break a few ribs, just because you want to sound tough."

"Oh." Ash felt a little foolish. He should have guessed Louise was more sensible than that. "Personal experience?" he asked as he shed his jacket and began pulling his shirt over his head.

"Not exactly," Louise confessed. "My childhood playmate was a girl, and I only interacted with other children in official gatherings."

Ash nodded his head. "That explains a lot."

Louise's expression soured as her face flushed in embarrassment and indignation. "Sh-shut up! And why did you stop?"

Ash stared at her in all of his shirtless glory. Louise couldn't help but notice that despite his youthful appearance, Ash's body was in the peak of physical condition. His physique was slightly on the lean side, but the solid muscles under his sin were clear to anyone who took a close look. Like she was.

"You want me to take my pants off too?" Ash asked, trying to understand her question.

Louise sent him a deadpan look that clearly conveyed her answer. With a sigh, Ash pulled off his pants as well and threw them to the rest of his clothes. While he'd been in front of girls with roughly as much on—he'd been on a stage in nothing but a loincloth before—being in a girl's room wearing nothing but his underwear felt very uncomfortable. The way Louise examined every inch of his body did not help settle his nerves in the slightest.

Ash didn't put particular care into building his body for appearances, but his body was clear reflection of his lifestyle. His skin marred with light scratches too faint to even be called scars. They were unnoticeable from a distance, but on close inspection they were an indicator of someone who was used to rough environments. His muscles were on the leaner side but had clear definition. His arms

Louise had Ash move his arms and legs to prove that he had no crippling injuries. Not only did he show how fine he was, but he also showed how fine his muscles were. Louise narrowed her eyes. While she wasn't like Kirche, chasing after boys for whatever reason under the sun, she knew the Germanian's tastes. If Kirche realized that Ash was as fit as knight, it didn't matter how young he was. The harlot would try to steal Louise's familiar.

Louise met Ash's eyes. "You're not allowed to go around without a shirt," she ordered gravely.

"I wouldn't…?" Ash answered as he looked at her questioningly.

"And wear long pants too," Louise added.

"I already do?"

"A long shirt would help too… wear one when we go out."

Ash pointed to his clothes that were hanging off a bedpost. "I don't own one," he reminded her.

"Hmm… I suppose we'll have to go shopping when I have the time."

"Why are you suddenly interested in my clothes?" Ash finally asked.

Louise gave him a solemn look. "It's nothing you should concern yourself with," she said with certainty.

Resuming her examination, she observed that Ash's arms and legs weren't even bruised, so she moved onto his hands. The hand with the runes looked normal, but his right hand was red around the knuckles. She poked his fingers. Ash let out a small hiss.

Louise let a triumphant grin spread across her face. "I knew you couldn't have felt nothing from that fight!"

"Okay, you win, I did get a little battered," Ash admitted with an exasperated sigh. "Punching a walking set of armor wasn't my smartest idea."

"But you destroyed them easily with your…" Louise's voice trailed off. She had no idea what Ash had used to get stronger and faster.

"Aura," Ash supplied. "At least, at first was only Aura." He held up his left hand, examining the markings. "Then these kicked in and made my Aura better."

"Any other injuries?"

Ash looked at Louise in surprise. Her rosy eyes shone with overwhelming curiosity, but the rest of her face was schooled into a look of professional disinterest. "I thought you would grill me right off the bat," he admitted.

"Oh, I'm definitely going to grill you," Louise promised. Her tone of voice slightly shifted to one Ash was quickly learning to be her "rage mode". There was that extra flavor of sizzling icy chill that made every word that passed her lips sound like a threat. "But first, I need to make sure you're not going to die on me. Any. Other. Injuries?"

"I'm a bit sore where that Valkyrie hit me in the chest," Ash quickly responded. "And I'm tired, but that's probably due to my Aura and staff."

"Right." Louise's curiosity burned, but she forced herself to reign it in just a little bit longer. "Here's where you got hit, right?" She poked a spot in Ash's chest. It wasn't red like his hand, or even bruised despite the blow, but by the wince Ash made, she had remembered the injured spot correctly. Louise prodded around the area with unnecessary fervor, ignoring Ash's pained groans. "I'm surprised it hasn't got a mark on it. It doesn't feel broken, so it's probably not serious."

"Are you sure?" Ash asked with a grimace. "It feels painful."

"You're not coughing up blood and your body looks fine," said Louise. "If it was really serious, you would have mentioned it in the first place."

"Point taken," Ash conceded.

Inspection concluded, Louise pulled forward one of the chairs in the room and sat down, motioning for Ash to sit on the floor. He did so awkwardly, wondering if he would be able to put on his pants now, but not willing to risk Louise's ire and ask.

"You fought Guiche, one of the strongest students in our year, and managed to decimate all of his Valkyries," Louise began. She spoke with a light, conversational tone, but there was something in her voice that made Ash wary. "Not only did you beat him, but you did it soundly. You're not even seriously injured. An academy healer would be able to heal you within seconds."

Seeing Louise pause, Ash ventured to ask, "Is that where we'll be going next?"

Ash immediately knew he had made the wrong choice when a vindictive grin appeared on Louise's face. "No. We'll be going there after you answer all of my questions. And if I'm not satisfied, you will stay in this room until I see fit to release you. Understand?"

"Can I at least take a nap first?" Ash asked. "The fight took a lot out of me." He was being honest. He felt like he could sleep away the rest of the day.

"Do. You. Un-der-stand?"

"Yes!" At this point Ash could practically see a malignant aura radiating from Louise. She could tell him to jump out the window and he would do gladly, if only to get away from her.

"First!" Drawing a pen and notepad from who knows where, she began her questioning session. "What happened that match?"

"As in?"

Louise gave an irritable growl. "You were glowing with blue fire and began moving like you were enhanced by a wind mage!" she shouted.

"That was my Aura."

"You keep saying 'Aura', but what does that mean?" Louise pressed. "Is it one of your strange words like Pokemon?"

"It might be a strange word to you, I don't know how the translation spell works," Ash replied with a shrug. "But Aura is basically the life force of everything. Living creatures have a very noticeable amount, but trees, water, and even rocks have at least a little bit of aura in them."

"And how do you know how much Aura is in something?"

"I take a look and see," Ash replied.

"But I can't see your Aura anymore," Louise said. "Where did it go? How come I've never seen it before?"

The questions lit up the lightbulb in Ash's fatigued mind. "Oh, I forgot to mention. Aura can normally only be seen by people who can sense Aura, like me. Otherwise, you can only see it when it's being used."

"And how come you can sense Aura?" Louise asked suspiciously.

"Because I learned how to; a Lucario showed me."

"Leu-carrayo?"

Ash winced at Louise's butchered pronunciation. "Is that what it sounds like to you? No wonder you can't understand me sometimes," he said with a shake of his head. "Lucario is a Pokemon that is known to be one of the best users of Aura. This one in particular was the companion and pupil Sir Aaron, a legendary Aura Guardian."

Seeing Louise frown at the new term, Ash quickly explained. "An Aura Guardian is someone who's learned how to sense and manipulate their Aura. They can use Aura to see without their eyes, communicate telepathically, or even use it for attacks. There are other uses too, but that's all I can remember from the top of my head."

Louise accepted his limited explanation with a nod. "And what type of magic is it?" she asked. "Wind Magic?"

Ash shook his head. "It's not magic," he said. "And didn't you say I couldn't learn magic?"

"That was before I knew you could shatter golems like clay pots and move faster than any non-wind mage," Louise shot back. "Your Aura has to be magic, there's no way you could have done all that otherwise."

"I don't even know what you consider to be magic!" Ash said, raising his arms in the air. "You have so few types, and you even admitted that your magic doesn't even count as one of them!"

"You really don't know anything," Louise huffed. Ash noticed a particular lack of bite to her words. The pinkette sounded more embarrassed than snappy. "Fine. I'll start with the basics." She cleared her throat and began her lecture, sounding every bit like a young teacher.

"There are four main elements: Fire, Earth, Water, and Wind. The fifth, Void, was only usable by the Founder, and no one else can utilize his element. As I told you before, a mage's class is determined by how many elements they can combine into one spell, regardless of whether the mage is layering the same element or mixing different ones. All mages have the ability to use any of the four elements, but it takes training and certain bloodlines to reach a high level of proficiency in different elements.

"Let's take Guiche, who—like most students in the Academy—is a dot class earth mage, as an example. He has a special affinity for golems, which is why they are almost as strong as a line mage's, but aside from that, he can only use basic earth spells. While he could also fill a cup with water, create a gust of wind, or light a candle if he applied himself, he would need a lot more training to use a proper dot spell of another element. For example, Listening and Whisper spells are dot class wind spells commonly used by wind mages trying to eavesdrop or avoid being overheard. While Guiche could use those spells to prey on unsuspecting underclassmen, he lacks the ability to do so." Louise paused, seeing Ash raise his hand like a student in class. "Yes?"

"Do you give different names for elements that are mixed?" Ash asked.

"Sometimes," Louise replied. "Tabitha, the blue-haired girl with the dragon, is a triangle class wind mage, but she's more specifically an ice mage. I believe her rank comes from using two layers of wind and one of water. She's doesn't look like much, but she's probably the strongest student in our year, with that Germanian cow coming up behind her.

"Cow?"

Incorrectly assuming Ash was questioning the nickname instead of the word itself, Louise replied, "Kirche von Zerbst. Our families have been rivals for years. She takes every opportunity to taunt me. So what, she's a triangle class fire mage and all my spells blow up? At least I don't have ridiculous cow udders and act like a common whore! That barbaric harlot is a disgrace to the very idea of nobility!"

Ash blinked as Louise reached the peak of her rant before deflating. "Any other questions about magic?" Louise asked, her calm demeanor partially restored.

"A few," Ash admitted. And many more about Louise's language, but the mage didn't need to know that yet. "How common is magic?" Ash asked.

This question made Louise frown for a half second before she returned to a neutral expression. "Every noble can—should—be able to use magic," Louise replied, a bit of sullenness leaking into her voice. "We trace our ancestry to the Founder, who granted magic, and with it, the power to rule."

"Magic gives you powers that make you better leaders?" Ash asked in astonishment. "That's amazing!" And convenient.

"It doesn't work like that," Louise corrected with a shake of her head. "Our parents and mentors teach us to be leaders, if we choose to take such a position. Some mages serve as knights or researchers, but magic is the proof that we can trace our ancestry to the Founder. This is why nobility rule over the peasants. The Founder gifted us with power, so it is our duty to rule over the masses who lack his blessings!"

Ash frowned when he heard this. "So, everyone in higher power is there just because they have magic?"

"Magic is the reason we have power over the people," Louise said firmly. "This is the structure the Founder set for us. Only in barbarian countries like Germania do they let anyone become a noble. I've heard some families buy their way into nobility. Ridiculous!"

"Why is that so crazy?" Ash challenged. "Nobility are supposed to be rich leaders anyway, so it's not like anything changes."

"But they don't have magic!" Louise insisted.

"Who cares about that?"

"Everyone!"

Ash could only sigh. "Never mind," he said dismissively. Ash could tell by the insistence in Louise's voice that he was going to get nowhere with this. Class systems were fixed back in those days, or these days, as he found himself. Though, Ash didn't remember hearing about any of this in Kalos's history. Maybe he should have spent more time visiting museums?

"Are you paying attention?"

"Yes!" Ash immediately replied. "Nobles rule because you have magic, got it." That didn't mean he had to like it.

"We have magic," Louise corrected.

Ash gave her a confused look. "That's what I said."

Louise shook her head. "We have magic," she emphasized. "That includes you."

"Aura doesn't follow the whole element layering thing you use to rank mages," Ash stated. "Besides, Aura comes from manipulating life energy, so it's not the same as magic."

"All magic is done through channeling willpower," said Louise. "I saw your eyes literally glowing blue in that fight. The power radiating off you was the strongest willpower I've felt in my life. You used your willpower and accomplished a feat that only a mage could do. Therefore, you used magic."

"Aura barely works in the type system I know, and it doesn't match your elements," Ash countered. "Aura Sphere is a fighting type move, and I've seen Aura used for Bone Rush, a ground type move. Ground sounds similar to earth, but fighting doesn't fit under any of the four elements."

Louise scrunched up her face in confused distaste. "What kind of magic element is fighting?"

"Type, not element," Ash corrected. "And I don't have a clue."

"Why not?" Louise asked. "How do you not know?"

"I'm a Pokemon trainer, not a researcher," Ash remined her. "I know what types are effective against each other, and which Pokemon are in each type. It's not like I know what makes one type different from another."

"That makes you little more than a brute," Louise huffed. "Fine. Show me."

"Show you what?"

"Show me this 'fighting type magic' so I can figure out what it is."

"It's not magic," Ash grumbled under his breath. "But fine."

Ash stretched out his arms and held his hands out. His palms were faced away from his body. His hands were very slightly apart, with all of his fingers stretched flat and upright. Closing his eyes, Ash searched for the feel of his Aura. It was weakened, still recovering from the fight, but he had more than enough to pull off what he was attempting. He willed his Aura to flow through his arms and materialize from his hands.

Louise looked curiously as faint wisps of blue began emanating from Ash's outstretched hands. While she could not cast a Detect Magic spell, she didn't need it to feel and see the willpower Ash was radiating. Surprisingly, she still could not identify what Ash was using as a focus.

"Aura Sphere!" As Ash uttered the words, the Aura trickling from his hand grew into a steady stream. The Aura wrapped around itself and condensed into a sphere roughly the size of his head. It wasn't the biggest Ash felt he could make, but he figured it was better to start with a small example, especially since he didn't want to accidentally destroy Louise's room.

Louise rose from her seat and circled around Ash, examining the orb from every angle. Just like Aura in its raw form, the energy in the sphere was wild. She could see the Aura surging like a raging typhon, only held in by the invisible barrier that gave the sphere shape. "Where's your wand?" she asked.

"What wand?" Ash asked, puzzled.

"You need a wand as a focus to cast spells," said Louise. "It's impossible to properly utilize your willpower otherwise. So, where's yours?"

"I don't have a wand," Ash informed her. "I've seen staffs and gloves be used to improve Aura control, but Aura can be used barehanded."

"Using magic without a wand?" Louise said suspiciously. A staff was a common focus, a glove was unusual but not unbelievable, but casting without any focus at all? That was impossible. At least, for a human.

For a second, Louise at Ash fearfully. "What are you?" she asked in a deadly tone, trying to conceal her budding terror.

"A human," Ash answered in honest confusion. "What else would I be?"

Louise continued to look at Ash with intense scrutiny. He didn't seem to be a human eating monster, and his ears were normal, but there was only one way to know for sure. "Hold on a second," she said.

Ash wasn't sure what to expect as Louise leaned closer to him, but nearly having his ears pulled off was definitely not on his list.

"Ow! Ow! What are you—Ow! Doing? OW!" Ash twisted his head to try to break free of Louise's grip, but the mage was holding him with surprising strength. He also had to keep his focus on the sphere to make sure it didn't fly from his hands. To his pleasant surprise, despite the suffering his ears were going through, he able to maintain the sphere's hovering without with little trouble. Which was good, because he really didn't want the attack to go flying off in the room, or worse, into Louise.

No matter how much of a pain she was.

"So, your ears are really," Louise said plainly as she released her hold.

"Of course, they're real!" Ash snapped. He desperately wanted to rub his ears but didn't want to risk losing control the sphere. "What else would they be?"

"Illusions."

"Who would waste their time putting an illusion on ears?" Ash asked incredulously.

Louise raised an eyebrow, then her mouth opened in a large O. "You really are uncultured if you don't know that much," she said. Moving on from the matter, she went back to observing the Aura Sphere, ignoring Ash's grumbling. "This is your fighting type spell?" the mage asked.

"It would be called a move or an attack, but yes," Ash responded irritably.

"It's obviously a spell," Louise scoffed. "Look at it. Unusual color aside, it looks every bit like a wind spell."

"I wouldn't really know, I've never seen a wind spell before," Ash pointed out. "Closest comparison I have to wind spells are some flying-type moves."

Louise looked at him incredulously. "You have an entirely different set of spells for flight? No wonder you have eighteen different types, they're redundant!"

"No type is redundant. Every Pokemon trainer knows that there are strengths and weaknesses for different types," Ash retorted. "It's important to know what type your Pokemon are, otherwise you could do something bad like use a Sudowood in a water type gym."

"A what?"

"A rock type Pokemon that people usually think is a grass type."

"People would think a rock creature is made of grass?"

"Never mind, bad example," Ash amended. "The point is, different types exist for a reason. I wouldn't be surprised if the reason you probably don't know what type your magic is because your way of sorting types is too simple! Don't you have anyone who tries to discover new types?"

"There is no reason to discover new types of magic when the founder gifted us with four," said Louise stubbornly.

"Guiche's golems were obviously steel-types, but calling their creation earth magic makes them sound like ground or rock types," Ash said. "There's a huge difference!"

"He's Guiche the Bronze, but that doesn't mean anyone's going to make a new title for earth mages that create metal. That's stupid!"

"It's not stupid, it makes sense!"

"No, it doesn't!"

"Yes, it does!"

"It doesn't!"

"It does!"

"Doesn't!"

"Does!"

"Doesn't!"

"Does!"

At some point, their argument ended, and Louise finally allowed Ash to go to an academy healer.

To Ash's credit, it took him only three seconds of walking down the hallway for him to remember his pants.

Chapter Text

The passing days gave Ash a chance to become more accustomed to his new environment. The trainer was more used to traveling instead of staying in one place, but he appreciated the stability it provided. Without his Pokemon and gear, it would impossible to continue his normal occupation in the time period he found himself in. As far as he could tell, there were no pokeballs or even apricorns around, which was why mages had only one familiar and used runes to keep track of them.

But the more Ash learned about the world around him, the more skeptical he was about his current environment being ancient Kalos. The language and customs matched, but the mages and local creatures resembled nothing he heard about in Kalosian history. In fact, he couldn't recall any region with a similar history. Ash knew magic existed—he had run into a nice but weird magician once before—but it was a rarity. For a society to run entirely on magic instead of working with Pokemon was mindboggling to him. Additionally, it didn't seem like the region was better off for it. With a focus on individual power instead of cooperation, Ash could see why nobles were perpetual pains in the neck.

Ash took comfort that he at least was making good progress on Louise's attitude. While they still bickered on occasion, there was a levity to their arguments. Louise treated Ash less like a talking pet and more like the human he was. While she still had a habit of barking orders and yelling at him for being "improper" or "uneducated", Ash considered it a significant improvement.

With the change in Louise's attitude came the changes to Ash's daily routine. Or rather, Ash creating a new routine to adapt to his current situation. First and foremost, his sleeping arrangements.

"A pile of hay isn't good enough for sleeping," Ash pointed out the night following the duel. "It's uncomfortable and the floor gets cold."

"Was sleeping outside better?" Louise asked with genuine curiosity.

"Not by much," Ash admitted. "It was still cold, and the dew was wet, but I'm more used to sleeping under the moon and stars, and grass is softer than stone."

Louise raised an eyebrow at his singular use of moon, but dismissed it as a slip of the tongue. "If you need a different sleeping arrangement, I suppose we could share the bed," she mused.

"You sure?" Ash asked. "I thought you'd just get me another room or something."

"As my familiar you're supposed to share my quarters," said Louise. "It would be unusual to have you sleep in a separate location."

"I'm pretty sure some familiars sleep outside."

"Do you want to sleep outside?"

Ash held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, but why not another bed?"

"It would limit the space of the room," Louise stated. While the room was pretty roomy to Ash, he could see the impracticality of adding another bed. Between the table, chairs, wardrobe, and Louise's own bed, there would be very little available floor space. "The bed is plenty big enough for the two of us, is it not?"

"It is big," Ash admitted. And fancy, he mentally added. It even had frilly drapes hanging overhead, though Ash didn't see the point to them, since they were parted on all sides and provided no cover or warmth.

"Just stay on your side of the bed," said Louise as she crawled under the covers. "If you put so much as move a toe over to my side, I will punish you."

"Alright," Ash conceded.

In Ash's defense, he had taken the threat seriously. He just was a naturally restless sleeper. More often than not, Louise awoke in the morning to find Ash sprawled on the bed with his limbs outstretched. The mage took pride in her self-restraint. After throwing his offending limbs off her body, she proceeded to doll out his punishment with the temperament of a well-bred noble.

"Get off!" Louise shouted as she kicked Ash repeatedly in his side.

The Pokemon trainer slept peacefully, not giving the slightest hint of a reaction to Louise's furious blows. His nigh indestructibility, however, did not apply to knockback. Through persistence, Louise eventually kicked him enough times to send his body over the edge of the bed. The resounding thud was loud enough to wake the dead. As it happened, it was just barely enough to rouse Ash from his slumber.

"Wah?" Ash said blearily. He blinked as his vision gradually adjusted to the light of day. "Is it morning already?"

Louise, kneeling on the bed, looked over the edge with a cross expression on her face. "I told you to stay on your side of the bed! Idiot."

"I was sleeping!" Ash defended himself.

Louise gave him a deadpan glare.

"I'll do better next time."

"See that you do."

Given that Louise left it at that instead of continuing to berate him, Ash could conclude that she wasn't too mad. When the mage approached her wardrobe, Ash turned around immediately. He still was uncomfortable with Louise changing in the same room, but as long as he was preoccupied, he could ignore her presence. As Louise changed into her clothes, Ash scourged around for Louise's school supplies. The task allowed him to be focused on something and help Louise for the day so she couldn't complain that he was being useless.

"I need to go out and buy some new clothes at some point," Louise commented as she finished buttoning up her blouse and tucking it into her skirt.

"Don't you have an entire wardrobe full of clothes?" Ash pointed out. "Why do you need more?"

"Well, a certain someone decided to rip an entire load of laundry when I told him to wash my clothes."

"How was I supposed to know your clothes would rip that easily?"

"They were lace! Lace is delicate. Everyone knows that!"

"Not everyone, because I didn't. Why would you even wear clothes made out of lace?" Ash asked. "Especially underwear? It doesn't even cover… much of anything."

Louise hesitated a moment before answering, "…It feels nice."

"I don't get it."

"You're not a girl!" Louise huffed. She clipped the clasp of her robe. After examining her clothes to ensure her appearance was presentable, she turned to the door. "I'm done changing. Let's go."

During meals, Ash sat in a chair at the same table of Louise. A few students sneered at his presence, but none were willing to challenge his place outright. Ash had proved himself to be a terrifying beast when backed in a corner, which convinced most students to give him and his master ample space. The few exceptions to the rule were, to put it simply, interesting individuals.

"So, this is the all-powerful familiar I've been hearing about?"

Ash and Louise looked up from their meals and turned around to see a bombshell young woman standing behind them. Ash was taken aback by the woman's greatly proportioned assets. Even with the top buttons of her shirt were exposed to show a significant amount of cleavage, her shirt still struggled to contain the rest of the mounds of flesh sitting on her chest.

Louise's teeth were clenched into a barely restrained snarl. "Zerbst," she said coldly.

"Little Louise," the woman said cordially.

"Hi?" Ash offered hesitantly, not sure what to make of the sudden tension in the air. Louise had been very testy when she had mentioned Kirche earlier, though Ash still didn't understand the meaning of half the words Louise had used. He had expected Kirche to be terrifying or clearly evil. But she seemed nice, even if the way she was looking at him seemed a bit predatory.

"Why, aren't you the cutest little thing?" Kirche gushed. "Almost as cute as my beloved Flame." She bent down to scoop up her familiar, which Ash had not noticed due to its low stature. Kirche hooked her familiar's forelegs under her arms, leaving its head resting just below her bustline. Ash suspected she would hold it even higher if certain obstructions on her chest allowed her.

"Your familiar is just a dumb magical creature," said Louise dismissively. "At least mine can talk."

Ash clearly remembered several times Louise had complained that he could talk. "You know I'm still here, right?"

"My Flame is a powerful salamander, befitting my element and natural talent in fire magic," Kirche boasted. "What does it say about you when your familiar is a commoner?"

"Ash is no ordinary commoner!" Louise declared, rising to her feet.

"I'm not sure if I should feel grateful right now or not," Ash deadpanned.

"Oh ho ho, I didn't mean to imply he was ordinary. While he may be a commoner, he certainly is an interesting specimen," Kirche agreed, giving Ash a sultry wink. "I'd love to get to know him more. Mind if I take him off your hands?" She released her familiar to snake her hands towards Ash.

Louise slapped Kirche's arms away. "Keep your grubby hands to yourself, harlot!"

"I'll let you pet Flame if I can pet yours."

"As if I'd let you near him, you Germanian cow!"

"Jealous that you can't hold onto a boy? You really do need to grow up, in all of your areas."

Louise turned red in the face as she looked down at her chest. "Better than looking like a sow!" she shot back.

"I'm going to go now," Ash announced. Seeing that the two had delved into their insult slugfest and weren't taking notice of anything else, he took his tray and moved over to the next table over, which was unoccupied except for a lone blue-haired student. In front of her was a rather small but well-balanced meal, unlike the massive proportions that most nobles were served. With one hand, she slowly spooned her breakfast into her mouth. With the other, she held up a small book which she read from.

"Hi, there," said Ash. "I'm Ash. Mind if I join you?"

The student made only the smallest acknowledgement to his presence by putting down her spoon. But she continued to chew slowly, and her eyes never left her book.

Ash stood there awkwardly, eyeing if there were any other nearby tables that weren't crowded. Unfortunately, it was the prime time for breakfast, so every other table had several occupants. And Ash didn't need to be a mind reader to know that most people were wary of him and probably wouldn't like to sit by him. He had hoped that a single person would be less wary, but instead was being ignored.

"Sorry, for disturbing you," Ash apologized. "I guess I'll go eat outside then."

The mage's eyes briefly rose from her book as Ash started to turn away. Her eyes widened when she realized exactly who had been speaking to her.

"Sit."

The voice was soft, but commanding. Ash halted his turn and immediately sat down in the nearest chair. The mage lowered her book, looking at Ash with inquisitive aquamarine eyes hidden behind a pair of red spectacles. She closed her book and watched Ash as he tentatively bit into some eggs and bacon. The food was delicious, but Ash found it hard to focus on the flavor when the girl continued to stare intensely at him. "What is it?" Ash finally asked. "Is there something on my face?"

The girl's expression was serious as she asked, "Are you a mage?"

"Uh, I don't think so." While Louise insisted that most of his Aura abilities were wind magic, Ash was pretty sure that was not the case.

"The duel. You won. How?"

"Aura, experience, these marks on my hand, and a bit of luck," Ash replied, the words flowing out easily. "To be honest, I hadn't ever tried to use my Aura that way before." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I really need to get in some more practice so I can use it properly."

The girl's brow furrowed at the unfamiliar word. "Aura?"

"Yes." Seeing the student giving him a questioning look, he realized what she was asking. "Right, mages use willpower for magic," said Ash. "Aura is basically life force. Honestly, Louise and I are still trying to figure out how Aura and magic are related, so I can't give you much more than that. All I can say is that it's very versatile."

The blue-haired mage nodded. "Runes?" she queried.

"I'm still not sure what to make of them," Ash said. He pulled off his glove to examine the markings. "Louise said they were a mark that shows that I'm a familiar, but they gave me some kind of fighting power whenever I held a weapon. I'm going to try to find out how they work later. All I know is that when they turn on, they glow so bright I can see them even with my gloves on."

The mage had heard of runes giving a familiar the ability to communicate with their master, but not combat abilities that mirrored magical enhancements. To Ash's surprise, the girl reached across the table and grabbed his wrist. Holding his hand in a surprisingly firm grip, she examined the runes on his hand. Ash was confused but didn't pull away. After concluding her examination with a small nod, she released him. Then she sat down as if nothing had happened.

Ash couldn't help himself as he let out a small laugh. "You're not much of a talker, are you?" the boy asked with a smile.

The girl gave him look that answered his question immediately. Feeling sheepish, Ash turned back to his food.

As if determined to continue catching Ash off guard, the young mage said, "Sylphid likes you."

Ash paused briefly to swallow before asking, "Who's Sylphid?"

"Wind dragon. My familiar."

"Oh," Ash said slowly in realization. "That makes her a girl then. Wait, if she's your familiar, that means you're Tabitha!"

She nodded. "You like Sylphid?"

"Yup," Ash replied with friendly smile. "She helped me out before, and she's very friendly." He laughed and added, "I'm also glad she hasn't accidentally crushed me with how affectionate she is."

When not accompanying Louise, Ash would occasionally spend time with the other familiars. Several of them resembled Pokemon. There was a fire-less Torkoal with a gem on its head. A quadruped Charmeleon—Kirche's familiar, Flame. A miniature Arbok. A short-tailed Glameow. There were so many different creatures, but the most noticeable was the friendly blue dragon that towered over them all. Ash had snuck Sylphid snacks from the kitchen whenever he could. Despite her size making the gifts paltry, she seemed to appreciate them. And she had yet to sit on him, which was a huge plus in Ash's opinion.

"Your smell is different."

Ash frowned as he sniffed his armpits. "I smell bad?" he asked. "I've been trying to wipe myself off every night, but not being able to take a bath is a problem."

Tabitha blinked. "Not bad," she corrected. "Different. New to Sylphid."

"Oh, you mean I smell different than what Sylphid's used to?"

Tabitha nodded.

"Well, I'm not from around here," Ash explained. "And where I come from, I'm a Pokemon trainer. I basically train magical beasts to become stronger. I guess some of their smell is still on me." He gave a sad sigh. "At least part of them is still with me."

While Tabitha's default bland expression made her emotions hard to read, Ash could detect a small amount of pity in the girl's eyes. "Alone?" she asked.

"Pretty much," Ash replied ruefully. "I've made a few new friends here, but my old friends, my mom, my partner, I don't know when I'll see them again."

Tabitha watched silently as Ash seemed to be lost in remembrance. The boy shook himself out of it. "But I know that I'll see them again eventually," he said, determination riding in his voice. "Whether it be a week, a month, or a year, I'll never lose hope. Because not even a space-time portal can't keep us apart!"

"Such vigor! I love it!" A pair of arms came up behind Ash and hoisted him up, burying the top of his head into a bountiful cushion of soft flesh.

"Put down my familiar!" Louise shouted, tugging at Kirche's arms. The difference in strength was obvious when even while using two arms, Louise failed to dislodge one of Kirche's from Ash's body. Ash failed around helplessly as he tried to lower himself back into his seat.

"Let's go," Tabitha said, standing up from the table. Leaving the rest of her meal uneaten—Ash lamented at the waste of a half-eaten meal—she picked up her book and began walking away.

Ash couldn't tell who she was addressing at first, but when Kirche released his arms and moved to follow Tabitha, it became apparent. "I'll see you later, cutie," said Kirche, blowing him a kiss.

"She was weird," Ash said to Louise as he watched Kirche hurry after Tabitha. "And she nice."

"Nice? That barbarian cow?"

"I meant Tabitha," said Ash. "But that's still not a nice way to call Kirche." He still didn't know what a cow was, but he was pretty sure it was an insult. He assumed any other unfamiliar word that Louise used was similarly insulting.

Louise growled. "That harlot's family has been rivals with my family for generations."

Ash frowned. "Family rivalry or not, you were being rude to her," he rebuked Louise.

"She's from a barbarian country!" Louise protested. "And she's relentless! She's always teasing me, and now she wants to steal you away. I won't let her have you!"

Ash watched calmly as Louise ended her tirade. "Just because she's annoying doesn't mean you have to be rude to her," he pointed out. "It makes you look like a bully."

"She bullies me!"

"And that makes it right?" Ash asked pointedly.

Louise huffed and crossed her arms. "Why do you have to sound older than your age?" she grumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Louise dismissed immediately. "Come on, I don't want to be late to class."

While Colbert's translation spell allowed Ash to communicate verbally, Ash quickly found that it did nothing to help his reading comprehension. Louise had originally wanted him to accompany her to all of her classes, but when he pointed out that he wouldn't be able to learn anything and would probably sleep through the class, she conceded. As such, Ash only accompanied Louise to classes he could follow without needing to read a book. Practical magic classes were a particular favorite for him. Magic was exciting!

"One use of Earth magic is creating the stone walls that surround villages and hamlets," lectured Professor Chevreuse, a kindly and somewhat heavyset woman in her mid-forties. She wore a black dress that fell down to her heels. Over it, she wore a purple cloak and matching witch cap for her head.

"While this may seem like a menial task, it is necessary," the professor continued. "A single dot class earth mage could raise a wall around a village in under an hour. In contrast, a village of commoners could take a week to accomplish the same task. This power that we wield is to be used for the benefit of everyone. Never fail to remember that. Now, who would like to volunteer for a demonstration of turning this pile of dirt into a stone?"

Louise raised her hand. Chevreuse looked at Louise briefly in terror, before moving on to another hand raised on the other side of the classroom. "Mrs. Zerbst, if you would."

Ash considered Professor Chevreuse to be one of the nicest teachers in the school. She was friendly, patient, and never failed to remind students that powerful magic came with responsibility. There were only two things about her that annoyed Ash.

First, was how Chevreuse viewed commoners as weaklings who needed to be coddled—which, to be fair, was better than the attitude of most of the nobles in the academy. Second, she always looked at Louise like the girl was a terrifying creature in disguise. The professor was never overtly rude, but she avoided Louise like a Pokemon trainer avoided Beedrill swarms. Ash felt like there was a story behind the professor's attitude, but Louise wasn't offering to share, and Ash didn't feel like he should ask the other students. Knowing them, they'd probably use his question as an excuse to tease Louise.

Kirche rose from her seat and walked to the teacher's desk. Pointing her wand at the clump of dirt on the desk, she said, "Transmutation!"

Ash watched in fascination as the dirt condensed into a ball before gleaming. When the glow died down, sitting on the desk was irregular, round grey stone.

"Well done, Mrs. Zerbst," said Professor Chevreuse. "Despite being a fire mage, I see that you are talented enough to use Earth Magic with no problems."

"I am a triangle class mage after all," Kirche said, flouncing her hair with one hand as she gave a wink to the rest of her class. "If I couldn't perform a task this trivial, I'd be a disgrace of a mage." She made eye contact with Louise as she said this.

"I'll show you, Zerbst," Louise muttered angrily under her breath.

Ash sighed. Those two really did not get along. Contrary to his initial belief, Kirche was the primary instigator of their bickering. The Germanian was subtle when she wanted to be, and knew exactly how to needle Louise to get the largest reactions possible. Ash would be almost amused if he wasn't stuck listening to their arguments every time. Sometimes, he was even the focus of their arguments, even when he never got a word in during their "conversations".

While dealing with Louise and Kirche's bickering put a damper on class sessions, At least the classes were helpful in learning more about how magic worked. Not only did Ash learn the theories behind magic and willpower, he was also able to observe how casting spells affected people's Auras. When he met with Louise after classes, they were able to take his observations and analyze them.

"The amount of Aura people in people's bodies varies a lot more here than it does where I come from," Ash began.

"How so?" Louise asked.

The two were in Louise's room, seated at her table. Louise had pens and papers neatly ordered in front of her, while Ash had nothing. He never needed to take notes on his observations, a habit carried over from his trainer battles. Additionally, due to the language barrier, Louise wouldn't be able to understand anything he wrote down anyway. It was better for the both of them for Ash to verbally deliver his report while Louise took notes in her written language.

"While I haven't used my Aura Sense much at home, the people I did use it on all had roughly the same intensity in their Aura," said Ash. "Pokemon have a little bit more Aura, and Pokemon who can use Aura have an even brighter aura."

"Is there a difference between intensity, amount, and brightness?" Louise asked. "When analyzing, you need to use the same terms for comparison. Otherwise you're comparing apples to oranges."

"Which means?"

Louise looked at him incredulously. "Are you seriously asking me that?" She shook her head. "Sometimes I forget how ignorant you are. What the saying means is that you need to use the same words when comparing different things, otherwise the comparison is useless."

"That's the thing, normally they are the same," said Ash. "How should I explain it? Um… if Aura is a like a fire in someone's body, then the more fire there is, the larger and brighter the flames are. That's the pattern that exists in everything I've seen. The amount is also mostly consistent for all people, except for me and a few other exceptions. I have the same Aura as a legendary Aura Guardian, so my Aura is a lot bigger and brighter. Anyone else who can use Aura have a similar difference, but I think I have the brightest Aura of anyone I've met." Ash suspected that some Legendary Pokemon like Mew could beat him when it came to Aura, but since he never used his Aura Sense on a legendary, he couldn't confirm it, so he didn't want to bring it up.

Louise scratched down the notes onto a sheet of paper, marking the correlations for equivalency. "And the difference between mages is?" she asked.

"Some mages have the same amount of Aura as people from my region, but most have a lot more. And when they have more, there's a lot of variance." said Ash. "Also, some of them have large Aura reserves, but they don't have as much of a glow as the size should have."

"So, the two key factors of Aura in mages are the size of their Aura and the brightness of the Aura, correct?" Louise asked. Ash nodded. "If that's the case, what's the difference between the size of someone's Aura and the brightness? What determines one or the other?"

"I'm not sure," Ash confessed. "Like I said, in the people I'm used to, larger Auras are always brighter Auras."

"So, there's an unknown correlation between an Aura's size and brightness that is constant in your country but not here," Louise mused. "Who are the people with the largest and brightest Auras in the school? Maybe we'll find the connection there."

"In size, all of the professors beat the students," Ash replied immediately. There was little contest in that area. "From the students, Tabitha is the largest by far. She almost has the same amount of Aura as some of the teachers. Kirche comes after her. Guiche is a distant third place, and from there it gets muddled. I'd need to take another look to make sure."

"Three of the best students at practical application have the largest Aura amounts," said Louise with a nod. "It's not enough samples to make a proper theory, but it's a strong correlation, especially since the teachers' Auras corroborate. How about brightness?"

"I'm still the brightest person," said Ash.

"Seriously?"

"I'm serious!" Ash insisted. "I can't even tell how much Aura I have because it's too bright for me to see it properly."

Louise puffed out her cheeks in a pout. Ash had to admit that she looked cute when she was moping. "Stop boasting and got on with it," Louise ordered.

"I wasn't boasting!" Ash protested. Louise glared at him, tapping her pen against the end of her inkwell. Rolling his eyes, Ash continued, "Anyway, the second brightest is you—"

Louise's face lit up. "Are you serious?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes!" Ash assured her. "Next is Tabitha, then Kirche, then Montmorency, and Guiche is the last person I can remember off the top of my head. I'd probably need to take notes if I wanted to keep track of the entire class."

Louise wrote down his words and looked at the results. "What about the teachers?" she asked.

"Professor Colbert is the brightest of them," said Ash. "He also beats most of the students, but he's still below the two of us. The rest of the teachers are somewhere between Kirche and Guiche." He made a so-so gesture with his hand to indicate that he was approximating.

"The brightness of the Aura has some correlation with its size, but there's too many outliers," said Louise. "Where does my Aura rank size-wise?"

"Let me take another look." Ash closed his eyes to better feel the Aura around him. Everything around him from the floor to the bed had trace amounts of Aura, but he and Louise stood out like twin lighthouses amongst a sea of fireflies. His own Aura was too bright for him to even gage how much it filed it body. Louise's Aura was also bright, but it was much more centered in her body. Like a blazing heart that spread its tendrils throughout the container it inhabited.

Louise could feel a tingling in her body. It wasn't painful or uncomfortable, but she could only relax again when Ash opened his eyes and the sensation stopped.

"Your Aura looks about the same as most of your other classmates," Ash confirmed. "It's not significantly larger or smaller."

"So why is it brighter than even Professor Colbert's?" Louise asked. "He's a square class mage!"

"I have no idea," Ash replied honestly.

Louise did not appear satisfied by his answer. She scowled at her familiar, who could only shrug sheepishly. "How much do you even know about Aura?"

"Scientifically, I've told you everything I know," Ash replied. "Unless you want me to tell you some crazy stories I've had when I found out about Aura."

"Does it help our research?"

Ash considered the time he met a Lucario sealed in a staff. Meeting Mew in the Tree of Beginnings. Making an empathetic bond with a Riolu. Fighting Hunter J to rescue said Riolu. The memories were important to him, and they showed him how Aura could used, but it wasn't as if he had taken scientific notes during any of the events. "…no?" he said weakly.

"Then save it," Louise said dismissively. She gave a thoughtful hum as she consulted her notes. "Without any other information, I suppose we should focus on the easiest part to analyze. It appears that an Aura's size is in correlation to how skilled of a mage someone is. But there's a single outlier, myself."

"What do you mean?"

Louise rolled her eyes. "You know I can barely cast any spells correctly!"

"But you can cast Explosion any time you want," Ash pointed out.

"That doesn't count as magic!"

"I think it should," Ash said firmly. "Unless you know another reason why your Aura moves when you point your stick at something."

"My Aura moves?"

Ash sweatdropped. "Oh, I forgot to mention that," he said with a nervous chuckle. Seeing a scowl cross Louise's face, he elaborated, "I noticed when people cast spells, their Aura moves around, almost like the movements of a tide. The Aura rolls up as the spell builds, and once the spell comes out, it settles down."

Louise's rising anger abated with the new information. She looked intrigued as she began taking notes once again. "Does the amount of overall Aura change?" she asked.

"I think Aura is coming out," Ash replied. "But there's no difference in the amount or brightness of a mage's Aura after a spell is cast. At least, no difference I could recognize."

"Is it the same thing when you cast a spell?" she asked.

"I don't use magic," Ash insisted.

Louise rolled her eyes. "Wind Magic. Aura. Whatever you insist on calling it. Does it have the same effect?"

"Kind of?" Ash answered hesitantly. "I mean, when I make an Aura Sphere, it takes some of my Aura to create, so I know I'm using it. But I don't feel any different afterwards."

"How about after the duel?" Louise asked. "You felt tired after that, right?"

"I thought it was me getting off an adrenaline rush," said Ash contemplatively. "But you could be right. I didn't check how much Aura I had though, so I don't know."

Louise slammed a hand down on the table in frustration. "You're useless," she grumbled. "All those opportunities for research, wasted!"

"I'm a trainer," Ash reminded her. "Not a researcher, a trainer!"

Despite the frequent arguments, Ash spent at least an hour every day helping Louise with her research. Whether it was stalking other students for Aura data or demonstrating his abilities so Louise could compare Aura to known spells, Ash found himself stuck in the role of a research assistant. But Louise couldn't spend as much time as she wanted on this research, as she had her classes to study for. While she was a failure at casting magic, her grades on Magic Theory were incredibly high, and she preferred to keep them that way.

Thus, unless Ash felt like staring at Louise as she did her homework, he had to find other ways to keep himself occupied. He found one such occupation with surprising ease.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Guiche asked hesitantly.

"I'll be fine," Ash assured him. "I just want to test a few things, and your golems are perfect for the job. No need to be nervous."

"I'm not nervous," Guiche denied. "I'm merely exercising perfectly reasonable caution. How often do people come up to you and ask you to hit them?"

Ash let out a hearty chuckle. "You got me there," he conceded. "I know it's strange, but I really need the practice. Besides, you know I can take a hit."

"If you're sure," Guiche said slowly.

"I'm very sure," Ash replied with a cocky smile. He raised his arms defensively, feeling the Aura of his body surge up. While there was no outline of fire over his body, he was creating a small gust of wind around his feet even while standing still. "Hit me with your best shot!"

"Well, since you insist," said Guiche. He summoned a Valkyrie from the ground, equipped with a dull-studded mace. "Attack, my Valkyrie!"

Ash watched the Valkyrie rush towards him with bated breath. The attack was clearly telegraphed, allowing him to predict where and when it was going to strike. He steeled his arms and focused on his Aura. When the mace head was bashed into Ash's arms, it was stopped short by an almost transparent pale blue barrier. Twice more the Valkyrie struck, but the barrier held fast. The attacks made no contact with Ash's skin or clothes.

"Is that a wind barrier?" Guiche asked in surprise.

"Aura Barrier," Ash shot back. Before bringing Guiche out to this practice, he had tried to explain the concept of Aura to Guiche, but the noble boy had just shrugged and called it Wind Magic. Ash found that he couldn't be surprised by the mage's inability to quantify any ability as anything but a type of magic. "Alright, I'm going to try tanking it myself. Lay it on me."

Guiche hesitated once again, but after Ash gave him a confident nod, he had the Valkyrie swing again. This time, Ash focused on channeling his aura into his body instead of projecting it outward. The attack struck Ash's arms and knocked him onto his back.

"Oof!" Ash grunted as he hit ground.

"Are you hurt?" Guiche called out.

"Not really," Ash called back. "I just forgot that being able to take an attack doesn't stop me from being knocked around." He examined his arms and saw scuffed skin, but no bruises. He also only felt a lingering sting. "It hurt a bit, but I don't think it did any damage."

"Your durability is frightening."

"Really?" Ash asked. "It's pretty normal for Pokemon trainers to be able to take hits like this."

"Pokemon trainer?"

"It's what I did before I cam here," Ash explained. "I spent my time caring for and training magically creatures to be stronger."

"A profession of training magical beasts requires you to be as durable as a suit of armor?" Guiche said skeptically. "Your land has strange customs."

"That's my line," Ash said under his breath. Louder, he said, "Alright, now get me a spear."

Guiche summoned a spear from the ground. It was elegant, and the tip was plenty sharp, unlike the weapons Guiche had made in their duel.

"Hit me!" Ash called once he was ready.

Ash already knew that holding a spear made the runes on his hands glow, which made him stronger and faster. This time, he wanted to see if it made him tougher. While holding the spear with one hand, he guarded with the other. He adjusted his feet so he could absorb the impact properly without getting knocked over.

THWACK

"Did it hurt?" Guiche asked, seeing Ash stand perfectly still after taking the hit.

"Not really," Ash replied after a brief moment. "It was weird, I could see the attack coming, and I felt like blocking it. But when I took the hit instead, I barely felt anything." He examined his forearm. "My arm still got a bit scratched. I don't think I'm getting tougher, but it looks like it gives me a better pain tolerance. Higher reflexes too."

"That's good, right?" Guiche asked.

"I think so," said Ash. "And now for the final test."

Ash stabbed the spear into the ground, a soreness appearing on his arm when he put the weapon down. "Pain tolerance only lasts as long as the runes glow, good to know," he muttered. He was surprised it hurt more when the runes powered down than it did when he had taken a hit without the runes in the first place. The runes were supposed to amplify his Aura when he used a weapon, so why were the effects different instead of strictly superior?

Deciding to leave that investigation for another time, Ash took a deep breath in. He tried to remember how Lucario used Bone Rush. Ash closed his hands and held his hands out. His fingers were curled in the air, and his thumbs sat underneath. As Ash exhaled, he extended his hands like he was sliding them down the ends of a stick. His Aura pooled out from his hands, coalescing into a straight staff with irregular nobs at each end.

Ash closed his grip and opened his eyes. In his hands was a glowing, translucent, blue bone. "Worked on the first try!" he exclaimed in glee. "Yeah!"

Guiche was staring at Ash's creation with an open mouth and wide eyes. "Is that a bone?" Guiche asked in confusion. "Made of wind magic?"

"This is a move called Bone Rush," said Ash. "I used an Aura version of it to make a bone out of my Aura. And it looks like it works with the rune too," he added, taking a look at the glowing symbols on his left hand.

"You can create weapons with Wind Magic and use them to become even stronger?!" Guiche said incredulously.

"Aura," Ash corrected reflexively. "And that's what it looks like. Let's try it out!"

Ash swung his newly minted weapon at the Valkyrie. Guiche didn't even bother trying to block the attack. He knew it would be futile. As expected, the glowing bone cleaved through the golem's shoulder and chest with ease, but as it did so, innumerable fractures spread across its surface.

As the Valkyrie's remains fell to the ground, Ash and Guiche watched as the aura bone dissolved into innumerable fragments and disappeared. The two stared blankly at Ash's now empty hand.

"Was that supposed to happen?" Guiche asked.

Ash sighed. "Looks like I'll have to practice that trick."

Ash kept himself pretty busy, but when he had some spare time, he liked to help out the staff of the Academy. Specifically, he spent plenty of time in the kitchen. He had a good relationship with the cooks and servers. They appreciated the presence of someone who could face down a noble and also was nice to everyone he came across. While there was some initial suspicion when they heard he had used magic, Ash assured them that what he did was a rare ability from his homeland, and—as far as he could tell—it was not magic.

Having the Head Chef in his camp helped smooth that matter over. The mountain-sized man let Ash have free access to the kitchen. Ash helped out with whatever he could, though after he almost set the kitchen on fire while helping near a stove, he had been regulated to small tasks, and only while under supervision. Still, Ash enjoyed it. And everyone pretended not to notice when he snuck some of the food aside for himself or the other familiars, which was a huge plus in his book.

If Ash had to nominate one place in the Academy with the cheeriest environment, the kitchen would win hands down.

"Hi, Ash!"

"Greetings, Mr. Ash."

"Hello, Ash!"

Turning around to a see a trio of young women entering the kitchen, Ash briefly paused what he was doing to give them a friendly wave. "Hi, Mary, Anne, and Mary Anne," he greeted them with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

The three ladies had expressively different personalities, but were nearly identical in physical appearance. If they hadn't introduced themselves as cousins, Ash would assume they were triplets, or at least sisters. They all appeared to be roughly the same age, late teens or early twenties—not that Ash would dare ask. All of them shared warm, golden brown eyes that they insisted was the color of honey. Their heights were almost a near equal match, with the top of Ash's head barely reaching their eyes. While their modest maid uniforms didn't show of their figures, the outfits also failed to hide the maids' womanly curves, which, as if they were triplets, also failed to give a clear distinction between the three. Even their faces, slightly rounded with full cheeks, had little difference between them.

As if to make themselves even harder to be identified, the only aspect they could attempt to differentiate themselves with—their hair—was kept wrapped in identical tight buns. Their hair color at least had some degree of difference. Mary's hair was a darkish wheat brown. Anne's was a lighter shade of flaxen brown. Mary Anne's hair carried a tint of red, being a light chestnut brown color. If it wasn't for that sole distinction, Ash felt he would never be able to tell them apart. He wasn't like Brock, who could determine the distinctions of any Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny with only a glance.

The three maids approached Ash with cheerful smiles.

"We're working in the kitchen today," said Mary Anne, answering his question. The other two nodded, Mary with enthusiasm and Anne with poise.

"I see you've been hard at work as well," Anne said, observing Ash rolling the dough of croissants.

"Sure am!" Ash replied.

The process for making croissants was simple, but time consuming. The dough had to be folded over repeatedly to create the fluffy, flaky layers that the pastry was famous for. A skilled chef could work a pile of dough with brutal efficiency. While Ash didn't have any training, he did have stamina. The best part about croissants was that until it came time for the final foldings, all that mattered was repetition. Which meant even someone like him didn't have to worry about making mistakes.

"You sure do spend a lot of time here," said Mary thoughtfully. "Don't most boys your age like to go out and play?" She gave him a teasing smile.

"I have a lot of time on my hands," Ash replied honestly. "This is fun, and different from what I usually do. It's a nice change of pace."

"Extra hands are always appreciated," another chef commented. Standing further down the table, he, like Ash, was rolling croissant dough. However, the superiority of his technique was evident in the speed he was turning, folding, and flipping his dough. His piece was also roughly in a square shape, which was easier to cut triangles into. Ash's dough was a deformed splat, more closely resembling a blob of slime that had carelessly fallen to the floor than any identifiable shape. "Hugo has us run ragged, me especially," the chef added in a low mutter.

Ash winced, remembering how Hugo had silenced Pierre when Ash had first visited the kitchen with Siesta. "I don't think he means anything bad by it, Pierre," Ash assured the chef. "He seems to be just a bit rough around people."

Pierre's shoulder slumped. The young man looked to be in his early twenties, but with his timidity Ash could easily picture him being no more than a teenager. "I know he's not a bad sort, but I wish Marteau was still in charge."

"Who's Marteau?" Ash asked.

"He was the Head Chef who retired at the end of the last school year," Anne answered. "He was a generally well-mannered man who ran the kitchen effectively."

"I'm sensing a 'but' coming along," said Ash.

Mary Anne leaned towards his ear and whispered, "Between you and us, he probably would have been fired in a year or two if he hadn't retired when he did."

"Why?"

"Well…" Mary drawled conspiratorially. "He was great when working with other people, but nobles were easily able to get under his skin. Spells go flying a lot in the Academy, and they can be quite annoying to some people."

"He nearly blew a gasket when an explosion from one of the first years caused us to lose an hour's worth of food to the floor," Pierre confessed.

"First years?" Ash mused. If that had happened last year, and Louise was a second year… Ash sighed. "At least no one was hurt, right?"

"We were all a safe distance away," Anne assured him. "The walls of the Academy are enchanted to resist wayward spells; it was the noise and vibrations that kept causing problems throughout the year."

"I heard some of the nobles were lightly injured," said Mary Anne. "But they have water mages ready to heal them at a moment's notice, so it wasn't like anything really bad happened."

"That's nobles for you, they do whatever they want and are never in any real trouble for their actions," said Mary with a small touch of bitterness.

Ash looked at the young woman in concern. "Do you… hate nobles?" he asked questioningly.

Mary's eyes shot open and she waved her hands frantically. "Oh, no!" she denied fervently. "Some of them are pricks, sure, but can you imagine not having nobles and their magic?"

"Disease and injuries would be incurable without water mages," said Anne.

"Without earth magic it's near impossible to construct anything made of metal or stone," Mary Anne added.

"Air mages are needed for weather control, especially in farmland areas," said Pierre.

Ash noted that none of them offered any praise for fire mages. Then again, lighting campfires and candles didn't sound nearly as impactful as everything else they mentioned.

"Nobles are a necessary part of society," Mary agreed with a nod. "I wish some of them would get off their high horse and pull the sticks out of their arses, but at least the teachers in charge of the school are fair. Unlike the students," she added with a snort.

"Normally they straighten up in their final year, but these students are an especially troublesome bunch," said Anne with a sigh.

"Especially the second-years," Mary Anne added. "I'm glad you put that class in their place by beating the playboy. They could use a good lesson."

Ash frowned. While he agreed that the students were a pain, it wasn't fair to group all the nobles based on what the loud obnoxious ones did. Even Guiche, who instigated the mess, wasn't a really bad person. Before he could open his mouth to respond, another voice cut in.

"Don't forget Miss Valliere is in that class, and Ash is her familiar."

The five of them jumped and turned to see Siesta standing behind the three maids. In spite of her unnoticed approach, in her arms were a stack of trays, dishes, cups, and utensils, all neatly arranged but reaching all the way to her chin. Her head that floated above the collection of silverware looked at her fellow maids disapprovingly.

"And as I told you before, Mr. Gramont apologized for his actions after the duel," Siesta reminded her coworkers. "Since then, he hasn't made a move on any of the other female students. He's learning, and I don't appreciate your gossip of him." Despite Siesta looking to be their junior by a few years, the three maids looked ashamed, like children with their hands caught in a cookie jar.

"Force of habit," said Anne ashamedly.

"We'll lay off of him," Mary Anne vowed.

Mary nodded, but added, "The other students are still open targets though, until they prove that they're more than magic moneybags."

Siesta sighed, but rolled her eyes good naturedly as she began carrying her oversized stack to the sink.

Both Anne and Ash moved to assist her, but Anne reached Siesta first. "You really need to take these in smaller batches," Anne said with a sigh as she removed the top half of Siesta's load, a tray containing all the neatly stacked silverware. "You're going to break something these days. Founder knows if its these plates or your back."

"Definitely her back," Mary stage whispered to the others, much to Siesta's embarrassment. "Trust me, the way she's growing, she's going to have plenty of back problems in the future." Mary Anne slapped her arm, and a discreet motion to Ash, but was also struggling to hold back her giggles. Pierre flushed and turned back to his task, determined not to entertain such thoughts while nearby his female coworkers. Ash… had the innuendo fly straight over his head.

"I keep telling you, it's not too heavy," Siesta insisted, though she had made no move to stop Anne from relieving some of the burden. True to her word, while Anne had to walk carefully with her load to ensure nothing would fall, Siesta moved with ease as she set the trays in an empty sink and began scrubbing away. "In fact," Siesta added, "I think the exercise helps me keep fit."

"You're definitely keeping fit in the right areas," Mary said as she looked at Siesta's body enviously. Mary, like her cousins, wasn't lacking in feminine charm. However, Siesta was winning when it came to bust size, and being younger, she still had time to grow.

"Exercise is great for staying healthy," Ash agreed, still oblivious to the byplay.

"It's different for women," Anne informed him. "Men don't like women that are too strong."

"They don't?" Ash said in surprise. "Most of my female companions were strong though, and I learned a lot from them. I like my friends for who they are. Anyone who dislikes someone for being too strong is just jealous."

Mary Anne's eyes lit up. "Don't go clouding his mind, Anne," she said to her cousin. "He's allowed to choose whatever type of women he likes."

"What?" Ash asked in confusion.

"I think its admirable that he likes stronger girls," Mary Anne continued, grabbing Ash by the arm. Ash looked uncomfortable by the young woman's proximity as she continued, "A strong wife is a good wife."

"I think you're being too pushy," said Mary, grabbing Ash's other arm and pulling him away. "There's a difference between strong-willed and annoying."

"That's not your call to make," Marry Anne argued, pulling Ash back to her.

"It's not yours either," Mary retorted with another tug.

"You both should be ashamed of yourselves," said Anne as she glared at the two.

"Stay out of it!"

"Are you okay, Ash?" Siesta asked as she watched Ash be tugged back and forth by the two arguing brunettes.

Ash made a futile attempt to shrug. He felt like a Teddiursa doll being fought over by two children. "I've been worse," he answered honestly.

"ASH!"

The kitchen door was flung open by a very panic-faced Louise. "Where's Ash?" she called out. With speed that betrayed their profession, the women surrounding him released his limbs and moved to stand behind him.

"Here!" Ash announced, stepping forward. "What's wrong?" he asked in concern.

Louise opened her mouth to answer, but closed it slowly as she eyed the women standing around her familiar. "You have quite a few female companions," she said suspiciously.

Ash turned around. "Oh yeah, you've met Siesta, but this is Mary, Anne, and Mary Anne," he introduced them in turn. "And he's Pierre," he added, pointing a flour covered finger at his sole male compatriot. The chef turned to give Louise a nervous nod before turning back to his work and doing his best to blend into his surroundings.

Louise shook her head. "Not important," she said brusquely. She stepped forward and grabbed Ash by the arm. "We need to go to the city to buy you a new outfit."

"Now?" Ash asked. He didn't plant his feet, but he walked slowly despite Louise's tugging as he tried to puzzle out the girl's urgency.

"Yes!"

"Can it wait a minute?"

"What's so important you can't drop it?" Louise asked. She narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me that want to spend more time with these women than your own master."

"My hands are covered in flour," Ash deadpanned, holding them up so she could see.

"Oh," said Louise sheepishly. "Yes, do wash that off."

"What's so important that we have leave now anyway?" Ash asked as he went to the sink next to Siesta and washed his hands.

"You remember the Void Day celebration is coming up?"

"Yeah, everyone's been talking about it. The kitchen's been busy preparing."

"There's a special guest coming to watch this year's celebrations, including the familiar talent show."

"Who?"

Louise's eyes lit up in sparkles. "The princess!"

The entire kitchen fell silent enough. The only sound came from the cackling flames on the stove. The entire staff knew that a visit from the Princess would make the event one of the most important days in the entire year. If the celebrations went well, the Academy reputation would skyrocket, and there was a chance they would receive a bonus in pay. If it went poorly… some people would be losing their jobs.

This news was monumental.

Ash looked at Louise surprise and uttered the first thing that came to his mind, "There's a princess?"

After Louise had dragged Ash from the kitchen, Siesta went back to the dishes, and the brunette cousins sighed and conferred in hushed whispers.

"How are we supposed to keep an eye on him if Miss Valliere keeps dragging him away," Mary lamented.

"Maybe it'd be easier if we didn't back off every time Miss Valiere showed up," Mary Anne pointed out.

"And make her even more suspicious?" Anne asked. "It's bad enough you two take every opportunity to cling to him."

"I moderate myself," Mary Anne said defensively.

"He's cute!" Mary protested.

"That's no excuse," said Anne harshly. "Remember, Osmond told us to watch him and keep his attention, but we can't let Miss Valliere know what we're doing. She's a possessive sort, and she would take drastic measures to keep Ash close to her if she found out we were keeping eyes on him. And since Ash is very open, it's imperative that we keep this secret from both Ash and his master."

"Keep what a secret?"

The three turned to see Siesta standing behind them, a confused expression on her face. Behind here were a stack of sparkling dishes that had been cleaned in record time.

"Founder foot fungus," Mary Anne cursed.

"Seconded," Mary said in agreement.

Anne sighed. "Why me?"

Chapter Text

Professor Colbert was tired.

There are several types of tired. There was the traditional sleepy tired, which could be solved by a good rest. There was also the stressful tired, which would not fade unless the source of said stress was dealt with. The weary tired was when the mind was overtaxed to the point that the body was negatively affected. Finally, there was the discouraged tired, when things were going poorly to the point that one longed to lie on the floor and wish for death to claim them so that the eternal spiral of dreary misery would finally come to a blissfully peaceful end.

Actually, that last one was despaired tired, a more advanced version of discouraged tired.

Regardless, Colbert was suffering from all forms of tiredness. His massive workload was preventing him from getting the sleep he so desperately needed. The abilities of Louise's familiar were a puzzle he still could not solve. The security measures of the Academy were being double and triple-checked due to the Princess's decision to attend this year's celebration. And he still hadn't figured out how to approach a conversation with Miss Longueville.

One of these issues was objectively less important than the others, but tiredness is subjective, so Colbert had no reprieve. He had to prepare for a meeting with a local count to ensure that the roads to and from the Academy would remain clear during the Princess's stay. While would assume that such an action would be a matter of common sense done out of obligation, the uneasy political state of the country meant that Colbert had to confirm the arrangements in person to ensure that affairs were in order.

The count was the slimy sort of noble. He couldn't be trusted with anything except his own possessions. Osmond had suggested that Colbert take Longueville with him for insurance, as the count had a well-known weakness for women. However, Colbert felt like exposing a vulnerable woman to such a character would put a stain on his morals. Mrs. Longueville wouldn't be in any true danger, but Colbert's conscience was pained by the thought of bringing the woman anywhere near that lecher.

"Mr. Colbert?" a voice inquired.

"Yes?" Colbert replied distractedly. Turning around, he saw the subject of his thoughts gazing at him with concern. "Mrs. Longueville!" he exclaimed, nearly tripping over his heel in surprise as he came to an abrupt stop. "Fancy seeing you here."

Longueville gave him a mysterious look as she tilted her head ever so slightly to the side. "We're in front of the headmaster's office," Longueville pointed out, nodding her head towards the office door.

"Ah, yes. I didn't realize." Colbert definitely needed a break. He didn't even remember why he had gone to the headmaster's office in the first place.

"Is something worrying you, Mr. Colbert?" Longueville asked with concern.

"Please, call me Jean," Colbert insisted.

"But you're my senior."

"No, I insist. Please."

A small smile crossed Longueville's face as she gave him a nod. "Jean, then. Please, tell me what trouble you."

The balding man sighed. He pulled a handkerchief from his robe and began wiping his spectacles as he talked. "There are far too many things to mention," Colbert lamented. And too many confidential matters as well, he mentally added. "Every Void Day celebration was already a headache, but with the princess visiting as well? Suffice to say, this year's celebration is leaving a lot of the faculty run ragged to make sure everything goes smoothly." He replaced his spectacles on his nose, sighing once again.

Longueville nodded understandingly. "I take it security is also an issue?"

"As much as would be expected," Colbert replied.

"I wish there was something I could do to help," said Longueville, a pitied expression on her face.

Colbert hesitated, remembering his meeting with the noble. "I'm not sure I can request your assistance," he said slowly.

"Is it confidential?" Longueville asked in abject disappointment.

"Well, no," Colbert admitted. "But I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."

Longueville covered her mouth her hand as she let out a small giggle. "I assure you, I won't be scared off so easily. It takes strong will to keep up with Old Osmond, after all."

"True, most of his previous secretaries left pretty swiftly," Colbert said contemplatively. "Very well. I am meeting with a local noble later today. I would appreciate your company. However…"

"However?" Longueville pressed curiously.

Colbert sighed. "Are familiar with the name Count Mott?"

The secretary wrinkled her nose. "In passing, yes. His reputation far precedes him."

"He's of a troublesome sort, but I need his cooperation to arrange the guards that will be watching the roads," Colbert said with obvious reluctance. "Your company would make my task easier. However, I want you to know that you are under no obligation to accept."

"Gladly."

Colbert blinked. Thinking he couldn't have possibly heard her correctly, he asked, "Come again?"

"Count Mott might be an infamous lecher, but I can trust you to protect me, can't I?" Longueville gave Colbert an innocent smile as she said this.

The man flushed red at the secretary's charm. "Of course," Colbert vowed, narrowly avoid stammering like a schoolboy. "I promise to protect you."

"Thank you," Longueille said with an obvious sigh of relief. "It comforts me to hear that. Speaking of security, what is in place right now?" At Colbert's questioning look, she explained. "Is there anything lower faculty such as myself need to prepare for?"

"Don't hold yourself as lower," Colbert lightly admonished her. "Do not worry, you'll be quite safe. Between the princess's own guards and the teachers here, no one will able to cause a ruckus."

The green haired woman still looked concerned. "But what if an assassin of some sort sneaks in?"

"The wards will make it difficult for anyone to go over the walls without being noticed," Colbert assured her. "Going through or under the walls will be even harder. Even an earth mage would struggle to break through."

"And there are no obvious weaknesses?" Longueville asked worriedly. "After all, the Academy vault, which I've heard has some very valuable items, is only guarded by a simple padlock."

"Oh, by the Founder, no," said Colbert with a hearty chuckle. "That padlock was crafted by the royal family themselves. Even a square class mage wouldn't be able to get in without the key. Additionally, the wards would repel enemy attempts of entry by magic."

As Longueville looked on with innocent curiosity, Colbert thought harder about the school's magic defenses. "Well," he finally said. "Even though the castle walls are designed to take a lot of magical damage without being destroyed—extremely necessary in a school of youths practicing magic—there is still a limit. Alternatively, I suppose the only other weakness would be sheer force, like siege weapon or a large golem." Colbert missed how Longueville's eyes lit up. "But the amount of time it would take and the noise it would make would give us plenty of time to catch any criminal trying to force their way in."

"That puts me at ease," said Longueville with a relieved smile. "Thank you, Jean. This may sound sudden but, would you care to join me for lunch?"

Colbert's face lit up. "I'd be delighted, Mrs. Longueville."

"Oh, please, there's no need for formalities between us. Is there, Jean?"

"Longueville, then," Jean Colbert conceded with a smile. "I hear that Chef Hugo was preparing steaks."

"That sounds perfect."

"Doesn't it?"

The two strolled down the hallways side by side, cheery smiles on both of their faces.

Colbert's blue eyes were bright like a boy in his youth.

Longueville's golden eyes were cold, crafty, and calculating.

Ash had expected a trip to the city to be on foot, as he usually traveled. After all, there were no cars in this era. However, Louise had surprised him by having a pair of horses prepared by the school's front gate.

"Are they yours?" Ash asked Louise as he took stock of the two steeds. One was a chestnut and the other was a dappled grey. Both were saddled and bridled, ready to be ridden. He reached out his hands to rub their noses, and they nuzzled him back affectionately.

Louise shook her head. "I rented them for the occasion," she informed him.

She marveled at how easily Ash approached the creatures. Rented horses were trained to be easily handled by any noble, but they seemed extraordinarily affectionate towards her familiar. "Are you familiar with horseback riding?"

Ash turned from his new animal friends to look at her confusion. "I don't think that translated well," he said. "What's a horse?"

Louise gave him a deadpan look. "You are currently petting two of them," she said. Huffing, she added, "I'm guessing you don't know how to ride then?"

"Hey, I may not know all the creatures around here, but that doesn't mean I don't know how to ride them," Ash replied. Choosing the grey horse, he put a foot in the stirrups and hoisted himself up with ease. "Woah, this one's a little higher than what I'm used to. So cool!"

"At least riding won't be a problem," said Louise with a relieved sigh. She looked at her mount, the chestnut mare. She examined the distance between the ground, the stirrup, and the saddle.

"Ash."

"Yes?"

"Get down and help me up."

"Wow…" Ash said in awe as he was pulled through the busy city streets. "This place is amazing!"

The scenery really drove home that he was in a different era. The roads were much narrower than the ones he was used to. Everywhere Ash could see people were rushing through the flow of traffic. There was no order, only chaotic frenzy. And yet, everyone still managed to worm their way to their destination.

Almost every building they passed was a store of some kind. Jewelry, clothes, shoes, dresses, decoration, stores of every kind were lined up in no particular order. The only consistent trend Ash noticed was that everything here was higher end. It wasn't as if everything was encrusted with jewels, but the bright colors made it clear that this area was meant for people with money to spend.

Further up ahead, Ash could see several towers and a large stone castle cresting above the tops of the nearby buildings. "Who lives there?" he asked pointing a finger at the distant castle.

Louise briefly glanced in the direction he was pointing. "It's the royal castle, who do you think would be living there?" she snapped.

"The king, queen, and princess?" Ash guessed. "Maybe a prince too?"

Louise sighed. "The king passed away a few years ago," she said mournfully. "The crown princess has no siblings, only her mother, the queen."

"Oh," Ash said softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Louise sighed. "Sometimes I forget how much of a clueless foreigner you are," she said. "Just don't bring it up with the princess when she visits. You'll pay if you make her cry." She glared at Ash, making him understand that this threat was not to be taken lightly.

"Understood!"

"Good," said Louise with a slightly sadistic smile. "Now, here's what we have to get while we're here. I need to get you some commoner clothes, a set of formal wear, and replace my garments you destroyed. Oh, and you need a proper weapon too."

"A weapon?" Ash asked.

"Yes," Louise affirmed. "As my familiar, you also serve as my personal protector, a bodyguard of sorts. And a guard cannot defend without a weapon in hand."

"True, I do need a solid weapon that won't break in one hit," Ash said thoughtfully. "If that's the case, I could always ask Guiche to make me something."

Louise made a sour face. "I will not rely on Gramont and become in his debt," she said firmly. "Besides, despite Guiche's talent, he's only a dot class mage. He might be better than a common blacksmith, but he can't replicate the craftsmanship of a proper weapon."

"So, there are some things nobles can't do," Ash suggested cheekily.

"Hmph! A talented earth mage could easily craft a blade of peerless quality," Louise insisted. "Guiche, however, cannot. So, we will need to find a worthy blade for you. But first, clothes."

Ash looked at Louise in resignation as the girl spied their first stop. The mannequins at the front of the shop were decorated in frilly summer dresses. "I hate shopping," he said dejectedly.

"Did I ever tell you that I really hate shopping?" Ash grunted as he struggled to balance his load. Louise hadn't bought a lot, but she had insisted that he couldn't curl up their purchases into a ball and tuck it under his arm, so he was stuck holding multiple bags in his hands with dress bags draped across his forearms. The baggage wasn't heavy, but it was cumbersome.

"Shopping isn't as bad as you make it sound," said Louise.

"You're not the one carrying someone else's new wardrobe," Ash deadpanned.

"Some of those clothes are yours," Louise pointed out.

"Yeah, about one hand's worth." Ash shook the hand that carried his bags for emphasis. The load was noticeably smaller than the one in his other hand. "The rest is all yours."

"And as my familiar, you should carry your burden without complaint," Louise said primly.

Ash sighed. As much as he'd like to argue, he really couldn't see Louise being able to carry all of her clothes and still being able to move. No offense to the girl, but she was quite a bit frailer than the girls he was used to. Probably because he was a noble, he supposed. And while Ash didn't like being a packhorse, it wouldn't be his first time serving as one for a female companion on a shopping spree. "Are we finally done?" he asked wearily.

"Almost," Louise replied. "With our outfits taken care of, we still have to find you a sword."

"Where would we get that?" Ash asked. There were surrounded by clothing and jewelry stores. He doubted they would find a proper weapon in this part of the city.

"Simple," Louise said confidently. "We head to the commoner areas. That's where we're likely to find a weaponsmith."

"Huh, that makes sense," Ash replied. "Normal people are more likely to need a weapon since mages just use their wands for everything."

"Don't act like all mages rely on their magic!" Louise said insistently.

"They don't?"

"Of course not! Why would you even assume such a thing?"

Ash looked at her incredulously. "Louise," he deadpanned. "I haven't seen you or any of your classmates do any form of intense physical exercise since you summoned me. No one even runs unless their trying to get to class on time!"

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Also, I've seen your classmates flick their wands and levitate their books around so they didn't have to carry them."

"It's practical."

"Guiche is the most fit of your classmates and even he admits he only exercises enough to make himself look good!"

At this point, Louise was blushing furiously. "We're all students, so that's not an accurate representation of proper mages!" she protested. "After all, the Griffon Knights and Manticore Knights are the greatest military divisions in Tristan, and all of their reputable members are of higher-class nobility."

Ash looked intrigued. "I don't know what those are, but it sounds cool!" he said excitedly. "Hopefully, I'll get to see them in person."

"They are a part of the Royal Guard, so some of them may come with the princess," said Louise. "Which is why we need to get you presentable as fast as possible." She stopped, looking around. "Where are we?" she asked.

The two were still on the busy main road, but the crowd of people had changed. No longer was the normal person on the street dressed in a sundress or mage robes. Instead, simple, slightly worn outfits were the norm. People did not give the polite courtesy of avoiding contact, instead, they brushed past one another with hardly a mutter of acknowledgement. There were no more upscale boutiques and accessory stores lining the sides of the street. The nearby shops were mundane, selling plain, practical clothes, simple trinkets, and decorative items that would stand out for the worse in any noble's house.

"I think we're in the normal part of town," Ash concluded.

"Excellent," said Louise, her voice filling with pride. "We are exactly where we need to be."

"Sure," Ash said, rolling his eyes. He had gotten himself and his friends lost enough times to recognize Louise's bluff. "Then where's the weaponsmith?"

The mage looked around, expression falling. "I'm not entirely certain," Louise admitted. "I've only ever been to the noble's district."

"Maybe we could ask someone?" Ash suggested with a shrug.

Looking around at the faces of those who rather avoided the two like the plaque or cast a nasty sneer in the direction, Louise scoffed. "You can't just walk up to someone and ask for directions," the noble girl said.

"Why not?" Ash asked. "Someone who lives here would know exactly where we need to go."

Louise shook her head violently. "You must be cautious when you're in the city," she warned him. "If you ask questions that make you seem vulnerable, cretins will pick up on it. That is why diligence is—oomph!"

Louise was cut off as a small figure shoved past her and dashed away, knocking the petite mage to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked Louise. He would have reached out a hand to her, if his arms weren't already full.

"I'm fine," Louise said, discreetly rubbing her bottom. "This is why I don't like going out in the city too often. Too many rude people wandering about. Let's keep walking and then maybe we'll find a…" Louise's voice trailed off as she began looking around and pat her sides frantically. "Oh no! Where is it?"

"Where is what?" Ash asked.

"My coin purse!"

Sure enough, the small coin pouch that had been attached to Louise's waist was now gone. Ash narrowed his eyes as he looked in the direction of the person who had knocked down Louise. "Was that a pickpocket?" he asked.

"Of course, it was a pickpocket!" Louise shouted angrily. "Great. Now I don't have any money left to buy a sword. That was the last of my allowance too."

"Want me to catch him?" Ash asked suddenly.

Louise actually snorted at that. "If you can catch him," she said sarcastically. "He's probably long gone by now."

To her surprise, Ash dumped the load of clothes in her arms and took off. "What are you doing?" she called out after him.

"I'll be right back!" Ash shouted in response.

The thief had a head start, but the thickness of the crowd made the distance meager. Ash jumped up and grabbed a ledge jutting out from a nearby building. Straining his arm muscles, he swung one leg onto the ledge, and then the other. A quick roll brought the rest of his body on to the elevated ground. He then stood and took a look at where he had seen the thief run off. He didn't see the kid, so he ran to where he had seen the kid last, jumping from building to building in his pursuit. A few people shouted from below, some in surprise, and some in anger.

"Sorry!" Ash threw an apology over his shoulder as he continued the chase.

Stopping at the corner he had seen the kid, Ash looked around. It was hard to make out individual features from all the people, but not too many of the crowd were wearing cloaks. Among them, there were very few who were sprinting. And as far as Ash could see, there was only one person who was cloaked, running, and smaller than even Louise.

"Found you," said Ash triumphantly.

The trainer continued his run, jumping the distance between buildings with ease. He had gone through much harsher terrain while traveling around the world. While he couldn't run at his top speed while keeping his balance, the thief was also hindered by the crowd. Ash found himself slowly catching up just as the thief rounded a corner into an alley. Once Ash spied a clear spot on the ground to land on, he jumped down to street level to continue the pursuit. He found the thief with one hand rested on against the wall. The cloaked kid's breaths were high and raspy as he clutched his ill-gotten good s with his free hand.

"I'll be taking that back," Ash declared, stepping into the alley.

The thief whirled around with a yelp and a jump. Ash caught sight of a few purple strands from under the thief's hood as he turned to face Ash. "Who are you?" the thief asked in a squeaky voice. "Wait, you're the brat's guard? How did you find me? You managed to follow me? How did you do that?"

Ash waited.

"What? Am I too low for you to give me a response? You think that just because I'm a common pickpocket you don't have to answer my questions? You think you're that much of a big shot just because your mistress can prance around in a prissy dress?"

"Oh, it isn't that," Ash assured the thief once the kid had finally stopped talking. "It's just that you were answering your own questions, so I was waiting until you were done. I didn't mean to be rude."

The hood only revealed the lower part of the thief's face, so Ash was having trouble making out the kid's facial expressions. But the way the kid froze for several seconds seemed to be out of surprise. "Are you serious?" the kid finally asked.

"Yes," Ash replied with a hint of a wry smile. "And I was also serious about getting back the money you stole. You shouldn't take what doesn't belong to you."

"Tell that to the nobles who tax people who struggling to survive so they can fill their coffers and stuff their fat faces!"

"Most nobles aren't fat," Ash corrected. "I'm not sure why, but no matter how much they eat at meals very few of them seem to gain weight. I'm thinking there's some kind of magic involved."

Ash could feel the kid's stare from underneath the hood. "That's all you got to say?" he said with an angry hiss.

"No," Ash said with a sigh. "I haven't seen it for myself, but it wouldn't surprise me if nobles would take money away from people who need it for their own greedy reasons." He had heard that such a thing wasn't an uncommon occurrence during this time period.

"Still," the trainer continued. "That doesn't make it right to steal from random people off the street, nobles or not. I'm going to need that coin pouch back." He held out his hand towards the smaller kid.

The kid's head looked down at Ash's extended hand, then rose back up. "You are an idiot," the kid concluded.

"I am not!" Ash protested.

"If you say so," the kid said with a shrug. He threw the purse on the ground and kicked it about a yard away from Ash's feet. "Here, if you want it so badly, you can take it back."

Ash was confused by the surprisingly easy surrender, but he took it in stride. "Thanks, kid," he said as he reached for it. "This makes my job a lot easier."

"That's my line."

Ash looked up, only to get a fistful of dirt, grime, and who-knows-what-else in his eyes. He sputtered, instinctively moving his hands to wipe the brown grit from his face. With a devious grin, the thief dashed forward, scooped up the purse, and darted past the blinded Ash. The thief was home free… until a hand reached out with supernatural speed and snagged the back of his cloak.

Instinctively, the thief shed his cloak, revealing that the young boy was actually a young girl. Cold blue eyes were framed by messy amethyst hair that fell slightly past the girl's shoulders. The ends of her hair were frayed and uneven, as if it had been hacked off by a none-too-sharp knife. The torn brown shirt and shorts the girl wore almost matched the color of her skin, which was splotchy from dirt. Only her face revealed that she was actually fair skinned underneath the muck. She was also skinny, unhealthily so. Her face was gaunt, and her limbs were so thin that she looked like literal skin and bones.

Of course, Ash—currently suffering a temporary case of vision impairment—noticed none of this.

Feeling the slack material in his hand, Ash realized he was no longer holding on to his captive. Tapping into his Aura sight, he dashed forward and seized an arm of the fleeing thief, who gave a girlish squeal.

"How are you doing that?" she asked, kicking him frantically to no effect. "There's no way you could track me by my footsteps. Can you see me while blind? Is that how you tracked me earlier? Is it magic? Does that mean you're a mage knight?"

"Why do you keep answering your questions before I can answer them?" Ash asked, keeping an iron grip on her arm. His captive was small, but she knew where to aim. Face, stomach, shin, between the legs; she was striking at all of his vital areas. Unfortunately for her, she was too slow to get past his blocks and dodges, and too weak to hurt him when she landed a hit on his less guarded areas.

After several seconds of ineffective retaliation, the girl stopped struggling and glared into Ash's closed eyes. "Let me go or I'll scream," she threatened.

"You're a thief," Ash pointed out, cocking his head to the side.

"Who will notice that when they see you assaulting a little girl in an alley?" she challenged.

"You're a girl?"

"Of course!" she said indignantly. "Just because I'm small doesn't mean I'm a boy!"

"Huh," said Ash as his face scrunched up in thought. "How many girls like you have I run into? I think that makes you the third?"

Now on the verge of panicking, the girl warned, "I'll scream!"

"Then I'll explain you're a thief that I was catching," said Ash reasonably. "You're carrying a purse that clearly isn't yours, so it's pretty obvious."

In response, the thief chunked the purse into a nearby pile of… well, it was mostly brown and smelled worse than Ash's most disastrous attempt at cooking. The coin pouch landed with a loud splat and fell on its side, sinking partway into the heap.

"Now who will believe you?" the girl asked. "You have no proof!"

Instead of responding verbally, Ash dragged her along as he walked to where the purse had fallen.

"So now what? You're going to make me dig it out for you?" she asked, digging in her heels to no effect. "Well, I won't! No matter how much you force me, I won't do a single thing for those greedy nobles. If you want to get it out of that stinkin heap you're going to have to do it yourself!"

"Would you stop shouting in my ear for just one second?" Ash grumbled. He was just managing to regain his sight, blinking away the last bits of grime from his eyes, but now he was in danger of going deaf.

To the girl's surprise, instead of forcing her into the muck to get the money, Ash reached out with his free hand and opened up the purse as it lay in the smell heap. He struggled to hold his breath from the stench as h pried it open with his thumb and scooped up the few remaining coins with his other four fingers. He straightened up quickly, leaving the purse itself in the rotting manure pile, and took a deep breath of relatively cleaner air.

"I really hope Louise only wanted the money and not the purse itself," Ash mused as he slipped the coins into his pocket.

The girl looked at Ash in surprise as he turned and walked to the alley exit, still keeping a gentle but unbreakable grip on her arm. "Where are you taking me?" she asked. "Are you going to take me to the guards to be arrested? Are you looking to humiliate me in public?"

Ash stopped, sighed, and turned around so he was facing her. He made a double take when he noticed her actually appearance. "Are you okay?" he asked instinctively.

The girl glared at him with cold eyes. "What do you think, stupid?"

Ash winced. He had walked right into that one. "Look," he said gently. "I can see that you needed Louise's money, but stealing is still wrong."

"Tell that to me when you're starving and people in a mansion next door are growing fat!"

"I've never experienced it, so I can't say," Ash said honestly. "What I can say, is that you're not a bad kid, just a hungry one. So…" He knelt down, bring him slightly below the child's level. "I have a deal for you."

She gave him a sidelong glance. "Does it involve offering you my services?" she asked suspiciously.

"…no?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow. "You're what, ten? I don't think there's anything you can do that I would need."

The girl looked into Ash's eyes, seeing honest confusion. "I thought you were just a short, fresh-faced bodyguard, but it turns out you're just a kid," she said. "How embarrassing."

An angry tic mark popped up on Ash's forehead. "Why do girls younger than me keep calling me a kid?" he muttered to the sky. He sighed again. "Look, I don't know how much any of these coins are worth, and I shouldn't give away Louise's money, so here's my deal: You come back with me, apologize to Louise, and I ask her to give you some money. How does that sound?"

To his surprise, girl only glared at him. "Do you think I'm stupid?" the girl deadpanned. "No prissy noble is just going to just hand over their stolen money."

"I think you'll find Louise to be a bit different from a typical noble," said Ash. The girl still looked suspicious, but her expression changed to confusion when the boy released his grip on her arm. "I'm not going to force you. It's been a long day and I want to go back to the academy and take a nap. Come along if you want, or don't. Your choice."

Ash turned and slowly walked out of the alley. As he turned onto the street, hearing that the girl's footsteps weren't behind him, he sighed. He wanted to help her, and he'd give her his own money if he could, but Louise's money wasn't his to give. If the girl wished to go her own way, there was little he could do.

Before he had gone far, Ash's ears caught the quick patter of feet. He came to gradual stop. Turning around, he saw the girl, once again wearing her ragged brown cloak, creeping up behind him. Ash couldn't help breaking into a grin.

"You should have given me more time to grab my cloak," the girl huffed as she slunk up to his back.

"Sorry," Ash said sheepishly. "Didn't think about it."

The girl lifted her head so she could meet his eyes. "You're weird," she said frankly. "But the good kind of weird. Are you sure your mistress will give me something?"

"Don't worry," said Ash. "Louise acts cold, but she's a good person. She wouldn't turn down someone in need."

"Are you kidding me? You expect me to give a commoner, a thief no less, my money? The very money she was trying to steal? Absolutely not!"

The grimy girl glared at Louise, as if attempting to burn holes in the noble with her eyes alone.

Ash facepalmed. "Come on, Louise," he pleaded. "Look at her! She was only stealing because she needed it. And she apologized too. You should be able to give her something!"

Louise's expression softened on seeing the dirty girl's tattered clothes and dirtied body. But her eyes hardened as she turned back to her familiar. "Do you know how much a weapon costs?" Louise asked Ash.

"No…?"

"And neither do I," she declared. "Therefore, we can't afford to waste one gold on a peasant. Don't you know what happens when you give money to one of them? Several more crawl out of nowhere, also asking for alms. Next thing you know, you're getting robbed, all because you wanted to help one person."

"I can handle a few thieves," said Ash confidently. "I have a lot of experience dealing with criminals."

"You might, but it's not worth the risk," said Louise with finality.

"Trust me, shortstack," the smallest of the three piped up. "You wouldn't last a second against one of the real ruffians on these streets. They'd skin you and your little lady alive."

"Who are you making short jokes to?" Louise hissed, glaring down at the hooded girl.

"Trust me, I'm stronger than I look," said Ash, putting an arm in front of Louise to settle her. "I can handle a few bad guys."

"Trust you?" The girl snorted. "Just like I trusted you that your mistress would be generous enough to spare me a coin?"

Ash's face fell.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," the thief jeered. "I should have known it was too be good to be true. I've been around enough to see that no one is that generous."

Ash's face perked up. "Have you been around, literally?"

"Humph! I know this entire side of town like the back of my hand," the girl said proudly.

Ash and Louise raised their eyebrows as they looked at the girl's extremely dirty hands.

"Well, excuse me for not having a dozen maids to bathe me every night," the petite pickpocket snapped defensively.

"Who would need a dozen maids to bathe?" Louise asked incredulously. She shook her head. "Never mind that. Would you happen to know where we could find a reputable blacksmith? Specifically, a weaponsmith?"

The girl gave Louise the stink eye. "And what's in it for me? Not getting hauled off to the guards? Or maybe you'll let me off with a warning instead of breaking my hand? Or will you—"

Quick as lightning, Ash clamped a hand over the girl's mouth. "Maybe you'd find some more answers if you gave people a chance to speak," he advised.

The girl pulled away with a huff, but kept silent. Instead, she looked at Louise judgingly.

"Giving to beggars begets beggars forming a line for handouts," Louise began. Ash could see the hooded girl shaking as she struggled to control her tongue. "But paying a commoner for a rendered service is perfectly acceptable," Louise continued. "If you provide a suitable weaponsmith, then we will pay you a finder's fee."

"Oh!" Ash exclaimed, slamming the heel of his fist into his open palm. "Is that what you meant by services when we were in the alley?" he asked the hooded girl.

The pickpocket gave Ash a deadpan look. "I feel embarrassed being caught by someone as stupid as you," she stated, causing Ash to pout. To Louise she asked, "How do I know you'll keep your promise this time?"

"I didn't promise you anything in the first place," Louise grumbled. "But if you want assurance, my familiar is currently holding onto our finances. Ash, put a small silver coin into one of your other pockets."

Ash pulled some coins out of his pocket and sifted through them until he pulled out a small silver one. He slipped it into the pocket on the other side of his pants.

"There," said Louise. "The soft-hearted idiot is now holding onto your payment. If he manages to find a weapon that suits his fancy, then he is free to give the money to you as a reward."

"How do you know you won't spend it on the weapon and leave me with nothing?" the girl asked.

"In the purchase of a proper weapon, that single piece of silver is inconsequential," Louise replied.

"What?"

"She means that a silver coin is pocket change," Ash translated. "Though we still don't know how much one costs…" he added under his breath.

The girl glanced at the purchases sitting by Louise's feet. "I wish I had enough that a silver piece was worth nothing," she said bitterly. "Fine. I'll trust you on this. Follow me." Despondent, she tightened her hood over her head and began walking.

"Wait," Louise commanded.

"What?" the girl snapped, stopping but not turning around.

"What is your name?" Louise asked. "I'm getting tired of mentally calling you 'girl' or 'thief' all the time."

There was a moment of silence from the hooded girl. After several seconds, she turned around. "Maybe if I get paid, I'll feel inclined to answer that question," she retorted before stomping away.

Louise looked indignant, but Ash put an arm out in front of her and shook his head. Louise didn't look mollified, but she followed Ash's lead and quietly followed their guide.

"This is the place?" Louise asked skeptically.

The three were in a narrow, dingy alley. Muck lined the walls of each building. Every step they took left footprints in the filthy street. Shop signs hung still in the stale air. Directly in front of them was a shop. The bronze sign that hung above the door had a sword on it.

"The shop owner's been in a slump of bad luck, but he's been the best weapon dealer in the city for years," the hooded girl confirmed. "He's got some pricey bits, but some good stuff too. Just make sure he doesn't overcharge you and make me lose my cut."

"If you know so much about him, why don't you come with us and help?" Ash suggested.

The hood sharply turned as the little girl winced. "I may be on bad terms with the owner," she admitted.

"You stole from him?" Louise assumed.

The other girl nodded sheepishly.

"I guess we'll just have to hope for the best and buy something that doesn't cost an arm and a leg," Ash said he stepped toward the shop door. He paused, then turned to their hooded guide. "Um… would you mind watching our stuff while we're in there?"

"You want to leave our bags outside?" Louise asked incredulously.

"Do you want to bring new clothes in a weapon shop?" Ash questioned.

Louise grumbled, but turned to their hooded guide expectantly.

"I'm going to need payment up front," the girl demanded, holding out an open hand.

Louise nodded to Ash, who dug through his pocket to fish out a small silver coin and place it the hooded girl's palm.

The coin was immediately tucked into the girl's hair. "I'll ward anyone away from your bags as I wait for the rest of my payment," she said with a satisfied grin.

"You better not try to run off," Louise warned.

"I won't."

The girl looked sincere, but Louise was still cautious. "Ash, use your weird sensing thing to keep track of her," she whispered to her familiar. "If you sense her step away from her post, make sure we don't lose anything."

Ash nodded, but he believed their still unnamed guide would keep her word. After all, trusting someone with no identification that they had only just met under bad circumstances wasn't a bad thing, right?

A gentle ringing of a door chime announced the two's entrance into the weapon shop, which was just as unimpressive on the inside as it was on the outside. Weapons covered in a thin layer of soot and dust hung from the walls or were bundled together in barrels that were spaced randomly throughout the store. Seated behind the shop's long front desk was a portly, round-faced man in his fifties. His face was scowling as he watched the door open, but his expression curled into a greedy smile when he saw the two youths enter his store.

"And what can I do for you today, young lady?" he asked.

The shop owner immediately deferred to Louise who was dressed in the robes and clasp of a mage noble. Ash was dressed oddly, but he wasn't wearing a recognizable outfit that showed his class. And he looked rather lost, turning his head to and fro as if searching for a ghost. The arms dealer assumed him to be a young attendant to the young lady, which meant that she was wandering without a minder. That meant she was rather incredibly dangerous, or a sheltered, naïve fool.

"I am looking for a sword for my fa—bodyguard," Louise quickly amended. "One suited for a noble, if you have anything like that in your…" her words trailed of as she reexamined the dinky store. "…fine establishment. I am unfamiliar with weapons, so just bring out your best."

The owner rubbed his hands greedily. Naïve fool it was. This was his chance to turn his luck around and make a fortune off the little lady. "I have just the thing," he said. Taking a key from a chain that hung around his neck, he ducked under the counter and opened a hidden compartment. He pulled out a gleaming rapier with a very ornately carved guard and handle and placed it on the counter.

"It looks good," said Louise appreciatively. "But it looks too frail. Bring me something larger and stronger."

The shop owner gave her a confused look. "The sword is for the boy, is it not?" he asked, nodding his head towards Ash, who was engaged in a staring contest with a barrel of weapons that was sitting in the filthiest corner of the store.

"It is," Louise said proudly. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, Miss, different swords are suited for different people, you see?" the shop owner said sagely. "In my eternally humble opinion, a rapier like this is a perfect fit for your… escort's physique. If you catch my drift?"

"Don't presume to know better than I do," Louise snapped. "I said to get a larger and stronger sword for my guard!"

"Everything okay over there?" Ash called out, looking back at the two.

"Everything is fine," Louise assured him. "I'm just making sure this old man knows exactly what kind of sword you need."

"Cool!" Ash said, abandoning his wanderings and running up to the counter like a child in a candy store. "What are we getting?"

The store owner sighed and ducked under his counter once again. "Stupid nobles never listen to the experts," he grunted under his breath as he put away the rapier and drew out an even more ornate broadsword. At least now he was justified in fleecing the brat for all she was worth. The dealer gently laid the sword on the counter and drew it from its sheathe so the two could observe its naked brilliance.

"It looks magnificent," Louise said in awe.

"This blade was forged with a silver infusion to give it the most brilliant shine," the shop owner said with pride. "That cross guard is made of solid gold. All of those jewels you see are genuine. A famous Germanian blacksmith crafted this sword as his life's work, and I have been holding onto it for many years waiting for the right person to sell it to." The lies flowed from his mouth like water from a fountain, and the two children ate it up.

"I've never seen a sword so amazing," said Ash breathlessly. "Can I try it?"

"Be my guest," the shop owner said with a dark chuckle. He watched as Ash lifted the sword off the counter, expecting him to drop it due to the weight of the blade. To his surprise, Ash picked it up with ease and gave it a few test swings.

"It feels a bit light," Ash commented as he made practiced slashes in the air. "Blade length feels weird too. It looks really cool, but I don't think it's the right blade for me."

"But it fits your image perfectly," said Louise.

"And it only costs two thousand ecu," the shop owner added.

"Two thousand!" Louise exclaimed.

"What's an ecu?" Ash asked.

The chop owner gave him a funny look. "You don't know what money is, boy?" he asked.

"He's new," Louise explained.

"Ah, that explains the funny looking black hair."

"My hair looks funny?"

"Not important," Louise interrupted. "Ash, it looks like we'll have to take a different weapon after all. I'll have to wait for my next allowance before we can afford this sword."

"I don't mind," said Ash honestly. "This doesn't even feel like a real weapon anyway."

The shop fell quiet enough to hear a pin drop. "Come again?" Louise asked.

"I don't think this sword is a real weapon," Ash repeated. "See my runes?" He pointed at his left hand which was wielding the sword. The runes were mostly covered by his fingerless gloves, but a few of the marks were visibly inert. "They always glow when I'm holding a weapon, and glow brighter when I swing it. But they aren't reacting at all, so I don't think this sword is a real weapon."

Louise slowly turned her head to the shop owner, her eyes narrowed in rage. "Were you trying to sell me a fake?" she hissed.

'The boy doesn't know what he's talking about!" the man protested. "Those types of swords are the ones all the nobles are giving to their servants right now. They're expensive, yes, but everyone wants one! Take a look around the capital. You'll see plenty of nobles whose servants are armed with swords just like that one!"

Louise's eyes narrowed further. "I thought you said this sword was the life's work of a Germanian blacksmith," she said suspiciously. "If that's the case, how would so many swords of its kind exist all the way in Tristan?"

"I, well—" The shop owner pulled on his collar as he started to sweat.

Louise's glare forced the store owner to turn away. "Ash," the girl called.

"Yes?"

"We're leaving." With that, Louise turned on her heel and stormed towards the door.

"Hold on," said Ash. "I need to check something first."

"What is it?" Louise asked, turning back towards him.

Ash wandered to the forlorn corner of the store that had attracted his attention the minute they had stepped inside. "I know there's something here," he said. "Or someone."

"Like a store attendant?" Louise asked with a sniff.

"Who you callin' an attendant, girlie?" a gruff voice asked.

Louise whirled around to the shop owner, who raised his hands in surrender and shook his head vigorously. Turning her head back to the corner of the store the voice had come from, she saw no one. "Who said that?" she called out.

"Use your eyes instead of your big mouth and maybe you'll find out!" the voice cackled.

"Ha!" Ash cried triumphantly. "I knew I wasn't going crazy!" He stepped forward and stuck his hand inside a barrel of weapons, pulling out a rust-covered longsword. The runes on his hand glowed brightly as he pointed the blade up. "You're a taking sword, aren't you?"

"Whatever gave you that idea, partner?" the sword shot back, a rusty latch on its hilt opening and closing like a mouth.

"Partner?" Ash echoed.

"You're the Gandalfr, aren'tcha?" the sword responded. "I'm Derflinger, which makes me your partner."

"Is that how it works?" Ash asked.

Louise suddenly grabbed Ash by the ear. "Why are you so calm?" she hissed in his ear. "It's a talking sword. Swords don't talk! Unless you're going to tell me that this is normal for you?"

"I've never seen a talking sword before either," Ash admitted. "But I have seen living swords before. Well, kind of living. They were ghost-types. Some say that the swords were possessed by the souls of dead soldiers and floated around looking for people to grab their handles so they could drain the life from them." He looked down at Derflinger, suddenly looking nervous. "You aren't a soul eating sword ghost creature, are you?"

"HAHA!" the sword cackled. "That's the most ridiculous story I've ever heard! No, partner, I'm not going to eat your soul. I may not have one of my own, but I don't need it!"

Ash let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear," he said. "That would have been awkward."

"Awkward!" Louise exploded. "You took a chance that this sword could have eaten your soul and you're this casual about it!"

"I kinda forgot about the stories until after I picked him up," Ash explained sheepishly.

"YOU ARE AN IDIOT!"

Derf chuckled as Ash halfheartedly defend himself from Louise's fist bashing against his skull. "This makes me feel really nostalgic," the sword said heartily. "And I don't even remember why!"

"Shut up, you pesky sword," the shop owner grumbled. "Thanks to you, my business has plummeted."

"Ha! Maybe if you stopped trying to swindle people, you'd actually make a profit. How's that for solid advice?"

"Speaking of swindling," said Louise with a deceptively sweet smile as she turned to the shop owner. "How much for the sword?"

"Well," the man said thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin. "The sword is a one of a kind and claims to be six thousand years old. I could probably sell him for…" A look into Louise's eyes made the man reconsider his tune. "One hundred ecu," he said promptly.

"Is that so?"

The old man started to sweat. "Please, miss, I need to earn a living here," he begged.

"You could start by emptying out the trash you have lyin' around the place," Derflinger piped up. "This place hasn't seen a good sweeping in months. And trust me, I've been here the entire time—"

"Free! Take him for free!" the man shouted desperately. "That sword is cursed with misfortune! Just get it out of my store! In fact, you'd be doing me a favor if you did so! I'll owe you a favor! Please, just get rid of it!"

"Hmm…" Louise looked suspicious, but taking a sword for free was suitable compensation for trying to deceive and belittle her. The favor was a nice bonus, though she doubted she would have need of it. "We accept. A pleasure doing business with you." She turned to Ash, who was staring at the shop door. "What?" she asked.

"Trouble outside, I think," he said as he headed towards the door, his new sword still in hand. He pushed open the door to see four guys dressed in ratty clothing making a semi-circle around Louise's new purchases. Barely visible behind the larger figures was the ratty cloak of their pickpocket/guide, who was shouting at the four thugs.

"—you better be gone by the time they come out, otherwise they'll chop ya to pieces and roast the skin from your flesh!"

"Oh, don't worry," said the biggest one, a ruffian with a scar over his right eyebrow. "We'll be gone long before they're out. You'd best be gone too, unless you want trouble." The jingle of the door chime caused his head to snap towards the door, where he saw Ash stepping out with a rusted sword. "I thought you said it was a noble girl and her bodyguard!" he said with a laugh. "Who's this pipsqueak with a beat-up sword?"

"I don't know who you are, but you're picking on my new friend," Ash said with a glare. "Leave."

The band of four started laughing. "Really?" the biggest one asked with a sneer. "And who's going to make us?"

"Ash, what is going on over here?" Louise asked as she stepped out of the store. The men's laughter abruptly stopped when they noticed the pentagram clasp on the girl's cloak.

"It's a mage!"

"Run for it!"

"She's going to burn our skin off!"

The biggest goon's three companions took off immediately, but he still stood defiantly. "A child mage isn't a threat," he said, half to himself as he drew a shabby knife from his belt. "I doubt a little girl like you even knows how to cast a spell." He took a menacing step towards Louise, who instinctively reached for her wand. She forced herself to keep a steady hand, even as her legs threatened to wobble. The ignorant ruffian was wrong about her being a child, but he was right about her not being able to cast a spell.

Ash, as fearless as ever, drew his blade and pointed it in the face of the man. "Leave," Ash growled as the runes on his hand grew in intensity.

The ruffian took pause when he saw the boy's brown eyes shift to icy blue. The trash littering the alleyway began to shift as waves of energy began emanating from Ash's body. He noticed the marks beneath Ash's glove gradually increasing in brightness. "You're both mages!" he screeched, running off after his friends.

Ash blinked, letting his eyes return to normal and his aura die down. "That was easier than I expected," he said as he pulled Derflinger back into his sheathe. "I expected them to at least try to put up a fight."

"I'm glad they didn't," said Louise shakily.

The hooded girl looked between the two of them in confusion. "You're both mages?" the hooded girl asked cautiously.

"Yes."

"No."

Louise and Ash exchanged a glance.

"It's complicated," Ash said. "I can do a few tricks, but I'm more of a magical beast trainer than a spell caster or a fighter."

"Then where's your beasts?"

Ash's face fell. "I was summoned to Louise without my partner or any of my other companions," he said dejectedly.

"Don't worry, partner! Now you have me!"

The hooded girl jumped back, startled. "You bought the cursed sword?" she asked hysterically. "I told you to be careful! He's been trying to get rid of that thing forever! How much did he swindle you for it? Any amount you payed was too much!"

"Actually, he gave it to us for free," said Louise triumphantly. "He deserved as much for trying to trick us with a fake sword."

The girl let out a sigh. "But you still got that sword?" she asked.

"I'll have you know that I'm a one of a kind, ancient, legendary sword!" Derflinger declared. "I'll bet you've never laid eyes on a weapon quite like me, isn't that right?"

The girl shied away from the blade, shivering worse than when she had been surrounded by thieves.

"Stop scaring her," Ash scolded the talking weapon. He turned to the girl. "And yes, I picked Derflinger because he reminds me of a creature from my region. You did good." Ash pulled a silver coin from his pocket and flicked it to the girl, who snagged it from the air like frog's tongue to a fly.

"I'm surprised you actually stayed and guarded our possessions," Louise admitted.

"You think I'm a coward or something?" the girl challenged.

"Yes," Louise replied honestly. "You look someone who would run at the first sign of trouble."

"Louise," Ash said chidingly.

"She isn't wrong," the little girl said with a shrug. "Living in the streets means picking your battles. But a chance to make good coin was worth it."

"You'd risk your life for a single coin?" Louise asked incredulously.

"That sounds reckless," Ash added.

"I wasn't sticking my neck out," the girl retorted, sticking out her tongue. "Those guys looked nervous the moment I mentioned a noble being in the shop. They only stuck around to see if I was bluffing. I knew that once the little miss came swinging her spells around, they'd go packing. Though, I didn't expect your little guard to have a trick like that too."

"Stop with the short jokes," Louise said through gritted teeth. "I'm taller than you are!"

"At least I still have room to grow," the girl replied impishly, sticking out her tongue and darting away before Louise could grab. She laughed as she watched Ash bar Louise from chasing her further. "Name's Plum! Next time you're in town, drop by the old church if you're in need of a guide." With her farewells said, she scampered away.

"Stay safe!" Ash called out as he waved her off.

Louise settled down, but only gave a huff instead of saying any form of goodbye.

Ash made a content sigh as he picked up the load of bags. "You know, the best part about traveling is making new friends," he said with a satisfied smile. Hearing no response, he turned to Louise, who was glaring at him suspiciously. "What?" he asked.

"Do you have a thing for little girls?"

"…What?"

Chapter Text

Louise and Ash returned from their city excursion with several additional pounds of clothing and rusted steel, and several coins lighter in their metaphorical coin pouch. As they neared the academy gates, they could see a small procession of people on horseback escorting a carriage into the academy.

"What's going on there?" Ash asked Louise.

Louise peered around the side of her horse's head to see an unmistakable coat of arms on the uniforms of the mounted guards. "That's the symbol of the royal family!" she exclaimed excitedly. "The princess is here!"

"Isn't the holiday tomorrow?" Ash asked. "Why is she arriving now?"

"Perhaps she wanted to arrive early to be ready fresh in the morning for the events to start," Louise suggested.

Ash nodded. It sounded like a reasonable assumption. "Should we catch up to the carriage introduce ourselves?" he suggested.

Louise raised an arm to swat him, but given the distance, decided lower her hand and verbally berate her familiar instead. "No, we do not casually approach the Princess to give introductions," she said primly. "If the princess is available to interact with the students, then we will meet her at the proper time. Until then, we will simply appreciate that she has graced the academy and its inhabitants with her presence."

"That makes…sense?"

Obviously, Ash didn't get it. Louise looked completely heart-struck even mentioning the princess. Louise's reaction went beyond the expected respect or admiration; it bordered outright worship. The foreign boy knew that meeting a princess was a big deal, especially since they were responsible for ruling the country in this era, but this was a little much. And speaking of ruling the country…

"Louise, how come the princess is visiting the academy out of the blue instead of, I don't know, doing princessy things?"

"Princessy things?" Louise echoed with a dubious frown.

"You know, whatever a princess normally does. Like…" Ash's mind went blank. "Drinking tea with people?" he guessed lamely.

Louise appeared thoroughly unimpressed. "There's more to being a princess than drinking tea," she stated, looking offended by the suggestion. "The princess must be taking precious time to see the development of the upcoming aristocracy. I can't say why she might decide to do so. How would I know? I cannot assume anything on her behalf."

"True," Ash said thoughtfully. "Well, at least I'll be able to meet an actual princess. That'll be fun."

"You better behave yourself."

"Since when do I not?"

Louise narrowed her eyes. "I will deny you breakfast."

"That doesn't even make sense. I'm in the kitchen almost every day," Ash pointed out.

Not to be outdone, Louise raised the stakes. "I will ban you from the kitchen."

"Seriously?" Ash questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that a bit much?"

Louise huffed and crossed her arms, somehow avoiding tangling the reins she held in the process. "I'm just making sure you know the seriousness of the matter," she said sternly. "You have to be on your absolutely best behavior in front of the princess. Otherwise, it will reflect badly on me. Do you understand?"

"Got it," Ash replied. He knew how important reputation was to Louise. While Ash normally wasn't too concerned about having perfect manners, he knew that Louise would be mortified if he messed up in front of the princess of her country. Plus, he didn't want to leave a bad impression on the princess either. It wasn't every day he got to meet royalty, after all.

Louise set the pace, forcing their horses to slow to steady walk as they waited for the Princess and her entourage to fully enter the academy before they breached the entrance. Ash followed Louise's lead to a stable boy who was waiting off to the side.

"We return the horses here," Louise instructed.

"Got it," Ash replied, swinging him off his mount with ease. "It was nice to ride you, keep up the good work," he said to the horse as he gave it a scratch behind the ears.

"Posey seems to like you a lot," said the stable boy as he took the reins from Ash's hand. "You must have a good way with animals."

"Something like that," Ash replied. "I'm more used to magical creatures, but there's not much of a difference."

"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't risk my hand dealing with a griffon or flame dragon. Those things are dangerous!"

"I haven't seen a griffon yet, but dragons aren't too bad if you're careful. Be careful around the young ones though. If they're teething, they'll gnaw on anything and won't pay attention to their jaw strength."

"If you're done talking," Louise interrupted pointedly from on top of her mount.

Ash glanced up, looking at her quizzically. "Why are you still up there?" he asked. "I thought we were returning the horses."

"You're supposed to help me down," Louise said through gritted teeth.

"Oh." Ash didn't remember her saying that, but then again, she had trouble getting onto the horse in the first place. "Alright, give me your hand."

Ash offered a hand to Louise to help her down. The girl took it firmly and lifted one leg off her mount. Then she slipped. Maybe it was because she was used to having assistance from taller servants, or perhaps Ash failed to stabilize her properly. Either way, instead of Ash helping her step onto the ground, Louise slipped from the stirrup and fell bodily onto the boy's stomach.

"Ow," Ash groaned as he hit the ground with a dull thud.

"Idiot!" Louise shouted, rubbing her bottom. Ash's belly was softer than the ground, but the fall still stung. "That's not how you help a lady off a horse!"

"Could you get off me before you start yelling? It's hard for me to breath," Ash wheezed as he tried to force air back into his lungs. The fall had knocked the wind out of him, and Louise's weight—meager as it was—was doing a good job keeping it out.

"Are you calling me fat?" Louise asked indignantly.

"No, you're pretty small actually."

SMACK

"I'm still growing! I'm just a late bloomer!"

"What was the slap for? And get off me already!"

"Apologize first!"

"For what? You're the one who slapped me!"

"You're the one who deserved it!"

"I can see that you two want some time alone," the stable boy said awkwardly as he watched the two argue on their spot of the courtyard grass. He had seen enough lover spats to know where this was going. "I'll take the horses back and bring the items up to your room." He briefly bowed to them before making a quick getaway with the two horses and their cargo.

Louise, realizing the compromising position she was in, quickly stood up and brushed stray grass from her skirt. "You really are troublesome," she huffed.

"I still have no clue what you're mad about," Ash said flatly, also rising to his feet.

"Hmph!" Louise turned up her nose and stalked away. "You'll need to learn how to deal with ladies properly if you're not going to be an embarrassment as my familiar."

"I'd learn a lot better if you used words instead of your hands and feet," Ash deadpanned. "I don't speak kick, kick, slap."

Louise turned around and marched back to Ash. Looking him square in the eye, she asked, "Are you being sarcastic with me?"

"A little," Ash admitted. He normally wasn't so snarky, but when Louise was acting like this, it was hard for him to not bite back.

Louise crossed her arms and turned away. "You're infuriating," she said without any heat in her words. There was a faint blush in her cheeks as she pointedly looked away from her familiar's direction.

Ash smiled. Louise, like all girls, could be very hard to read. However, her passive-aggressive words were a habit he had grown to recognize and accept as her way of expressing herself. "Come on," he said invitingly. "Let's go see if we can catch up to the Princess."

In a flash, Louise whirled around and reverted back into her lecturing mode. "I already told you, if the princess makes a formal presentation, we may approach her." She turned to where the princess was dismounting, surrounded on all sides by her guards, with a second ring of a crowd encompassing them. "Until she is ready to give a formal appearance, we will simply appreciate the fact that is visiting the academy at all and—hey! Don't go running off without me!"

Louise sprinted to catch up to Ash, who had stopped listening halfway into her tirade and wandered towards the crowds, hoping to catch a glimpse of the princess.

"Don't just run off when I'm talking!" Louise hissed in Ash's ear as she caught up to him.

"I don't want to miss my chance to see the princess," Ash replied, trying and failing to peer over the heads of the mage students. "Don't you want to see?"

"We're not going to be able to see anything with these people in the way," Louise said pragmatically.

The disappointment in Louise's voice was palpable enough for Ash to feel it. After a brief moment of consideration, he flashed her a sly smile. "Maybe we both can't," he said slowly as an idea came to mind. "But one of us might."

"What are you thinking?" Louise asked suspiciously.

"Hold on!"

That was the only warning Louise got before Ash grabbed her by the legs and hoisted her onto his shoulder. She shrieked as she suddenly found herself several feet higher into the air. "What are you doing?" she yelped, kicking her legs in vain against Ash's iron grip. "Put me down!"

"You sure?" Ash asked cheekily. "Take a look!"

Louise unconsciously turned to do so. From her new vantage point, she could see well over the heads of her classmates, and even over the heads of the all-female guards that surrounded the princess. Briefly, Louise's pink eyes made contact with the princess's blue ones. The royal's polite smile widened and loosened into a genuine one as she gave a small nod in Louise's direction. Louise watched as the princess was escorted into the Fire Tower, not noticing the giddy smile on her own face. Once the princess was inside with her guards, the crowds slowly dispersed.

Louise didn't say anything at first as Ash slowly lowered her to the ground. She turned to thank her familiar, only to find that he had his eyes closed. "What are you doing?" she asked, her previous words forgotten.

Ash opened his eyes and blinked repeatedly as his eyes readjusted to normal vision. "I couldn't see anything through people's bodies, so I tried to use my Aura Sight instead," he replied. "The princess has a really strong Aura. Is she a powerful mage too?"

"Of course!" Louise said proudly. "She's a member of the Royal Family, a direct descendant of Brimir himself! She's already a triangle class mage capable of using healing magic!"

"That's amazing!" Ash didn't know how advanced healing magic was, but he'd never heard of any of the students using it, so it must have been difficult to learn.

Louise nodded in obvious satisfaction. "I knew you would eventually realize just how amazing her majesty is," she said with pride.

"You must really care about her, huh?"

"Of course!" Louise proclaimed. "Why would you even question my devotion to the princess?"

Ash let out a soft snort. Then a chuckle. Then he bent over in unrestrained laughter as Louise looked on in confusion and annoyance.

"Are you laughing at me?" she asked indignantly.

"Not—ha! Exactly," Ash said between laughs as he struggled to calm himself. "Sorry. It's just, you were so antsy today, and now you finally look relaxed."

Louise narrowed her eyes, not understanding his intentions. "Are you saying something insulting?"

"No, Louise," Ash assured her, fully recovered from his laughing fit. "What I'm saying is, I'm glad to see you back to normal." He gave her a genuine smile.

"Oh," Louise wasn't sure how to respond to that. Very few people gave her such heartfelt words. It took all of her willpower to avoid becoming a stuttering mess. "Well, I'm still watching you to be on your best behavior. You better not embarrass me in front of the princess, or I will make you suffer."

"Of course, Louise," Ash replied good-naturedly.

Immediately after entering her room, Louise was hit by an embarrassing revelation. The girl immediately marched to her bed and fell face first into it. "How could I forget!" she moaned into her pillow.

"What'd we forget?" Ash ventured to ask.

Louise rolled over on the bed and laid there, eagle spread, as she lamented her woes to her kindly familiar. "The biggest part of the Void Day event is the Familiar Exhibition. Now you have proper clothes and a sword, but we still don't have a routine for you to perform!"

"It's a performance?"

"Obviously," Louise replied. "We're supposed to showcase our summoned familiars. Some people pose with their familiar, others have them perform tricks. But we don't have anything prepared! Oh… we're definitely not going to win now. I'm going to be embarrassed in front of the princess!" She rolled into her pillow and gave a muffled scream of frustration.

"A showcase of familiars, with posing or tricks," Ash said thoughtfully. "So, it's basically a contest?"

"Exhibition, contest, doesn't matter if we're going to lose!"

"Don't give up hope yet," said Ash with confidence. "It'll be rough, but I think I can come up with something by tomorrow morning."

"What, don't tell me you're a circus performer?" another voice interjected.

Louise shrieked, jumping from the bed and landing on the floor with a painful yelp.

"There you are, Derflinger," said Ash, spotting the sword lying on the floor near a wall. "What are doing down there?"

"Ask the serving boy who brought me up," the sword grunted. "He thought he would try swinging me around for the fun of it, but when I started telling him what a great weapon I was, he screamed and tossed me against the wall. What is wrong with people these days? It's like they've never seen a talking sword before!"

Louise glared at the sword as she rose from the floor. "Are talking swords supposed to be normal where you come from?" she asked with an annoyed hiss.

"Hm…" the rusted sword gave a thoughtful hum. "I don't know; can't seem to remember. But I'll tell you this, there isn't a talking sword as powerful as me! I don't know why, but that's a fact!"

"You're even worse than Ash," Louise deadpanned as she crawled back onto the bed.

"You don't get away with insulting me that easily," the sword fired back. "Partner, back me up on this! But this little girl in her place!"

"Little!"

"Derflinger, now you're provoking her for no reason," Ash rebuked the sword. "We're all friends here, so let's all get along, okay?"

"Huh. For someone with so much passion, you're quite the peacemaker, aren't you partner?" the sword said thoughtfully. While it was worded as a question, it sounds like the old weapon was talking to himself.

"I guess," Ash replied. "There's no point in fighting each other. Shouldn't we all just get along."

"You sound naïve, but it is true," said Louise, her condescending tone giving way to reluctant acknowledgement. "That said, if that sword insists on being a nuisance, I'll throw him into the forest."

"I'd like to see you try!"

Louise took a menacing step towards the rusted sword.

"Hey! Don't look at me like that. I was just kidding. Partner, help a sword out here. You're not going to let her throw me away like that are you? Partner!"

"Louise, leave him alone," said Ash. His words stopped Louise just as she was reaching out to Drflinger with a terrifying expression on her face. "We just added him to the team, give him some time to adjust."

Louise let out a dainty huff as she stood up. "Very well," she said begrudgingly. "Provided he learns to keep his mouth shut, I will tolerate his presence." A glare at the rusted sword showed what she truly thought about the talking weapon.

"Ha! I don't even have a mouth! And if I did, I'd hate to have one as wide and loud as yours!"

Louise's eyes grew blank as she drew her wand. "I'm so glad I didn't spend money on you," she said ominously.

Ash sighed. He stepped between the two, putting one hand to lower Louise's wand arm and the other to grab Derflinger by the sheathe. "Derflinger, stop antagonizing Louise," he said sternly. "Louise, put your wand away. There's no need for insults, and there's no need for violence. Let's just all get along for now, okay?" He looked at the two of them sternly.

Derflinger was quiet for once, and Louise sighed as she put away her wand.

The pink haired girl put a hand to her mouth as she yawned. "This day has been too long," she complained. "Wake me up in the morning with a routine ready for us to practice. I can't afford to lose any more sleep."

"You might want to change first," Ash suggested, noticing that her cloak and clothes were dirtied from their excursion to the city.

"Too tired," Louise mumbled. She stumbled over to her bed and flopped on it, not even bothering to reach the pillows properly.

A knock on the door interrupted the girl's sweet escape into sleep. Louise glared at the door angrily. "Who would be rude enough to come knocking at this hour?" she hissed.

Ash refrained from reminding her that the sun had only barely reached the treetops; night had yet to begin. Instead, he set down the now silent Derflinger against the wall before moving to open the door. "Let's see who it is," he said. "Hello—" He tried to greet the hooded figure who stood in the doorway, but the person pushed passed him to enter the room.

The sudden intrusion made Louise sit up from the bed. "Who are you?" she asked guardedly.

Ash snagged the person's wrist as they approached Louise, causing them to give a very feminine yelp. "Hold on…" he said as a familiar tinge of Aura filtered through his arm and reached his eyes. "Princess Henrietta?"

The person pulled the hood of her head, revealing her purple hair and blue eyes. "You could recognize me even with my disguise?" she asked Ash in surprise.

"You have a very bright aura," Ash answered honestly. He released her arm and took a respectful step back to give her personal space. "A cloak isn't going to disguise that."

"Such a flatterer," the Princess said with a smile, entirely missing the literalness of Ash's statement. "My dear Louise, I see you have a very fine… guardian?" She seemed a bit confused by Ash's appearance. He wasn't dressed like a commoner, but he also wasn't wearing the robes of a noble. He looked like a child with his youthful face, short stature, and bright-eyed expression. However, his action to intercept her from Louise was in line with a personal guard.

"Your highnesses words are too kind," Louise said, dropping into a formal curtsey. Ash quickly followed her cue and gave a bow as well.

To Ash's surprise, the princess looked saddened by Louise's politeness. "Please, raise your heads, both of you," Henrietta urged. "Louise, there is no reason to be formal around me. Rather, greet me as you once did, when we were both young and without responsibilities."

"I couldn't possibly…"

"Please? Just for me? At least when we're in private."

Louise bit her lip. "I suppose I can do that, Princess, no, Henrietta."

"Thank you, Louise."

Ash, who had been whipping his head between the two's exchanges of dialogue, suddenly interjected, "I feel like I'm missing some context here. You two know each other?"

For once, Louise didn't give him a dirty look for interrupting. "I had the honor of being chosen as the Princess's playmate when we were younger," said Louise.

"I'd prefer to think of us as childhood friends."

"Oh!" Ash said in realization. "She's the female friend you were talking about. That makes sense now. If you grew up with a princess, then I can see why you never learned how to be around normal guys."

"Ash…" Louise growled.

"Oh, was I not supposed to say that?" Ash asked sheepishly

Louise kicked his shin repeatedly as she lectured him, "How many times I have told you to be respectful in front of the princess! You're disgracing me!"

"You're the one kicking me like a child," Ash pointed out. This only encouraged Louise to kick him harder. "Alright! I give! I'm sorry, you can stop kicking me now!" Louise's kicks weren't actually hurting him, but Ash figured it was better to appease her before she decided to take more drastic measures. He didn't know if she could enforce a ban on the kitchen, but it was essential to his survival that he had access to the room that produced the heavenly food of the academy. That, and her 'punishing' him was probably doing worse to her reputation than his accidental insult.

The two turned their heads to the sound of Princess Henrietta stifling a giggle. "I'm pleased to see that you have been keeping my dear Louise company," she said with a smile. "Ash, was it?"

"Yes, your majesty," Ash replied, tucking in his arm and bowing at the waist. "I am Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon trainer of the Kanto Region. I am very honored to meet you in person."

The princess gave him a small curtsey. "I am Princess Henrietta of Tristan. The pleasure is all mine, Ash. Or is it Sir Ash?"

"Oh, I'm not a noble," Ash stated. "I'm not even a mage."

"Yes, you are," Louise hissed.

"But you have a last name?" Henrietta said confusion.

Ash could only shrug. "Culture difference, your majesty" he explained. "Most people where I come from have last names."

"I see," said Henrietta. She still looked inquisitive, but the answer appeased her immediate curiosity. "But there is no need for formalities between us when we are in private. A friend of Louise is a friend of mine."

"Same here," said Ash, letting his posture relax. "Wow, I never thought I'd end up befriending a princess here. This is unreal."

"I'm glad that you're finally understanding the true brilliance of the princess's presence," Louise said proudly.

"You flatter me too much, Louise," said Henrietta politely.

Louise now looked at her longtime friend in concern. "Something is troubling you, Henrietta," she stated.

The princess didn't bother hiding a resigned sigh. "You know me too well," said Henrietta. "While I did come here to see you again, I'm afraid I have other news to bring. I am getting married soon."

"What?!" Louise exclaimed.

"You're old enough to be married?" Ash asked in surprise.

"It's a political marriage," Henrietta explained. "As you know, Albion insurgents have the royal family on the run. It is only a matter of time before the Reconquista solidify their hold and then turn their sights to Tristan. To ensure our country does not fall, I will be wed to Germanian Emperor."

Louise gasped in shock, but her familiar only looked confused.

"Hold on," Ash interrupted. "Where's Albion? What insurgents? Who's the Reconquista? And how does this involve Germania?"

Henrietta looked at Ash in disbelief. She turned to Louise, who was burying her face in her hands and pretending she was anywhere else but her room, in front of the princess, being thoroughly embarrassed by her familiar. "You're not familiar with Albion, the White Country?" the princess asked Ash.

"Not really," Ash replied honestly. "Louise has mentioned it before, but not in detail."

"Ash is from very far away," Louise offered as an explanation. "I can't even find his home country on a map."

"You have a map?" Ash asked.

"Of course!"

Henrietta cleared her throat. "If you could fetch it please, Louise, I think I'll be able to clear up the situation for Ash."

Louise looked miffed, but when prompted by the princess, she couldn't disobey. She grabbed a rolled-up paper from her collection of school papers and spread it out on the table. The Princess took one chair and Ash stood to the side, letting Louise take the other chair. Ash didn't know how he had missed the map earlier. It was nothing like the Kalos region he was familiar with. The shape was all wrong, and the landmass wasn't connected to the rest of the continent in the same way either. While he couldn't read the words on the map, he could recognize the cardinal directions were the same. From what he remembered from his own globe, the map didn't match any landmass he was familiar with.

"Here we are, in Tristan," said Henrietta, pointing to a small country near the center of the map. Next, she tapped a similarly sized island not far off the coast. "And this is Albion. It normally floats over the waters, but it is known to pass over the continent a few times every month."

"Did you say it floats?" Ash asked. The princess nodded. "How does it do that?"

"Windstones," the princess replied simply.

"Which are…?"

"Ash, the princess does not have time to explain everything to you," Louise said crossly. "Just accept it and let the princess continue."

Ash gave a hesitant nod. He had a feeling something was off, but it was rude to interrupt the princess. "Sorry, Henrietta, please continue."

The violet haired girl nodded, next pointing to an enormous country that took up the entire northern part of the map. "This is the Germanian Empire. Germania is the largest and most powerful country in Halkegenia right now. When the insurgents from Albion—the Reconquista, as the traitors call themselves—finish taking over the country, Tristan will be their next target. To prevent this, I will be wed to the Germanian Emperor to stabilize and alliance between our two countries. This will leave the traitors unable to expand their reign of terror any further."

"What about the other countries?" Ash asked, pointing to the rest of the map.

This time, Louise answered him. "Gallia is ruled by the Mad King Joseph. There is no reason to associate with them. Romalia is home of the Pope and the Church. It would be ill of us to involve them in such manners. The only countries left are the insignificant ones bordering elf territory that are slowly being swallowed up by the Germanian army."

"Elf territory?"

"Where the elves live, obviously."

"What's an elf? Is that a type of magical creature?"

Henrietta was giving Ash a very peculiar look. "Do you truly not understand any of this?" she asked.

"No," Ash replied honestly with a small frown. "Windstones, floating continents, elves? Where in the world are we?"

"Tristan, obviously," Louise replied.

"No," Ash replied with a shake of his head. "I mean like, on a larger scale."

"Halkegenia?" Henrietta answered, still not understanding his question.

"I got that part," said Ash. "But where is Halkegenia?"

The two noble girls looked at each other. Neither had comprehension on their faces. "I beg your pardon?" Henrietta asked.

"I thought Tristan was like Kalos, but this map is entirely different," said Ash, now speaking half to himself as he tried to fit the pieces together in his mind. "A floating island the size of a region? Elf territory? Does Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, or Kalos mean anything to you two?"

"I'm afraid they don't," the princess replied with a shake of her head. "Those names are strange; I would remember them if I heard them before."

Louise also shook her head. "What are you getting so worked up about anyway?" she asked. "We already knew that your home country was far away."

"I thought we were only dealing with time and space," Ash said, tugging at his hair in frustration. "Now I don't even know where I am anymore! Is this an alternate dimension? A different timeline where Kyogre and Groudon broke the lands up differently? Argh! I don't know!"

The two girls looked at Ash concern as he slammed his face forcefully against the table, causing it to shudder. After a few seconds, the boy raised his head. "I'm good," he assured them with a broken smile. "That just threw me for a loop."

"…Are you sure you're well?" Louise asked. Ash had acted curiously before, but this was the closest she had seen him come to breakdown.

"I'm fine," Ash assured her.

The lie was blatantly obvious to all three of them, but the girls didn't call Ash out on it.

The princess cleared her throat. "As I was saying earlier, I am marrying the Germanian Emperor for the sake of the country. However, there is something that might destabilize the marriage."

"What is it?" Louise asked.

"There is a letter in the hands of Prince Wales of Albion," said Henreitta. "The contents of which, if discovered, could result in the cancelation of my marriage and doom the future of Tristan."

That snapped Ash out of his introspective breakdown. "That would be terrible" he exclaimed.

"What can we do to help?" Louise asked.

The princess gave a soft smile as she took Louise's hands in hers. "My dear Louise, I would hate to send you off to danger. But you are the only one I can entrust this mission too. I need you to travel to Albion and retrieve the letter from Prince Wales. Can I count on you?"

Louise nodded firmly. "Of course, Henrietta," she said. "I give my word; you can count on me."

"Count on us," Ash added. "If you're going on a mission to save Tristan, you can bet I'm coming too."

"Naturally," said Louise with pride. "You are my familiar, after all."

Henrietta looked between the two, puzzled. "But he's human," she pointed out.

"Apparently, I'm the first human familiar," said Ash.

"And he's a wind mage!" Louise added excitedly.

"Truly?" Henrietta asked, intrigued.

"Aura is not wind magic," Ash said with a sigh. Seeing that the princess looked confused, he added, "I can imitate wind magic, but it's different."

"I see?" It was clear by the Henrietta's tone that she didn't, but she accepted the explanation nevertheless. "It puts me at ease that Louise will be accompanied by a capable familiar. Please keep her safe during your travels."

"You bet!"

Louise kicked his shin. "You're being too causal about this," she snapped. "Show some dignity. The princess is entrusting the future of the country in our hands. At least act like you know the severity of the situation."

"I understand the situation perfectly," Ash replied calmly. The confidence in his voice surprised the girls. It wasn't the arrogance of someone who felt they could handle anything life threw at them. Rather, it was the assurance of someone who had faced trial by fire and lived to tell the tale. "We're going to head to Albion, avoid any enemies, retrieve the letter, and get back safely. Did I miss anything?"

"That does sum it up," the princess admitted. "And to ensure you can reach Prince Wales, take these, Louise." Reaching into her robe, she pulled out a sealed envelope stamped with the royal sigil and a large ruby-encrusted ring. She handed the times over to her childhood friend, who accepted them gingerly. "The letter will serve as your introduction to Prince Wales. This ring is known as the Ring of Water. It was a gift from my mother, and one of a kind. Prince Wales has a Ring of Wind on him. Using this, you can confirm his identity as well."

Louise gave solemn nod. "Thank you, your highness," she said with a bow. "I promise you, we won't let you down."

Henrietta stepped around the table to give Louise a fierce hug. "Stay safe, both of you," she said.

It looked as though the two never wished to part, but eventually, they did so. The princess put the hood over her head once again. "I'll prepare a transportation for you after tomorrow's events are over," she said. "I will inform the headmaster that I will be borrowing you two for a personal matter in the capital."

"Understood," said Louise.

Ash nodded as well. Their mission wouldn't be very secret if they didn't have a good excuse to disappear for a few days. "A crazy mission to save people," he said softly with a nostalgic sigh.

"I pray that the Founder's blessing will follow you both," the Princess said. "See you tomorrow."

"We will see you then, your highness."

"Good night!"

Henrietta smiled, nodded, and disappeared out the door.

Louise woke up by the light of the sun breaking into her eyelids. She groaned and rolled over, intent on shielding her eyes from the sun. After several moments, she realized that today was important.

"The princess is here and we have a competition and a mission!" Louise shouted, suddenly rising from her bed.

The young mage moved to rouse Ash, but didn't find him on the bed with her. Looking around the room, she found him sleeping in a chair. In his hand was a pen, tipped with dried ink. On several sheets of paper in front of him, several images were scribbled. She couldn't tell what he was drawing—he would be winning no awards for his artistry—and the symbols that marked the margins of the drawings resembled letters of the alphabet, but they were distorted. Louise knew that Ash couldn't read, let alone write her language, so she could only assume that his native written language used similar characters in different ways. For a place they couldn't locate on the map to have such similarities, it was truly remarkable.

As much as Louise would love to take the time to examine her familiar's writing, they had a lot to do in the day. "Wake up, Ash," she called out to her sleeping familiar. Ash continued to snore softly, unaware of the waking world.

Louise grumbled as she dragged herself out of bed. She was too tired to deal with her familiar's inability to wake up in the morning. She walked right up to his side, leaned into his hear, and yelled, "WAKE UP!"

Louise jumped to safety just as Ash flailed his arms, jumped back, tripped over the chair he was sitting on, banged his knee against the table, and fell face first into the unforgiving stone floor. He was still. Very still.

"Ash?" Louise said in concern. "You better not have died on me. We still have a mission from the princess tomorrow."

"I'm still alive," Ash mumbled. "Ow. Barely."

"You can best Guiche and all his golems in a duel, yet you get taken down by a table and chair?" Louise could help herself as she let out a snicker.

"Har har, laugh it up," Ash grumbled as he pulled himself to his feet. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Probably around eight," Louise replied, examining the position of the sun through the window. Her eyes shot open. "The showcase is at nine! We need to get ready! We need breakfast! We need to practice!"

"Don't worry, I've got the entire routine covered," said Ash. He yawned as he arched his back in a stretch. "I spent half the night up preparing for this. It's going to be good."

"Are you sure?" Louise asked.

"Trust me," said Ash with a reassuring smile.

Louise looked him in the eyes and couldn't help but be persuaded. "Fine, I will," she said. "But you better impressive the princess and my classmates."

"I will," Ash said resolutely. "I'm going to grab breakfast and make my final preparations. You should probably clean up a bit before you head out."

"Huh?"

Ash grabbed Derflinger and darted out of the room before she could force him to explain. She opened up her wardrobe and looked at her face in the wardrobe mirror within. She was still in her filthy clothes from yesterday, and her hair was a complete mess.

"ASH!"

Coincidentally, the Familiar Exhibition was taking place in the Vestri Court. Apparently, it was a popular choice for hosting small events. Ash—after stuffing his face with breakfast—quickly made his way to the courtyard, running into Guiche as he arrived.

"I see the young white knight is looking eager this morning," Guiche greeted him.

Ash laughed. "Performing on stage brings back some good memories," he replied. "I can't wait to get started."

"I trust you will put on your best effort. Verdandi and I have been practicing for this competition for days."

Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Actually, Louise forgot about it until the last minute, so we haven't even practiced yet."

Guiche's eyes widened comically, then he doubled over laughing. "You expect to compete against me and my beautiful Verdandi without practice?" he asked, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Truly, you continue to surprise me at every turn, Ash."

"You're going to be more surprised when we win," Ash shot back good-naturedly.

"Such confidence, I love it!"

The two boys jumped upon hearing Kirche's loud outburst. Rotating their heads, they saw the tanned Germanian approaching them with Tabitha—head in a book, as always—trailing behind her. Both ladies were accompanied by their familiars, Flame and Sylphid.

"Good morning, Kirche, Tabitha," Guiche greeted the female students politely. "What brings you here?"

"Hi, Kirche, Flame, Tabitha, Sylphid," Ash greeted everyone in turn. Flame slithered up to Ash's legs and received a scratch on his neck in return. Sylphid similarly leaned her neck in to get scratched under her chin. Both creatures let out content throaty rumbles, much like a cat's purring.

"We're scoping out the competition, obviously," said Kirche, answering Guiche's question. She eyed the two familiars who were practically melting from Ash's touch. She seductively put her two fingers to her bottom lip. "I see someone's talent is having very nimble fingers. I'd like to get a feel of those myself."

"You want to be petted?" Ash asked skeptically.

"Don't go down the road that leads to Kirche," Guiche warned the smaller boy gravely. "There lies the honey trap that ensnares all men."

"The what?"

"Good luck in the showcase," Tabitha suddenly spoke up.

"Thanks, Tabitha!" Ash said, immediately forgetting about Kirche's strange antics. "Same to both of you as well. We won't be holding back a thing!"

"Now that's the hotbloodedness I like to see in a guy," said Kirche, teasing her tongue over lip. "I might have Flame steal you away one night. Tootles!"

Ash chuckled nervously as Kirche sauntered away. "She was joking about the kidnapping, right?" he whispered to Guiche.

"She said tootles," Guiche replied with a grim expression. "You're on her list now."

"List of what?"

"Targets."

"Why?"

"Kirche is called the Ardent for a reason," said Guiche with a heavy sigh. "Her passion burns brighter than any flame, at travels at speeds faster than the male heart can comprehend. Do not give into her wiles just yet."

"Okay…?"

"Good," Guiche gave Ash a friendly slap on the back. "Verdandi and I won't be holding back our charm, so you do the same. May the best man win."

"Same to you," said Ash, offering his hand to Guiche. The noble took it and they exchanged a firm handshake before Guiche walked off.

"Since when are you friends with Guiche?"

Ash jumped, being surprised by another pair of verticality opposed girls. Louise was walking towards him with her arms crossed and her lips drawn into a frown of disapproval. Right behind her was Siesta, who had an eager smile on her face.

Ash gave his heartrate a moment to settle before replying, "Since after the duel, I guess? We started talking, and it turned out he wasn't all bad. He just let his temper get away from him. I think he's starting to change for the better."

"If you say so," said Louise skeptically. She shook her head. Regardless of her distaste for Guiche, there were more important matters at the moment. "The show is starting in a few minutes. I trust you have a plan?"

"All you have to so follow my lead," said Ash with an enthusiastic grin.

Pink eyes narrowed as Louise glared at her familiar. "Ash…" she said warningly.

"Relax, it'll be fun," said Ash. "Trust me." He held out a hand in invitation.

Louise started to raise her hand to meet his, but then faltered, still looking hesitant.

Seeing the young noble's trepidation, Siesta added her two cents on the matter. "Do not worry, Miss Valliere. Ash is a very trustworthy person, you of all people should know that."

Louise looked between the two, who had encouraging smiles on their faces. "Fine," she said, extended her hand towards Ash's outstretched one. The boy took it firmly, then rotated his grip so instead of their thumbs running parallel, they were intertwined. The rest of his fingers wrapped around the back of her hand.

"What are you doing?" Louise asked.

"Just follow my lead."

"O-okay." Louise curled her fingers around the back of his hand as well.

Ash tightened his grip, prompting Louise to do the same. "This is a symbol that we're going to win this together," he said. "And no matter what we face, we'll handle it together."

"Together," Louise said with a sense of wonder in her voice. "Yes, of course. You're my familiar after all," she declared with pride.

Siesta watched the Louise and Ash interact with a smile on her face. It was almost like watching children play. Sure, Louise was Siesta's own age and Ash was very competent for his age, but it was still cute to watch.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please!" a loud voice echoed across the courtyard.

"It's starting, hurry!" Louise cried. The master and familiar broke into a sprint, their hands still linked together.

"Good luck!" Siesta called out after them. So cute!

Louise and Ash waited in a line off to the side of stage with all of the other master and familiar duos. Unfortunately, they had arrived last, and thus would be the last to perform. While waiting, Ash went over the general outline for what he had planned. It sounded fascinating to Louise, but she did voice her doubts about him being able to pull it off without actual practice. Ash confessed that it was a bit risky, but if something didn't work out, he could always improvise.

The pair watched the other students and familiars perform. Kirche showed off Flame's ability to spit balls of fire. Tabitha rode Sylphid as the dragon performed acrobatic aerial maneuvers. Guiche and Verdandi posed on a bed of roses. Ash and Louise didn't get it. Neither did the audience.

Overall, the competition wasn't as fierce as Ash had expected. Then again, these were students doing a once a year event, not professional coordinators who usually performed at least once a month. "I wonder how Serena, Dawn, or May would like to perform here," he wondered aloud.

"What are you mumbling about now?" Louise asked.

"Nothing," Ash replied, the thoughts easily falling from his mind. Seeing that their turn was coming up, he idly scanned the crowds. Some of them he recognized to be faculty members, and others were students of other years. He could see Princess Henrietta on an elevated seat with the judges, and several of her uniformed guards stationed around her. However, there were several adults he did not recognize, and a lot of them had passing resemblances to some of the students.

"Is some of the audience other students' family?" Ash asked Louise.

"Yes. Noble families who live nearby, especially in the capital, tend to visit the academy during these holidays," Louise replied. There was a hint of melancholy in her voice.

Ash glanced around but couldn't find anyone who shared Louise's bright pink hair. "Is your family here too?" he asked.

Louise looked crestfallen. "They were… preoccupied," she responded after a moment. "The Valliere estate is too far away for a casual visit to an insignificant event."

"Oh," said Ash abashedly. He forgot that without trains or cars, transportation here wasn't as easy as it was back home. And even then, it wasn't often that a parent would travel across the region to watch their child give a live performance to a small crowd. "Well, how about you tell them all about our victory after we win?"

Louise nodded, the sadness in her eyes being replaced by fiery determination. "Let's do this," she said with confidence.

"And now we will have our final exhibition, Miss Valliere and her familiar, Ash Ketchum of Kanto!" they heard Professor Colbert announce.

Louise and Ash stepped onto the stage with confidence in their stride. There was surprise in the faces of the crowd, most unaware that summoning a human familiar was possible. While the rumors existed among the students, it was different to hear it from the words of the faculty. The strangeness of Ash's name and place of origin only added to the confusion.

Ash unslung Derflinger's sheathe from his back and handed the sword to Louise. Then he stepped forward and announced, "Witness the power of Aura!" Ash ignited the soul flame deep within his body, and let its power surge outward.

And surge it did. The crowd gasped as a force that could barely be described as a shock wave rippled through them. It was flowed like a breeze, but the pressure it released hit deeper than even the strongest gale. In every mage. In every person. In every creature. They felt it. Power in its truest form. Life itself turned into a tangible force.

Ash's brown irises were now glowing with blue energy. Waves of azure wisps flickered over his body like a torch in the wind. His clothes billowed from the sheer force surging from his body. Behind him, Louise discreetly held Derflinger blow her waist to help hold down her short skirt.

Ash held out his palms forward, letting his Aura siphon into a turbulent sphere. The crowd watched as the blue orb grew by the second, eventually reaching the diameter of one of Ash's arms. Lifting his hands directly above his head, Ash pulsed. The orb shot into the sky, streaking like a comet. The crowd watched it go, and started to give their applause.

But the boy wasn't done yet. He turned to Louise, who nodded and handed him Derflinger. With a dull shwick, the living weapon was pulled from its sheathe. No longer was it a rusty sword that looked at home in a forgotten corner of a weapon shop. Now, the bronze-colored blade gleamed in the late morning sunlight. Ash's runes began to glow as he readied his swing.

Now the audience took notice that the orb Ash had fired was quickly returning from its ascent. Professor Colbert looked at it worriedly, ready to intercept it if it came to close to the audience. But when he took note of its trajectory, he realized it was falling straight down towards Ash, who appeared perfectly calm as he looked up at the rapidly descending sphere. The boy took a step back in the direction of Louise, raising his sword in anticipation.

The Aura Sphere came crashing down towards the stage.

Ash swung Derflinger.

The sword caught the Aura Sphere in a clean horizontal slice. The blue orb exploded in a shower of glitter. Ash gave barely caught himself from sagging in relief as the blue sparkles floated over the crowd before dissipating into the air. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead as let the Aura around his body die down. Louise came up to his side and bowed. He quickly followed with his own.

For a long moment, there was stillness in the audience. Then, from somewhere in the back of the crowd, someone clapped their hands together. Another person joined them. And another. A couple near the front row stood up and gave their applause as well. Within seconds, the entire audience was delivering a standing ovation to the trainer and mage. Louise and Ash gave a second bow before turning and leaving the stage.

Colbert stood forward and—using a bit of wind magic to project his voice—declared, "The judges will now take the next few minutes decide on the winner of the Exhibition!"

"Well done," Tabitha congratulated Ash and Louise as the pair rejoined the other students. The girl's voice was as soft as always, but there was clear genuineness in her words.

"Thanks/Thank you," Ash and Louise replied simultaneously.

"Your performance was most splendid," said Guiche. "But you still have little chance of beating the brilliance of my beloved Verdandi!"

Guiche failed to notice the deadpan stares being sent his way.

"That performance was more than I would expect from our little Zero," said Kirche as she sauntered up to them. "How'd you do it?"

Louise only glared at the germanian girl, but Ash replied, "I've performed in a few contests before, and I have some friends who do it as a profession. It was a little tricky to come up with something last minute, but it all worked out in the end."

"Such brilliance," said Kirche with a predatory smile. "Louise, you wouldn't mind if I borrowed your familiar for one night, would you?"

"Shove of, you sow!" Louise retorted with a red face.

"How about one hour?"

"Over my dead body!"

After several minutes of Louise and Kirche's endless bickering, Colbert once again stepped on stage to announce the results. This time, he was joined on stage by Princess Henrietta.

"And now, Princess Henrietta will deliver the results of the judges," the professor announced. He took a step back and motioned the princess forward.

Henrietta stepped forward, the same voice enhancement allowing her to be heard clearly without the need to yell. "The winner of the Void Day Familiar Exhibition is Louise Valliere, and her familiar, Ash Ketchum of Kanto!"

The audience broke into applause and congratulations. Ash whooped and jumped for joy. Louise elbowed his side, but even she couldn't hold back the wide smile on her face. This was quickly becoming one of the best days of her life.

BOOM!

CRACK!

A cry of surprise ran through the crowd as a thunderous boom ripped through the air, a sharp crack following quickly after it. The princess was quickly rushed off the stage as her guards closed in around her. Students and guests ran in a panic as the faculty tried to keep everyone in one place so they could investigate the disturbance.

"What's going on?" Ash asked Louise.

The girl's eyes were wide with panic. "I don't know!" she shouted over the sounds of the frenzied crowd.

Ash closed his eyes projected his Aura outward. The students, staff, faculty, and visitors were all clustered together in dotting flames that overlapped. He strained to stretch his senses beyond the people nearby and caught sight of something highly irregular.

"Louise."

"What?"

"I think I'm sensing a golem the size of a house attacking one of the towers."

"What?!" Louise exclaimed. "Where?"

Ash pointed. Louise's eyes narrowed. "How dare someone attack the Void Tower on Void Day!" she fumed. "We'll show this intruder what happens to those who dare act sacrilegiously on such a sacred day!" She stormed through the panicking crowd with a murderous expression on her face.

"Shouldn't we get a teacher to help?" Ash asked. He was all for stopping criminals, but against a golem of that size, he knew they would need all the help they could get.

"The teachers won't be able to do anything until all of the students, guests, and especially the princess are secured," Louise informed him. "It's up to us to distract the intruder long enough for them to arrive. But we need to hurry."

"Got it," said Ash. "Hang on tight!"

"What do you mean by—!" Louise yelped as Ash picked her up bridal style and pushed his way into the crowd. While he could weave through people with near superhuman agility, his speed truly came into play once they were free from the crowds. As they reached to opposite end of the Vestri Courtyard, they could see the round head of the large golem peaking over the top of the connector hallway. Aura flowed from Ash's body as he redoubled his speed, heading straight towards the towering earthen monstrosity.

Chapter Text

Fouquet made a tsk of annoyance as a third punch from her golem failed to put a hole in the Void Tower. Colbert had been correct when he said that direct magic would be useless for breaking into the Vault. All of her attempts to use transmutation to melt the walls—like she normally did for her heists—were met with failure.

Unfortunately, the golem wasn't functioning as efficiently as the thief would have liked. There was a large spiderweb crack in the tower wall, but it would take several additional heavy blows before she'd be able to slip inside. Perhaps if she was a square class mage this job would be easier, but alas, everyone had to use the cards life dealt to them.

At least the princess's visit had made things easier. A common thief would assume that the extra guards would make a heist more difficult, but Fouquet was no common thief. In the event that a crime was being committed in the vicinity of the princess, all efforts would be made to secure her royal highness first. Sure, the guards would then hunt down the criminal with zealous determination, but Fouquet had prepared for that.

By timing her attack near the end of the brats' pet pandering, Fouquet had ensured to cause as much panic with as little effort as possible. The teachers had no special duty to protect the school, but they would their reputations would suffer if any of the nobles' brats were harmed. With anyone who was in charge of security focused on the Princess, there would be no one on hand to confront Fouquet immediately. That would give her enough time to steal the Staff of Destruction and get out of this blasted Academy, especially that perverted old man. No salary was worth getting peeped on by him and his mouse on a daily basis. If he hadn't been so compliant about her retaliation, she would have considered poisoning him as a farewell gift.

But all that would soon be in the past. The escape route was cleared, thanks to Colbert inviting her to sit in during the meeting where he set up security with Count Mott. The lecherous looks she had received during that two-hour period was paying off in spades. Once Fouquet was had sold off the Staff, she would have enough money to retire comfortably for several years. Of course, she wouldn't retire completely, but at least she could finally take a break from sticking her neck into dangerous situations.

Everything was going perfectly.

Until it wasn't.

"Stop thief!" a voice called from down below.

The golem halted its punch as Fouquet looked around worriedly. Her vantage point on the golem's shoulder gave her a view of the entire courtyard, but she couldn't find the source of the call. The thief then looked down, finally spying a pair of children only meters away from the golem's feet.

She recognized the pair. The girl was Louise de la Valliere, the Duchess's daughter. The boy was her familiar—Ash, if she remembered correctly—who had beaten Guiche de Gramont in a fight. All in all, they were harmless. The girl couldn't cast a proper spell, except one that apparently summoned human familiars. Every other spell resulted in a small explosion. The boy was only a brute with some noble blood running through his veins, allowing him to cast a limited amount of combat spells before tiring out. The runes on his hand were the only danger to Fouquet, but from what she knew, the boy barely had any practice with them.

A third-rate sword-mage and an incompetent mage were no match to her, a renown triangle class mage. But then again, it shouldn't have surprised her that they would attempt to stop her regardless. After all, noble children tended to have golden fluff between their ears instead of a functioning brain.

"Children shouldn't poke around in adult business," Fouquet declared, clucking her tongue at them. Her pitch was slightly deeper than usual. She masqueraded as a man during her heists to make it easier to conceal her identity. "Run along now before someone gets hurt."

Louise flinched as the golem punched once again, causing the tower's walls to shudder.

Ash held firm, undaunted by the sound. Giant humanoid constructs punching down walls were per the norm for him. "You won't get away with attacking the academy on our watch!" he declared.

"Try me," Fouquet challenged.

Ash held out his hands and summoned a ball of turbulent blue energy from them. Fouquet's hood shrouded her eyes, but her position allowed her to clearly see that the boy was not using a wand, staff, or any focus she could see. While she had heard about his ability to create an orb of blue wind, she had assumed it to be a wind spell that glowed blue for whatever odd reason. But the spell wasn't glowing blue. No. It was made of wavy blue threads that flowed faster than an ordinary eye could track. This wasn't wind magic. Not without a focus. Not with this effect. But if that was the case, that could only mean that the boy was a—

"Aura Sphere!" Ash cried as he sent his attack into the golems head.

Fouquet, who had been near the golem's head as she stood its shoulder, quickly stepped to the side as the blue orb quickly shot forward. Clumps of dirt flew off in a violent explosion, leaving a small crater in the golem's cheek.

Then, the golem's body slid together to fix the hole. Fouquet laughed at the crestfallen expression on the children's' faces. She had been worried for a moment, but it looked like the boy didn't know how to harness the full extent of his power. "A little spell like that isn't going to stop me!" she taunted them.

Again, the golem struck the tower. The cracks spread even further, now almost entirely covering a side of the tower's wall. It was only a matter of time before Fouquet would be able to break in. She kept an eye on the children, but there was no point in trying stop them. The boy would easily dispatch any low-grade golems she could throw at them, so it was much more efficient to save her willpower for maintaining the single unstoppable golem she had.

Down on the ground, Ash and Louise were frustrated. Not only had Ash's attack left no permanent mark, but the thief only watched them passively as the large golem continued to strike the tower. Ash recognized that the thief didn't consider them a threat, or even a nuisance. Louise took the snub it was an insult of the highest caliber.

"Do something!" Louise ordered Ash.

"I'm on it," said Ash. He shifted Derflinger's sheathe so he could draw the sentient blade. While the sword's length made it inconvenient to carry it anywhere except on Ash's back, that also left it in a poor position to draw quickly. Once Ash had Derflinger in hand, he charged the massive golem, yelling a war cry.

The sword ripped through the golem's leg with surprising ease. Ash and Louise smiled triumphantly, but before their eyes the cut sealed itself. The golem continued to slowly and forcefully punch the tower, unperturbed by the injury. Ash made several more powerful swings, sending as much Aura into his body as possible, but to no avail. No matter how big the gashes were, they didn't hamper the golem's movement and were repaired almost instantly.

"You might want to try a different tactic, partner," Derflinger chipped in. "This thing isn't going down with death by a thousand cuts."

Ash grunted in acknowledgement as he retreated back to Louise. "I can't hit this thing hard enough to stop it from regenerating," he informed her. "It's up to you now."

"Me?" Louise asked incredulously. "What are you talking about? I can't use magic, remember? Everything I try just explodes!"

Another punch echoed with the sound of a cannon. The stone wall at this point was buckled inwards, barely holding together.

"An explosion could be useful right now!" Ash stressed.

"I can't make an explosion that big!" Louise insisted. "All of my explosions have been harmless flukes. They're useless failures, just like me!"

Ash dropped Derflinger to grab Louise's arms, causing the sword to vocalize a cry of surprise. "You're not a failure, Louise," he assured her. "You summoned me, right? You can do this! Focus your magic, aim at the golem, and give it all you've got. Remember, you're not a failure. You're Louise Francoise…" Ash blanked as he tried to remember the rest of her extensive name. "Something the Valliere," he finished lamely. "You're a mage with the brightest Aura of all your classmates. You can do anything you put your mind to."

"Cute," Fouquet couldn't help but snicker as she watched the Ash give a pep talk to his master. Such was the nativity of nobles. Did they expect her to wait patiently for them to finish? Lose stones were already falling from the Void Tower's wall. The resulting hole was too small for anything but a small animal to fit through, but with the strongest of the wall's enchantments shattered, it was only a matter of time before she was in.

"Just close your eyes and picture making the biggest explosion the world's ever seen," Ash told Louise encouragingly.

Louise nodded. She pointed her wand at the golem and closed her eyes. After taking a deep breath to focus herself, she channeled as much willpower as she could into her wand. Every vestige of magic in her body, she drew it up. There was no finesse, no technique to her method, just sheer determination.

Then, she felt it. Deep down inside her was a well of power. Every time she had tried to use her magic, she had only scratched the surface of this reservoir. Every time she had drawn from the power, she had limited the flow that came out. For casting ordinary spells, this was the way to ensure the spell stayed in control. However, this time was different. Louise undid all of her mental and magical restraints, solely focusing on pure power.

Ash's eyes widened in wonder as the grass around Louise's feet began to bend away from her. He could feel the power radiating from Louise's body. "You're doing it! Keep it up!" he cheered her on.

Derflinger felt oddly nostalgic by the magical aura Louise was emanating. "This reminds me of something…" the old sword mused. "It feels important, but I can't seem to recall why."

Louise's eyes snapped open, magenta irises brimming with determination and the faintest hint of a luminescence. "Thief who dares commit sacrilege on the Founder's Void Day," Louise intoned in an oddly detached voice. "I, Louise Francoise de Blanc de la Valliere will hereby deliver your judgement for your crimes against this school and the Founder."

Louise took narrowed her eyes and spoke one word, unleashing the full force of her bottled willpower.

"EXPLOSION!"

It some universes, it was said that a Big Bang brought about the creation of all things.

In this instance, a Big Bang was doing the exact opposite.

A sound louder than anything anyone had ever heard before tolled across the sky. Louder than thunder and sharper than lightning, Louise's explosion sent a crack through the air that could be heard all the way from the capital. The golem's head was no more, and neither was one of its arms and half of its massive torso. The part of the tower it had been punching was gone as well, leaving an open hole with no trace of the stones that had once made up the missing section of the wall.

"Nice job, Louise!" Ash cheered. It wasn't a clean hit, since they got the tower in the explosion too, but he doubted the golem could regenerate from that much damage. Hearing no response, Ash turned to his companion and gasped in alarm.

The girl's eyes were glazed over as she started to fall forward. Ash caught her in his arms, and immediately put his ear to her face. Her breathing was soft, but steady. "Louise can you hear me?" Ash asked.

She was silent, out cold. With his grip on her body, Ash could feel her Aura was flailing wildly, as if fighting the confines of the mortal vessel that housed it. Also, despite it the Aura's ferocity, it was noticeably smaller in size. Ash was no medical expert, but despite her fluctuating Aura, Louise did not appear to be in immediate danger.

Until the ruined golem started falling towards them.

Ash hastily stored Derflinger in his scabbard, scooped up Louise, and ran as fast as he could. The thought of pursuing the thief never even crossed his mind. All he was focused on was getting Louise to safety—and a proper medic—as quickly as possible.

Lying on the hard, unforgiving ground, Fouquet of the Crumbling Earth groaned. While she had managed to jump off her golem in time to avoid the worst of the impact, the force of the explosion had sent her crashing to the ground a lot harder than she had expected. She winced as she pulled herself to her feet. Her golem was now useless; the enchantments that had animated it were centered around its chest, where they would be hardest to break. When the explosion had managed to carve away half of the golem's torso, the magic that powered it had been destroyed as well.

One of Fouquet's arm hung limp. It was probably broken—she managed to note through the pain. Thankfully, her wand arm was still functional. Drawing her wand, she transmuted the ground below her into a pillar to bring her up to the Vault. "This staff better be worth it," she grumbled, biting back a hiss of pain.

The Vault looked like it had seen better days. Various displays were scattered around wildly, their contents sometimes absent from their damaged cases. Thankfully, most of the damage was limited to one side of the room, and the vast majority of the Vault's contests were at worst knocked over. It seemed that the massive Explosion had only nicked the wall, leaving most of the Vault's contents intact.

Upon closer inspection, Fouquet realized that the state of the Vault was largely due to a lack of organization. Even on the side of the room opposite of the explosion, items of various shapes and sizes were in displayed cases with no rhyme or reason to their placements. A small plaque on the display case of every item served as the only way to indicate what was in the Vault.

"They could have at least sorted the equipment from the jewelry," the thief grumbled angrily, noting that a shiny blue crystal sitting next to an oddly designed set of leather armor.

Running her eyes on the various displays along the row, she spotted an odd black metal cylinder lying among a sea of glass. A pedestal, probably the item's original resting place, was lying on its side, a plaque imbedded in it. Bending down, Fouquet checked what was written on it.

"Staff of Destruction," she read aloud. "That was faster than I expected, but still problematic."

Fouquet picked the staff up and examined it from all sides. The grooves and notches in it were smooth, which indicated it was well crafted. However, a casting of Detect Magic indicated that there was nothing magical about the so-called staff.

"How is this even supposed to be used?" she wondered. It wouldn't do to sell it as the Staff of Destruction when she couldn't even tell her clients how to use it.

She looked around to see if she could find a label, instructions, anything, but instead she found a much smaller display that looked like it had been placed directly behind the Staff of Destruction. Curious placement, given that the Staff of Destruction was literally eclipsing the smaller item, but Fouquet chalked it up to generally terrible organization.

"Vanishing Eye," she read the display title. "That's an interesting name."

The spherical item vaguely resembled an eye. A small white circle sat in the orb's the center, surrounded by a black band that made a ring around the entire sphere. The bottom half was white, while the top half was black like the middle ring. On the black half was a yellow squarish arc that was centered over the pupil of the "eye". The sphere was scratched up and dented, but it must have been of some importance if it was sitting in the Vault.

Fouquet decided to take it. It was about the size of her fist, which made it easy enough to easily slip into her robe. If she could make a few hundred—or thousand—ecu off of it, then all the better. The case it was in was difficult to transmute, but like most enchantments on the academy, couldn't withstand brute physical force. It was easy to lift up the Staff of Destruction's pedestal and drop it one the side of the Vanishing Eye's case. Fouquet picked up the eye and stashed it into a pocket of her robe.

Now, all she had to do was figure out how to use her pilfered items.

After recovering Louise, Ash had made a beeline straight to the nearest teacher and explained the situation. After briefly admonishing Ash for their recklessness, the teacher pointed them to the Cafeteria. Everyone else in the academy was being relocated there as well as the faculty ensured that all the students, staff, and guests were accounted for. The teachers went out to investigate the situation as soon as they were able, but by the time they arrived, the thief was long gone.

Up in the Headmaster's office, a meeting was called to discuss the situation.

"Fouquet of the Crumbling Earth," Osmond muttered, spitting the words as if they were a curse. "He's struck again, and right under our noses as well!"

"The Academy is going to be a laughingstock," one teacher lamented.

"You're worried about that?" another scoffed. "An attack happened while the princess was under our watch!"

"Thankfully, no one was seriously harmed in the attack," said Professor Colbert. "As per his usual modus operandi, Fouquet left only property damage and a calling card. The most serious injury was from Miss Longueville, who had a hard fall in the panic." He gave the secretary a concerned look. "Are you sure you don't want to rest?" he inquired.

Miss Longueville shook her head as she idly rubbed the thick bandage around her left arm. "I am well enough to stand here. Thank you for your concern," she said with a kind, albeit pained, smile. The break was small, so the healers had an easy time repairing the worst of the damage, but it would be a while before she would have full use of her left arm. "More importantly, do we know what was stolen?" she asked.

"The Staff of Destruction," said Osmond gravely.

His audience gasped.

"The one that was used to slay a dragon?"

"It left not even a corpse in its wake!"

"An international thief is running around with that?"

"We're doomed. We're all going to die!"

"Stop your yammering and act like you have some decency!" Osmond huffed, slamming his hands against his desk. "We have students present who are behaving better than you lot!"

The staff turned their heads to the three students and one human familiar who were standing in the back of the room. Ash gave them an awkward wave and Kirche gave a flirtatious wink. Louise and Tabitha remained stoic, though Louise did jab her elbow into Ash's side.

Heads turned back to Headmaster Osmond. "And what are these children doing here?" one professor asked aggressively.

"Miss Valliere and her familiar were the ones who confronted the thief," Colbert explained. "Miss Orleans found the direction of Fouquet's escape. And Miss Zerbst…" The man blinked from behind his glasses. "Actually, I'm not sure why Miss Zerbst is here," he confessed.

"My dear Tabitha isn't going anywhere without me," said Kirche proudly. "And I can't let a Valliere upstage me either."

The entire faculty sighed as one. Kirche von Zerbst was impossible to deal with, so she tended to get away with more than the average student.

"Ahem," Osmond cleared his throat. "Miss Valliere, would you like to elaborate on what happened when you confront Fouquet?"

Louise nodded. "When we arrived, Fouquet was using his golem to attack the Void Tower," she narrated as accurately as she could remember. "I gave him a warning to surrender, but he rudely declined. My familiar attacked the golem, but it was regenerating too quickly for him to leave permanent damage. I used a spell to destroy the golem, but I fell unconscious in the process. My familiar was forced to rush me from the battlefield and in the process, the thief was able to escape."

"You used a spell to stop a triangle class golem?" one professor asked skeptically.

Ash recognized this professor as the most obnoxious person in the entire staff—and he won that award by a large margin. He was a triangle class wind mage who insisted that wind magic was superior to everything. He also was unreasonably hard on Louise, who couldn't properly use any type of magic.

"That is correct, Professor Kaita," Louise replied with a proud timbre in her voice.

"Impossible," the professor declared. "Your shoddy attempts at spellcasting can barely destroy a table, let alone a golem of that caliber."

"You weren't even there!" Ash shouted accusingly. "Of course Louise destroyed the golem, who else was around to do it?"

"And how did you even know that Fouquet was at the Void Tower in the first place?" the professor asked suspiciously.

"I sensed the golem."

"How?"

"Aura."

"That doesn't make sense!"

"Mister Kaita, if you're quite done," Osmond said in a tone that displayed how little he cared for the professor's outbursts. "The abilities of Miss Valliere's familiar are unusual, but I can confirm that he speaks the truth."

"But he speaks of nonsense!"

The wizened headmaster rested his elbows on his desk and pressed his fingers together as his voice grew a darker tone. "Are you saying you don't trust my judgement?" he asked plainly. "Or do you not respect my authority as the Headmaster of this Academy?"

"Neither, Old Osmond."

The professor respectful pulled back from his allegations, but gave Ash the stink eye. The boy didn't even notice; his focus was on Louise. The girl was steady on her feet once again, and her Aura was almost back to normal. It was still wilder and a bit smaller than normal, but it didn't appear to be flailing like a mad tentacle beast. He had tried to explain Louise's condition to the water mage healers, but they had brushed off his concerns and said she was simply suffering a case of willpower exhaustion. Given the size of the explosion relative her usual ones, it was understandable that her body had been taxed far more than expected, but Ash suspected that there was more to it.

"Miss Orleans," said Osmond, getting the attention of the other petite girl in the room. "Where did you see Fouquet escape to?"

"Traveled along eastern road by golem, then headed north through the forest," Tabitha reported. "Lost track of him in the trees."

"That means he could be anywhere by now," a teacher grumbled.

"Not necessarily," said Miss Longueville. "If I recall correctly, there's an abandoned house in that direction. It'd take a long time to reach on foot but should take only a few hours by horse. If Fouquet is heading there—"

"Then that might be his temporary base!" Colbert interjected. "Brilliant observation, Miss Longueville!"

"I am only doing my job," the secretary said bashfully.

"Ahem." The two adults turned to Osmond, who was turning pink from both intrigue and jealousy. "If Fouquet is traveling to that house, we need to set out quickly to apprehend him before he recuperates and flees the country entirely."

"Shouldn't we request assistance for this?" one professor asked worriedly. "Fouquet is a dangerous thief, after all.

"From who? The princess's personal guard? Or perhaps the soldiers scattered around the local roads?" Osmond suggested dryly. "If we wait for reinforcements from the capital or Count Mott, Fouquet will be long gone. Besides, we need to retrieve the Staff of Destruction on our own power, otherwise our reputation will be tarnished further. It was bad enough that an attack happened while the princess was in our walls; we can't let the thief get away unscathed as well."

A few of the teachers gave nods of approval.

Osmond rose from his seat and gave a rousing cry, "So, who among you is willing to take the glory of capturing the infamous Fouquet of the Crumbling Earth?"

Some of the professors shifted their feet.

Others exchanges worried looks.

Not one raised their hand.

"Seriously, not a single one of you wants the glory of catching a renowned thief?" Osmond asked in surprise.

The faculty members looked away in shame. Their reasons for not volunteering varied, but the underlying reason was fear. Fouquet was an esteemed triangle class mage, easily surpassing the average teacher at the academy. In an attempt to apprehend the thief, there were so many things that could go wrong. And factoring in the weapon capable of vaporizing a dragon resting in the thief's hands, the risks were all too high.

The Headmaster sighed and fell heavily into his seat. "As much as I would like to go myself, these old bones are too frail to go chasing a thief across the countryside," he said in disappointment. "I suppose we shall have to contact the capital and—" He paused, seeing Louise raise her wand up. "Do you have something to add, Miss Valliere?" he asked.

"If none of the teachers will face Fouquet, then I will go in their place," Louise said proudly.

"I'm coming too," said Ash immediately, a competitive smile growing on his face. "I want a rematch."

"B-but you're just children," one teacher sputtered.

"I'll be going as well," said Kirche, pulling her wand out of her cleavage and raising it up as well. "I can't let Little Louise take all the credit for catching an international criminal."

Tabitha also raised her staff up.

Kirche looked surprised. "Are you sure, Tabitha?" she asked. "You don't need to come along."

"I'm worried," said Tabitha. Her face was as stoic as usual, but her voice held an unusual treble to it.

Kirche and Louise's faces softened at the change in Tabitha's demeaner. Ash's smile grew even wider. "The more the merrier, that's what I always say," he said.

Old Osmond looked at the four youths, mulling over the idea in his mind. "Very well," he finally said.

Colbert turned to his superior in surprise. "Please reconsider, Osmond!" the professor exclaimed. "We can't let students fight a dangerous criminal!"

"I see none of you volunteering to go," said Osmond, raising an eyebrow. Colbert looked embarrassed as he retreated a step back. "Besides," the headmaster continued. "Miss Zerbst is a reputable triangle class mage. And Miss Orleans is not only a triangle class mage, but also a Chevalier."

"You've been knighted?" Louise exclaimed in shock, looking at the smaller girl.

"You never told me that!" Kirche said in surprise.

Tabitha gave a small nod.

Ash gave Tabitha a thumbs up, which made her tilt her head on confusion. "I'm not sure what the distinction is," he said. "But it sounds like you're awesome!"

"A Chevalier is a title that can only be granted by a royal family," Louise informed him. "To be knighted at such a young age is incredible."

"Finally, said Osmond. "Miss Valliere has proven capable of destroying Fouquet's golem in a single blow. I witnessed the damage myself; most impressive. And her familiar is not without value as well."

"I see," said Colbert, slamming the heel of his fist into his palm. "With his runes, he might be able to learn how the Staff—" He coughed, abruptly cutting himself off. "I mean, his talent will be very helpful in combat."

The deflection was a poor one, but only a few people had the context to guess what he was trying to conceal.

"In that case, all we need is to ready a carriage and a driver," said Osmond.

"I will do that," Longueville volunteered. "I had already planned to go along anyway."

"But what about your arm?" Colbert asked in concern.

"I'll be fine," Longueville said with an easy smile. "The healers have already fixed me up. I can still drive a carriage with my good arm."

"That doesn't sound very safe," said Colbert with a frown.

"I'll be perfectly fine," Longueville assured him. "After all, the students will be the ones confronting Fouquet. You don't need to worry."

Colbert still did not look convinced. "In that case maybe I should—"

In a rare show of unprofessionalism, Longueville stepped forward and held one finger to Colbert's lips. "Trust in the children, and trust in me, Jean," she said.

"I-I-I…" Colbert fumbled his words, more flustered than a man his age had any right to be.

"What is going with them?" Ash whispered to Louise.

"Nothing," was this girl's stoic reply as she had an embarrassed flush.

"I didn't know those two had flirtatious sides to them," said Kirche juicily.

Tabitha sighed and tapped her staff against the ground, catching the attention of everyone in the room. "We should leave," she pointed out.

Osmond cleared his throat with a loud harrumph. "Indeed, Miss Orleans. Miss Longueville, find one of the servants to help ready a carriage. Students, grab anything you might need and meet promptly at the gate. Everyone else, focus on getting our academy in order and fixing the damages Fouquet left behind. Make haste! Remember, the princess and her retainers are watching!"

As the students and teachers filtered out, only Colbert was left standing beside Osmond. "Are you sure this is wise, Headmaster?" Colbert had to ask one final time.

"Do not worry, Mr. Colbert," Osmond said with a twinkle in his eye. "According to my spy network, the girls should be fine as long as the Gandalfr is with them."

"…We're an academic institution. We don't have a spy network," Colbert pointed out.

"That's what you think," Osmond said with a crafty smile. "I had Miss Longueville choose a group of highly competent staff members to watch Ash's every move. They've been reporting back to me almost daily."

"You involved Miss Longueville in this?" Colbert asked incredulously. "And the staff? I thought we were supposed to keep the runes a secret!"

"I didn't tell anyone about the Gandalfr runes," Osmond assured the professor. "The staff are under orders to watch the boy's activity and report back any abilities and personality traits he has. Mrs. Longueville knows the boy is special, but she is also unaware of the runes and has done her duty without asking any questions. I believe her volunteering was to keep an eye on the boy in this incident as well. She's very professional about her job, that's why I hired her."

Colbert let himself relax. "That is true," he admitted. "Mrs. Longueville is one of the most trustworthy people we have on staff at the moment. If the children can be trusted with anyone, it would be her."

Chapter Text

With utmost haste, a carriage was prepared for the group's departure to hunt down the notorious thief, Fouquet. The carriage was painted black, filled with plush red seats, and drawn by two rowan horses. The mages sat in the back, while Ash sat up on the carriage box next to their driver, Miss Longueville. The reason for this was because the carriage had only enough space for four people, and while Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha brought that number up to three, Ash had brought along one extra member to their party.

"Remind me what Guiche is doing here?" Louise asked as she craned her head towards her familiar. Her blond classmate gave her a flirtatious smile, which she returned with a glare.

"Fouquet is an earth mage who uses golems. Guiche is an earth mage who uses golems," Ash stated factually. "If we're going to know the thief's tricks, it makes sense to bring someone who can match his moves."

Louise looked at Guiche suspiciously. The blond boy had a nervous smile on his face. Louise narrowed her eyes. "Guiche may be talented in golems, but he's a dot class mage while Fouquet is a prestigious triangle class mage," she pointed out. "Guiche wouldn't be able to 'match' anything in a fight."

"Does anyone else here know more about golems than Guiche?" Ash asked. No hands were raised. "There we have it. Guiche is our resident golem expert."

"I will do my best to protect you, dear mademoiselles," said Guiche proudly.

"You? Protect us?" Kirche tittered. "Tabitha and I are triangle class mages. Louise has supposedly destroyed Fouquet's golem in one hit. Ash proved to be stronger than you in your duel. It is us who will be protecting you."

Guiche slumped as his ego was quashed, strained, and buried into deep, dark pit.

"If it makes you feel better, I'm the most useless person in this mission," Miss Longueville offered. Her gaze remained focused on the road ahead, but she was paying attention to the conversation of her passengers.

"I'm better than the commoner with a broken arm, how wonderful," Guiche said sarcastically.

"Guiche…" Ash said warningly. "Don't be rude."

"I'm not being rude!" Guiche protested. "Miss Longueville might be a member of the Academy's esteemed faculty, but no one expects her to be of use against Fouquet in the first place. I'm honestly impressed she can even drive the carriage in her condition."

"This is nothing compared to your own duties," said Longueville humbly.

"Are you sure you're in a condition to take this journey?" Louise asked with concern. Longueville's left arm was bandaged and lying limply by her side, leaving only her right hand able to hold the reins.

"Someone had to do it," Longueville stated. "It wouldn't be fair to ask one of the servants to undertake a dangerous task like this, and most mages don't know how to drive a carriage."

"How did you learn to drive one?" Kirche asked curiously. "An attractive woman like yourself doesn't seem like a person who would work with animals besides horseback riding."

"I'm a woman of many talents," Longueville replied mysteriously.

One of the carriage wheels hit a dip in the road, causing the carriage to jostle. Most of the occupants were only rocked, but Longueville had to bite her bottom lip as her arm was painfully smacked against the carriage's body. The worst of the damage had been fixed, but she was still far from fully recovered.

Ash, seeing the green haired woman in pain, came up with an idea. "Miss Longueville, could you teach me how to drive a carriage?" he requested.

All of the carriage's occupants were surprised by the request, and no one was more surprised than Miss Longueville. "You want to learn how to drive a carriage?" she asked.

"Yes," Ash answered sincerely.

"Why? It's boring and there are usually servants who take care of the job."

Ash shrugged. "I like learning new things," he said. "You never know when a random skill will come in handy, right?"

Skeptical, but seeing no reason to refuse, Longueville handed the reins to Ash. "Hold these firmly, but don't jerk them otherwise the horses will make a sharp turn," she instructed him. "Driving a carriage is a lot like riding a horse, but you have to be aware of both horses and their load."

"Got it," said Ash. As the reins were passed on, Ash's fingers faintly brushed against Miss Longueville's. His brown eyes widened in surprise.

"Is something wrong?" Longueville asked, debating whether or not she should take back control of the vehicle. The path was straight for now, but Ash was staring at her in surprise and confusion instead of keeping his eyes on the road.

Ash finally said, "Your Aura is like Fouquet's."

Longueville's face remained carefully neutral, but her hand made an involuntary jerk towards her robes, making her glad that she was no longer holding onto the reins. "What do you mean by that?" she asked coolly.

The riders in the back of the carriage were also curious. "Are you saying that Miss Longueville is like Fouquet?" Kirche asked. Ash didn't interact with Kirche as much as the others, so she didn't have the right context to understand his statement.

"I thought everyone's Aura was unique?" Louise questioned.

Guiche gasped. "Are you saying Longueville is Fouquet?" he asked.

Tabitha narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip on her staff.

Ash could see that his companion's imaginations were running wild, so he spoke quickly. "Mostly," Ash corrected Louise. "I share the Aura of someone who died about a thousand years ago, so it's not impossible for different people to have the same Aura. And I'm not sure if Miss Longueville's Aura is an exact match. During the fight I didn't take the time to memorize Fouquet's aura signature. Miss Longueville feels similar, but it's impossible for her to be Fouquet."

"Why's that?" Kirche asked.

"Fouquet is a man, and Miss Longueville is a woman," Ash said simply.

The students nodded, accepting that logic. One nod, however, was hesitant.

"Miss Longueville's arm was also injured in the panic, and Fouquet was perfectly fine during the fight," Louise added.

"True," Guiche admitted. "My apologies, Miss Longueville. It appears I was overeager in my assumptions."

"Apology accepted, Mister Gramont," Longueville said gracefully. "I understand that tensions are a bit high right now."

Guiche gave a sigh of relief, which caused Ash to smile. Guiche was still arrogant and either flirtatious or insensitive when it came to girls, but he was steadily improving.

"Is there another reason you can think of that Longueville would have similar Aura to a world-famous thief?" Louise asked Ash.

Ash gave it a moment's thought. Due to a lack of sample size, he didn't have a lot of information to go off of. However, if he and Sir Aaron shared Aura signatures and could both use aura, then there was a chance that people with the same potential magic could share Aura as well.

"Miss Longueville, are you a mage too?" Ash finally asked.

"She's a commoner," Guiche said with a dramatic sigh. "Of course she's not—"

"I am a mage," Longueville admitted. "Albeit, not a very good one."

The four students in the carriage looked at the secretary in shock.

"Wait," said Louise, putting the dots together. "If you're a commoner, but you're a mage, that means you were a noble at one point."

"Once upon a time, yes," Longueville affirmed.

"Oh?" Kirche said. Her eyes danced with sparkled of curiosity. "How did you end up losing your family name? Was your familiar dishonored, or just you?"

"Kirche!" Louise shouted angrily. "You can't ask her something that personal! Show some decency!"

"Quiet," said Tabitha sternly, speaking for the first time since they left the trip. Louise flushed, realizing that her shout could alert Fouquet of their pursuit. Kirche snickered, but Tabitha glared at her too. "Both of you," she added.

Scanning with his Aura Sense, Ash could feel that Miss Longueville's Aura was comparable to Tabitha's, albeit slightly larger and dimmer. It was a conundrum. Why were Louise and Miss Longueville not good mages when their Auras were overall above average? Then again, Ash's Aura eclipsed anyone's he had met, and he couldn't use any magic—despite what Louise insisted.

In the end, the subject was dropped. The trip passed in relative silence, with the only shared words being between Longueville and Ash as the former instructed the latter in how to handle the horses. By the time they reached the place for them to disembark and follow on foot, Ash could confidently say he was a competent—albeit inexperienced—carriage driver. Miss Longueville praised his quick learning and natural talent for keeping the horses calm. Ash did have tendency to overuse his strength, which caused the carriage sway as the horses made more motion than necessary, but he kept them on the road, so it wasn't all bad.

Longueville volunteered to follow behind the teens as a lookout, but she was quickly overruled. Instead, she was tasked with keeping the horses ready to go at a moment's notice in case they had to flee for their lives.

Ash was the one who made the suggestion, with the others reluctantly supporting the idea, except for Tabitha, who remained silent during the vote. Kirche, Louise, and Guiche insisted that they could not fail. Ash had confidence in their ability, but he also knew that sometimes the unexpected happened. This thief had been stealing from nobles across Halkegenia for years without being caught. That meant Fouquet was smart, and a smart opponent was more dangerous than a powerful brute. Ash knew that well. After all, he often used clever strategies and tactics to give his Pokemon advantages against other Pokemon that were higher on the evolution chain. Like that time where he…

…

Huh…

Actually, Ash couldn't remember a specific instance at the moment. Weird, but he dismissed it as being too focused on catching Fouquet. He was more of a think-on-his-feet person anyway.

The five teenagers crept through the forest. Well, tried to creep through the forest. As much as they'd like to imagine that they traveled with hardly a sound, stealth was not their forte. Ash winced every time Kirche, Guiche, or Louise loudly stepped on a branch. He and Tabitha were decently stealthy, knowing how to watch their step and avoid troublesome obstacles. For this reason, they took point as they came across the clearing of the abandoned house.

"Ash and I will go ahead," Tabitha told her classmates as they reached the edge of the tree line.

"Makes sense, you two are the sneakiest," said Louise. She pulled a twig from her hair with an irritated huff. "How did you learn to move like that?"

"Practice," Tabitha said simply

"Ninja training," was Ash's response.

Everyone turned to Ash with questioning looks on their faces.

"Long story," Ash said sheepishly. "I'll tell you later. For now, while Tabitha and I are checking out the clearing, Guiche, get some of your Valkyries to watch the tree line. Kirche, if you guys see anything, send up a signal flare. Louise, save your magic for when we can get a clean shot on whatever golem pops up. Fouquet will probably target you first since he knows how strong your explosions are, so we can take advantage of that."

The stares of the group became harder. A solitary cricket chirped in the background.

Ash started to sweat. "What?" he asked innocently.

"You're acting like you've done something like this before," Kirche remarked with intrigue.

"Do you come from a military family too?" Guiche asked.

"I'm just making a plan," Ash responded, not understanding their reaction. "What's unusual about that?"

"You're acting like we're in a military operation," said Louise. "We're catching one thief, not raiding a den of them."

Only Tabitha had a positive reaction. "Good plan," she said. Ash expression started to brighten, but then Tabitha followed quickly with, "You're strange." Coming from the normally silent girl, that meant a lot. The ice mage turned to the rundown building. "Let's go."

Ash quickly recovered from the emotional damage. He stayed a step ahead of Tabitha as they approached the building. That way, if an attack did come at them, he would be able to tank it while Tabitha could make a counterattack.

At the front of the shack, Tabitha held her staff in Ash's way before they could reach the door. "Check for traps," she ordered in her soft voice.

Ash nodded and closed his eyes. He pushed his senses around the entrance. Sensing rocks and wooden boards was harder than sensing people, but he could confirm that there was nothing out of the ordinary. "I got nothing," he said after a few moments.

"No magic," Tabitha affirmed. "Suspicious."

"Maybe he didn't want to leave any traps so people would think the place was abandoned?" Ash suggested.

"Maybe," Tabitha replied skeptically.

Ash entered first, slowly pushing open the door. The place was covered with a fine layered of dust, but there were footprints that indicated that someone had been inside recently. Tabitha knelt down and brushed the footprints, examining the faint traces of dirt left in the prints. "Very fresh," she said worriedly. "Only a few minutes."

"Do you think he left already?" Ash asked.

Tabitha shrugged. "Could be checking outside," she said. "Dangerous, either way."

"Let's see if we can find this Staff of Destruction before he shows up," said Ash. He headed towards a cupboard while Tabitha headed to a dust-covered bed and dresser. "Do we know what this staff looks like?"

Tabitha shook her head. "Looks weird, black, irregular," she said. "So it's said. Never seen it."

"Not much to go on, but if it's here, we'll find it," said Ash. "Let's hurry so we don't get stuck in here in case Fouquet and his oversized golem show up."

Tabitha immediately responded with an anti-climactic, "Found it."

Surprised, Ash turned to see Tabitha pulling a black object that was longer than her arm from underneath the bed. Ash's eyes widened in surprise. What he was seeing shouldn't have been possible, there was no way that something like that could exist in this place or time.

"How did this get here?"

Louise, Kirche and Guiche saw Tabitha and Ash exit the building with somber expressions on their faces and an odd metal rod in Ash's arms.

"Is that…?" Louise asked hesitantly.

"It is," Ash confirmed. "The Staff of Destruction. Or as we call it in Kanto, a rocket launcher."

Ash had seen a surprising amount of rocket launchers during his training career. This one was designed for a single shot and could be fired from someone's shoulder, which was normal enough. But it was in terrible condition. Whatever color it used to have had been lost. The entire body was blackened, rough, and uneven, like it had been partially melted. There were also no identifiable marks that Ash could see to determine who previously owned it. For all intents and purposes, it was an unmarked and heavily damaged—though still functional—rocket launcher.

Louise frowned. "The translation didn't work," she informed him. "Row keht? What's that?"

"It's a weapon—" Ash began to say.

"Wait, Fouquet left the staff unguarded?" Kirche asked in surprise, her shocked expression mirrored by Guiche.

"Apparently," Ash responded to Kirche with uncertainty. "We found recent footprints, so it looks like he put it down and left in a hurry."

"We should go," Tabitha urged.

"What are you talking about?" Kirche asked. "We still haven't caught the thief."

"Primary objective, secure the staff," Tabitha responded. "Secondary objective, capture thief. Can't risk losing staff in fight."

"I suggest we leave the staff with Miss Longueville and go back to search for the thief," Guiche offered.

"No." The others were surprised by the sternness in the Tabitha's voice. The blue haired girl spoke with firm resolution. "We do not leave it with her."

"Why not?" Louise asked. "She could hold onto it for us while we catch Fouquet."

"I agree with Tabitha," said Ash. "Miss Longueville won't be able to defend herself if Fouquet goes looking for the staff."

That hadn't exactly been Tabitha's reasoning, but she didn't say anything to contradict her only supporter.

"So we split up," said Kirche. "Louise and Ash go with Longueville to return the staff, while Guiche, Tabitha, and I go and capture Fouquet."

"Why are you leaving us out of the action?" Louise challenged. "Ash and I have fought Fouquet before, so we stand a better chance of bringing him in. You and Tabitha can escort the staff while Guiche helps us take down Fouquet."

"A young maiden wants the boys to herself?" Kirche asked. "Oh my, I see where you're going with this."

"I-I'm not!" Louise protested. "Only a harlot like you would think of something like that in a time like this."

"Oh? And what am I thinking about?"

"As much as I appreciate that both of you are desperate to pull me to your side—" Guiche began.

"I only need your experience with golems," Louise interrupted, shooting Guiche a cold glare. "Otherwise I would send you away with this floozie."

Ash walked away from the argument and shuffled towards Tabitha, who kept her eyes fixated on the surrounding trees. "What do you think we should do?" Ash asked.

"Leave immediately," Tabitha replied promptly.

"You don't want to catch Fouquet?" Ash asked.

"Risky."

"True," Ash agreed with a nod. "But if we don't catch Fouquet now, then he'll be free to roam around again. While we're here, we might as well try to catch him."

For several seconds Tabitha, remained quiet, a pensive look on her face as she weighed the risks and rewards of their options. Then, she nodded. The petite mage slammed the butt of her staff twice against the ground, getting the attention of the three other students. "We stay together. Use the Staff as bait," she declared.

"Sounds like a solid plan to me," said Ash.

"Why are you agreeing with her?" Louise asked accusingly.

"Because it's a good idea?" Ash responded quizzically. "If we have the rocket launcher, then Fouquet will target us to recover it. As long as we beat his golem and prevent him from getting away, we'll capture him with no problems. I doubt he's from my homeland, so even if he steals the weapon, he can't use it against us. All we'd have to do is chase after him while he's slowed down from carrying it."

"Sometimes, your analytical ability astounds me," said Guiche.

"But it's common sense…?"

"Knowing how to speak in public is common sense," Louise shot down Ash's defense. "I have no clue what you have."

Ash opened his mouth the give a retort, but then he felt the ground underneath his feet shift ever so slightly. From the expression on everyone's faces, they felt it too.

"Golem!" Guiche shouted, jumping away. His Valkyries, which had been standing around inactive as the group talked, immediately moved to surround him in a defensive circle. Everyone else also jumped out of the way, and just in time. A bulge sprouted from the earth and grew tall. Grass and stray clumps fell as a large golem rose up. It was smaller than the one that had attacked the academy, but it was still over three times the height of Kirche.

"Scatter!" Ash called out.

The golem pulled its legs out of the ground. Its gaze scanned over the teenagers, and then focused on Louise. Immediately recognizing the danger, Louise ran as fast as she could, but the golem's legs were much longer than hers, and she wasn't in particularly good shape. A blast of fire hit the golem in the face, throwing chunks of earth from its body, but it ignored the attack as its face quickly reformed. A barrage of ice shards pierced the golem's back, but it didn't even flinch from the repeated impacts. The individual Valkyries lacked the mass to stop its movements. The golem's large, clay hand reached down towards Louise…

…and was promptly severed by a furious slash. The golem's movement stalled, as it slowly came to the realization that it no longer could follow through with its initial action.

Ash roared as he swung Derflinger into the golem's leg. Just like against the last golem they had fought, the attack went through easily, but was healed too quickly to leave lasting impact. In fact, this golem was regenerating much faster than its predecessor. Already its hand was fully reformed, and it resumed its pursuit of Louise.

Guiche, who was now holding the Staff of Destruction after Ash had hurriedly thrust it into his arms, called out, "All golems have a core where their magic is focused! If we destroy that, the rest of it will fall apart!"

Ash ducked under a massive fist as the golem tried to swat him out of the way. Ash was making sure to keep himself between the golem and Louise's retreating form, but there was only so much he could do to distract it. "Where's the core?" Ash called out to Guiche.

"Somewhere in its body, usually where it's most protected!"

"Most protected, huh?" Ash said thoughtfully. The golem had the same clay-like consistency all the way through. Ash doubted that the limbs would hold the core, with left its head—which was a barely raised bulge too small to protect a core—or its massive torso. "Give me some cover!"

A wall of ice immediately sprung up between Ash and the golem. The boy gave a grateful nod to Tabitha, who was somehow flying overhead. While the development surprised Ash, he had his focus set. The trainer closed his eyes, focusing his Aura Sense on the golem's body. While it was normally hard for Ash to distinguish the details of inanimate objects, the golem was different. Magical energy flowed throughout its form, giving it a semblance of life. And at a point in its chest, there was a larger cluster of magic that was woven into the earth itself.

Ash's eyes snapped opened just in time to see the golem shatter through the ice wall. He dove to the side as the golem's fist slammed into the ground where he had been standing milliseconds prior. "I really need to get faster at using that," he commented under his breath. Raising his voice, he called out, "I see the core!"

Brandishing Derflinger, Ash focused his attention where he had seen the golem's core. Unbeknownst to him, his iris started to glow blue as he began to see the wrappings of magic in the golem's body. As the golem stepped over the shattered chunks of ice, Ash leapt towards it with both hands on Derflinger's hilt. He stabbed the sword as deep into the golem's body as he could.

Derflinger felt a strangely familiar sensation. The ancient weapon had gotten glimpses of a sensation while attacking the golem, but when his tip plunged into the golem's core, the feeling got much stronger. "I think some of my memory is coming back, partner!" the sword called out. Derflinger's normally sarcastic voice now bore an edge of excitement. "Hang on a sec before pulling me out!"

"I'll try," Ash grunted. He planted his feet against the golem's back as he hung on for dear life. The golem's arms weren't designed to give it good reach on its lower back, where Derflinger was currently lodged in, but Ash also didn't have a good foothold. It was only a matter of time before he rather slid off or the golem managed to get a lucky swat in.

Derflinger acted on his recollected memory and began to absorb.

The clay around Derflinger's blade crumbled apart, causing the sword and trainer to fall to the ground. Ash immediately rolled away from the golem's body and called out, "Tabitha and Guiche, restrain it! Kirche and Louise, fire at the hole!"

The hole Derflinger had left in the golem's body was barely being repaired at all. This made it a very noticeable target on the golem's otherwise uniform back. Guiche's Valkyries imbedded their various weapons into the clay golem's legs, holding it in place long enough for Tabitha to freeze all of the golems in a wave of ice.

"Fireball!" Kirche chanted. The spell expanded the hole and further ruptured the golem's damaged core.

Then it was Louise's turn. The golem's appearance had shaken her at first, but now the tables were turned. She wasn't a scared little girl being hunted. The golem was the prey this time, and it was an impossible to miss target. Louise raised her wand and cast her spell. "Explosion!"

The explosion was smaller than the one Louise had used last time against Fouquet's golem, but it was just as effective. The hole in the golem's back was now a perfectly round, smoking crater. The golem slumped and fell over, lifeless.

"Huh, Louise really does have enough power to rip one of these open," Kirche remarked. "That was easier than I thought."

"That's what you consider easy?" Guiche asked incredulously. "I thought we were going to die!"

"Golem was strong. Plan was better," Tabitha assessed.

Louise let out a calming sigh as she lowered her wand. She had done it. It hadn't just been a fluke. Her explosions were actual spells. She could cast them on purpose and actually do something productive. Well, destructive, but at least it was something besides being a useless Zero.

"Louise! Are you okay?" Ash called out as he ran up to her.

"Of course," Louise replied, giving him an odd look. "Why wouldn't I be—hey!" Louise yelped as Ash took her hands in his and closed his eyes. "Wh-what are you doing?" she stammered.

"Oh ho ho, is this young love?" Kirche asked.

"Shut it, Zerbst!"

Actually, Ash had grabbed Louise's hands because he found that physical contact made his Aura Sense more effective. He had been watching Louise cast her spell in case something went wrong. Her Aura had fluctuated when she had cast the explosion, much like a mage's did during a normal spell. Unlike last time, the Aura had not shot out of her and also quickly stabilized instead of remaining erratic. "Looks like you're okay," he said as he let out a relieved sigh. "That's a relief."

"I—y-you—"

Ash frowned and put a hand to her forehead. "Are you getting a fever?" he asked. "You're looking really red."

"I'm fine!" Louise protested, turning away and looking even redder. "Idiot."

Ash blinked owlishly. No matter how much better he got at reading Louise's mood, he felt he would never understand her. Maybe it was a Louise thing, or maybe it was a girl thing. Who could say?

"I hate to interrupt your moment," Guiche cut in. "But does anyone know where Fouquet is?"

"That is strange," said Kirche, putting a finger to her chin. "We defeated his golem, but he hasn't made another appearance."

At that moment, the figure of Miss Longueville came stumbling through the treeline. "Fouquet is coming!" she shouted dramatically. She came to a stop when she saw the golem lying defeated on the ground with a giant hole in its back. "Oh, you already dealt with it," she said in an almost disappointed tone.

"Miss Longueville, what are you doing here?" Louise asked in surprise.

"I thought I saw something moving in the forest, and when I went to go check, I found that it was Fouquet," the secretary replied. "We should get out of here before he comes back."

"You saw Fouquet, and got here before him?" Tabitha asked skeptically.

"It appeared that he was circling around the perimeter," Longueville replied. "I fear he will return here when he's done. We can't waste time."

Tabitha looked unconvinced.

"We can handle Fouquet," said Kirche. "We've already taken out one of his golems. If he tries the same tactic, we'll defeat him again!"

"But it's much harder to defeat a golem when the mage controlling it is nearby," Longueville argued. "And Fouquet could be able to create multiple of those golems. The risk is too great."

Ash, Kirche, and Louise's expressions soured. They hadn't considered that possibility. Guiche was trying to appear disappointed, but it clear to see that he was relieved. Tabitha remained pensive.

"We'll head back," Ash decided. "We can return with more people to catch Fouquet after we get the rocket launcher back to the Academy."

Longueville's eyebrows rose over her glasses. "The what?" she asked.

"It's what Ash calls the Staff of Destruction," Louise explained. "Apparently, it's a weapon from his home country."

"Really?" Longueville asked as her eyes gained a curious glint. "That's convenient."

"For what?" Ash asked.

"This." A wand slipped from Longueville's sleeve and was caught in her hand. Tabitha lifted her staff, but Longueville was a split-second faster. "Earth Prison!"

The ground rose up grabbed the four students. The spell pried Tabitha's staff from her hand and the Staff of Destruction from Guiche's as well.

"What is the meaning of this, Miss Longueville?" Kirche asked hotly.

"You were so easy to fool," the woman said triumphantly. Instead of her usual polite smile, an arrogant sneer was on Longueville's face. Her eyes were much livelier than usual, and carried a spark of a triumphant predator. "All except you, Tabitha, but you were so too hesitant to act on your suspicions, and it proved your undoing."

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked as he pointed Derflinger at Miss Longueville.

Louise gasped. "No way," she said in shock.

"Impossible!" Guiche declared as he came to the same realization.

"How did I miss something so obvious?" Kirche lamented.

"Miss Longueville is Fourquet's sister!" Ash exclaimed.

The heads of five mages slowly turned to stare at him in disbelief. Ash sweatdropped. "Wait, that's it right? That's why she's working with Fouquet!"

Louise sighed. "Ash, she has green hair like Fouquet."

"Yeah."

"She's the same build as Fouquet."

"Yeah."

"And she uses the same magic as Fouquet."

"Yeah." Ash facepalmed. "Oh, I get it now."

"Finally," Louise said with a sigh.

"They're twins!"

The four trapped mages felt like facepalming, but only their captor was able to act on the impulse. "How are you so capable but so stupid at the same time?" Longueville asked him frankly.

"Hey!" Ash protested.

"But I suppose you wouldn't be as useful if you weren't so stupid," said Longueville. "Let me spell it out for you: I am Fouquet."

This threw Ash for a loop. "But you're a girl!" he exclaimed. "Or, woman, actually. But Fouquet's a guy!"

"Fouquet has never been caught, so people only assumed that she was a he," said Louise as she glared hatefully that the thief.

Ash's face crumpled. "I can't believe I didn't notice."

"We all were fooled," said Kirche. "Except Tabitha, apparently."

The diminutive girl nodded; her eyes still trained on Fouquet. "Suspicions. Couldn't confirm."

"Too bad for you," said Fouquet. "Now, I have a request for you, Gandalfr." She stared hard at Ash.

Ash looked back at her in surprise. "How did you know about that?" he asked.

"I know many secrets," said Fouquet. The grin stretched across her face was terrifying. "For example, I know that your Gandalfr runes allows you to use any weapon.

"Hold on, my runes make me a Gandalfr?"

Fouquet was struck speechless. "Obviously!" she exclaimed. "What did you think a Gandalfr was?"

"I just thought it was another strange word," Ash replied with a shrug. "Derflinger was the only one who mentioned it."

"Derflinger?"

"That's me!" the sentient sword piped up. "You sure know a lot about my partner, but how much do you know about me? I've been around for a good six thousand years—"

"Enough!" Fouquet shouted. "I've had it with your distractions!" She pointed her wand at Ash. "You're going to pick up the Staff of Destruction and show me how to use it!"

"Why would I do that?" Ash asked. "I know what a criminal like you would do with a weapon this powerful. I'm not an idiot."

Fouquet smirked. "I beg to differ, but if you need a bit of incentive…" She raised her wand and the earth around the students began to climb up to their necks. "I could easily bury them alive," she said.

Fury burned in Ash's eyes, but after a moment of meeting Fouquet's gaze, he looked away. "You win this time," he grunted.

"Don't do it!" Louise shouted.

Ash felt a sharp resistance hit his entire body, but he shrugged it off. He stepped towards Guiche, bent down, and dropped Derflinger to pick up the Staff of Destruction.

"I really hope you know what you're doing, partner," Derflinger muttered.

The Gandalfr runes sprung to life, filling Ash's mind with the knowledge of how to properly hold and use the rocket launcher. "What do you want me to hit?" he asked Fouquet.

Fouquet pointed her wand at the fallen golem. It pulled itself back together, though it was considerably smaller than before. "This should suffice," she said. "And don't get any ideas of using that on me."

"I won't," Ash grumbled. As much as he wanted to stop Fouquet, he didn't want to kill her.

Ash knelt down and lined up the shot. At this distance, with the boost from his runes, there was no way he could miss the large target Fouquet had provided. A loud pop sounded as the projectile left its vessel. The sound was immediately drowned out by the loud boom that erupted as the rocket blew up the golem. While the destruction wasn't as large as Louise's best explosion, it was much flashier with a flash of light and column of smoke.

Fouquet smirked at the result even as the sound painfully rattled her ears. "Perfect," she said. "It was a small exaggeration that it could blow a dragon to ash, but this will definitely suffice."

"I showed it to you," said Ash as he lowered the rocket launcher. "Now let them go."

"Give it to me first," said Fouquet.

"Don't do it!" Guiche shouted.

"You can't let her have that!" Louise exclaimed.

"She's a thief," said Ash. "I'd rather give her this and have you free."

"What makes you think she'll keep her word?" Kirche asked.

"Don't trust her," said Tabitha.

Ash looked Fouquet in the eye. She smirked. "Set it on the ground," she ordered. "And don't try anything funny."

Ash followed her instructions to the letter, ignoring the sounds of dismay from the captured students as the thief picked up the staff. "You have the staff, now release them," he said.

"Of course," said Fouquet. She raised her wand. For a moment, everyone wondered if she would actually follow through. "Earth Prison!" Then Ash was trapped in earth as well.

"We had a deal!" Ash protested.

"You should have listened to the midget brat," said Fouquet. Her eyes were cold as she lectured him. "I normally don't like leaving behind a body count. Fouquet of the Crumbling Earth is supposed to be known for in and out jobs with no fuss. If I went around killing like a common crook, the big league mages would come after me. However, you can spot me in a crowd thanks to your strange magic. Unfortunately, that makes you too dangerous to leave alive. It's nothing personal, kid." She pointed the Staff of Destruction at Ash. "May your Founder have mercy on your soul!"

Louise screamed.

Fouquet pulled the trigger.

Click

Frowning, she tried again.

Click

Click

Click

"Dammit! Why isn't this working?" Fouquet screamed.

"It is," said Ash with a calm look in his blue eyes.

"When why isn't it shooting?"

"Don't tell her!" urged Louise.

"Because it's all used up," Ash explained matter-of-factly.

Fouquet was starting to feel that she was the butt end of an incoming punchline. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"A rocket launcher is like a catapult, except it needs a special type of 'rock' to work," Ash explained. "There was only one rocket loaded, and I doubt you could find another." He smirked. "I guess you shouldn't have let me waste the only shot on a golem."

Fouquet cursed as she dropped the rocket launcher and reached for her wand again. But she was too slow. The blue in Ash's eyes lit up like twin flames. His Aura surged, blasting the Earth Prison around his body into shambles. By the time Fouquet had drawn her wand, Ash was already in front of her. The earth mage's mouth made an "O" of surprise, and then a punch to her gut sent her flying away, with her wand flying out of her hand as well.

"I don't like when people hurt my friends," Ash said resolutely. The Aura coating his body flared with his words.

"That's pretty hot," Kirche commented, giving Ash a long second look.

While Kirche's reaction would normally set Louise on her, the petite mage's focus was stuck on one person. "You had me worried sick!" Louise shouted at Ash. "What did you think were doing? I thought…" Louise's voice cracked as her eyes began to tear up. "I thought you were going to die…"

"Sorry for scaring you," Ash immediately apologized. "I knew that the rocket couldn't be used again, but I couldn't tell you without letting Fouquet know as well. I didn't mean to make you worry."

"That's nice and all, but can you get us out of here?" Guiche interrupted. "My neck is starting to chaff. I can't afford to have my perfect looks ruined."

Louise rolled her eyes and blinked away her tears. "As much as I hate to agree with Guiche, we do need to get out of here," she said.

"Got it," Ash said with a nod. Then he frowned. "How… do I get you out there?"

"Break out Guiche's hand," Tabitha instructed.

Ash shrugged and picked up Derflinger. "Sounds simple enough."

"Wait!" Guiche shrieked. "I need my hand for many important things! Don't cut it off!"

"I'll be careful," Ash assured him. "Just hold still."

"I'm stuck in solid rock!"

"Oh, right. That makes things easier."

"Freeze!"

Ash made a half turn to see Fouquet on her knees, with a vaguely familiar black and white orb in one hand. "The Staff of Destruction might be unusuable, but I still have this!" she declared. "Surrender now, or I'll use the Vanishing Eye on you!"

"What kind of weapon is that?" Louise asked Ash fearfully.

Ash squinted his eyes as he examined the orb from across the distance. "It looks like an ultra ball," he said finally. "And it's pretty banged up too."

"An ultra ball?" Fouquet repeated. "What a fitting name for such a dangerous item."

"Dangerous?" Ash echoed dubiously. "We use those to catch Pokemon—magical creatures. Ultra balls are more advanced and expensive than a normal Pokeball, but they aren't dangerous to humans. I should know, I've hit a few people with them by mistake."

"Y-you're lying!" Fouquet protested. Her voice was shrill from desperation. Without her wand or the Staff, this was the only tool she had left. She couldn't accept that it was worthless. "This was hidden behind the Staff of Destruction, and it's called the Vanishing Eye! It must have some kind of power!"

"It does, it catches Pokemon," said Ash patiently. "Though, this one looks pretty banged up. I'm not sure if it even works anymore."

"You know, I almost feel bad for her now," said Kirche as she watched Fouquet seethe.

"Don't waste your pity; she's a notorious criminal," Louise said harshly. "I'll see to it that she never sees the light of day again."

"Damnit!" Fouquet yelled as she threw the ultra ball at Ash. The boy stood perfectly still, letting the dented ball bounce off his cranium.

"See?" Ash said. "It's completely—"

The ball popped open and a fountain of red energy shot out. The energy took shape, and a creature materialized. The body was draconic, with four legs, a long neck, and a pair of large red wings. Its body was mostly blue, with white on its underbelly and red around its neck, the underside of its tail, and the inner sides of its legs. Three spikes jutted out from each side of its face. Where one its front legs connected to its beefy torso, there was a crater of burnt flesh and scales. The dragon roared in pain, defiance, and unfiltered rage.

"—harmless?" Ash finished weakly.

Chapter Text

“Salamence,” Ash said in a hushed whisper as he looked up at the creature that towered over him.

The Salamence was the largest of its kind that Ash had ever seen, easily standing at three times his height, and almost triple that in length. The Pokemon’s entire body was littered in various scars, burns, and abrasions, but the worst injury was clearly the charcoaled hole in its left shoulder. Just below the crater of burnt flesh was a black band that was wrapped around the Salamence’s leg, almost unnoticeable among the darkened patches on its scales. A matching band was worn as a collar at the base of the Salamence’s neck.

Another roar, just as furious as the last, erupted from the Salamence’s mouth. As it was inevitable, the Salamence’s eyes scanned its surroundings. It glanced downwards, finally noticing the presence of Ash and his trapped companions.

Ash knew that Salamence were infamous for their temper. With how furious this one looked, and with the injuries it had, he knew there was little hope of calming it down as it was. He also couldn’t afford to risk it attacking the people behind him, so he did the best thing he could think off.

He charged towards the enraged Pokemon.

“No! Ash!” Louise cried out after him.

The Salamence roared in challenge and bent down its serpentine neck. The fangs in its mouth gleamed white as the Pokemon snapped at Ash.

The boy dove into a slide, taking advantage of the dragon’s immense size to slip under its legs. “Come and get me!” he shouted as he ran out from underneath the Salamence’s body.

The Pokemon roared, turning around flapping its wings furiously. Its left wing was slower to respond than its right, but after a few flaps it was able to get itself into the air and chase after Ash.

By coincidence, the direction Ash bolted in was where Fouquet was currently rising from her knees. The thief’s eyes widened in terror as she scrambled to run away.

Ash glanced over his shoulder and saw a ball of fire building in the Salamence’s mouth. “Incoming!” he screamed as he ran even faster.

The Salamence let loose a stream of fire and swept it across the clearing. Ash managed to dodge it with ease, but Fouquet wasn’t so lucky. While she was very fit for a mage, she had yet to recover from being sucker punched in the gut. The flames licked at her cloak and the hem of her robes. Fortunately for her, she retained the sense to ditch her cloak before the flames could take hold of the rest of her outfit.

Unfortunately, her temper outweighed whatever sense she had remaining. “What about this thing is harmless?” she shouted at Ash.

Ash made a chopping X with his arms in the universal sign of, “No. Stop. Cancel.” But it was too late. The yell had already drawn the Salamance’s attention to the green haired woman.

Fouquet quickly realized this as well. She ran for her life as another Flamethrower was sent her way, scorching the grass in a blazing trail.

While Ash’s first instincts was to help her, he had higher priorities. With the angry Pokemon temporarily distracted, Ash raced back to the students. He swung Derflinger once, twice, and then a third time. Guiche paled at the swift movements, but sure enough, the earth that had encased his hand crumbled and slid off. “I need a wand,” Guiche said.

“Use mine,” Tabitha offered.

Ash picked up Tabitha’s staff from where it had fallen to the ground and placed it in Guiche’s hand.

“Transmute!” Guiche chanted, tapping the end of the staff on the Earth Prison.

The ground around him softened immediately. It still clung to Guiche’s clothes, but at least it was now the consistency of mud, which allowed him to wade through it and point the staff at his three fellow students. “Transmute! Transmute! Transmute!”

With everyone now free—though grimy—Tabitha reclaimed her staff as the other mages drew their wands. “We should leave while it’s still distracted by Fouquet,” said Louise.

“You want to leave her with the dragon?” Ash asked.

Louise gave him a cross look. “Obviously,” she stated. “She tried to kill you. Twice! She’ll be getting what she deserves.”

Despite the coldness of Louise’s words, Ash could see her body trembling. “An angry Salamence won’t stop unless its exhausted or beaten,” Ash informed her. “Fouquet doesn’t have a wand, and she can’t run forever. We have to stop it.”

“I don’t want to stomach the thought of leaving a woman to the mercy of an angry dragon, but how are we going to stop something like that?” Guiche asked. “What did you call it, a Salamence? It’s huge!”

“That dragon is bigger than the ones I usual see in the military,” said Kirche, watching the Salamence chase Fouquet around the clearing. “While I take pride in my fire magic, I’m not sure it would be enough here. We’re better off retreating as Louise said.”

“We’re not leaving Miss Longueville, Fouquet, or whatever her name is with a rampaging Pokemon!” Ash insisted. “I want her to be punished for her crimes too, but that doesn’t mean I want her mauled!”

“Look out!” Guiche cried as he pointed towards Fouquet.

The thief had not been having an easy time avoid the Salamence’s attacks. While she was in great physical shape, there was only so far that she could run around in circles. The forest was more likely to cause her to trip than to provide proper cover and she lacked he wand for self-defense, so she was forced to weave around the blasts of flames the enraged dragon-type was firing at her.

Eventually, her stamina—or luck, take your pick—had run out. While avoiding another Flamethrower, her foot had skidded off a charred lump of earth, debris from her golem’s previous fight with the students. Fouquet fell to the ground in controlled roll, but when she tried to stand, she gave a pained cry and dropped to her knees. She could see the dragon’s eyes glare at her as its toothy jaw opened wide.

A sphere of flames of formed in the Salamence’s mouth, then fired towards her.

Fouquet couldn’t block it without her wand. She couldn’t run, at least, not for much longer. If this dragon didn’t catch her, the academy students definitely would. There was no point prolonging it. Fouquet stared at her approaching death, only hoping that her sister would never have to hear about the crimes she had committed.

The students had their wands already in hand, but there was not a single water, wind, fire, or earth spell that would be able to reach Fouquet in time. Ash knew that despite his speed, he also couldn’t cover that distance in time. Even so, he bolted towards Fouquet.

As the flames streamed towards Fouquet’s defenseless body, an explosion detonated, erasing the Flamethrower from existence. Fouquet turned, and through the smoke, saw Louise with her wand drawn. The thief was even more surprised to see Ash run up and scoop her into his arms.

“Wh-what, what are you doing?!” the woman stuttered.

“Saving you,” Ash replied as he raced back to where the other students were waiting.

Fouquet looked over Ash’s shoulder as the Salamence roared and dived towards them. “It’s coming!” she yelled.

The Pokemon’s approach was stopped by a barrage of icicles that needled its prior injuries. It tried using Flamethrower again, but the flames were diverted off to the side. Frustrated, it made a second attempt to dive Ash, but the combination of another explosion and an earth spike—both poorly aimed—forced it to disengage.

Ash set the thief down among the other mages as they pelted the rogue Pokemon with their spells. “You’re all on board?” he asked them.

“Rogue dragon is a threat to everyone,” Tabitha stated.

“Thief or not, it would be poor taste to leave a damsel in distress,” Guiche declared.

Louise paused her casting to cross her arms. “I’m only doing this so I can have the distinction of defeating a dragon and a world-renown thief at the same time,” she said with a huff.

“Oh ho ho,” Kirche laughed. “Well, I can’t have a Valliere outperform a Zerbst, now can I?”

Ash shook his head in amusement before looking down at the seated Fouquet. “So, are you going to help us, or do we have to restrain you while we deal with the Salamence?”

Fouquet was still in disbelief about the situation, but the angry dragon in the sky helped her remain focused on the task on hand. “Do you have my wand?” she asked.

“Nope. But you can borrow Guiche’s in the meantime.”

“Hey!” the blond protested.

“It’s a flying dragon, and you’re an earth mage,” Kirche said pointedly. “Besides, your accuracy is worse than Louise’s.”

Guiche grumbled but handed his wand over to Fouquet.

Tabitha also glared at the woman and warned, “If you betray us, I will take care of you.”

The message was clear. While Fouquet was confident that she was a better mage than Tabitha, the petite mage also had reinforcements. “I’d prefer to make it out of here alive,” Fouquet noted drily.

“It’s coming in again!” Ash warned. The Salamence’s eyes had a feral glint as the Pokemon dove forward. It twisted out of the way of the spells that were hurled at it, but continued approaching instead of banking away. “I’ll get its attention. Kirche, keep the flames diverted. Fouquet, try using one of those Earth Prisons on it. Tabitha and Louise, hold back for now so it doesn’t attack you instead. But if it gets close, scare it off.”

After everyone nodded in response, Ash ran to meet the diving Salamence, Derflinger once again in his hand. “You have a plan, partner?” the sword asked.

“Bait it to the ground so we can trap it.”

“…Partner, that’s an idea, not a plan. Still, it’s ballsy! I like it!”

Ash couldn’t help but smile even as he watched the Salamence stretched out a set of glowing green claws. He wasn’t entirely sure if this would work, but he figured there was no better time than the present to find out. He brought up Derflinger in a slash to meet the Salamence’s Dragon Claw.

Steel resisted Dragon, that was how type advantages worked with Pokemon. Fortunately, it seemed that held true for Derflinger as well. In fact, the green energy of the Dragon Claw was fading into Derflinger as the two clashed. However, the difference in strength was too great between the two combatants. The dragon-type attack forced Ash to slide back several yards. Immediate follow up came in the form of a Flamethrower, which Ash didn’t hesitate to charge into.

Kirche did her part, making sure the flames flew off to Ash’s sides as he pressed the Salamence into melee range.

Louise looked at Fouquet, who had her wand pointed out, but had yet to cast a spell. “What are you waiting for?” Louise asked her accusingly. “It’s flying near the ground.”

“It’s a large dragon, and a very powerful one despite being injured,” Fouquet responded. “If I tried to grab it in mid-air with an Earth-Prison, I know it wouldn’t hold. It’s still moving too much and there’s too much mass, especially muscle.”

“But Ash is managing to hold it off without any spells,” said Guiche, pointing out Ash who was still trading blows with the Salamence and struggling to remain on his feet. “He’s losing ground, but he’s still standing.”

“That boy can be barely considered human,” Fouquet deadpanned. “Don’t expect miracles from me.”

Truthfully, Fouquet did stand a chance of holding the Salamence with a well-timed Earth Prison, and if she failed, there was always the option to try again as long as she didn’t attract its attention. However, she wanted to see the power Ash had. Who was he? What was he? She wouldn’t let him die, of course, since she knew that his naïve nature was the most likely reason that she wasn’t being left for dead. However, she wasn’t one to let opportunities pass her by.

Ash let out a hiss of pain as he was knocked back once again. Whatever Derflinger was doing helped lower the Salamence’s power, but Ash couldn’t keep this up. His arms and legs were slowly growing numb from the vibrations of the clashes. While he wasn’t at his limit yet, it was only a matter of time before his combat ability would start to drop.

“I think you might want to change your plan, partner,” Derflinger advised. “I’m a tough nut to crack, but you’re still a meatbag.”

“I need to tire it out so it lands on the ground,” Ash responded. He braced himself as the Salamence’s Dragon Claw struck again. Ash summersaulted in the air—his cap miraculously not falling off in the process—and slid across the ruined grass.

“You think you’re going to last that long?”

Ash shook his head. He knew he needed a new plan, but he couldn’t think of anything. Louise and Tabitha’s spells would be effective, but if they attacked now, the Salamence would target them, and they didn’t have Ash’s durability. If they went all out, they might be able to kill it, but that wasn’t Ash’s goal. He only wanted it weakened enough to stop its rampage.

Ash’s arms shook as he deflected a Crunch by slashing Derflinger into the Salamence’s mouth fins. The Pokemon was low to the ground, but it was still always moving. From what he saw of Fouquet’s casting, the Earth Prison spell wouldn’t be useful against an airborne opponent. This wouldn’t work unless the Salamence was fully grounded. Ash’s eyes shifted towards the Salmance’s injured left wing.

“Finally got a real plan, partner?”

“Sure do,” Ash replied with a grin. He turned the brim of his cap backwards and looked the Salamence in the eye, challenging it to attack again. “All we have to do is injure its wing when it comes for us.”

Surprisingly, after meeting his eyes, the Salamence flew into the air. Instead of preparing its usual flamethrower, it raised its head towards the sky. A flame-colored orb formed in its mouth; Ash could tell that there was no fire in this attack.

“Louise!” Ash shouted urgently. “Destroy that orb! Don’t let it finish that attack!”

Louise, to her credit, quickly followed the distantly called order. However, her aim was off. As the orange orb grew to its zenith, her Explosion erupted next to the Salamance’s open mouth. It jerked its head as two of its mouth fins were violently eviscerated into little more than charcoaled nubs. The orange orb misfired, breaking into a shower of meteors that wasted an entire side of the clearing in a series of thunderous booms.

The Salamence’s shriek of pain combined the sound of meteors exploding across the clearing assaulted the ears of the humans. Guiche, Kirche, and Louise couldn’t resist covering their ears as it howled. The Salemence’s eyes became rimmed red with rage. It caught sight of the bigger group and dove towards them.

“Tabitha, freeze its left wing with ice!” Ash called out as he raced towards them. “Fouquet, get everyone out of there!”

“Freeze!”

“Earth Wave!”

Ice crept across the Salamence’s injured wing. The ground rippled and split, sending the mages to either side of the dragon-type as it passed through with its glowing fangs outstretched. Unable to correct its course or regain altitude, it crashed into the ground, rolling and tumbling with painful cries. As it came to a stop, Fouquet finally cast her spell. The ground rose up around the Salamence’s body and hardened.

“Finally,” Ash said with a sigh of relief as he planted Derflinger into the ground and leaned against the sword. “Now we can find its pokeball—”

The Salamence roared again, its eyes and body glowing with a menacing red aura. The rock around it started to crack as the Pokemon strained against its confines.

“What in the Foudner’s name is it doing?” Guiche wondered.

“Ash…” Louise said hesitantly.

“This is bad,” Ash said with gritted teeth as he pulled out Derflinger back out of the ground. Louder, he called out, “Get away! It’s going to use Outrage and attack everything in sight!”

“Not if I can help it,” Fouquet declared.

She cast a spell to sink the Salamence into the ground, but in a feat of monstrous strength, the Pokemon smashed through its prison. What little reason and self-preservation it previously had was now gone as it speedily charged into the group. Its left wing was hanging at a disjointed angle, clearly broken, but the dragon-type proved to be surprisingly fast even while grounded.

“It looks really mad,” Kirche commented. While she tried to sound nonchalant, her voice was laced with fear.

“I’m too young to die,” Guiche whimpered.

“No one’s going to die,” Ash said resolutely as he held up Derflinger. “I’ll keep it busy; you guys try to injure it. But most importantly, keep your distance. You can’t take hits like I can.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” said Fouquet. She created a golem which carried her in its hand. With reluctance, she let the other mages climb onto its shoulders, except for Tabitha, who took to the skies with her Flight spell.

Ash had struggled to keep his ground earlier while fighting a normal enraged Salamence. While it was using Outrage, its hits felt twice as hard. The attacks were predictable, but fast, strong, and brutal. Red whisps from the aura surrounding the dragon-type’s body would be sucked into Derflinger every time they clashed, but not to the same effect as it had been when the Salamence was only using Dragon Claw.

“What’s the new plan, partner?” Derflinger asked.

Ash grunted he skidded across the grass. “Outrage doesn’t last forever, and the Salamence will be confused afterwards,” he replied. “As long as we outlast it, we win.”

The Salamence tried slamming down its claws on Ash’s body, but he dodged to the side. A swing of its tail was also avoided, but then the Salamence slammed its head into Ash’s body. The lone remaining fin on the side of its face drove into Ash’s lower ribs, knocking the breath out of him.

The mages, now safely away from the Salamence’s effective range, began lobbing their spells. Kirche’s Fireballs washed over the Salamence’s scales, painfully cauterizing its new wounds, but otherwise doing little damage. Louise’s Explosions never actually hit the Salamence’s body thanks to its erratic movement. Tabitha’s ice spells were the only source of meaningful damage, but she couldn’t afford to use her most potent spells while maintaining her altitude. In fact, none of the mages could use their strongest spells with Ash being so close to their target.

“I’m going to get Ash,” Tabitha informed her fellow mages. She looked at Fouquet in particular. “Make a wall encircling the dragon once we’re out.”

“Understood.” Fouquet found no issues following a plan that didn’t require any personal risks from her.

“Be careful,” Kirche said to Tabitha.

Tabitha nodded, and flew towards the fight.

Ash was starting to lose track how many times the Salamence had attacked him, or how many times he had been knocked away. The Outrage was going longer than he had expected. He knew that Salamence’s were naturally prone to raging, but he didn’t expect that to translate into a longer, empowered Outrage.

“I don’t think we’re going to outlast it at this rate,” Derflinger said frankly. “Honestly, partner, it’s been eons since I’ve seen someone last this long against a dragon without magic. How are you not dead?”

“I’m tougher than I look,” Ash grunted. A wild swipe from the Salamence’s back leg caught him off guard. He managed to block the brunt of the attack with Derflinger, but he was still sent flying away and landed on the ground with an oomph. “Ow…”

“Up and at ‘em, partner! This dragon isn’t taking breaks just because you are!”

Ash shakily rose to his feet as he watched the Salamence approach. He didn’t have the energy to dodge anymore. Ash’s Aura was going haywire inside his body. Somehow, his physical enhancement was still in effect, but he didn’t feel like he could do much else at the moment. There was little he could do but hope that eventually the Salamence would succumb to its own move or the spells of the students.

Unexpected salvation came in the form of Tabitha, swooping down and lifting Ash off the ground away from the Salamence’s charge.

“What are you doing?” Ash asked in surprise. While Tabitha was flying slowly due to the extra weight, she was able to keep herself and Ash out of the Salamence’s reach. “You could have been killed!”

“New plan,” Tabitha replied.

Ash watched as a wall of stone rose up around the Salamence, Tabitha circled it from above, keeping its attention on the prey just within rich instead of the barriers rising around it.

“Can you cast while flying?” he asked.

“Tricky,” said Tabitha. “Hold on.”

Ash, being carried by Tabitha’s free arm, didn’t have much to cling onto. With one arm latched onto Tabitha’s and the other holding Derflinger, he made sure to keep his grip tight without accidently crushing the mage’s arm. Tabitha flew up as high as she dared, then released her Flight spell.

Instead of screaming, Ash immediately positioned himself to hold Tabtiha in his arms as they fell. He had a good guess what she was planning, but if it didn’t work, he’d have to hope that his Aura enhanced body would survive the fall.

“Blizzard!” Tabitha chanted.

While the spell wasn’t Tabitha’s preferred choice in combat, it fit this situation perfectly. There were no allies to be worried about hitting, and her target was large enough that the wide ranged spell would be more effective than her usually precision spells. Winds blew, water droplets condensed, and a barrage of biting winds and stinging hail pelted the Salamence. The Pokemon raged against the attack, but the extremely effective spell proved too much for it. The Salamence’s body lost its red glow as it faltered, and fell to the ground.

Ash and Tabitha were nearing the ground as well. In the nick of time, Tabitha managed to cast Levitate. While it didn’t kill all of their momentum, it did remove enough to allow them to hit the ground with a harmless thud.

Fouquet’s golem strode over to them, the onboard students wasting no time sliding off the construct’s body and rushing towards the two.

“Excellent work, Tabitha!”

“Are you hurt, Ash?”

“Is it finally over?”

“Not yet it’s not.” Fouquet grumble went unheard as she looked the Salamence. Its body was half frozen over, and its eyes were glazed and unfocused, the combination of confusion and injuries preventing it from doing any more than twitching sporadically.

“Job done,” Tabitha said. She tried to stand, but instead fell back onto Ash’s body as a bout of dizziness caught her.

“Ow…”

“Sorry.”

“S’all right.” Ash waited for Kirche to help Tabitha to her feet before reaching out and grabbing Louise and Guiche’s outstretched hands. “We won, and no one got seriously hurt, that’s what matters.”

“Are you serious?!” Guiche exclaimed. “We saw you get thrown around like toddler’s toy! How are you still standing?”

“Guiche is right, you probably shouldn’t be moving until we get a healer,” said Louise.

“Nothing’s broken,” Ash muttered as he twisted his body experimentally. Louise and Guiche grimaced, but were relieved to see that Ash could still move freely. “Yup, I’m sore all over, but otherwise, I’m fine. Now, let’s find that ultra ball so I can return the Salamence—” A familiar rumbling of the ground interrupted him. Ash and the others immediately turned to Fouquet, but her wand wasn’t pointed at them.

Crack

Splat

Ash’s headed whipped in the direction of the sound. The Salamence’s body was encased in an Earth Prison, and its body was being crushed as the hardened earth began to press into its body from all sides. It roared in pain as its bones snapped, but the sound was quickly muffled as the Earth Prison spread to encase its entire head.

“Stop it!” Ash shouted as he ran towards the Salamence.

Tabitha immediately summoned a shard of icicles and held them around Fouquet, who quickly dropped her wand in surrender. “It tried to kill us, I’m just returning the favor,” Fouquet said in her defense.

“You tried to kill Ash!” Louise accused her. “Are you saying we should have killed you too?”

“It’s a dragon, not a person!”

“A dragon can be tamed, you’re only going to rot in a cell for the rest of your pitiful life,” Kirche sniped.

“This is what I can’t stand about you nobles!” Fouquet shouted. “You live in your own fantasy! A dragon like that can’t be tamed and is danger to everyone. It could have woken up and killed us the moment we turned our backs on it!”

“Ash is the expert, not you!” Louise countered. “He knew the dragon’s species, he knew what it could do, he knew how to handle it. Not you! Don’t act like you have any say in what happens, you criminal scum!”

Louise turned to Ash for his input, but found he was gone from her side. Instead, the trainer and Guiche were by the dragon. Guiche had recovered his wand and used it to remove the rocks crushing the Salamence’s vital areas, and Ash was by the Salamence’s head. The dragon-type was trying to bite him, but in its weakened state, Ash was able hold its jaws away from his body. He spoke to the Salamence softly, and eventually, it settled down. Ash stroked its neck, continuing to whisper to the gravely injured Pokemon.

Fouquet had the decency to look ashamed. “I didn’t know…”

“That’s a terrible excuse and you know it,” Louise said hotly.

A shrill coo cut through the clearing. The mages looked up to see Sylphid flying towards them, with Colbert and two other mages trailing behind the wind dragon.

“What’s Sylphid doing here?” Kirche asked.

“I called her when I realized Longueville was probably Fouquet,” said Tabitha. “Told her to get teachers. They must have made her late.”

Colbert flew down and took stock of the situation. Miss Longueville, without her glasses, was surrounded by suspended icicles courtesy. The clearing looked like it had just been a warzone. Ash was stroking the neck of massive, unmoving dragon, with tears running down the boy’s cheeks. Every single person was covered from head to toe in grime.

“What in the Founder’s name happened here?”

After a brief explanation, Colbert had the students return to the Academy while he and the other teachers secured Fouquet and dealt with the aftermath. The group was assaulted with questions upon their return, and after giving their report of the mission, they immediately split up to get cleaned up and take some time to recuperate. In the case of Ash, it also meant a trip to the Water Tower for some healing. To Ash’s non-surprise, he was fine aside from excessive muscle tearing, bruises, and general exhaustion. No broken bones or other serious injuries one would expect from facing down a dragon several times their size.

Fouquet was taken into custody and was put under the careful watch of the princess’s musketeers in one of the academy towers. The teachers hadn’t said anything about the Salamence, but given its injuries, none of the teens felt like they had to ask.

While the victorious party would have been content to spend the day resting after that grueling experience, the school faculty had other plans.

“And now we welcome our heroes, who successfully captured Fouquet of the Crumbling Earth and defeated a deadly dragon!”

Colbert’s announcement was met with a round of applause as Ash, Louise, Kirche, Tabitha, and Guiche stood presented to the crowd. The celebration for their accomplishment was taking place in the cafeteria, which had quickly been decorated in the brief time since their return.

Henrietta stepped forward and announced, “I, Princess Henritta de Tristan, thank you for your assistance in subjugating the threats to my kingdom.” She bowed her head towards them.

“Th-there’s no need for you to lower your head, your highness!” Louise insisted. “We were merely doing our duties as citizens of Tristan.”

“Aren’t we the only native Tristans though?” Guiche whispered to Louise. “Kirche is from Germania, Tabitha is from Gallia, and Ash is… where do people like him come from anyway?” Louise discreetly elbowed Guiche’s ribs as she continued politely smiling to the audience.

More praises were offered before the celebration transitioned into causal mingling. Louise and Ash were immediately pulled aside by the princess.

“I want to thank you two personally,” said Henrietta. “Louise, you were integral to destroying Fouquet’s signature golem, and Ash, you lead the attack and placed yourself in grave danger to protect the others. You two have done a great service to this country.”

“You are too kind, your highness,” Louise said with a blush. “As I said before, we need no praise for doing our duty.”

“I disagree,” Henrietta countered. “It takes courage to volunteer to capture a notorious thief when your teachers would not.”

“How did you know about that?” Louise asked. She doubted that the faculty would admit to the country’s princess that they were too scared to face Fouquet and let their students take care of the problem instead.

“It was pretty obvious, given the circumstances,” Henrietta replied with an uncharacteristically cunning smile. “After all, there’s no other reason the teachers would let you go on your own. And not only did you capture Fouquet, but you also faced and brought down an unexpected dragon. That is the quite the accomplishment.”

“Yes, I suppose it was.” The words were said with little enthusiasm as Louise glanced at Ash, who was silently staring off into nothingness.

“Is there something wrong?” Henrietta asked. “Ash?” she tried again.

That brought Ash out of his stupor. “What? Yes?” he asked distractedly. “Sorry, princess, I guess I was a bit lost in my thoughts,” he said with a nervous chuckle.

“No, it’s fine,” said Henrietta as she shook her head. “You’ve had an eventful day.”

“I’ll say!” A new voice joined in as the Headmaster slipped into their group. “Such an impressive feat isn’t something I’ve seen in all my years as Headmaster of this Academy! And believe me, I’ve seen a lot in my years.”

Something clicked in Ash’s mind. “That reminds me,” he suddenly said. “Headmaster Osmond, where did the Staff of Destruction and Vanishing Eye come from?”

“Ah… yes,” said Osmond as he stroked his beard. “Well, I suppose you of all people deserve to know the true story.” He quickly cast a privacy spell around the group before beginning his tale.

“Many years ago, when I was but a young mage freshly graduated from the academy, I saw a most peculiar sight. There was a strange distortion in the sky. I flew over to investigate, but the distortion was gone just as quickly as it came. I was about to believe it to be a trick of the light, but then I heard the unmistakable roar of a furious dragon.”

“I flew towards the sound, and what I saw terrified me. There was a man, both of his legs clearly broken, lying not far from a heavily injured dragon. As the dragon tried to run up to the man, I cast a lightning spell. To my surprise, it shrugged the spell off easily and flew towards me. I cast spell after spell trying to weaken it, but it pressed on. I, being only barely a triangle class mage, knew that my death was near as the dragon approached me.

“To my surprise, however, an explosion erupted from the dragon’s shoulder. The man on the ground had crawled towards his way to an odd black rod that had been lying nearby. I had no clue what spell he had cast, but it proved effective as the dragon then turned to chase after him. I tried to intercept, but the dragon was too strong for any of my spells to distract it from its target. The man’s final act was to throw a black and white orb, right before the dragon incinerated his body.

Osmond’s eyes grew heavy. “I didn’t understand what happened, but suddenly the dragon’s body glowed red and disappeared. The ball fell to the ground, rocked from side to side, and then lay still. I rushed over to the man, but I could see that it was too late for him. It was a miracle he hadn’t immediately perished in the dragon’s final attack. He said something in a foreign language, and then died with a smile on his face.”

Osmond sighed. “I buried the man with the staff he used. I felt it was a fitting for a warrior. I found a similar staff lying not too far away, and took it with the magical orb that had been used to slay the dragon. While I told the King and Queen the true story, the story of the Staff of Destruction being used to destroy the dragon was the cover. The Vanishing Eye is smaller and more inconspicuous than the Staff of Destruction. It was better that people did not know that a weapon as unassuming as the Vanishing Eye could eradicate an entire dragon in the blink of an eye.”

“But an ultra ball doesn’t destroy anything,” Ash pointed out. “It only holds Pokemon—ah, magical creatures.”

Osmond nodded. “While that’s still an incredible function, it’s not as dangerous as we first perceived. However, with the Vanishing Eye now missing, I suppose it matters little.”

“It wasn’t recovered?” Louise asked in surprise.

Osmond shook his head. “Given the destruction in that clearing, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was destroyed in the chaos,” he said. “What a pity.”

“Are there other items like that in the vault?” Princess Henrietta asked curiously.

“Hm…” Osmond ran a hand through his beard as he pondered. “There are many powerful and unique items in the vault. Unfortunately, we never got around to cataloging all of them, and some of those items predate even my predecessors. I suppose we’d have to take a tour to know for sure.”

“That would be great,” said Louise excitedly. Then she sagged with disappointment. “Oh, but we were supposed to leave with the Princess tomorrow morning…”

“Yes, her highness did mention that,” Osmond said thoughtfully. “Perhaps I can arrange a tour for all three of you when you return from your trip in the capital?”

“That would be highly appreciated, Headmaster Osmond,” Henrietta replied. Louise and Ash nodded as well.

“In that case, I will bid you to enjoy the evening, and take pride in your victory,” said Osmond. He dismissed the privacy spell and practically swam through the crowds towards the nearest group Musketeers.

“Now I feel terrible having you leave after you had to endure this ordeal,” Henrietta confessed.

“We made a promise which we intend to keep,” said Louise. “You can leave it to us.”

“That’s right,” said Ash. “You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“I thank you both, from the bottom of my heart I do,” said Henrietta sincerely.

“Princess!”

“Coming, Agnes!” Henrietta gave a final nod to both of them before rejoining her captain of the guard.

Louise and Ash walked to the edge of the cafeteria’s center, where various people were dancing. Ash could spy Guiche dancing with Montmorency, and then he swapped and started dancing with Katie. The trainer shook his head. It was a step up from trying to cheat behind the girls’ backs, but now he was literally dancing between the two of them.

Kirche was wearing a tight-fitted red dress that was somehow less revealing but more seductive than her usual school uniform. She was flirting with literally every male she could find.

Tabitha was dressed in a light blue dress. It was formal, but simple in design, suiting Tabitha well. The girl was standing off to the side, reading a book, as per usual.

“Are you okay?”

Ash turned to Louise, who was looking at him with genuine concern. For the first time that evening, he took a moment to take in her appearance. Louise wore a white dress with pink frills, and her hair was tied up in a high ponytail. She looked every bit like a young noble lady.

“Of course,” Ash said with a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re obviously not,” Louise said accusingly. Ash averted his eyes. “See, you can’t even look me in the eye.” Her voice grew softer as she said, “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Sorry, it’s just…” Ash sighed, finally letting the weariness show on his face. “There was no reason for anyone to die today.”

“You’re still worried about the dragon?” Louise asked, even though his words were only confirming her suspicions. “While I disagreed with Miss Long—Fouquet’s actions, she did have a point. It wouldn’t have been much use as a mount if it wanted to eat you or one of us.”

“The Salamence was hurt and scared,” said Ash. “That’s why it was fighting us. There was no need to kill it. I tried to avoid anyone dying, but I still couldn’t save it.”

“Did you lose someone close to you before?”

Ash opened his mouth, then closed it, frowning. “I feel like I have, but I can’t remember their name, face, or anything about them,” he said. “Sorry, Louise, I’m just out of it right now. But I’ll be fine tomorrow, so don’t sorry about the mission.”

“Ash.”

“Yes.”

“Shut up.”

“…”

Louise turned to face Ash, took his hands in her own and squeezed them. “You are my familiar, and I am your master,” she said. “That does not mean you should deal with everything on your own. I realize that I don’t have your… experiences, but I’d like you to rely on me more. Okay?”

Ash stared at her in wonder, then smiled. “Yeah, I’ll try to remember that,” he said. “You’re a good friend, Louise. Thank you.” Without warning, he wrapped her in a hug.

“I-I…” Louise blushed and started fidgeting. “Don’t do this in public,” she muttered under her breath.

“Sorry,” Ash apologized as he released her. He turned his gaze to the dance floor. “Hey, Louise?”

“What?”

Ash took a step back, held a hand out, and bowed at the waist. “May I have this dance?”

Louise’s gaze went from Ash’s hand to his face. “Do you know how to dance?” she asked skeptically.

“More or less.”

“Hmph. I suppose I’ll have to teach you then.”

Louise accepted Ash’s hand, and they stepped onto the dance floor just as the song switched to a slow waltz.

No words were exchanged, but in their hearts, both agreed that that moment was the highlight of their day.

Chapter Text

"Halt!" a guard called out, holding up a hand as a suspiciously hooded individual approached the prison door he and his partner were guarding. "You're not allowed to… be… here…" As a gentle mist passed through the hall, the guards found themselves involuntarily closing their eyes.

The hooded figure corked the vial of sleeping gas in his hand and slipped it into his robe. Stepping over the bodies of the now sleeping guards, he paused to reach down and grab a pair of keys from one of their belts. With a smoothness to his actions that betrayed his familiarity, he found the key to the prison block and let himself in.

There was only one prisoner in this section of the dungeon. The incarceration rate in Halkegenia was the lowest it had been in years. While that statistic sounded like a good thing, it only went to show how many criminals were left wandering around the public. The lone prisoner was located in a cell in the very back of the room. The hooded intruder strode slowly and confidently, letting the soles of his feet click clearly across the stone floor as he jingled the keys in his hand. The change in guard wouldn't happen for another hour. The man was assured in his safety, and he wanted Fouquet to hear, feel his confidence.

The criminal was lying on a stone slab that jutted out from the wall. She was stretched out, reclining on her elbow and facing the wall. Even as the footsteps stopped in front of her cell, she didn't bother rolling from her bed. "Are you here to kill me?" the once proud thief asked.

"Perish the thought," the man said with laugh. His smooth voice would set most people at ease, but it set Fouquet on the defensive. "I actually came to hire you."

"Oh? You want me badly enough to break into the royal prison to recruit me?" Fouquet asked. She rolled over to face the person, but couldn't make out any distinguishing features from the way he wore his hood. His voice was also new to her. "What's the pay?"

"Your freedom, for one."

Fouquet snorted. "If I stay in this cell, I'll be forced to reveal who I sold my loot too. If I escape with you, they won't hesitate to send me to the gallows next time," the woman pointed out.

"Even if you stay in your cell and are fully cooperative, the best you will be offered is a swift execution," the man skillful countered. "Once the nobles recover their treasures, they'll have no reason to keep you alive. In fact, that will just make your execution all the more praiseworthy."

He knew how to trade words well, Fouquet had to admit. Still, she wasn't done. "At least I can use that time to negotiate for my life. What's to say I won't get caught immediately after joining you and executed on the spot?"

"The weak crown of Tristan wouldn't be able to reach you if you join me, Matilda."

The woman stiffened, her eyes involuntarily widening. "Nice guess, but that's not my name," she bluffed.

"Matilda de Saxe-Gotha. Age twenty-three. Daughter of the late Viceroy Maddock de Saxe-Gotha," the man rattled off. "Currently known as the infamous thief, Fouquet of the Crumbling Earth. I must say, you pulled off the deception rather well. However, next time I would advise a less form-fitting outfit. Your beauty betrays you."

Matilda slowly sat up, eyeing the man with a renewed sense of wariness. "Such a charmer," she said smoothly. "I hope this isn't a ploy to convince me to lower my rate."

"Of course not," the man replied in a matching tone. "I wouldn't want to cheat you out of your well-deserved wage. Especially since you have so many dependents." Seeing Matilda stiffen once again, he smiled. "Yes, I know all about your honorary sister and her charges. Cute little rascals, aren't they? Too bad they aren't old enough to fend for themselves. I can imagine how hard it is to provide for them all."

"I get the point," Matilda said drily. She stood up and made a show of dusting off her cloak, not that the action helped any. She'd need an entire new wardrobe if she didn't want to go around looking like a tramp or an escaped convict. "I normally prefer to work alone, but I suppose I can make an exception this time."

"I'm glad we came to a peaceful agreement," the man said. He unlocked her cell door and strode towards the exit. "Normally, I'd invite you to our base for a briefing, but we're rather short on time. There's an urgent mission that I need your assistance on."

"It better not be a local job," Matilda warned. "I prefer my head attached to my body, thank you very much."

"Fear not, we'll be making quite a trip," the man assured her. "In fact, we'll be heading to your home country. Maybe after our job is done you can take a day off to visit your sister. How does that sound?"

Matilda refrained from gritting her teeth as she answered him with a pleasant smile. "Absolutely wonderful."

Louise and Ash rode across the open road, keeping their horses at a steady trot. The saddlebags slung on the sides of their mounts were filled with enough rations and supplies to last an entire week. They had broken from the Princess's caravan about an hour after leaving the academy, far away enough to ensure they wouldn't be noticed by any observing students.

Ash glanced at Louise, who was staring straight ahead into the horizon. They'd been riding without a word between them for long while, and he was getting tired of the silence. "So… how long until we reach Albion?"

"We're not going straight to Albion," Louise reminded him. "We need to travel to the port city of La Rochelle, and from there take a ship to Albion."

"And how long will that take?"

"From the academy to La Rochelle is about two days, and from there to Albion should be less than half a day," Louise replied. "However, Albion's unrest thanks to the Reconquista could stretch that time further. The princess provided enough funds to last us a month, but we can't afford to waste that much time."

Ash nodded as he idly patted the money pouch that he kept on him. After their experience in the capitol, Louise decided to only keep a small amount of money on her person. That way, the bulk of their savings were in the hands of the person who could actually protect them. "Is there a way we can get there faster?" the trainer asked.

Louise drew out the map from one of her bags. "Not likely. This is the fastest road there."

"Let me see?" Louise handed the map to Ash, who quickly scanned it. "This might be the shortest road, but we're going around an entire forest," he noticed. "We could cut straight through it and save time."

"Forests are harder to move through quickly," Louise argued.

"We're not pushing the horses to be fast anyway," Ash countered.

"There's also a greater chance to run into bandits and wild animals."

"Girlie, my partner can slice through giant golems and you're worry about two-bit crooks? Pah!" Derflinger snorted. "He could probably win a fight by smashing his thick skull into them."

Louise gave a slow a nod to that. "Rude, but true," Louise acknowledged.

Ash's expression fell. "Why are you two picking on me? I thought you hated each other."

"I do hate that piece of scrap metal, but he has a point this time," Louise stated.

"We can agree every once in a while," Derflinger acknowledged. "But I still think this girl needs someone to pull the stick out of her—"

"I'm going to blow you into ash!"

"He's Ash!"

Ash sighed. "Louise, please don't blow up Derflinger. And Derflinger, please, stop riling up Louise."

"I'm just saying it as it is, partner."

Ash let out an even deeper sigh. Returning his attention to Louise, he asked, "So, about cutting through the forest?"

Louise thought about it for a moment, weighing the options. "Are you sure we won't get lost?"

"Louise, I've travelled across multiple regions for years," Ash asserted assuredly. "I can get us through a little patch of a forest without getting us lost."

"Ash…"

"…Yes?"

"We're lost."

"…Not exactly?"

"Yes, we are."

"How do you know?"

Louise pointed at the hoofprints and broken branches that marked the path they were traveling on. "You took us in a complete circle," she growled through clenched teeth.

Ash spun the map around, trying to figure out what went wrong in his navigation. "Now that I think about it, I don't have the best track record when it comes to not getting lost."

"You said you travelled across countries!"

"Regions, but close enough. And I travelled with friends; I usually wasn't in charge of the map, at least, not for very long."

"Why didn't you mention this earlier!"

"Because I felt confident?" Ash offered weakly.

Louise's response was to reach out her leg to kick his side. It didn't hurt, but Ash barely managed to catch himself from falling off his horse.

"Okay! I messed up. But I think I know how to get back on the road."

"Really? Because we don't even know where we are!" Louise ranted. "Worse, the sun's directly overhead, so we can't even tell which way is north! Tell me, how are we supposed to find our way back to the road?"

Ash pointed to the moss growing on a nearby tree. "Moss grows on the north side. The road is somewhere to our west. So, if we walk with the moss facing our left side, we'll eventually find the road."

Louise's incredulous stare drilled into Ash. "How do you know that, but you still managed to get us lost?"

"…I don't know?"

A strangled cry of frustration escaped Louise's throat. Ash watched on sheepishly as he idly scratched the neck of his mount. It wasn't his fault he got lost! Well, it kind of was, but it's not like he did it on purpose.

Just then, a shadow fell over the two. The horses were startled, but the teens quickly got them under control. Ash looked up and saw a large, feathered creature diving down towards them.

"Get down, Louise!" he called as he drew Derflinger and slid of his horse's back, keeping his other hand free as he started charging an Aura Sphere.

Louise, however, stared at the silhouette form more closely. "Hold on, Ash," she ordered. "That's a griffon."

"A what now?"

"I told you about Tristan's Griffon Knights, remember?"

"The elite royal knight group?"

"That's the one."

"Oh."

As the griffon descended, Ash could now clearly see a male rider on its back. The man had grey hair trailed long past his shoulders and circled around his jaw and upper lip. His eyes were a cool silver. He wore a blue grey robe that matched the wide brimmed hat on his head. Underneath his robe, he wore a dark green tunic, white leggings, and tall boots. The uniform and mount made it obvious that he was no ordinary person, let alone a bandit.

Ash sheepishly sheathed Derflinger and let Aura Sphere dissipate as the mounted griffon touched the ground.

"Count Wardes?!" Louise exclaimed in surprise.

"My dear Louise," Wardes greeted gracefully in return.

Ash looked to Louise. Then to Wardes. Then back to Louise. They were obviously acquainted, but they didn't look related. "Um, Louise? Who is he?"

"My apologies," Wardes said. He dismounted from his griffon with the grace that displayed his experience and poise. "I am Viscount Wardes, Captain of the Griffon Knights." He smiled at Louise. "And more importantly, my dear Louise's fiancé."

Once again, Ash swiveled his head between the two. "You're old enough to get married?" he asked Louise incredulously. "I thought you were around my age!"

First, Henrietta, and now Louise. Everyone was getting married young. To make things even stranger, Wardes almost looked old enough to be Louise's father.

Louise's face immediately turned red. She defensively crossed her arms over her extremely modest chest. "Of course I'm older than you are! I'm seventeen!"

"You are?"

"Yes!"

Now Ash was the one crossing his arms defensively. "That still doesn't make you that much older than me."

"That makes me plenty older!"

Wardes, who had been observing their argument in stunned silence, watched as the two turned away and huffed in perfect sync. He had not seen Louise act so openly around anyone before. The closest comparison he could think of was when Louise and the Princess were still children. And even back then, Louise had held high regard for her highness.

"You certainly are relaxed with your familiar, Louise," the Viscount remarked.

Louise 'eeped' as she remembered that her very mature fiancé had just watched her argue like a spoiled child. "I am very sorry for that embarrassing display, Count Wardes," she apologized.

Wardes laughed it off. "On the contrary, it warms my heart to see this side of you, my dear Louise," he responded. "You have my thanks, Ash, was it?"

"Yes, sir! Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, at your service!" Ash introduced himself with a bow. He sheepishly remembered that Viscount was pretty high nobility—Louise had drilled the ranks into his head—so proper respect was warranted.

"There's no need for bowing here," Wardes assured the boy. "We are all here at the Princess's request. Formalities are a complication we should do without, especially if we don't want to attract unwanted attention."

"Princess Henrietta sent you as well?" Louise asked.

"Indeed," Wardes replied with a nod. "You need not fear that she lacks faith in you. I was inquiring as to your whereabouts since I'd heard she had gone to visit you. She confided to me in private that you were on this mission, so I offered my services. I could not stay behind while my beloved risks her life." Wardes reached over to Louise and gently lifted her chin, tilting her head up to meet her gaze.

"Wardes…" Louise said breathlessly as pink rose in her cheeks.

"Woah, that's so cool!" Ash exclaimed. "So, you're basically Louise's knight, or prince charming? I can't remember how those stories go…"

"As her fiancé I try to be all of those and more," Wardes said emphatically.

"Awesome!" Ash declared as he slammed his fist into an open palm. "With an actual knight on our side, there's no way we can fail! Next stop, Albion!"

Louise involuntary pulled away from Wardes as she snapped at Ash, "I already told you, we need to stop by La Rochelle first! Do you have anything sitting between your ears?"

"Of course, I do!"

"Then act like it! This mission is serious!"

"I am taking it seriously!"

"Not with that attitude you're not!"

"What's wrong with my attitude? I'm excited!"

"Show the proper decorum for the situation!"

"I don't even know what decorum means!"

As Wardes watched the two bicker like an old married couple, he started to wonder how much he was out of his depth.

Two days of travel.

No progress made.

They were nearing Port La Rochelle, that step of the Princess's mission was going smoothly. However, Wardes had his own ambitions in mind.

Given the knowledge he had acquired from Fouquet, the viscount thought he had Ash's character well sketched out. The boy was supposed to be childish, stupid, and emotional, but held a mind and body that were perfectly suited for combat. Wardes had expected to be able to push Ash's buttons and string him along to his tune, dividing the familiar from Louise by forcing himself between them.

However, not only had Ash shown no signs of noticing his intrusions, he even welcomed the man with open arms. He never got jealous when Wardes mentioned his relationship Louise, though he did give some strange looks at the beginning while mentioning something about age under his breath. Even when Wardes embarrassed Louise by getting close to her, instead of being possessive, Ash let it go by and looked rather amused or confused depending on how subtle Wardes was in his affection.

To make matters worse, Ash and Louise still got along very well. They argued a lot, but their ribbing was natural and friendly. Even if they didn't know it, Ash was better at getting Louise to open up than Wardes was.

Wardes had even risked openly probing Ash for his knowledge of combat. The boy had answered readily enough with some stories that Wardes couldn't discern fact from fiction. Magical creatures being commonly tamed and trained for fighting sports? Battles with international criminal organizations? Meeting legendary creatures that had existed for eons?

No, there was no way what Ash said could be true. Yet, Wardes trusted his instincts, and his instincts said the boy was not lying. Concealing part of the truth, yes, but he was otherwise very open about his history and experience. For a boy who looked hardly fifteen summers, he was surprisingly well-versed. Then again, Wardes could only assume that anyone who learned to fend for themselves at the tender age of ten would have to be a quick learner.

Still, Wardes had to wonder how the boy consistently managed to get lost within five minutes of holding a map.

It was on the group's third day of travelling that they neared the city of La Rochelle. As they approached the mountain range the city was built on, Ash looked around in obvious confusion. "Where's the port? Or the city?" he asked. "There's nothing here."

"Up ahead," Wardes indicated. His griffon was walking in front of the party to lead the way, with Ash and Louise riding side by side behind him. He had originally wanted to carry Louise in his arms, but alas, that would leave her mount unattended.

"On top of the mountains?" Ash asked.

"Where else would the port be?" Wardes asked.

"Oh… this is a port for airships!" Ash realized.

"Albion is a flying country; how else would we get there?" Louise scoffed.

As they traveled, they had to go up a path that winded through ridges of the mountains. Large rocks littered the sides of the well-traveled road, presenting a potential ambush at every corner. Wardes kept his eyes focused on the track but occasionally flickered his gaze to his two companions. Louise was looking around with concern, as if trying to guess where any surprise could come from. Ash was looking around, but instead of warily scouting for enemies, his eyes were bright as he took in the sights with curiosity and wonder. While occasionally the path would open up to a spectacular view of the landscape, this was not a sightseeing tour. Ash was not demonstrating the attitude of a vigilant protector.

All the better for Wardes.

Not long after their ascent, Wardes raised a hand to stop the party. Both riders caught on and came to a halt.

"What's wrong?" Louise asked.

Wardes pointed up ahead, where some boulders were laying across the road, blocking a part of the path.

"Was it a landside?" Ash asked.

"No, those rocks were moved manually," said Wardes. "An obstacle on the road is a common tactic for highwaymen."

"Highwaymen?" Ash asked.

"Bandits," Louise clarified. "Ruffian. Thugs."

"That's rather rude, little lady!"

A towering, muscular man stepped out from behind one of the boulders. He wore half plate, with leather covering the rest of his body. A large axe was hefted on his shoulder. "Me and the boys consider ourselves honest business folk."

"Oh?" Wardes questioned as he guided his griffon to physical obstruct Louise from the man's vision. "And why is that?"

The bandit gave Wardes a toothy grin. "We take your valuables and let you on through. No fuss, no hassle. Just a direct transaction. We get the loot; you get your peace. It's a win for everyone."

"I respectfully decline," Wardes said flatly as he drew his sword. "Let us pass or we will be forced to remove you."

Ash, whose expression had become serious while Wardes and the bandit leader bantered, said in a low voice, "There's five of them on the cliff above us. Ten more hiding in the rocks behind this guy. They have us outnumbered."

Wardes gave him a subtle nod. The boy's sensing ability matched what Fouquet had reported. Now he had an opportunity to press Ash for more details later. "I'll deal with the ones overhead, but I can't handle the ones in front and protect Louise at the same time."

"I'll handle the front," Ash offered.

Wardes nodded again. He wouldn't let Ash die yet, of course. However, he would hold off on providing ranged support until he saw how long Ash could last against that many opponents.

"Louise, back me up!" With that, Ash slid off his horse, drew Derflinger, and charged straight at the bandit leader.

The act of foolishness caught Wardes off guard. Not only was the boy rushing straight into a swarm of enemies with only a sword in hand, but he also expected Louise to serve as reinforcement? While Fouquet had said that Louise had managed to cause great damage with her explosions, that wasn't a technique that could be used while Ash was engaged with the enemy. If he was smart, he would have had Louise attack them from afar and let the bandits engage first before meeting them halfway.

Rocks started to rain down from the overhead cliff. Wardes made a show of waving his wand-sword to summon wind blades that deflected the projectiles. While he could have taken out the entire group on his own in the time it took to have their conversation, that would've been a waste of the money he had spent on hiring the mercenaries.

Ash bolted towards the bandit leader, but there was still a distance to cross. The large man raised one hand, and four archers rose from behind the rocks, firing down on Ash. The boy deftly rolled out of the way, not stopping or deviating from his path. The archers ducked down to reload, but their improvised fortress was immediately ripped apart by an explosion. Two of the archers were thrown away by the force of the blast, while the other two were forced to jump off their high ground to find stable footing.

The bandit leader stood tall as he let four of his men, armed with swords, rush in front of him. An explosion erupted in front of them. While the spell had missed them completely, the blast had startled them and they instinctively faltered in their attack.

Ash, on the other hand, showed no hesitation as he plowed through them. The first one was slammed by a bodily tackle that sent him flying onto the ground. The second was punched in the gut hard enough to keel him over instantly. The third was smashed in the forehead by the hilt of Derflinger, knocking him out instantly. The fourth had enough time to raise his weapon, but Ash ducked low and swept his legs before jamming Derflinger's hilt just below his ribs.

Wardes blinked at the speed at which the mercenaries were disposed of. Not only had Ash been able to take them down in impressive feats of speed and strength, but he had also done so non-lethally. Truly, his combat ability was a terror to behold, even if he was complete idiot. The runes on his hand worked exactly as the legends described.

The leader of the scoundrels allowed Ash to close the distance instead of engaging him first. The action was an obvious trap, but like the idiot he was, Ash took the bait. Wardes used his magic to deflect the remaining archers' arrows away from Ash and waited to see what would happen once the boy was ambushed.

Ash engaged the leader with a battle cry, swinging his sword with tremendous speed and force. However, he was aiming for his opponent's weapon to avoid killing him, and the man knew it. He backed away from every swing, letting Ash inch closer and closer to the nearby rocks. Then, a pair of bandits jumped out, one on either side, and swung their swords at Ash.

Wardes's jaw dropped as an explosion blasted the nearest rock, covering all four fighters in a cloud of rubble and ashes. "Did you just blow up your familiar?!" he asked Louise, unable to keep the shock from his voice.

Louise shook her head. "He'll be fine," she insisted. "He's thick-headed."

Against Wardes's expectations—which he was quickly reevaluating—Ash was indeed perfectly fine. Through the obscuring blanket of grey, Ash was moving and striking with no hesitation. His opponents had been blinded, blasted, and disoriented. Their steps were uncertain and their swings even more hesitant due to the risk of collateral injury.

Ash? He had his eyes closed and was letting his body flow from one motion to the next. The explosion hadn't even phased him.

Before the cloud had cleared, Ash was standing triumphant over the unconscious or immobilized bodies of his enemies. He was looking a bit grimy, but there wasn't a single injury on his body or a tear in his clothes. Wardes quickly slammed his opponents against walls to incapacitate them as well. Thanks to Ash's impressive display, Wardes doubted Louise would notice how sloppily he had handled his own foes.

"Well done," Wardes congratulated Ash with a slow clap. "That was an impressive display of swordsmanship. You could be a great knight one day."

"Really?" Ash asked

"You'd need to learn common sense and manners first," Louise quickly shot him down. She breathed out slowly as she lowered her wand. The fight had been brief and easily won, but still stressful.

"What should we do with these guys?" Ash asked.

"We should arrest them," Louise said immediately.

"We can't take them with us," Wardes said gently. "We're in a hurry, and they'd slow us down considerably."

"But we can't just let them go, can we?" Ash questioned.

"No, that would be irresponsible of us to let them run amok," said Wardes. His face brightened, as if he had just come up with an idea. "We may not be able to take them with us, but we can make sure that the city guards will have an easy time finding them."

Wardes flicked his sword, summoning gusts of wind that carried the men's bodies along the side of the road. "Transmute!" The ground around the men warped around their arms and legs. They weren't entirely cocooned, but it was clear they wouldn't be getting free any time soon.

"You can use earth magic too?" Ash asked.

"Wardes is a square class mage," Louise informed her familiar. "Of course, he can use a basic spell like Transmutation!"

"Indeed," said Wardes. "While my main element is wind and I am no expert of earth magic, this should ensure that these ruffians stay put. Bandits aren't the kind to keep company with nobles, and earth magic is the only way to escape those bindings."

"Curse you, elitist scum," the bandit leader spat.

Wardes only gave him a disinterested look. "I think we best be moving on. We need to secure our passage as soon as possible."

"Agreed," said Louise. "I'd rather not spend any more time around these miscreants."

Ash remounted his horse and the three set off. Briefly, he wondered: why had the bandits been so calm in their defeat? The trainer mentally shrugged. The bandits had probably been intimidated by the power the three of them showed. That was the most logical reason.

"Woah…" Ash said as they entered the port city of La Rochelle. When he had looked from the base of the mountain path, he had expected the city to be sprawled out on top of a plateau, or to be sunk in a center basin surrounded by rocky cliffs. Instead, the city was wedged between two sets of smaller mountain ranges. In the valley between the raised peaks was the small but bustling city of La Rochelle.

"It's smaller than I expected," Louise commented. "With La Rochelle being such an important trading center, I expected it to be much larger.

"While it is an important traveling location, it's living space is very limited," Wardes pointed out, nodding at the sheer cliffs that lined either side. "In fact, the city is said to have ten times has many visitors inside of it as residents at nearly all times."

"Is that true?" Ash asked curiously.

"I have never been here myself, so I cannot say," Wardes replied. "However, I will say all stories have a merit of truth to them."

Despite claiming to have never been to the city before, Wardes had an easy time directing them to the most luxurious inn in the city. The place was clearly designed to attract nobles. The building was made of white marble, as opposed to the more common stones most buildings were made of. The outside was well-trimmed and decorated. It even had a garden and several stables in the back despite the limited living space of the city.

"I thought we weren't supposed to stand out?" Ash asked as they approached the ornate building. "This place stands out a lot."

"We're nobles, or at least, Louise and I are," said Wardes. "While our identities may not be known, our positions are obvious. If we tried to get a room with commoners, then we'd stand out even more."

"Ah… I see," said Ash with a nod.

"We're hiding with nobility because that's where we blend in best, right, Viscount Wardes?" Louise asked.

"Yes, but do remember to not use my title, Louise. We are trying to have some amount of discretion."

"My apologies," Louise said reflexively as she practically wilted in embarrassment.

"If we're being discreet, should we use our real names?" Ash asked. "Or at least, shouldn't you two take fake identities?"

"We could, but I think that's an unnecessary complication," said Wardes. "My family name isn't significant, and anyone who knows Louise's family would recognize her beautiful and distinctive hair regardless of what name she goes by." Wardes smiled as Louise blushed. "However, I doubt we have to worry about that. There shouldn't be anyone in La Rochelle right now who could recognize us at a glance."

"Yoohoo! Little Louise! Ashy-kins!"

The three looked up to see a bright blue dragon swooping down overhead. Upon the dragon were two familiar faces: a stoic bluette and a sultry redhead.

"Kirche and Tabitha?" Louise exclaimed in surprise.

"What are they doing here?" Ash asked.

What happened next nearly gave the group a heart attack. Kirche stood up from Sylphid's back and jumped. Ash instinctively moved to catch her, but Wardes was faster. The mage gripped the hilt of his sword-wand to cast Celerity to enhance his speed, and leapt to Kirche, catching her in midair and absorbing the impact in a graceful and dramatic landing.

"My, my," said Kirche seductively as she reached up to stroke Wardes's face. "I wanted my little Ashy to catch me, but I think I found a catch in you, big boy."

"My apologies, m'lady," said Wardes cordially. "But I am afraid my heart has been claimed by my fiancé." He gently placed Kirche down and moved to stand by Louise, placing one arm possessively over her shoulder.

"Louise?" Kirche gasped overdramatically. "Not only did you summon your own personal little man, but you also have a bigger man on the side? How scandalous!"

"It's not like that!" Louise protested.

Sylphid touched down to the ground and Tabitha slid off her dragon's back. "Hello," she greeted them.

"Hi, Tabitha," said Ash, giving the small girl a wave.

Wardes raised an eyebrow at the two new girls before looking towards Louise and Ash. "Friends of yours?" he asked.

"No," Louise denied stubbornly.

"Yes," Ash corrected. "Louise and Kirche just have a… strong rivalry."

"Ah… Kirche von Zerbst," Wardes said in recollection. "Yes, I do remember that the Zerbsts and Vallieres have been at odds."

"But we don't have to be," said Kirche. "Maybe Louise and I could bond over our shared interest in men?"

"I share no interests with you, harlot!"

Kirche's eyes shifted predatorily towards Ash, who shivered. "Well then, you won't mind if I borrowed little Ashy to comfort me, would you?"

"Hands of my familiar, you Germanian sow!"

"Temper, temper, Little Louise. You can't have all the boys to yourself now. Learn to share."

"I have no reason to share anything with you!"

"Hm, I can see why," Kirche said as she put a finger to her chin. "With your lack of feminine appeal you're probably struggling to keep what you have."

As the two resumed their usual bickering, Ash looked to Tabitha. "Um… not to sound rude, but what are you and Kirche doing here?"

"Kirche wanted to follow you," Tabitha replied. "Asked me for help."

"You've followed us since the academy?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Yes."

"Very impressive," said Wardes thoughtfully. "I felt like we were being watched, but I never managed to find anyone with my detection spells."

"We stayed distant."

"How'd you managed to track us?" Ash asked.

Tabitha pointed to Ash. "Sylphid smelled you."

"Do I smell that strange to her?" Ash asked as he put a nose to his armpit. "Any Pokemon scent should have worn off by now."

"You smell even stronger," Tabitha confirmed.

Kirche managed to briefly interject, "I love you, Ashy-kins! Smell and all!"

"Stop being disgusting!" Louise exploded.

"Louise, Miss Zerbst, we should be heading inside," Wardes finally said, pushing back a growing headache. "As nobles, we shouldn't be making such a display in public, correct?"

"Yes, Visc—Wardes."

"Sure thing, handsome. Maybe we can do it in private a little later?"

For not the first time that day, Wardes wondered if he was actually ready to handle this mission.

Chapter Text

After the group had settled themselves into the hotel—and secured space in the stables for their various mounts—Wardes invited Ash to the hotel’s courtyard. Of course, the girls tagged along out of curiosity. The courtyard had a small garden, walkways, and even a fountain. For a city with limited living space, it was a luxurious amount of area. However, Wardes led them away from the fancier areas to a place with open grass, normally reserved for picnics or hosting parties.

“I would like an opportunity to gauge your skills,” Wardes informed Ash.

“You mean like a duel?” Ash asked.

Wardes shook his head with an amused smile. “Duels are normally serious affairs. Younger nobles tend to call every fight they get into a duel; a habit which they quickly grow out of once they experience a real duel,” he corrected. “I merely want to get a feel for you in a fight. While I was able to observe your performance against the bandits, I wish to see how you fair against a skilled opponent.”

“Speaking of the bandits,” Louise interjected. “Shouldn’t we report where we left them to the guard?”

“Bandits? What bandits?” Kirche asked.

“We were attacked near the base of the mountain path,” Wardes informed the two girls who hadn’t been there. “Thank you for reminding me, Louise. I will go to the guard immediately after this bout.”

“Shouldn’t we have informed them already?” Louise questioned.

“We should have,” Wardes admitted. “I confess that they slipped my mind. Do not worry though, they stand no chance of escaping their confines.”

“True,” Louise acknowledged.

“Confines?” Tabitha echoed questioningly.

“Wardes trapped them in Earth Magic to make sure they wouldn’t be able to escape,” Ash explained. He then looked to the viscount. “I’m always ready for a practice battle.”

“Excellent,” said Wardes as he placed a hand to the hilt of his blade. “The spar ends when one of us is disarmed, knocked down, or draws blood. Of course, we will be avoiding serious injury since we are using real weapons. Are the terms acceptable?”

Ash nodded, a smile on his face as he readied his grip on Derflinger. Even if this was only spar, Wardes’s professionalism made it seem more formal than his “duel” with Guiche.

Wardes turned to Louise. “Louise, my dear, would you mind counting us off?”

“Me?” Louise looked surprised to be asked, but seeing the viscount’s encouraging smile, she blushed. “Oh, yes. Of course!”

“Lucky,” Kirche complained. “Why is Louise the one having boys fight over her instead of me?”

“They aren’t,” Tabitha corrected.

“What other reason would men fight if not for the heart of the woman they love?” Kirche asked.

“Bravado. Stupidity. Anything.”

“That hurts, Tabitha!” Ash called out.

“But she isn’t too far off,” Wardes acknowledged. “Louise, I believe we are both ready.”

“Right!” In a loud voice, Louise counted, “Three. Two. One. Begin!”

Both fighters exploded in bursts of speed. Wind rippled from their bodies, forcing the grass under their feet to bow away from them. Wardes was surprised that Ash managed to match his pace. While the mage hadn’t put his full effort into his Celerity spell, sharp acceleration was difficult to achieve without drawbacks.

The runes on Ash’s hand shone brightly as the boy came in swinging with powerful yet coordinated strikes. Every swing seamlessly flowed straight into another with no room for reprieve. Ash was creating a dance of powerful blows at a rhythm that would leave most people flat footed.

Wardes, on the other hand, danced with grace and precision. Every strike Ash made had power and control, but they were also clearly telegraphed. The movement of his body, the focus of his eyes; Ash was full of tells that allowed Wardes to easily stay two steps ahead of him. While the first few exchanges pushed Wardes back due to their unexpected force, the noble quickly adjusted to Ash’s style.

Ash made a horizontal swing to Wardes’s side. Wardes parried and pressed forward to force Ash into a deadlock. Without the space to swing, neither fighters had the ability to use their swords properly. Additionally, Derflinger was out of position, which left Ash vulnerable.

Moving with his instincts, Ash fell back to create space. But true to his style, even while retreating he stayed on the offensive. He immediately shifted Derflinger into an overhead swing, letting gravity compensate for his lack of space.

The attack was good in concept, but it was also criminally easy to deflect. Wardes took the opportunity to jab at Ash’s open side.

With impressive reflexes, Ash spun himself out of the way, and used the turn of his body to make a countering blow with Derflinger.

Which, of course, failed to make contact yet again. Every attack Ash made was dodged or parried, while every counterattack Wardes made forced Ash to readjust his position. The trainer’s speed and reflexes—boosted by the runes—were keeping him from getting hit, but only by the narrowest of margins.

“I didn’t expect them to both be this good,” Kirche commented eagerly. “I can hardly see what they’re doing.”

“Wardes is the captain of the Griffon Knights, and Ash, while brutish, is naturally talented,” Louise said proudly. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from them.”

“Oh? Do I hear Little Louise getting possessive over her boyfriends?”

“Wardes is my fiancé and Ash is my familiar!”

“I’m not hearing a no~”

“Sh-shut up!”

Wardes was forced to tune out the girls’ conversation as Ash’s swings became faster and more frantic. It seemed the boy was losing his composure and resorting to brute force. What a pity. His desperation was making him actively resist the runes’ automatic assistance to his swordplay.

With his curiosity sated, Wardes suddenly increased his speed and darted to Ash’s side, intent on ending the spar in his next move.

“Now, Derflinger!”

“Gotcha, partner!”

Wardes’s thrust was barely deflected by Derflinger’s parry. Wardes pulled back to capitalize on the sloppy defense, but found that Ash had managed to recover with surprising speed and block again.

No. Wardes realized as Ash once again went on the offense. Ash wasn’t moving faster. Rather, Wardes was moving slower.

With renewed reason to continue the spar, the noble went on the defensive as Ash continued to press his attack. Slowly but surely, with every clash, Wardes felt himself become just a little bit slower. A normal mage wouldn’t have noticed the difference, but Wardes was not a square class wind mage and captain of the Griffon Knights for nothing.

The next time their blades clashed, Wardes put his full weight into shoving Ash back. Caught off guard by the change in tactics, Ash was forced to backpedal several feet to regain his footing. The two combatants took a moment to catch their breath.

“You’re weaking the effect of my Celerity spell,” the viscount observed.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t notice,” Ash admitted.

“It’s a clever trick,” Wardes acknowledged. “However, when one is experienced enough, they can recognize when something is wrong.” He looked openly curious. “You don’t seem to be using a spell for this, so how are you doing it?”

“My partner’s got nothing to do with this; it’s all me!” Derflinger bragged.

“I thought your ability was talking?” Wardes questioned.

“I can do that too. But I also eat magic for hotcakes! Wait, that’s not quite right. Make breakfast out of magic? Partner, help me out here. What’s that saying supposed to be?”

“I’m not sure how it works, but Derflinger can eat through spells,” said Ash in explanation, sliding over the sword’s musings. “We haven’t had much time to test it, but it seems to work better the longer he’s touching the magic.”

“So that’s why you were trying to force our blades to clash,” Wardes realized.

“Guilty as charged,” Ash admitted sheepishly.

“C’mon… get back to fighting,” Kirche urged. “I didn’t come to watch you two talk!”

Tabitha lightly whacked Kirche with her staff. “Rude.”

“But I want them to work up a good sweat!” Kirche whined. “Then they’ll take off their shirts and it’ll get real good.”

Louise’s face quickly became pink with indignation. “Stop ogling my fiancé and familiar!”

“Don’t tell me you don’t want to see them shirtless? Muscles glistening with sweat? I definitely want to see what their hiding underneath.”

“Stop being a pervert!”

“Shameless,” Tabitha chimed in.

Ash sighed. “They’ll be at this for a while,” he told Wardes.

“Indeed,” said Wardes. And it appeared that their duel wouldn’t be over quickly either. Wardes suspected that Derflinger’s magic eating wasn’t the only trick Ash had, and he didn’t want to leave anything to chance. The viscount raised his sword. “Ready to resume?”

“Ready when you are,” Ash responded with an eager grin.

The two clashed again, putting the distractions behind them. Ash’s trump card may have been revealed, but it was still a potent threat. Wardes was forced to give ground to prevent their weapons from constantly clashing. While he had plenty of Willpower to fuel his spell through the draining, the night would be busy. Even for the sake of gathering information, he didn’t want to risk tiring himself out too much.

They exchanged a few more blows, but contrary to Wardes’s expectations, Ash didn’t pull out any new moves to gain an advantage. He was losing, but every time Wardes came close to ending the spar, he managed to barely scrape by.

Given Ash was a novice in swordsmanship and was autopiloting with his runes, Wardes decided to take a gamble to end the charade. He feigned a guarded position and waited for Ash to try to meet his blade. When Derflinger was swung, Wardes accelerated. Ash twirled with his momentum to try to meet the attack, but that left his footing unstable. Wardes ducked low and swept his leg forward. Ash, who had switched to a two-handed grip to better control Derflinger, was unable to catch himself from crashing into the grass.

“I believe that is my win,” said Wardes, pausing to wipe a bead of sweat from his brow. If Ash had any other tricks up his sleeve, he probably would have used it at that moment. Which meant Wardes finally had pinned down Ash’s skills and potential.

And what a potential it was.

“Aww! It’s over already?” Kirche pouted.

“A fight between an experienced fighter usually ends quickly,” Tabitha affirmed. She could tell Wardes had drawn out the spar on purpose. The speed he displayed at the beginning of the fight was that of a typical line class Celerity spell. While he had scaled it up over the course of the spar, it was only for a brief moment at the end that he had used the true speed of a square class wind mage. If Wardes had been serious about winning, it would have been over before Ash would have had time to draw Derflinger. Then again, it wouldn’t have been much a spar if he had defeated Ash immediately.

After a few moments, Ash lifted his face from the ground. “That was amazing!” he declared as he shot to his feet. “You moved so fast I couldn’t even react! Was that a spell? Or some type of fighting technique?”

“A bit of both,” Wardes replied, a little perturbed by Ash’s cheerful demeanor. The fight was supposed to have been demoralizing, but he seemed even more excited than before. Was the boy secretly a masochist? “I amplified my Celerity spell and took advantage of your lack of awareness. Your reflexes are impressive, but they won’t save you when you can’t see an attack coming.”

“I’ll keep that on mind for next time,” Ash promised. “Can you show me how you did that last move again? I want to try it!”

Wardes feigned a chuckle. “Maybe later,” he deflected. “I have a few errands that I must attend to. Namely, finding the guards and securing us a ship.”

“Remember Ash, we aren’t here to have fun,” Louise said. “We have a mission to do.”

“Mission?” Kirche echoed curiously.

Louise’s eyes widened as she realized her blunder. “I mean, that is to say… um—” Louise visibly struggled to come up with a believable lie, but couldn’t. She looked to Wardes and Ash for help.

Ash shrugged. “I guess we might as well tell them,” he said.

“Are you sure they can be trusted?” Wardes asked, fully of aware of the irony of the situation. “They are foreigners, are they not?”

“Tabitha is from Gallia, and Kirche is a barbaric Germanian,” said Louise. Rather than offended, Kirche seemed almost giddy by the slight. “However… we can trust them. At least with the general idea of what we’re doing.”

“I will trust your judgement then, my dear Louise.” It was no skin off Wardes’s back who Louise trusted, though he would have to watch himself more closely now. The germanian girl didn’t look very bright, but the gallian worried him. Her eyes were focused, and unlike the two other girls who spent the spar bickering, Tabitha had been watching the combatants’ movements closely. She was observant, which meant he would have to be especially careful around her.

At least, until he could get rid of them.

“Wow, the princess gave you an important mission like this Louise?” Kirche asked in surprise after Louise had finished explaining. “You must be lucky to have two big strong men protecting you.”

“I feel like you’re making a joke at my height,” Ash deadpanned.

“Nonsense,” Kirche denied. “You’re perfectly cuddle-sized Ashy-kins!” She reached out to hug him, but Ash slipped to the side towards Tabitha.

“Is there something wrong with Kirche?” he whispered to the gallian girl. “She’s acting stranger than usual.”

“She’s interested.”

“In what?”

“You.”

It took Ash several seconds to process this. Then his brain crashed. “As in…?”

“Obsession. She’ll get over it. Eventually.”

“Define, ‘eventually’.”

Tabitha said nothing as she pulled a small book out of her robes and pretended to read it.

“Tabitha? Come on, help me out here.”

While the two were having their conversation, Wardes announced, “I will now go out and inform the guard about the miscreants we caught earlier. I’ll also look for the first ship we can Albion. The rest of you should stay near the inn to avoid attracting… unnecessary attention.” He looked particularly at Kirche as he said this.

Kirche winked in return. “Whatever you say, handsome.”

“We’ll keep an eye on them,” said Louise. She looked to Ash, who was whispering to Tabitha, and felt a stirring of something in her chest. “A very close eye on them.”

Ash felt a shiver go down his spine. He turned towards the source, but Louise was no longer looking in his direction.

“Stay safe.” Having said his farewell, Wardes drew his sword and flew through the air.

Ash’s jaw dropped. “He can fly?” he asked incredulously. “How?”

“What’s so special about him flying?” Louise asked. “You’ve seen Tabitha fly, haven’t you?”

“But she’s uses a staff,” said Ash. “Wardes is using his sword… wait, that’s how he uses magic?”

“I thought you realized that when I kept eating his spell,” Derflinger piped up.

“Um…”

“Idiot,” Louise muttered.

Kirche laughed. “You’re so cute when you’re flustered,” she teased Ash, which made him sheepishly rub the back of his head in response. “Now, I remember seeing some very attractive men around the hotel. I wonder if one of them would be willing to buy me a drink.”

“You can’t go off on your own,” Louise reprimanded the redhead. “Especially not while acting in such an undignified manor.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring Ashy-kins with me.”

“What?” the boy in question asked.

“Absolutely not!” Louise protested.

“Perfect!” The grin on Kirche’s face only grew wider. “Tabitha’s not a fan of crowds, so it’ll be just you and me!”

“What? Wait, no!”

Kirche ignored Louise’s protests as she dragged the smaller girl to the hotel. “You two go enjoy yourselves! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” she called out.

“Unhand me, you barbarian cow!”

 Ash and Tabitha watched with blank expressions on their faces as the two girls disappeared around a corner.

“Should we be worried?” Ash asked.

“Probably not,” Tabitha replied. She stuffed her book into her robes. “I’m going to see Sylphid.”

“Mind if I come with?”

Tabitha gave a nod after only a moment’s pause. “Sylphid likes you.”

There were multiple stables lined up, which made Ash wonder how the hotel was able afford so much land in such a tiny city. Thankfully, each building had signs which depicted which type of creature was housed inside, which made it easy for them to find the dragon stables.

“Dragon stables are a lot different from horse stables, huh?” Ash remarked as he and Tabitha stepped inside.

While Ash hadn’t been inside horse stables before, he’d seen stables from his world that housed similar Pokemon such as Ponyta and Rapidash. The dragon stables were comparatively larger, and the walls were much thicker, and for good reason. Ash could see places where the walls had been badly scratched and sections that had been replaced entirely.

There was a handler in the stable shoveling stained hay, but he stayed clear of the Ash and Tabitha and focused on doing his job. Dealing with nobles was beyond his paygrade.

“Dragons larger, and more dangerous. Different needs,” Tabitha pointed out.

“Makes sense,” Ash replied. “But what about griffons?”

“Griffons and dragons are natural enemies,” Tabitha informed him. “Instincts stay even when tamed.”

Tabitha stepped into Sylphid’s stall. Sylphid licked her master’s hair, and the girl responded by rubbing the dragon’s nose. After Ash stepped inside as well, Sylphid also greeted him eagerly. She nosed around his pockets, and then retreated in disappointment when she realized he didn’t have a treat for her.

“Sorry, I’ll get you something next time,” Ash promised. Sylphid cooed in acceptance. “By the way Tabitha, does that mean Sylphid and Wardes’s griffon…?”

Tabitha shook her head in response to Ash’s implied question. “Wardes is a Griffon Knight. His familiar is better trained. Sylphid is smart too, and not aggressive.”

Sylphid cooed happily.

“That’s good to hear,” Ash said with relief as he stroked Sylphid’s neck. “Having teammates fighting all the time would be bad.”

Tabitha looked at Ash curiously. “You think Sylphid is a teammate?” she asked.

“Everyone’s a teammate,” said Ash. “Whether they’re a human, Pokemon, griffon, or dragon. Isn’t that right, Sylphid?”

The dragon cooed again, nodding her head.

“See? She gets the idea.”

Tabitha looked at Ash in a new light. “I see.”

“Hm? You see what?”

“Why Sylphid likes you.”

“…Is it my smell?”

Tabitha shrugged. “You are different. Very much so.”

“Thanks, I think. That’s a compliment, right?”

Tabitha said nothing. She turned from Ash to hide a small smile on her face as she and Sylphid shared a knowing look.

It was evening when Wardes returned with troubling news.

“We can’t leave until tomorrow?!” Louise exclaimed.

“Unfortunately,” Wardes said with a solemn nod. “Tonight is when Albion will be flying closest to La Rochelle. However, I wasn’t able to persuade any of the captains to make an overnight journey. The winds aren’t as favorable, they say, and the voyage would be considerably more dangerous.”

“Pirates,” Tabitha said knowledgeably.

“There are airship pirates?” Ash asked.

“Of course,” Louise said, as if it was obvious. “Airships are the fastest vessels that can travel across the continent, and they usually carry large quantities of various cargo. For scoundrels who contribute nothing to society, fleecing even half of a ship’s cargo is extremely profitable.”

“And with the war in Albion, the skies are even more treacherous,” Wardes added. “While I wish we could leave sooner, we shall have to trust the experts on this.”

“But wouldn’t a daring adventure under the light of the moons be much more exciting?” Kirche suggested.

“Of course you would suggest the idea for such a frivolous reason,” Louise scoffed.

“What if Sylphid carried us?” Ash proposed.

Tabitha shook her head. “Too far, and we’re too many.”

“I did consider that option as well,” said Wardes. “However, even with my griffon and Tabitha’s dragon, we would still be flying for several hours. Given the time it would take and the altitude we would need to reach, it would be a difficult journey. And that’s assuming we don’t run into trouble along the way.”

“Aw…,” Kirche pouted. “I suppose we shall have to wait for tomorrow then.” Her pout turned up into a smile. “In that case, we might as well make the night interesting, no?”

“Whatever you’re thinking, drop it,” Louise warned.

“Actually, take the time to enjoy yourselves,” Wardes encouraged them, surprising Louise. “Our ship doesn’t leave until noon. We won’t have time to see the sights in the morning, so take a load off your mind until then. Remember, once we get to Albion, we won’t have any more time to relax.”

“Get our reward before the hard work comes? Now you’re speaking my language, sir knight,” Kirche said cheerfully.

“I’ll be turning in early,” said Tabitha.

“Me too,” Louise voiced. “It’s been a long day.” She glared at Kirche as she said this. The redhead whistled innocently.

“In that case, shall we head to our room together, my dear?” Wardes suggested.

“Wh-wh-wha?”

Wardes looked surprised. “Did you forget when we registered for the rooms? We arranged for three. One for Kirche and Tabitha, one for Ash, and one for the two of us. We are engaged, after all. It’s only natural that we would share a room.”

“I mean, well… yes, since we’re already engaged… to be married, yes, um…” stammered Louise, a blush furiously flooding over her face.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do~” Kirche said teasingly.

“What’s wrong with you two staying in a room together?” Ash asked.

“Th-there’s certain implications when a man and a woman rent out a room together!”

“Really? It’s pretty normal where I come from.”

Kirche snorted as Louise’s face quickly changed from pink to red.

“What kind of degenerate place has such debauchery?” the petite girl half-shouted.

Ash tilted his head in confusion. “Pokemon trainers like me usually rent out rooms in Pokemon Centers while traveling,” he replied. “There are rooms you can rent that have multiple beds, so a group that’s traveling together can share a room.”

“There’s a big difference from sharing a room and a bed!” Louise protested.

Ash looked even more confused. “But… we do that every night back at the academy,” he pointed out questioningly.

“Oh?” Wardes asked, looking to Louise with curiosity.

“It’s different!” Louise was waving her arms in borderline panic. “You’re my familiar!”

Uncertain how that was relevant, all Ash had to say was, “…I still don’t see what the problem is.”

Kirche’s laughter rang out across the table. “My little Ashy-kins is a smooth operator,” she managed to get out between laughs.

Wardes glanced over at Ash, who seemed unaware of the implications he was making. Louise was red-faced in a mix of embarrassment and anger, but no guilt. From their reactions, Wardes could conclude that despite them apparently having shared a bed for several weeks, their relationship was purely platonic.

That was an unusual situation, to say the least, but he should have suspected as much from their interactions. They had gotten dangerously close, but neither had made a move to deepen their relationship. Which meant that as long as he could keep them from growing closer…

Louise would be his.

In the dead of night, Louise was awakened to the noises of splintering wood and clanging steel. She jumped from her bed, nearly crashing into Wardes, who was also on his feet.

“What’s going on?” she asked in alarm.

“It is rather a duel that has gotten out of hand, or more likely, our lodging is under attack,” Wardes said with practiced calmness. “Do not fear, Louise. I will protect you to the best of my ability.”

“Thank you,” said Louise with relief. But it was short-lived as a panicked thought entered her mind. “Wait, where are the others?”

“Probably awake by now,” said Wardes. “And if they’re not, they’ll be up soon.”

A fist banged on the door. “Louise! Wardes! Wake up! We need to go!”

“We’re awake!” Louise called back. She practically flew to the door and flung it open, revealing Ash. “Where are the others?” she asked.

“Right here!” announced Kirche, who was in the hallway finishing the final button of her shirt. Tabitha was right beside her, already dressed and ready to go. “Any chance that this attack is a coincidence?”

“Given how flashy your arrival was, that’s probably a no,” Wardes replied drily. “We need to get out of here as quickly as possible.”

“But the ship doesn’t sail until noon,” Louise pointed out.

“I may have to pull rank to force them to leave early,” Wardes said thoughtfully. “There’s no point in subtlety anymore.”

“We can leave on Sylphid,” said Tabitha.

“We would have to make it to the stables first,” said Wardes. “If they saw how we arrived, that would be an obvious place to set a trap.”

“We could go out the window and sneak around,” Ash suggested. “If I can find out where they’re hiding, you or Tabitha could knock them out.”

“An admirable plan,” said Wardes with a nod. “Let’s do it.”

The five of them jumped from the window, using Levitate to land on the ground silently. Unfortunately, the next stage of the plan was not to be as smooth.

“Is that a clay golem?” Louise shrieked.

Sure enough, an enormous golem was walking through the streets of La Rochelle, headed straight for the inn. Its composition was identical to the one the group had fought before, but it was considerably larger. Overhanging balconies and edges of buildings were being scratched or ripped off as the lumbering construct’s arms swayed with its movements.

“I thought Fouquet was in jail!” Ash exclaimed.

“I thought so too,” said Wardes with a troubled frown. “This does not bode well.”

“Are you sure its Fouquet?” Louise asked. “Maybe it’s another mage that’s copying her.”

Ash closed his eyes and stretched out his Aura. “No, that’s her all right,” he confirmed with a grimace. “She’s even riding it too.”

“Trouble,” said Tabitha worriedly.

“We beat her once, we can do it again,” said Kirche.

“Yeah!” Ash cheered.

“But our goal isn’t to beat Fouquet, it’s to get Louise to Albion,” Wardes reminded them. “We can’t afford to get distracted.”

“But we can’t leave the bandits and Fouquet alone,” said Ash.

Louise groaned. “Why didn’t I notice it before? Fouquet is working with the bandits. She’s out for revenge!”

“Makes sense,” Tabitha said, nodding along. “And a big problem.”

“We can’t let her get to Louise,” Wardes declared. “Ash, do you think you can divert her attention?”

“Are you crazy?” Louise protested. “He can’t fight Fouquet on his own!”

“He doesn’t need to beat her,” Wardes said. “But if Fouquet thinks that you’re being protected inside the inn, she won’t be able to intercept our escape.”

“Makes sense to me,” Ash agreed without hesitation. “I can be the decoy.”

“I’ll help!” Tabitha offered.

“You and Kirche need to secure the inn and our mounts,” Wardes told her. “If the inn falls, lives will be lost, and the ruse will be found. And we can’t leave our mounts behind either. Once you’re finished, my griffon will be able to lead you to me; his sense of smell is second to none.”

Louise, however, was still concerned about the most questionable part of the operation. “We can’t leave Ash with Fouquet alone!” she protested.

“Don’t worry, Louise. I have a plan,” Ash said confidently. “I can hold on for at least a few minutes.”

Anxiety and uncertainty were clear on Louise’s face, but she gulped and nodded. “You are to return to me alive,” she commanded firmly. “That’s an order.”

Ash gave her a salute. “I’ll see you in a bit,” he promised.

Wardes took Louise by the hand. After giving her a reassuring nod, he picked up Louise in his arms and sprinted towards the port.

“Are you sure you don’t want our help?” Kirche asked Ash.

“I would,” Ash admitted. “But you have your own jobs to do. Derflinger and I will deal with Fouquet in the meantime. Don’t worry about us.”

Kirche squealed. “You’re so adorable when you’re being brave,” she gushed. She reached into her cleavage and pulled out her wand. “Let’s go Tabitha! It’s time for us to play heroes!” She charged towards the front of the inn, immediately firing a spell to attract the bandits’ attention.

“Be safe,” said Tabitha in a soft voice. “And good luck.”

“You too,” Ash replied in kind. He watched her fly over to the stables and disappear behind one of the buildings. Ash gave himself a moment to take a deep, readying breath. Then he stood stall and steeled his gaze. “It’s time for a rematch.”

Ash stood in the empty road. The streets and nearby buildings had been quickly abandoned once people noticed the towering golem strolling through the neighborhood. The Familiar of Zero looked up at the golem’s deformed, almost featureless head. Riding on top was the puppet master herself, Fouquet.

“You do have a real plan this time, right, partner?” Derflinger asked. “We don’t have magic support to cover us this time, and she already knows our tricks.”

“She doesn’t know all of them,” Ash said confidently. “If we’re lucky, we might be able to beat her before Kirche and Tabitha get here.”

If a sword could have eyebrows, Derflinger would have raised his. “What’s with the surge of confidence all of a sudden?” he asked. “I thought the plan was to run and stall.”

“That was before I got a good look at what we were fighting,” Ash replied. “Trust me, Derflinger, we’ve got this.”

“…Partner, you’re the maddest lad I’ve met in years. Heck, probably even decades. You know what? If you think we can take this walking mud heap, I’m with you all the way. Let’s cut this chump down to size!”

Ash smiled. “Now we’re talking.”

Fouquet’s golem came to a stop a few houses down from where Ash was waiting. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Fouquet asked mockingly. “Aren’t you supposed to be at school, boy?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be in prison?” Ash snarked in return.

“I’m afraid my new manager wants me on the field instead of behind bars.” The thief gave a dramatic sigh. “Still, I’m surprised you have the guts to face me without your friends. Are you trying to impress a girl or something?”

“Why would I want to impress any of them?”

Fouquet sighed. “Forget it. Subtlety is wasted on someone as thick as you. Shall we get started?”

“You could always turn yourself in to the authorities,” Ash suggested.

“Yes, because I’m dying to be executed for harmless theft,” Fouquet said sarcastically. She pointed a finger toward Ash. “Crush him!” she ordered her golem.

The golem was ginormous, dwarfing the houses on either side. Its arms and legs were like thick tree trunks, and its body was far too high off the ground for Ash to reach with Derflinger. At least, from his current position.

As the golem strode forward, Ash charged to meet it. Fouquet had wizened up to Ash’s movements, and had the golem smash its fists into the ground to prevent Ash from sliding under it. The trainer reacting quickly, leaping over the resulting shockwave and stabbing Derflinger into the golem’s arm.

“Don’t think it’ll be so easy!” Fouquet sneered.

The golem swung its arm into one of the nearby buildings. Ash easily pried out Derflinger as the clay around the sword lost its magical binding. As the arm came close to the wall, he jumped off the golem, using the momentum to land on the building’s roof. With a duck and roll to his feet, he took off in a sprint.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Fouquet called out as she commanded her golem to follow. The golem was able to make up for its lack of nimbleness with its long strides, but Ash was always able to stay just out of its reach.

With a flick of her wand, Fouquet levitated a fallen chunk of a building and flung it at Ash’s turned back. The boy dodged with uncanny awareness, not even glancing at the projectile as it flew over his shoulder and crashed through the roof of another house.

“Come and get me!” Ash taunted. He slid down the edge of a roof, sending tiles skidding, before leaping to the next one as the golem’s hand crashed into the previous building.

“Are you planning to play cat and mouse all night?” Fouquet called out in question.

“I won’t have to,” Ash retorted.

The trainer leapt from rooftop to rooftop, making the jumps with practiced ease. The golem was able to stay just on his tail, but he always remained just one step out of reach. Fouquet was beginning to doubt that she would ever catch him, until finally, the row buildings came to an end.

Ash’s feet skidded to a stop as he looked down at the ground below. The buildings had given way to a public square, which was empty except for a fountain at the center of its paced stone ground. He slowly turned to face Fouquet and her golem, which came to a stop within its arms reach of Ash.

“What are you going to do know, little brat?” Fouquet asked. “You have nowhere left to run.”

“I don’t need to run,” Ash declared. He brought Derflinger in front of him, gripping the sentient sword tightly in both hands. “I’m going to stop you here and now.”

“You and what army?” Fouquet scoffed. “Face it, the first time you only bested my golem because of Valliere’s ridiculous magic. My second golem took all of your friends to defeat. How do you think you’ll be able to beat me now? You’re alone, and I’m the strongest I’ve ever been!”

“I’ll have you know that I’ve gotten stronger too,” Ash replied. “Besides, I’m not alone. I have Derflinger right here.”

“Damn straight, partner.”

“And even though the others aren’t by my side now, they are counting on me,” Ash declared. “You and your grunts have caused a lot of trouble for the people of this town, and you’re not getting away with it this time. So I’ll beat you, not just for my sake, but for the sake of my friends, and for anyone else you’ve hurt!”

“You call them ‘friends’, but you clearly don’t understand what you mean to them,” Fouquet scoffed. “They are nobles! Spoiled, entitled, rotten brats who do whatever they want regardless of the consequences! They live and breathe betrayal, deceit, and corruption. Responsibility and loyalty are merely games to them, especially when it comes to commoners. Once they find you worthless, you’ll be cast aside like a forgotten pet.”

“They are my friends,” Ash said firmly. “Louise, Kirche, Tabitha, Guiche, and everyone else. I don’t know why you hate them so much, but they’re nothing like you’ve described. They’re not perfect, but no one is. I trust them, and as their friend, I’ll make sure I stop you to protect them!”

“You’re too trusting, you know that?” Fouquet asked. “People like you will be exploited and abandoned. You can’t just decide to befriend and protect everyone. Who do you think you are, some kind of hero?”

Ash shrugged. “I wouldn’t call myself that. I just like to help out.”

“Tsk. I pity you for your naivety.”

“I don’t need your pity.”

“Hey!” Derflinger piped up. “Are two going to fight or discuss philosophy all night?”

Fouquet blinked. “The sword brings up a good point,” she said.

“I have a name, y’know! It’s Derflinger! Der-Fling-Er!”

“It’s unfortunate, but I have to kill you know,” Fouquet continued. “Die.”

The golem swung its arm through the building Ash was standing. The roof started sliding away, but instead of making a desperate retreat, Ash slid down the falling roof and launched himself at the golem’s chest. With both hands he raised Derflinger over his head, and when he neared the golem, he stabbed Derflnger in deep enough so that the sword was buried in earth all the way to the hilt.

“The core’s deeper in partner!” Derflinger called out.

“I can’t put you in any farther,” Ash responded. “How fast can you break it?”

“Not fast enough! Look out!”

Ash had to swing himself upwards to dodge the golem’s clumsy attempt to smack him against its chest.

“You really thought that would work?” Fouquet asked skeptically. “I already know your sword has the ability to negate magic. That’s why I made sure that this one was big enough to not be pierced that easily.

“Then we’ll just have to push deeper!” Ash declared. His eyes flashed blue as he placed his hand against the golem’s chest. “Let’s try this… Force Palm!”

Aura exploded in a shock wave from Ash’s hand, crumbling the golem. Unfortunately, the attack didn’t penetrate deep enough. Derflinger was able to slip in a few more inches, but Ash could sense the core was still deeper in. “Of course, this thing is a ground-type, not a rock-type,” Ash said in realization.

“Does that make a difference?” Derflinger asked.

“It means fighting-type moves aren’t going to be effective enough.”

“I still don’t know what that means, partner, but do you have a new plan?”

“You should have made a plan long before you decided to stick yourself to a golem,” Fouquet commented. With a flick of her wand, the earth around Ash shot out, hitting him in the legs and chest. He managed to keep his grip on Derflinger, but he was still pushed off the golem and sent tumbling many feet to the ground. He landed in a tucked roll before popping to his feet, unscathed.

“Oh, I did make a plan,” Ash said triumphantly as he eyed the crater in the golem’s chest.

The hole was being repaired, but it was a slow process since Derflinger had drained the magic from the area. The golem was working double shift, trying to restore magic to the dirt so it could then reform the area.

Aura overflowed from Ash’s body, coating him in a light blue haze. Eyes shining, he turned his back on the golem and sprinted across the open plaza.

“Oh no you don’t!” Fouquet declared. She forced her golem into the square as fast as it could go. She doubted she would be able to catch up, but she couldn’t afford to let him go so easily.

Just as Ash reached the fountain in the center of the square, he pivoted on his heel. He held Derflinger like a spear and arched the sword back. The runes on his hands intensified and then went dull as Ash the threw the sword with all his might. “End it, Derflinger!” he shouted.

Fouquet was caught off guard by the brazen move. The golem’s large size made it impossible to have the nimbleness to dodge, let alone while running straight into the projectile. She attempted to have it block with its outstretched arms, but Derflinger flew by too quickly. The ancient sword cut deep into the partially repaired hole, sinking all the way into the center of the golem.

Fouquet barely managed to remain steady as the golem suddenly lurched. Its momentum and sudden loss of control sent the construct toppling forward. She dove off of it as far as possible, landing in a roll as the golem shattered against the ground. The shock waves sent her tumbling further. After taking a quick moment to catch her breath, the thief stumbled to her feet, but Ash was already in front of her with Derflinger in hand.

“Transm—” Before she could even finish the word, Ash snatched the wand from her hand. He clenched his fist, shattering the flimsy wood.

“You’re done,” he declared. “And next time you go to jail, stay in there. Leave my friends alone.”

Fouquet stared at the fragments of her wand in disbelief. Then, she laughed. “You beat me. This entire time, you actually had a plan in mind. I was played like a fiddle.”

“I improvised most of it,” Ash confessed. “The actual plan was pretty simple: get Derflinger to the golem’s core, and make sure no one got hurt.”

Fouquet raised an eyebrow. “And you’re telling me this… why?”

“Um…” Ash looked sheepish. “Well, I’d say you’re under arrest. But I don’t really have a way to arrest you. I can’t make chains come out of the ground.”

“Normally, a noble’s lapdog would kill a dangerous criminal if they can’t capture them,” Fouquet said, almost conversationally.

“Are you asking to be killed, lady?” Derflinger asked.

“No one’s killing anyone!” Ash shouted. “Just… stay there and wait. Some guards will come, or Tabitha and Kirche.”

“Perhaps.”

Dense as he was, Ash was able to pick up the hint of subtext in that single word. “What do you mean by that?”

“Did you think that a couple of teenagers would be able to fight an entire mercenary group?” Fouquet scoffed. “You might have outsmarted me, but did you really think my goal was to kill to you? I live to make a money. Your death is extra security, but it doesn’t pay on its own.”

Ash’s eyes widened in retaliation. He picked up Fouquet by the collar of her shirt. “What did you do to Louise?”

“Me? I haven’t done nothing,” Fouquet said with a sadistic grin. “But while I’m busy with you, who do you think are helping your bratty little friends?”

Ash knew Wardes was escaping with Louise, but his fight with Wardes taught him that combat skills were only good when he could see the threat coming. If there was a trap laid for them, even Wardes’s superior fighting ability and Louise’s destructive magic may not be enough. Tabitha and Kirche were fighting a visible threat, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t an ambush lying in wait for them either. “I trust them to take care of themselves,” he said, trying to keep his voice from wavering.

“Really? The Zerbst girl, her fire magic is useless in a populated area. Orleans? She’s a very strong mage, but if someone gets closer to her, she’s just a frail little girl. And the Valliere? You’re little master?” Fouquet chuckled darkly. “She has both of those weaknesses, but far worse. Tell me, do you really think they can handle themselves without their convenient meat shield?”

Worry crept across Ash’s features as his grip loosened around Fouquet’s shirt. Then his head snapped up as he saw Sylphid diving down towards the courtyard. Tabitha was on the dragon’s back, and Wardes’s griffon was flying behind them.

“Ash!” Tabitha called out as she landed.

“I’m alright!” Ash called back. “I even caught Fouquet.” To the thief he said, “See, she’s fine.”

“And the others?” Fouquet chuckled. “You might have led me into a trap, but I’ve led you far away from your ‘friends’. You see? Even when I lose, I win.”

Fouquet’s laughter cut off as water rose out from the fountain and wrapped the criminal’s body before freezing her into an icy prison. “Hurry,” Tabitha urged Ash, motioning to Wardes’s griffon. “Wardes and Louise went to harbor. Kirche still at the inn.”

“So we head to the inn and then go find Wardes and Louise?”

Tabitha glanced at the smirking Fouquet, and then looked at the harbor in the distance. “Split up,” she advised. “I’ll help Kirche. You help Wardes and Louise.”

“Are you sure?” Ash asked. “Wardes is a knight, and Kirche is alone right now. It’d also be better to get everyone together.”

Tabitha shook her head. “You have mission to Albion,” she reminded him. “City guards are already at hotel. Wardes will be trying to get a ship. Join them and leave us to clean up.”

“I don’t want to abandon anyone.”

“Trust us,” Tabitha urged. “We’ll be fine. The griffon will lead you to his master.”

Ash looked conflicted, but after a moment’s hesitation, he nodded. If his friends could trust him when he asked them to, then it’d be hypocritical if he couldn’t do the same. He stepped up to Wardes’s griffon and looked the beast in the eye. “I want to help Wardes and Louise, but I can’t do it without you. Mind giving me a ride?”

The griffon stared down at him, and then knelt down so Ash could climb on.

“Thanks,” Ash said to the griffon, giving it a pat on the neck before swinging onto its back. As they took off, he called out to Tabitha, “Good luck.”

“You too,” Tabitha called back sincerely. “Sylphid, hurry.”

“Kyou!” the dragon chirped.

Fouquet waited until the two were far away before making her next move. Before being frozen, she had made sure to stretch her hand into a slip in her robe. Her fingers were only barely brushing the wood of her back up wand, but it was enough. The stone beneath her shifted, and an animated hand of paved stones reached up and shattered her icy prison. The thief stepped out of the frozen shards and turned her gaze to the two flying dots in the horizon. Instead of a confident smirk, her face now carried a genuine smile.

“Good luck, Ash,” Fouquet said softly. “You’re going to need it.”

The harbor was surprisingly busy given how late it was at night. Some sailors were enjoying a smoke out on the docks. Others were loading late night cargo or doing last minute checks on their ships.

Wardes set Louise down when they entered, but still held tight to her hand until he reached the ship he was looking for. “Wait here,” Wardes instructed Louise. “The captain of this ship has strong loyalty to the crown. I’ll pull rank and see if he’ll take us aboard.”

“But what about the others?”

“We can search for them before we take off,” said Wardes. “But if we don’t secure a ship now, we could be stuck here. Stay out of sight; I’ll be back shortly.”

Louise stayed ducked behind the large crates. She noticed a few of the sailors glance in her direction, but they quickly turned the other way. While Louise didn’t understand why, she was relieved that she didn’t have to deal with unruly ruffians.

As Louise waited, she noticed a growing commotion coming from the entrance to the port. Wardes arrived quickly, a tense expression on his face.

“I’ve convinced that captain to leave early,” Wardes gave the good news first. “However, we’ll be taking off very quickly. Within minutes if we can.”

“Minutes?” Louise echoed. “We can’t leave now! What about Ash, Tabitha… and Kirche?”

“We don’t have a choice,” said Wardes. “The entire city is going to be lockdown due to the attack. And we don’t know if the assailants have been caught yet. The longer we stay, the less likely we’ll make it to Albion at all.”

“But we still can’t abandon them!”

“Louise,” Wardes said seriously, gripping her shoulders. “I understand your feelings. I’ve had those same thoughts when I’ve left my men in dangerous areas while on duty. However, you are the most important person here. My responsibility is to escort you to Albion even if it costs me my life, and I will not fail in my duty.”

“But…”

“Trust them,” said Wardes. “Your classmates are talented mages, are they not? And your familiar certainly is as stubborn as you are. Do you think he’d falter when it comes to your safety?”

“No,” Louise admitted. “He’d be a bull-head about it.”

“They are risking their lives to ensure that you get to Albion safely,” said Wardes. “You cannot waste the opportunity they have given you. Once they see our ship set off, they’ll be able to retreat. Remember, they have a wind dragon and my griffon with them. Their escape is guaranteed, but only as long as they know that you are safe first.”

Louise looked downcast, but slowly nodded. “They’ve done so much to get me this far, I can’t afford to hesitate now,” she said in resolve. She looked up at Wardes, determination burning in her eyes. “Let’s go to Albion.”

Wardes bowed and motioned to the ship. “After you, my dear.”

The ship they boarded wasn’t large or fancy, but it looked decently clean. The crew were running about readying for the emergency departure. As the ship started to leave the port, Louise gave one last look at the mountain city. She couldn’t see any commotion in the dim light of the moons, so she could only pray that the others were safe. Even Kirche, the annoying bimbo.

“Come, Louise,” said Wardes comfortingly. “We should get some sleep. Tomorrow we’ll be in Albion, and we’ll need our wits about us.”

“…You’re right.”

Wardes put an arm comfortingly around her shoulder as he led her to the deck ladder, but then a commotion sounded by the crew.

“We have incoming!”

Wardes drew his blade and forced Louise behind him. “Get below decks,” he ordered. “I’ll handle this.”

Louise drew her wand and shook her head. “I’m tired of letting everyone else fight for me!” she declared. “If some cretin wants me, I’ll give him a piece of my mind!”

Wardes was surprised by Louise’s brazenness. She had always been headstrong, but never to this extent. The boy’s influence really had made his job harder. “At least stay behind me,” he conceded, not wanting to press the issue.

The ship’s crew drew their weapons as a familiar Griffon flew up over the side of the ship and landed on the deck. “Louise? Wardes?” its rider called.

Wardes’s jaw dropped.

“Ash?” Louise said in disbelief. “H-how did you get here? I thought you were fighting Fouquet!”

“I was. I finished and got here as fast as I could. This guy did a good job of finding you,” Ash said as he stroked the griffon’s neck. The beast remained standing dignified, but it was clearly very comfortable with Ash’s petting.

“Is he with you lot?” the captain of the ship asked Wardes.

“He is,” Wardes managed to get out though his shock.

The crew let out a sigh of relief as they put down their weapons.

“Did you say that you ‘finished’ Fouquet?” Wardes asked. He couldn’t see Ash as someone to kill his opponent without a second thought.

“Well, I finished fighting her,” Ash clarified. “I had to wait on Tabitha to trap her in ice before I could leave. I didn’t want to take the risk of her escaping again.”

“Ash, what about Tabitha and Kirche?” Louise asked.

Ash slid off the griffon, who gave him a friendly chirp, before he walked to Louise’s side. “Tabitha went to help Kirche at the inn. Fouquet was trying to distract me from coming back, so we figured it would be best to split up our reinforcements just in case.”

“It’s a good thing we left early then,” said Wardes with an exaggerated sigh of relief. “We could have been minutes away from an attack if we had stayed on the ground.”

“Attack?” the captain asked. “Who the bloody blazes would attack Tristan nobility?”

“Someone with a grudge, apparently,” said Ash. “I hope she decides to stay in prison this time. I’d rather not have another international criminal chasing me across the world.”

“Ash.”

The trainer turned to Louise. “Yes?”

“Thank you,” she said softly. “For coming back.”

“I promised I would, didn’t I?” Ash replied with an easy grin. “I don’t break my promises that easily. Especially ones I make to my friends.”

Wardes watched Ash with a cold expression as Louise started to blush. Just when he thought he had the boy pegged, the brat managed to one-up him once again. He shouldn’t have been able to defeat Fouquet so easily. Wardes briefly considered if Fouquet threw the fight, but that didn’t make sense. She wanted revenge too, and she knew the consequences of betraying him. A cell in Tristan would be the least of her worries.

On top of that, the boy had managed to find them by riding Wardes’s griffon. Griffons were incredibly proud creatures that were near impossible to handle outside of a familiar contract. Even though the boy said he was used to taming magical creatures, it should have taken a lot more effort to ride his familiar.

Who was Ash Ketchum?

How did he manage to continuously defy Wardes’s expectations?

What was the best way to dispose of him?

Chapter Text

Ash lowered the brim of his cap to shield his eyes as he watched the sun's rays break over the horizon, bathing the ship's deck in a blanket warm light. From his position, leaning on the railings of the airship, Ash had the perfect view of the sky before him and the ground below. The clouds shone in the golden glow, and the edges of the sky had blue rising up and enveloping the fiery colors of the dawn. Beneath the ship was a sea of green made of the grass, bushes, and trees on the earth below. It was peaceful, comforting sight. A breath of tranquility from the chaos of the past week.

"You're up rather early," Wardes observed as he walked up behind Ash.

Ash turned, giving the viscount a wave and tired smile. "I didn't get much sleep," he confessed.

"Still thinking about last night, I assume?"

"Yeah…"

Wardes put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "You did well," he assured the boy. "You were stuck in a difficult situation, and you made the best decision you could have."

"I know," said Ash. "But I still don't feel good about leaving Tabitha and Kirche behind. I hope they're alright."

"They are skilled mages, and they have a wind dragon," said Wardes. "Remember, our job is to assist Louise by any means necessary, even if it puts our lives on the line. That is what you must focus on."

"Yeah, you're right," Ash agreed readily. He pushed himself off the railing and stretched his arms over his head. "As long as Louise is safe, everything will be fine."

"What about me?" Louise asked, having just surfaced from below the deck. She stifled a yawn as she walked up the two.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Ash asked.

Louise bobbed her head. "Every time I tried to sleep, I kept thinking I was back at the hotel, and we were under attack," she confessed.

"Ah, that would explain why you kept punching and kicking me throughout the night," Wardes commented. He idly rubbed his sore arm and side, wondering how Louise managed to pack so much strength in her petite frame.

"I what?!"

"I'm pretty sure that's how she normally sleeps," Ash commented. "She always wakes me up by kicking me."

"I kick you because you keep rolling over to my side of the bed!" Louise snapped.

"It's not like I do it on purpose!"

"You still do it!"

Wardes sighed heavily. "I know we're all short on sleep, but let's try to be civil in the morning," he said. Louise and Ash voiced their reluctant agreement. "In the meantime, we should make sure we're prepared for the next stage of our plan."

"What is the next stage?" Ash asked.

Wardes looked to Louise.

Louise cleared her throat and began, "Once we arrive on Albion, we'll need to find Crown Prince Wales. We don't know exactly where the last of the royal army is, but hopefully some locals will know."

"With most of Albion captured, it's most likely that they'll be holed up in one of their fortresses," said Wardes. "I remember hearing rumors that they were at a place called Newcastle."

"How do we get there?" Ash asked.

Louise pursed her lips. "I'm not sure," she confessed. "I haven't been to this area before."

"Neither have I, but I did check the maps earlier," Wardes lied. "Newcastle is only a few hours walk from the city we'll be docking in."

"Wouldn't it be quicker to ride your griffon?" Ash suggested.

"We'd be spotted too easily." Wardes shook his head. "Instead, I'll be having him follow us from a distance. Close enough to be able to get us out in an emergency, but far enough to not give away our position. We may be in for a difficult journey. I'd advise that you get some rest while you can. It'll be hard to sleep soundly once we enter the warzone."

"I'll try," Louise responded with another tired yawn. "Wake me when we're near Albion." She made her way back to the lower deck, leaving the two males alone.

"Do you not want to get some rest as well?" Wardes asked Ash.

The trainer shook his head. "I'm already wound up. I don't think I could go back to sleep right now," he said. "Actually, I was hoping we'd be able to spar again."

Wardes nodded slowly. He did remember promising that he would train Ash. "Let's take this to an open part of the deck so we don't have any accidents," the viscount replied.

It wasn't difficult to find a part of the deck that was unoccupied. The captain was hesitant to allow them practice on the ship, but when Wardes explained that they would be crossing blades and not exchanging spells, he conceded on the condition that they didn't damage the ship.

"Make sure not to use your full strength this time," Wardes advised Ash. "A misplaced swing could smash the planks."

"Won't be a problem," Ash declared. "Speed is what I need."

Both fighters took a moment to ready themselves for the bout. Wardes took a traditional dueling stance. His body was angled diagonally, allowing him to minimize his openings without comprising his ability to reposition. When Ash amateurly imitated his stance, Wardes neglected to correct the boy's faulty foot placement.

"Begin," the viscount declared.

Ash rushed in first, immediately yielding what little advantage his clumsy stance had. Derflinger flew in a horizontal arc as Ash tried to force Wardes to block. Wardes held his own blade diagonally, parrying the attack instead and giving him room to enter Ash's guard. The trainer was forced to retreat, but he didn't stop swinging. While Wardes was able to constantly pressure Ash, the inexperienced swordfighter maintained his momentum even as he lost ground.

In a contest of raw power, Ash was the clear victor. Wardes's Celerity spell was purely designed to increase his speed, and while that did amplify his striking power, Ash's aura and runes more directly affected his strength. Ash could afford to take risks with attacking and blocking because he had the sheer might to compensate for his lack of skill.

However, might alone did not decide a fight. Just like in their previous spar, Ash was constantly being forced back by Wardes's advances. Even as Ash got used to Wardes's attacks, the same was true in reverse. Wardes was getting better at timing Ash's predictable movements. Even with Derflinger constantly draining the magic of the viscount's spell, Ash was never able to force Wardes on the defensive. Additionally, while Ash had strength in spades, Wardes was still the faster of the two. Even without the full power of his Celerity spell, his superior footwork and experience allowed him to strike, dodge, and parry faster than Ash could match.

Finally, Ash realized what he was lacking. Wardes was moving faster than him, and there was no way to overcome that speed without losing control of his swings. Which meant he shouldn't be aiming to move faster. Wardes had said earlier that Ash was predictable. What if, instead of trying to outspeed Wardes's prediction, Ash tried being less predictable?

Or better yet, what if he out-predicted Wardes?

Ash moved, swinging Derflinger in a downward arc. He had a strong feeling that he had left an opening. He could sense something, an image. Wardes was moving his sword to Ash's exposed right side.

But no, Wardes's sword was still in front of Ash, only starting to move to the trainer's right. Acting purely on instinct, Ash twisted Derflinger to block the phantom swing of Wardes's sword.

Clang!

Ash stared in wonder at Derflinger, who was in perfect position to deflect Wardes's strike. Following his instincts had worked! Unfortunately, this moment of internal celebration cost Ash, as Wardes's blade slid along Derflinger and stopped just before it hit Ash's side.

"Don't freeze up in the middle of combat," Wardes lectured him. "I'm surprised you managed to block there; that's some impressive instincts. But leaving yourself exposed afterwards is the height of folly."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Ash with an embarrassed chuckle. He lowered Derflinger and took a few steps back. "Again?"

Wardes laughed and shook his head. "We'll be arriving at Albion soon, see it up ahead?"

Ash looked out where Wardes was pointing. "I see a large cloud," he observed. Then he squinted, straining his eyes further. "Wait, is that a mountain? No, there's nothing beneath it…"

"That, my boy, is Albion, the White Country, the Flying Nation," Wardes declared. "We'll be able to see it up close soon, but it would not do for us to arrive smelling of sweat."

Ash tucked his head under his armpit and sniffed. "That… would be a very good idea," he admitted sheepishly. "I'll wake up Louise too!"

Wardes kept the smile on his face until Ash disappeared from view below deck. Only then did he let the contemplation on his face show. He had been questioning Fouquet's competency when Ash had managed to make it to the ship, but now he was beginning to see how the boy had bested the thief. He was tenacious, unorthodox, and surprisingly adaptive. That move at the end was made with the skill of a master swordsman. Which meant Ash was rather unlocking a new level of power in the runes, or his combat instincts were being honed at an alarming rate. Either way, Wardes would have to discreetly discourage Ash's training from this point.

Ash, Louise, and Wardes stood next to the rails of the ship as they approached Albion.

"It really looks a huge piece of land decided to float in the sky," Ash commented.

"That's pretty much what happened," stated Louise. "Six thousand years ago, when the Founder, Brimir, was fighting the elves, the Windstones underneath Albion caused it to rise up into the sky, and began drifting like it does today."

"What caused that to happen?" Ash asked curiously.

"No one knows," Louise replied with an air of mystery. "Some scholars say it was an attempt to use Albion as an aerial military base against elven airships. Others theorize that it was a natural disaster. Either way, Albion's position makes it very valuable for military and trade purposes."

"I guess that's why the Reconquista wants to capture it."

"Indeed," Wardes confirmed. "If they successful set their base of operation here, then they will be able to strike across the continent with minimal resistance; only limited to by Albion's natural seasonal migration."

"So why isn't anyone else doing anything about it?" Ash asked. "I know Tristan is in the most danger, but what about the other countries? Aren't they worried?"

Louise shook her head. "Galia is ruled by Mad King Joseph. As his title implies, no one really knows what goes on in his head. The Germanian Emperor is confident in the size of his country and military, but forgets that having a mass of commoners is a moot point against a flying continent with a decent mage army."

"The pope in Romalia offers Tristan his blessings," Wardes added. "However, Romalia does not have a sizable standing military like most countries do. We have their support, but there's little physical help they can give."

Ash released a large exhale as he leaned deep against the ship's railing. "This isn't looking good for us, is it?"

"Unfortunately, no," Louise admitted.

Ash groaned and let his head hang over the edge of the ship. After a moment, the trainer pulled himself upright and clenched his hand into a fist. "In that case, let's give it a hundred and ten percent!"

"The entire world can be against you and you still would keep your head up high, wouldn't you," Wardes commented with a wry smile.

"You bet!" Ash responded with a thumbs up and a grin. "As long as I have friends like you, we can take on anything!" His enthusiasm suddenly dimmed as he remembered the lack of a familiar weight on his shoulder. A dejected sigh escaped his lips. "I wish more of my friends were here, you would have loved to meet them."

Wardes had to force the smile from reaching his face. Of course. Ash's weaknesses had been obvious from the start. The crack was already there; all he needed was the right knife to twist into the wound.

Louise recognized the homesickness on Ash's face and searched for a solution—literally. "Oh, um… look over there!" she called out pointing to a flock of birds that were circling around the clouds below Albion.

Ash looked up, and his eyes immediately threatened to burst out of their sockets. "Are those…?"

"They're Albionese Songbirds, colloquially known as cloudsingers," said Louise, proud that she had found something to distract Ash. He was always eager to see and learn about new creatures, so she figured that the birds of Albion would take his mind off his home country. "They get their name because the fluffy feathers of their wings resemble clouds, and their blue coloring helps them blend in with the sky. They are native to Albion and live among the clouds on the bottom of the content. It's theorized that they make their nests on the cliffs under the country, but while they're normally passive, they are very protective of their nests and young, so there's little information about them."

"They're Pokemon."

Wardes and Louise looked at Ash in equal surprise. "Pokemon, as in the magical creatures native to your lands?" Wardes asked.

Ash nodded. "The smaller ones are called Swablu, and the larger ones are Altaria."

"They're not two separate species," Louise denied.

"Swablu evolve into Altaira," Ash said. "They have different names to tell their different forms apart."

"Evolve?"

Ash stared at the Tristan nobles blankly before slowly nodding. "Ah, right. I guess I forgot to explain that part," he realized. He stood tall and pretended he was Professor Oak giving a Pokemon lecture. "When a Pokemon evolves, they glow for a bit, and then take the next stage of their evolution. The changes they go through are different depending on the species of Pokemon, and evolution happens different ways. I know when I was traveling, sometimes my Pokemon would evolve randomly, other times when they were in a tough battle, and sometimes they would have small physical changes for days before finally evolving. There's also Pokemon that evolve into different species because of the environment they were raised in or an elemental stone they were exposed to."

"I don't get it," Louise said frankly.

"I'm afraid I'm lost as well," Wardes confessed.

Ash sighed, his body sagging. "Sorry, I'm not really good at teaching these things," he apologized. "Professor Rowan specializes in Pokemon evolution. If he was around, he'd be able to explain it better than I could."

"A scholar's insight would be much appreciated," Wardes noted. "Many have tried to approach the songbirds over the centuries, but very few were successful. Any mage that tries to approach their assumed breeding grounds with a Flight spell is quickly driven off, and they don't allow dragons or griffons near the underside cliffs. Any that try are swiftly attacked from all sides. Cloudsingers essentially serve as a natural defense for Albion."

"I don't remember Altaria being that aggressive, but I guess when eggs are involved any Pokemon would become protective," Ash said thoughtfully. He snapped his fingers. "Of course!"

"What is it?" Louise asked.

"I just remembered something Tabitha told me while were checking on Sylphid."

"Oh?" Louise told herself that she was not being jealous, she was being possessive. And she had every right to be possessive of her familiar.

"Dragons and griffons don't get along," Ash said, not catching the growl in Louise's voice. "And of course, dragons tend to be territorial, especially around other dragons."

Louise blinked. "What dragons?" she asked. "I thought were talking about the songbirds."

"We are. The first evolution, Swablu, are normal-flying types. The second evolution, Altaria, are dragon-flying types."

Louise gave Ash a deadpan look. "They are clearly birds, not dragons."

"They're not dragons," Ash agreed. "They're dragon-type Pokemon."

"That's the same thing!"

"No, it isn't!" Ash denied. "Sylphid is a wind dragon, but the Salamence was a dragon and flying-type Pokemon. See the difference?"

"No!"

"I'm afraid I don't understand either," Wardes confessed. He had a feeling Louise had more context than he did, because most of what Ash was saying went completely over the viscount's head. "How are cloudsingers, which are clearly birds, a type of dragon?"

"Being a dragon-type isn't a type of dragon." Seeing the confused looks on their faces, Ash sighed. "Never mind. Ha… Now I really wish I had my pokedex on me. It'd make explaining this a lot easier."

Louise stared at him blankly. "Dare I ask what this 'po-kay-dex' is?"

"Um…" Ash considered the simplest way to explain the device. "An electronic encyclopedia of Pokemon information that trainers carry in their pockets."

A glare formed on Louise's face. "At this point I can't tell if your making things up to mock me."

"I'm not!" Ash replied honestly. "It's something that's easier to show than explain."

"Nothing you said makes any sense," Louise insisted.

"Remember, my dear Louise, there is a difference between knowing something exists and being able to explain the details," Wardes chided her gently. "Much like a typical mage doesn't examine the full process of spellcasting, we can't expect someone like Ash to know anything beyond surface level knowledge."

"True…"

"Somehow, I feel almost insulted right now."

"And regardless of his gaps of information, Ash's explanation does have some merit. Cloudsingers are a strange and relatively unknown species, so them being foreign is entirely reasonable. I question them being directly related to dragons, but they do seem to be the avian counterpart to wind dragons. Aside from a few oddities, at least."

From elsewhere on the ship, one of the crew cried out, "Look alive, we've got a flock incoming!"

At the sound of the cry, sails were raised, and the ship slowed down considerably.

"What's going on?" Louise asked.

"Standard procedure when a flock of cloudsingers are nearby is to raise the sails and slow the speed of the ship," Wardes informed her and Ash. "That way, there's less of a chance of a bird being hit by accident."

"That's very nice of them," Ash commented.

"Nice?" Wardes echoed. He chuckled and shook his head. "No, the crew aren't doing it to be nice. They're doing it because hitting a cloudsinger, even by accident, can doom an entire ship."

"What?!" Ash and Louise exclaimed at the same time.

"Cloudsingers are an incredibly dangerous species for sailors," Wardes informed them. "Their cries can rather put watchmen to sleep or send an entire crew into a state of confusion. They can summon powerful winds or move around mists to throw ships off course. Thankfully, they usually only do this when threatened, so any sailor worth their salt knows to never trouble a Cloudsinger unless he wants to be cursed for the rest of his voyage by their flock."

"Huh, I never thought about that," said Ash. "I guess their moves are scarier when we're in the air. If the ship goes out of control, we have a long way to fall."

"Did you have to put it that way?" Louise grumbled.

As the ship gently floated through the sky at a crawl's pace, The three watched as a flock of Altaria and Swablu flew out from the clouds surrounding Albion. The Altaria and some the Swablu had a light mist drifting from their wings. Ash noticed that while the Swablu were exactly as he remembered them, small and blue with pure white wings, some of the Altaria had duller-colored bodies and grey wings that resembled rainclouds.

As the flock approached the ship, the bird Pokemon split away to avoid collision. Some flew under, some over, and the others passed on either side. It reminded Ash of being in a submarine with a large glass viewing bubble, drifting through a school of fish. The Pokemon were singing, but thankfully, the song was merely peaceful, and not sleep inducing.

"Beautiful," said Louise.

"Awesome," said Ash. He leaned far over the railing as some of the darker-colored Altaria flew underneath the ship. "Even on airships back home I've never had a view like this before—woah!"

In his excitement, Ash leaned just a bit too far and his feet lost contact with the deck of the ship. In his panic, the first thing he noticed that he almost dropped his cap. He managed to reach out and grab it, but that didn't help that he was still falling to his doom. Louise immediately grabbed his waist, but she didn't have the strength to pull him back onto the ship and slowly started to slide forward with him.

Wardes hesitated only a moment before grabbing Ash's legs. "I've got you," he assured Ash as he pulled the boy back onto deck. He waved off the crew who had started to approach them to lend assistance.

"Thanks," Ash said gratefully as he secured his cap back on his head. "I got a little too excite—" Ash's words were cut off as blue and white missile crashed into his face with enough force to send him crashing eagle-spread onto the ship's deck.

"Ash! Are you okay?" Louise cried out in alarm.

"…Fine," Ash said, wincing in pain. He opened his eyes and found himself staring into the beady eyes of a Swablu that was resting on his chest. "Oh, hi there. Looks like we butted heads."

"Swa, swablu!"

"How do you feel? Are you hurt?"

"Blu." The Pokemon shook its head.

"That's good to hear," Ash said in relief. "Louise keeps saying I have a hard head. I'd feel bad if you got hurt by it. Haha!"

"Swablu. Swa, swa!"

"Ash," said Louise in disbelief. "Are you… talking to the bird?"

"Yeah, of course. What's wrong?"

"You can understand its chirping?" Wardes asked incredulously.

"Nope," Ash denied. "But I feel that it's friendly."

"Swa! Swa!" the Pokemon chirped.

Wardes shook his head with a rueful smile. "Every day you continue to surprise me," he told Ash honestly. "Cloudsingers very rarely approach humans, and even then, they tend to approach mages with a strong wind affinity." To his disappointment, despite fitting the criteria, Wardes himself had never been approached by the elusive species.

"Well, I'm no mage, but I am a Pokemon trainer," said Ash. "Maybe this one could sense it?"

The Swablu chirped happily.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Ash. He picked up the Swablu in his arms so he could sit up. "Hey, do you want to come with me?"

The Pokemon titled its head to the side.

"I'm basically a Pokemon trainer without a Pokemon right now. Derflinger's a good partner, but he doesn't really need training, so it's not the same," said Ash. "We're doing a mission right now, but once we get back to the academy, I want to train you to become the best you can be."

"Swablu." The Pokemon sounded interested.

"And the academy staff make good food. How does that sound?"

"Swa! Swa!"

"I'll take that as a yes," Ash said with a laugh. He stood up and spun around with Swablu before posing. "Alright, I've caught, a Swablu!"

There was an awkward pause and Wardes and Louise stared at Ash.

"What are you doing?" Louise deadpanned.

Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "It's just a habit I picked up from my travels," he said. "Every new companion is worth celebrating, right?"

"But the way you did it is embarrassing to watch," Louise said. "You can't act like that in public."

"I can't?"

"Remember, your actions reflect on your master," said Wardes. "You wouldn't want her to be publicly humiliated on your behalf."

That took the wind out of Ash's sails. "I guess not," he admitted.

"Also, how do you plan to take care of a Cloudisnger while we're doing our mission?" Louise lectured him.

"Won't be a problem!" Ash assured her. "I've done this loads of times!"

"Taken care of a rare species while on an important mission to save the country?" Louise asked with a healthy dose of skepticism.

"Okay, maybe not loads of times…" Ash admitted.

Louise crossed her arms with a triumphant smile.

"I think only… twice?" he said. "A region is about the same size as a country, right? I still don't understand how map scales work."

Louise threw her hands in the air. "Fine! Do whatever you want! Just make sure you don't mess this up!"

"You can count on me!" Ash flashed her a thumbs up. "Hey, Derflinger, wake up. We've got a new friend."

"Huzzah-wha? I was having a peaceful nap," the sword muttered. "Oh, what's this? It's been a while since I've seen one of these poofy midgets."

"Swa!" the Pokemon squawked angrily.

"So, you've been to Albion before?" Louise asked.

"Girlie, I've been to everywhere and then some," Derflinger bragged. "I may not remember everything, but if I see something familiar my mind gets as sharp as my blade! Like seeing this Swablu reminded me that these fellas live under Albion nowadays."

"Wait, you called it a Swablu too!" Ash noticed.

"Eh? What else would I call it?"

"Most people know them as Albionese Songbirds, or Cloudsingers," Wardes interjected.

"Pah! So that's the fancy names they came up for these fuzzy buzzards. My memory's not that far gone that I can't remember that the small ones are Swablu, the big ones are Altaria, and it's a terrible idea to steal one of their eggs to make a luxury omelet!"

"… that's an oddly specific anecdote," Wardes commented, the teens nodded in agreement. "Is there a story behind that?"

"…Well, whadya know? It seems I can't remember. Ha ha ha…"

The fake laughter was obvious even to the most oblivious of the party.

"Well, Derflinger proves that I'm right," said Ash.

Louise crossed her arms stubbornly. "You think we can trust a sword that admits to having memory issues?" she challenged him.

"He remembered the names."

"He probably just heard you talking about them while he was sleeping."

"That doesn't make sense!"

"Yes, it does! Besides, 'Swa-bloo' is just what its bird call sounds like!"

"A lot of Pokemon names are like that!

"It's stupid!"

"No, it's not! 'Albionese Cloudsingers' describes where they live and what they do. That's not how naming works!"

"That is how naming species is supposed to work!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Wardes was now wishing that he was the one who went below deck to get some extra rest.

Despite Wardes's prior warnings, it was surprisingly easy to get to the base of the remaining royalists. True to his intel, they were holed up in the Fortress of Newcastle. A Reconquista fleet was stationed a short distance away from the fortress, with more ships arriving by the day. Every so often, a few of the ships would fire volleys at Newcastle. The distance was too great for the shots be accurate or powerful, but they were useful for psychological warfare. The resistance inside had to deal with the sounds of cannon fire keeping them awake at odd hours of the day and night, and they also had to be vigilant in case a lucky shot hit a vital area of the fortress.

While the skies were dangerous, the land around the fortress was not heavily monitored. Three figures in ordinary hooded robes weaved their way towards the last standing bastion of the royal family of Albion. Wardes led the way, guiding them through the shadowed but safer part of the rubble that was scattered across the fortress grounds. Louise was in the middle of the group, ensuring she was the most protected. Ash brought up the rear, with Swablu hiding perched on his cap, making the top of his hood have an odd bulge.

"It seems weird that the Reconquista would let people waltz right in," Ash commented as they walked.

"It appears that they aren't treating the soldiers of Newcastle as a serious threat," Wardes observed. "They can watch any mass movement from the safety of their airships, so they feel confident in their ability to recognize and crush the army if they move out. Anyone serving as messengers or scouts appear to be beneath their notice."

"How dare they belittle the dedication of the righteous loyalists!" Louise fumed.

"Think of it this way, my dear Louise: they are so blinded in their overconfidence that our mission is made much easier."

"Works for me," Ash chimed in. "Which means that all we have to do is walk into Newcastle, meet with Prince Wales, and return to Tristan with the good news. We're almost there."

"Don't celebrate in victory yet," Wardes warned Ash lightly. "We're not safe until we actually get inside the fortress. Stay sharp."

They had almost reached the shattered walls of the fortress proper when Wardes raised a hand to stop the group. "We've been spotted," he announced.

"What? How?" Louise asked, looking around frantically.

Ash closed his eyes. "I sense multiple people inside the building, and one person over there," he said, pointing overhead.

Sure enough, there was a man standing on one of the towers of the fortress wall. Wardes was surprised that Ash had managed to detect the man from that distance. In any military operations, the ability to locate any hidden nearby enemies was invaluable. This also put a wrench in Wardes's back up plan. If Ash could sense people from that far away, then any stealth assault would fail if Ash curiously probed the area for any reason. Since he could also sense magic when it was being used, using a spell to deceive him wasn't an option either. Every tool in Wardes's arsenal was quickly becoming moot against the dense idiot.

Wardes shook himself out of his thoughts. He could figure out how to deal with Ash later. For now, "How many people can you see inside?" the viscount probed.

Ash closed his eyes and focused. Then, he raised a hand and pointed. "Four over there, I think that's the entrance. One of them is approaching us and another is going down a hallway. Two people are walking down a hallway. They just met with the man who left the entrance. There are more, but they're harder to make out further in. There's magic, I think, in the walls. It's making it hard for me to see."

That much information through reinforced walls in a matter of seconds? Truly, that ability would be invaluable on the battlefield. "If that's the case, the lookout probably signaled our approach and a sentry will be approaching to meet us," Wardes reasoned. "We'll show ourselves out in the open and let them make contact."

"Won't we be spotted by the airships if we do that?" Louise asked worryingly.

"They probably wouldn't waste their ammo on unknown people," said Wardes. "And at this range, they'd be lucky to have their shots come anywhere near us. Have no fear Louise, should the worst come to pass, you have two valiant defenders at your side."

"You got that right!" Ash affirmed. Swablu chirped in as well.

It took only a few minutes for someone to come out and meet them. The person wore a large set of full armor minus a helmet, leaving his round, scowling face exposed. He was clearly getting on years and completely bald, but there was certainly no weakness in his posture or expression. In a gruff voice, he asked, "Who goes there?"

"I am Viscount Jean-Jacques Francis de Wardes, I am here with my fiancé Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere, an ambassador of Crown Princess Henrietta de Tristan, and her attendant, Ash Ketchum."

Ash raised an eyebrow at the introduction, not that anyone else could see it.

"An ambassador, eh? And what business do you have with the Albion Royals?" the knight asked.

"We request an audience with Prince Wales, the rightful ruler of the kingdom of Albion," Louise replied.

The knight stepped forward and loomed over Louise. His scowl deepened as he gazed at her suspiciously. "You have the hair of a Valliere, but how do I know that you're telling the truth?"

Ash made a move to step forward but Wardes held out a hand to stop him.

Louise met the knight's gaze without an ounce of fear in her eyes. "I am a Valliere. On my family's honor, I would not bring shame by acting deceitfully toward a loyal knight of Albion such as yourself."

The knight looked taken aback, then barked a hearty laugh. "Ha! You definitely have your mother's eyes! Well met, Miss Valliere. I am Commander Wallace de Caelin, a proud knight of Prince Wales." He eyed the other two. "A single griffon knight escort and a page as your attendant? Curious traveling companions for an ambassador."

"I'm also her familiar," Ash added. He lowered his hood to reveal Swablu's head. "And this is Swablu, and the sword is on my back is Derflinger."

"Good to meetchya!" Derflinger piped up.

Wallace looked surprised, and then laughed again. "A human familiar with a cloudsinger and a talking sword? Your group is a welcome sight for weary eyes. Follow me, I'll take you to his highness."

Wallace led them on a path through the rubble. By the number of boot prints, it was clear that the route was well traveled, and for good reason. There was limited exposure from directly above, and most of the rubble rested at an angle or were well-rooted on either side, meaning that it would be incredibly difficult to break the remains down further.

The inside of Newcastle wasn't much better than the exterior. Large cracks ran along much of the outer walls. Occasionally, an entire section of the wall would be missing, leaving the hallway exposed to the elements. Deeper within the building was in much better condition. There were still occasionally cracks in the walls, but not holes or anything that looked structurally compromising. The three visitors did notice that the place looked barren, with only a scarce amount of furniture and decoration.

Wallace explained as they walked. "Canon shells left much of this place a mess. Not much we could do about that. While you're here, avoid going to any halls that are cracked or exposed. We wouldn't want a piece of debris to fall on you. Stay in the inner walls that don't threaten to buckle at any moment."

"This place is pretty empty," Louise commented. They had passed a pair of guards stationed by the doors, and a few other small groups of soldiers, but there was the distinct lack of noise that a fortress full of people should be making.

"There's only three hundred of us left," Wallace replied. His armor clanked loudly as he shrugged. "This fortress was designed to hold almost ten times our number. Most of the furniture was rather sold to or moved to less secure areas so they wouldn't take up space. No one wants to weave around chairs and tables when a section of the building is coming down. Haha!"

Despite the man's joke, the mood felt sober. They traveled in silence until they came to a stop by a door.

Wallace politely tapped his armored knuckles on the door and bellowed, "Prince Wales, you have visitors from Tristan!"

"You may enter."

After a moment, the door swung open, revealing a handsome young man. He wore a military uniform that was blue with gold accents, which almost perfectly matched his short blond hair with bright blue eyes. Ash noticed that the prince looked remarkably similar to Guiche.

"Visitors from Tristan?" After taking a moment to look them over, Wales asked, "I welcome you to Newcastle. Please excuse the lack of a proper reception, but I'm afraid we're understaffed at the moment. Now, what business do you have here? Given the state of the country at the moment, I doubt this is a sightseeing visit."

Louise pulled out a letter from her pocket. "This is a letter of introduction from Princess Henrietta," she said. "And as further proof, this is the ring she entrusted to me."

As Wardes stretched his hand forward, the ring that rest on his right hand began to glow. The one in Louise's hand did the same. As the two rings came close, a rainbow shone between them.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Ash asked.

"The Ring of Water and the Ring of Wind from a rainbow when brought together," Wardes said thoughtfully. "How fitting."

"Indeed," said Prince Wales. He smiled, taking the letter from Louise graciously. As his eyes scanned the message, his expression became somber. He still smiled, but it was merely polite. Pained. "I see," he said in conclusion. "I don't have the item with me, but I can take you to it. Follow me."

"Here we are," Wales announced, opening a door. They were several halls down from the prince's office. By the remnants of the décor, Wardes and Louise could deduce that they were in the officials' quarters. Wallace remained in the hallway as Wales ushered them into the bedroom. His, in fact.

"You kept the princess's letter here?" Louise asked.

"But of course," the prince replied jovially, his previous easy-going smile now present once again. "That letter is dear to my heart. Of course, I kept it safe with my personal belongings."

"The best secrets are the ones held close," Wardes said knowingly.

Wales gave a nod. He opened up a desk along the wall of the room. He took a drawer full of papers and books, dumped them out, and then carefully removed the false bottom of the drawer, revealing Henrietta's letter. Wales took the letter handed it Louise.

"Prince Wales," said Louise. "Please, what did Henrietta say in the letter?"

The prince chuckled. "Miss Valliere, it is not good for an ambassador to ask questions like that," he gently chided her.

"Yes, but—" Louise hesitated, and then continued, "The princess cares about you deeply. And you look… defeated."

"My forces number three hundred strong," Wales responded with wry smile. "Our enemies are estimated to be fifty thousand. Within days, they'll advance on us. We will be defeated, but we will go out in glory and dignity."

Ash looked shell-shocked. "You… you all are going to die?" he said incredulously.

"This is the reality of war," said Wardes.

This only further damped Ash's spirit. Swablu cooed comfortingly as this rubbed Ash's head with its fluffy feathers.

Louise didn't look much better. She knew what was expected of nobles, but it was another thing to see someone about to die by their oaths.

"Indeed," said Prince Wales. "Which is why we must enjoy the time we have. I invite you three to stay the night. We have some days till their forces are ready. We may as well take the time to celebrate. Tristan will be safe, and we have you to thank for that."

"I suppose," Louise said hesitantly. "But we have to figure out how to return to Tristan."

"I can have that arranged," said Wales. "We have a secret port below the fortress. My ship, the Eagle, can take you to Tristan once the night's festivities are over."

"But without your ship, won't you be groundlocked?" Louise asked.

"Whether on the ground or in the sky, it won't matter to us," said Wales. "Consider the ship a gift for your service. A word from my dear Henrietta is more than I can repay."

"Please! Return with us!" Louise cried. "You and the princess love each other! You shouldn't have to die here!"

"And abandon my men?" Wales asked, not unkindly. "I am the Crown Prince of Albion. If the last of my loyal countrymen will die, then I will die with them. For what is a Prince without his subjects? What is a king without his kingdom?"

"B-b-but…"

"Take his words to heart, Louise," said Wardes. "Time is precious, and loyalty reaches beyond fortune or status, but lies within a person's heart."

"That's not fair," Ash said in a soft voice. His body was trembling, and his fists were clenched. "Why is there no other choice?!"

"Life isn't fair," said Wardes. "It is a cruel world we live in."

"That doesn't mean we have to accept it!" Ash shouted.

"He's right!" Louise voiced her agreement. "Why should we let it end like this?"

"Because the verdict has been decided, and we are merely waiting for the execution to take place," Wales stated. "I'm sorry, it is not a pleasant subject. You two are young, honest, and kind. As an ambassador and attendant, you two fall short in the art of diplomacy."

Despite his words, the prince was smiling. "However, your candor is welcome in this place. We have no need for platitudes or deception. It is a relief to see such bright hearts among us. I am sure that you will do your best to support my dear cousin during her rule."

Tears were built up in Louise's eyes, but she brushed them away. "Of course, Prince Wales," she said graciously. "We will serve Henrietta loyally to the very end!"

"Yeah! You can count on us!" Ash declared. The news had shaken him, but he was determined to bounce back. After all, it wasn't the first time he had faced the imminent death of someone he knew, right? He had only just met Wales minutes ago, but it was still painful to know that in less than a week, the prince would be—

Ash pushed the thought from his mind. That was way too depressing. He'd deal with his emotions later. After all, if Louise could put on a brave face, so could he.

"I'm glad to hear it," the prince said genuinely. "I have some preparations to make, but feel free to make yourselves at home. Wallace!"

The door swung open with a loud bang. "Yes, your highness!" the knight commander called with a salute.

"Show our guests around Newcastle. They will be leaving tonight, so I want to send them off with pleasant memories."

"As you wish!"

"Is there a place to spar?" Ash asked curiously.

"I don't think a warzone is the best place for some practice," said Wardes.

"On the contrary," said Wallace. "We set up an indoor training ground weeks ago. If you wish to practice your swordsmanship, there is ample space for it."

"Awesome!" Ash cheered.

Wallace laughed. "I like your enthusiasm, boy! Follow me!"

It was quite a strange sight to see a boy with a bird on his head eagerly running after an older man in full plate.

"Ash…" Louise muttered. "Stupid familiar, he should ask me what I want to do first before running off." Despite her mutterings, she didn't waste time hurrying after him.

Wardes gave a farewell nod to Wales before heading off in a different direction. With less than a day to work with, he would have to come up with a new plan, and quickly.

It wasn't until much later that Ash's mind finally put together what Wardes and Louise had alluded to. "Wait, Henrietta and Wales are cousins?!"

Chapter Text

Ash brushed a clump of sweat-drenched hair out of his eyes, not breaking eye contact with his opponent. The man before him was covered from the neck down in heavy plated armor. He was taller, stronger, and clearly superior in skill. Every time Ash attacked, he struggled to get past his opponent's spear. While Ash was the faster of the two combatants, the long reach of his opponent's weapon gave him a lot of trouble when he tried to engage. And even when he did close the distance, the thick armor would stop Ash from landing any meaningful damage before he would get shoved aside again.

The trainer lowered his stance and let Derflinger sweep across the edge of the ground. Moving by the flow of the runes, he swung upwards. His opponent stepped back and raised his own weapon to block. Ash shifted his attack into a thrust, sliding Derflinger along the spear to close the distance.

Only to get kicked in the gut and sent flying away.

"Ack!" Ash choked as he fell to the ground. Before his opponent could take advantage of his prone state, he swung his legs over his head to throw himself into a standing position.

"Still able to get back to your feet, aye lad?"

"I can do this all day!" Ash replied confidently. Despite the fact that he was losing, he couldn't help the grin that was on his face.

"In that case, don't hold back on me now. Give it all you got!"

"Ha!" Ash let his Aura flow out of his body, covering him in a soft blue glow. He dashed forward, holding Derflinger overhand. His opponent raised his spear to block the telegraphed attack.

Then Derflinger flew.

The sudden throw caught the armored man off guard. Still, he reacted quickly. He used his spear to deflect the blade before swinging the tip towards Ash. However, the trainer had not been idle. The armored warrior found himself facing a translucent blue copy of the very spear he wielded…

Which promptly shattered against his breastplate.

The two combatants watched the blue fragments disappear into shimmering dust, and then laughed in unison.

"Damn, I thought that trick would work," Derflinger muttered.

"It was a good try," Ash said comfortingly as he retrieved the sword.

"To stand up to the commander for two hours must be a record for a greenhorn," one the nearby soldiers who had been watching the fight commented.

"Not to mention he's one of the best soldiers in Albion," another one commented.

"What's more surprising is that he can do it all in heavy armor…" Louise muttered. "His stamina must be as absurd as Ash's."

Perched atop her head, Swablu chirped in agreement.

The indoor training facility had originally been one of the many large meeting rooms in the fortress. However, without the need to hold dozens of officials and strategists, the war room had been relocated to make the space available as a replacement training area. The original, unfortunately, had been thoroughly destroyed by Reconquista bombardment.

Inside there were weights, open mats for stretching and exercises, and of course, a few sparing squares. When they had first arrived, Louise and Ash had drawn attention for being newcomers, especially since some had recognized Louise as a Valliere due to her voluminous pink hair. However, the attention quickly shifted to Ash once he started sparring with Wallace. So far, the count was 24-5 in the commander's favor, but that was more than anyone had expected out of Ash.

Turning to face Wallace, Ash asked "Again?"

This time, the commander shook his head. "You learn fast, but bashing your head in will only teach you so much," he said. "Still, I admire your spirit. Even hardened soldiers struggle to go for as long as you do! Ha! You'd do fine in the army!"

"Thanks, but don't think army is where I belong," said Ash sheepishly. "If that had been a serious fight, I'd be in trouble."

"True," Wallace agreed. "And do you know why?"

"Because I need more practice?"

The bald man shook his head. "Practice alone won't solve your problem," he said. "You, Valliere!" he called out to Louise. "What do you think is wrong with your familiar's fighting style."

Louise blinked, not expecting to be called out. "He acts on impulse?" she guessed.

"Vague answer, but I'll take it this time," Wallace responded. "You, boy, are fitter than most grown men and have instincts that most people spend years honing, but you have no style."

"I thought my style was adaptive?" Ash questioned.

The commander snorted. "An adaptive style would require you to have foundation to begin with, and then you alter it to fit your situation. You, lad, have no foundation I can see," Wallace lectured. "You attack, react, and then try again in a slightly different way. You may adapt to whatever the situation is, but until you find a rhythm, all you do is attack in the most telegraphed way imaginable. Why do you think you stopped winning against me?"

Ash winced. He had won one in about every six fights, but all of those had been from the first dozen or so spars. Since then, he had lost every time. "You got used to fighting me?"

"Got used to you? Bah! Far from it! Every new trick you pulled caught me by surprise. But they didn't matter because I realized your limits and exploited them," Wallace explained. "You rely on that spell of yours to overpower me, so I always know when I can't take your attacks head on. You like pretending to do the same action and then pulling out a new trick, which means I always have to be careful when you're attacking at your own pace. Your reflexes are excellent, but your defense is weak, so the best way to hit you is to wait for you to overextend. Even if I can't predict what's going on in your head, I can still take advantage of what I do know."

The criticism hurt, but Ash could tell it was right. It largely followed his approach to Pokemon battling, except when it came to Pokemon, he actually had some expertise. "So, how do I fix that?" he asked.

"First, I would have to know what in Brimir's name you were doing," Wallace huffed. "What kind of blasted spells were you throwing at me? Wind spheres. Air Transmutations. Barriers. Some full-body enhancement. And whatever the glow on your hand does!"

"Ah…" Ash had forgotten to explain how his Aura worked before they had started sparring, and since the commander hadn't brought it up earlier, he had just assumed that it was accepted as normal. "Well, it's not quite magic. It's Aura. Instead of using a wand I cast it from my… body?"

"Not quite magic?" Wallace echoed.

"I've tried explaining to him that it looks almost exactly like wind magic, but he insists that it's not," Louise said.

"He'd be right," the commander confirmed.

Louise blinked. "B-but, what else could it be besides wind magic? He's not using any of the other elements!"

"Your mother is the most powerful square class wind mage alive, and you can't tell when something isn't wind magic?" Wallace questioned her. "Trust me, young Valliere, there are more mysteries that exists in the world than the magic we wield."

"Like what?" Ash asked,

"Bah! I don't know," Wallace replied bluntly. "I'm a soldier. I leave that kind of thinking up to those with too much time on their hands!"

Louise sighed. "Of course, it wouldn't be this easy."

"Back to the point," said Wallace. "This 'Aura' you wield is as wild as you are. Some spells I can understand needing practice, but there's a couple of yours that I don't understand." He held up a finger. "What's with the glow on your hand?"

"Oh, that's actually not Aura," Ash corrected. He held Derflinger, letting the marks on his hand glow. "These runes I got from Louise activate when I hold a weapon."

"Got them how…?"

"They're his familiar runes," Louise clarified. "As far as we can tell, he gets stronger and faster when he uses them, and they give him a basic knowledge of how to use any weapon he wields."

"Hm, that's an odd power for familiar runes…" Commander Wallace pondered for a moment before dismissing the thought and holding up a second finger. "Two. What are those fragile weapons you keep pulling out of thin air?"

"That's an ability I'm still trying to figure out…" Ash admitted. "The way I've seen it used is this." He formed a long bone out of Aura, long enough to be used as a short staff, and held it like a club. "But I can't figure out how to make the Aura really solid, so I started experimenting. Turning it into a weapon allows me to use my runes, but it still breaks in one hit." He slammed the aura bone into the floor, causing it to shatter into pieces.

"I'd advise against using it in serious combat," said Wallace. "A weapon that breaks in the middle of a fight can catch your opponent off guard, but it could also seal your fate. Any mage knows that imitating a spell improperly is dangerous. You'd be best off asking for instruction from whoever showed you it the first time."

"That'll be a bit difficult," Ash said with sheepish chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. The one who used that move was in another world… wait, who had shown him that technique?

Wallace raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask for the boy to elaborate. "Three. That blue sphere of yours is also Aura?"

"Yup."

"Barriers too?"

"Same."

"How do they work?"

"For Aura Sphere I put my Aura into a ball and just throw it, I guess. And the barriers are when I try to make my Aura into a solid wall."

"Just like the weapons?"

"Yeah, but it's easier to make a barrier for some reason," Ash replied. "I can't use my runes on barriers either, but they still end up being sturdier than the weapons I make."

"Easy, lad. A wall is flat; a weapon has shape," Wallace replied. "Anyone who practices transmutation will tell you that the more details you add, the harder the job is."

"But if I don't add the details, my runes won't work," Ash pointed out. "What I make with my Aura needs to be weapon. It can't be too simple."

Wallace gave him an odd look. "You ever heard of a staff, lad?"

"…ah," Ash said after a moment. He rubbed the back of his head. "I forgot about those."

"Aren't staffs commoner weapons?" Louise pointed out. "It's only proper that he use a sword."

"A weapon is a weapon," Wallace countered. "And a staff should be the easiest to start with. If he wants to make a fancy sword out of blue light, then he can figure that out later." He held up another finger. "Four. That thing you do with your body, I'm guessing its Aura, but the spell doesn't make a lick of sense. At first, I thought it was speed enhancement, but you became stronger as well. You also take hits a lot better too, and your reflexes go from impressive to bloodied veteran. I don't understand what it's supposed to do."

"I guess, a little bit of everything?" Ash replied. "I flood my body with Aura and everything works better."

"Hmph… should I assume that using Aura works the same way as using Willpower?"

"According to our tests, there is a strong overlap," Louise piped up.

Wallace breathed out deeply and massaged his temples. "…How in the Founder are you still standing, lad?"

"Eh?" Ash eloquently responded.

"The amount of Willpower you were radiating was at least a triangle class spell," Wallace said. "And its effects were almost on par with that level. How are you able to maintain a triangle class spell, on top of all your others, without showing a lick of Willpower exhaustion?"

"I guess it's because I have more Aura than most," Ash replied uncertainly. "I feel like I could go another hour or so."

"I don't know whether to be proud of your stamina or annoyed by your carelessness," Wallace said. He massaged his bald chin with a thoughtful frown. "You have all that power at your disposal, and you can't use it effectively?"

Ash sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I guess not."

The commander's attention shifted to Louise. "Have someone train the lad properly when you get home," he advised. "He has the potential to be the best damned soldier on the continent. Make sure he doesn't squander his talents."

"You really think so?" Louise asked skeptically. She couldn't deny that Ash had some surprisingly ability, but he didn't seem like a soldier material with that goofy attitude of his.

"I swear it on my honor as a knight of Albion."

"But I'm not planning to be a soldier," Ash felt the need to point out. "I'm a Pokemon trainer, mostly."

Wallace stared blankly at Ash, and then turned to Louise. "Where'd you find this lad, young lady?"

"I summoned him," she replied with a sigh, knowing exactly what was going on in the commander's head.

"From where? Rub' al Kahli?"

"The Kanto Region," Ash cut in.

"Never heard of it. Same for whatever a Po-kay-mahn trainer is."

Ash sighed. He pointed to the Swablu nestled in Louise's hair. "Swablu is a Pokemon," he explained.

"Ah! You train magical creatures! Why didn't you say so?"

"I sometimes forget that Pokemon trainers don't exist here," Ash admitted in embarrassment. "And Pokemon and magical creatures are not exactly—you know what, never mind. Yes, I train magical creatures." No one else cared about the differences anyway.

"So, what can your little birdie do?" Wallace asked. "I've never seen one of those tamed before."

"Swa! Swa!" Swablu protested angrily.

"We actually ran into each other on the way here, so I haven't had the chance to train it yet," Ash replied.

"Swablu!" The Pokemon fluttered from Louise's head and returned to its perch atop Ash's cap. "Swa! Swa!"

"You want to train, buddy?"

"Swablu!" it chirped affirmatively.

"This'll be interesting to see," said Louise.

"Indeed."

Ash and Louise quickly swiveled their heads to see Wardes standing behind them with an amused smile on his face.

"Viscount Wardes!" Louise exclaimed.

"When did you get here?" Ash asked, equally surprised.

"Just as you were explaining your occupation," Wardes replied merrily. "Honestly, I had thought you two would have taken a tour by now. Have you spent all this time here?"

"The lad has the reserves that would put my best men to shame," Wallace bellowed with a hearty laugh.

"Swa! Swa!" Ash's feathered companion chirped angrily.

"Aha, alright, Swablu. You're getting your turn," said Ash good-naturedly. "Time to show me what you got!"

With an excited chirp, Swablu flew off Ash's head. The Pokemon flapped its wings and hovered a few feet away from him, waiting for instruction.

"I've always wondered how you trained magical creatures," said Louise.

"His ability to communicate with them is astounding," Wardes agreed in murmur.

"Okay, Swablu. I haven't seen you in action yet, and I don't have a Pokedex to scan you, so I'm going to get a feel for your strength personally," Ash declared. He crossed his arms defensively over his chest. "Hit me!"

His human audience stared at him blankly.

Wallace raised an eyebrow. "Is the lad serious?"

"Hopefully not," Louise said. After a moment of thought, she frowned. "Possibly. Probably."

"Swablu!" Swablu flew up and dove towards Ash. Its beak glowed white as it rammed into Ash's protected chest. The trainer's feet slid back a few inches, but he was otherwise unharmed.

"Peck? A solid move," Ash said with a nod. "Next one!"

"Apparently," Louise concluded with a sigh.

"…I have never seen this method of training in my life," Wardes commented. "I've seen familiars practice on posts, dummies, and against other familiars, but their master?"

"I should have known he'd do something outrageous like this," Louise groaned. She buried her face into her hands, peaking through her fingers as her curiosity outweighed her growing second-hand embarrassment.

Swablu flew up as fanned its wings gently, creating a small cloud of mist around its body. It wasn't thick enough to completely obscure vision, but the mist did make it hard to make out Swablu's bobbing blue body.

"You know Mist too? Neat! What else do you have?"

Swablu flew out of the miniature cloud and fanned its wings, summoning a surge of wind that spread across the area and dispersed the mist.

Louise was surprised. She had heard that the Cloudsingers had an affinity for wind magic, but it was still surprising to see a bird the size of her head creating the effect of a Dot Class Gust spell.

"Defog? That's fitting," said Ash contemplatively. "I wonder if your movepool is because of your environment?"

"Swablu~" Without prompting, Swablu moved onto its next move. It opened its beak and became to chirp a hypnotic tune.

The observing soldiers instinctively cast soundproof barriers to prevent the Swablu's song from spreading across the room. Wardes was only a fraction of a second behind them, creating a soundproof bubble around himself and Louise. Ash, having no such protection, was enraptured by the song, swooned, and fell to the floor face-first, fast asleep.

"Ash!" Louise cried out in surprise.

"Such is the power of a Cloudsinger," said Wardes. "Even one as young as this can put many men asleep if they are not prepared."

Once Swablu had finished its song, Wardes let the barrier down. Louise went over to Ash and lightly prodded him with her foot. He snorted and turned over, still fast asleep.

"I thought he would have taken precautions after my previous warnings," Wardes lied, looking at Ash in feigned concern. "We should probably get him to a healer, that looked like a nasty fall."

"He'll be fine," Louise brushed aside the concern. She dug her the tip of her shoe deep into his ribs, getting a garbled mumble in response as he rolled over again. She brought her leg back…

…and kicked her foot into his side.

And again.

And a third time for good measure.

Wardes stared in disbelief as he watched his fiancé casually assault her familiar. Somehow, despite the persistent and painful-looking abuse, the boy continued to snooze away with a light snore.

"Too bad he's better at staying asleep than staying awake," Louise complained.

"Swablu?" the bird chirped as it hopped closer.

"Hmph, now he's going to sleep for who knows how long," Louise grumbled. "This is all your fault."

The Pokemon's eyes swelled up with tears.

"Don't give me that look," Louise retorted hotly. "I need him awake."

Swablu perked up. It jumped on Ash's shoulder, and began rapidly pecking his cheek. Louise followed this by driving her heel into his Ash's chest repeatedly.

"That boy will need a stiff drink when he wakes up won't he?" Wallace whispered to the griffon knight captain.

"I feel like I need one just watching him," Wardes confessed.

Ash finally roused to alertness, slightly raising his head as he opened his eyes. "What's going—"

Another heel stomp from Louise hit him right in the chin. His eyes rolled up into his head as he passed out again.

Louise paled. That kick had been an accidental knee-jerk reaction to seeing him moving. "No! Ash! Don't fall back asleep now!"

"Swablu! Swa!"

The two shifted to a less brutal wake up call, shaking his body and screeching into his ears, until the boy once again returned to the realm of consciousness.

"Why'd you kick me?" Ash groaned.

"You weren't waking up," Louise explained. Swablu bobbed the front of its body in agreement.

"That hurt. The pecking too."

Louise blinked. "Really?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't it hurt?"

"Because you slept through a lot of it."

"…Well, it hurts now that I'm awake," Ash grumbled. He refocused his attention on his new Pokemon. "Since I fell asleep, that means you know Sing. Anything else you can show me Swablu?"

The Pokemon shook its head.

"So, you know Peck, Mist, Defog, and Sing, huh?" Ash mulled the moveset over in his mind. "I'll need to teach you some more powerful ones later, but having four moves is already a good start."

"…Are you going to explain what that means to the rest of us?" Louise asked.

"Right," Ash said sheepishly. He pulled himself to his feet and began to explain. "Pokemon learn moves. I guess you can think of them like spells. There are some differences, but I don't think they're that important. Anyway, most young Pokemon know about two or three moves, so having four means Swablu is already pretty strong."

"Swa! Swa!" the Pokemon preened.

"As for what they do: Peck is a simple pecking attack, Mist creates a mist, Defog clears the area, and Sing puts others to sleep."

"Pecking doesn't sound comparable to a mist or sleeping spell," Louise observed.

Ash shrugged. "Some moves are stronger than others," he replied. "But what's most important is how they're used. With some creativity and determination, even a weaker Pokemon without powerful moves can beat a stronger one!"

Wardes nodded along. "The same principle applies to combat. A more experienced and powerful foe can be brought down by an inferior opponent who manages to pull a clever trick," he said. "However, most of the time speed and power decide the result of a fight before any tricks can be played."

"Which is what training is for," Ash said with a nod. "Swablu, for now we're going to work on your speed and agility. Ten quick laps to the end of the room and back, let's go!"

Ash took off running to the other side of the training hall, with Swablu flapping its wings furiously, trying to overtake him.

"While he's burning off his endless supply of stamina, how about we have a walk around the fort, my dear?" Wardes suggested.

Louise blushed. "If it's alright with the Commander…?"

Wallace waved his hand dismissively. "Take some time to yourselves. I'll keep an eye on your attendant and make sure he doesn't pass out on the floor before the party starts. Ha! His spirit is giving all the men a second wind!"

Wardes and Louise walked side by side along the fortress ramparts. The walls were high enough that they could see for miles. Off in the distance they could see the white expanse of clouds that curled up from underneath the flying continent. Further in were the tall trees that served as a barrier against the high-altitude winds. The fortress grounds were large, but now ruined, pockmarked with craters and rubble of the outer walls and smaller structures.

"This place was probably magnificent, once," Wardes spoke out of the blue.

"I suppose it was," Louise replied. Despite the craters and scars on the fortress's landscape, it still held a majestic air to it. "It's a shame… it'll never see its glory again."

"Sometimes the end comes faster than we expect," Wardes said somberly. He stopped, and slowly turned to Louise. "My dear Louise, my mind has been weighed upon heavily since our arrival here, as I'm sure yours has been as well."

Louise was silent. She still resented her helplessness to the situation. The last remnant of the rightful rulers of Albion was going to die within a matter of days, and she could do nothing about. It was frustrating to no end.

"However, I now feel enlightened," said Wardes. "If this mission has taught me one thing, it is that I should take advantage of the time we have left. In life, you never know when the perfect moment will slip through your fingers."

"I suppose?" Louise responded questioningly.

The Viscount chuckled. "I should stop beating around the bush." He knelt down on one knee, pulling a small silver box from his breast pocket as he did so.

"Wardes?" Louise could recognize what was happening, but it felt very surreal.

Wardes flipped open the box, revealing a silver band encrusted with a sizeable diamond. "Louise le Blanc de la Valliere, will you marry me?"

Louise face turned as pink as her hair as she struggled to breathe and form words. "I—I, I don't know what to say…" she stammered.

"It would make very happy if you said 'yes'," Wardes hinted with smile.

"I…" Louise took a deep breath to calm her rapidly beating heart. "I know we've been engaged for years, and I do want to marry you, Viscount Wardes," she said hesitantly. "However, I don't think I'm ready to do so now. I still haven't become the woman I want to be, a noble lady and accomplished mage. I haven't even finished the academy…"

"You can do all those things even after we marry," Wardes assured her.

"But, why now?" Louise asked.

Wardes's face became somber. "I saw an opportunity, and I didn't want to let it pass by," he said. "Nothing is guaranteed in this life, especially not during these times. I thought that a ceremony, hosted by the last of the Albion royal family, would leave us with an unforgettable experience."

"I understand," Louise said. As far as romantic proposals went, this was certainly a memorable one. "However, I cannot accept your feelings, Viscount Wardes. Not yet."

"Very well," Wardes conceded. He shut the box with a soft click and rose to his feet. "One day, my dear, I will steal your heart."

"Ah…" Louise blinked, unsure how to respond to that.

"Would you mind if I take a moment to collect myself?"

"Oh, no, go ahead," Louise replied. She mentally winced at how tense he sounded. She had never turned down a guy before—mostly because no one else had ever propositioned to her—so she wasn't exactly sure what the normal curtesy was after a failed proposal. Giving Wardes some time to himself sounded like a safe option.

The Viscount gave a brief half bow towards her, and then hurried away.

"She rejected me!"

"Women are fickle like that."

"It's that familiar of hers! He's filled her head with nonsense. The practical choice would be to marry me to secure her future before returning to that useless school."

"So it's time for the backup plan? I can turn her into a puppet easily."

"No… mind control would be too obvious. Her familiar is an idiot, but there's little chance he'd not notice if Louise acts drastically different."

"Kidnapping then?"

"Her familiar can sense people up to several hundred meters away with near perfect accuracy. And even while preparing for a party, the fortress is under tight watch at all times."

"So you want to smuggle her out yourself?"

"The familiar and his cloudsinger rarely leave the Louise's side for long."

"Oh? Are you saying that a clueless boy is capable of foiling you at every turn?"

"He has not bested me yet. I simply need to be… unorthodox when dealing with him. I need to get Louise and the letter in one decisive move without his interference."

"Remember the other half of your original mission."

"Yes, I'll take care of the brat too. Ha… That's three objectives to secure in a brief window of time."

"Hmph. And where do I come in? Surely you didn't risk this meeting just so you could complain?"

"I need a distraction. A big one."

"Oh? How big are we talking about?"

"One that can bring the entirety of Newcastle to its knees."

"Men and women of Albion!" Prince's Wales voice rang out across the large open room. "We've been visited today by our allies from the continent below! On behalf of the Crown Princess Henrietta de Tristan, we have with us: Ambassador Louise de Blanc de la Valliere, her fiancé, Viscount Jean-Jacque de Wardes, and her familiar, Ash Ketchum of Kanto!"

They all bowed their heads at their introduction, even Swablu from atop Louise's crown of hair. However, it was just a formality at this point. At least half of the fortress's inhabitants had seen them in person at this point, and those who hadn't had at least heard enough about them to pick them out of a crowd. After all, Newcastle wasn't exactly swarming with visitors.

"The traitorous Reconquista are at our doorstep," Wales said, his voice solemn. "We are the last of the loyalists of Albion, and soon we will facing our greatest and final fight."

The hall was silent.

"However, today is not that day! We have guests, who bring us hope for a brighter future. Tonight, we will celebrate with your hearts lifted and heads held high." Wardes raised his glass. "A toast, to a glorious future!"

The crowd erupted into cheers.

"Anyone else feel bad about celebrating when these people are going to die soon?" Ash asked somberly.

"They are fulfilling their duty to the very end," Wardes said. His voice was oddly stiff, but Ash easily chalked that up due to the dichotomy of the festivities with the mood. "To die serving your country is considered the highest honor a soldier can have. A sacrifice that they hope will go down in history."

"We will remember them," Louise said with finality. "Tristan may not be able to save them, but we can at least honor their memory."

"Right…" Ash agreed softly. Honoring the sacrifices of others rang a bell for him. There was something he remembered…

"You look constipated, lad."

Ash lost his train of thought as the sound of Commander Wallace's voice brought him back to the president. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I was trying to remember something."

"Reminiscing can wait, go on and make some memories!" Commander slapped Ash's back with a meaty hand, nearly knocking the boy over. "There's plenty of people who want to have a chat with you."

The commander turned to Louise and Wardes. "That goes for you as well. Relax a bit! Mingle with the crowd. Have a drink or two too many! Ha!"

"I think I should remain sober for the time being," Wardes politely declined. "If my dear fiancé and her familiar wish to indulge however, I won't oppose them."

Ash frowned and shook his head. "I don't think I'm old enough to drink."

"You definitely aren't," Louise sniped.

"You're not old enough either," Ash shot back.

"I doubt anyone here would hold you to any drinking laws," Wardes remarked.

"You got that right," said Wallace. "If you're old enough to risk your life, you're old enough to have a glass or two."

"I'm afraid I must decline," said Louise hesitantly.

"Me too," Ash agreed.

"If that's your choice," The commander grunted, not unkindly. "At least put a smile on your faces. Treasure the moment."

"Indeed," said Wardes. "We should treasure every happy moment. You never know when it will be taken away."

As if on cue, the hall was filled with the sound of clamoring bells. The laughter and conversation ended abruptly as the soldiers quickly began moving. The hurried but disturbingly calm way everyone began to filter out of the room made it clear that this was not a completely unexpected signal.

"What's going on?" Louise asked.

Swablu squawked in panic and immediately buried itself into Louise's hair.

"It appears to be trouble, my dear," said Wardes.

"Are the Reconquista attacking?" Ash asked.

A soldier pushed his way into the room. "Reconquista! Reconquista are attacking!"

The human familiar winced. "…Ah, I jinxed it, didn't I?"

"We have to get moving," Wardes urged. "Louise, do you have the letter?"

"Y-yes!

"Good," Wardes beamed despite the circumstances. "We need to leave before the rest of the army come on our heads."

"You shouldn't head outside," Prince Wales warned as he came up to them.

"My griffon is nearby," said Wardes. "I can call him and he can fly us away."

The prince shook his head. "A single griffon won't be able to handle a flight all the way back to La Rochelle, especially not with three passengers and a war going on in the sky," he said. "Follow me, I have a better way for you to escape."

Prince Wales led them through the halls and down a flight of stairs. Wardes took position at the rear to guard their back, while Ash stayed just behind the prince, leaving Louise safely sandwiched between her two protectors.

"Don't we have to go above ground to escape?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Have a little faith," said Prince Wales. "Here we are."

One of the walls of the stairwell gave way, revealing a large area hidden in the castle basement. Along the immediate wall a few guards were strapping on armor and weapons. They gave the prince and his entourage a small look and salute without stopping in their preparations. Near the center of the area, and easily the most eye-catching sight in the room, a sole ship floated above an open hole, where they could see the white wisps of the sea of clouds making their appearance below.

"An underground port?" Louise questioned. "How?"

"Newcastle is not far from the edge of Albion, which means the ground is much thinner here than it is further inland," Wales explained. "This secret port has allowed us to avoid being intercepted by the Reconquista when we make supply runs."

"It looks like a pirate ship," Ash commented.

Wales chuckled. "The Eagle is supposed to pass a pirate ship. Another layer of disguise, you see. With the royal navy down, and Reconquista being little more than bandits themselves, she should be able to fly you to Tristan with little issue."

Louise frowned. "You're not coming with us?" she questioned.

"My duty is here," the prince said with a small, apologetic smile. "As the last of the royal family of Albion, it is my duty to remain with my country until the end."

"You will die here tonight," Wardes said solemnly.

"Wardes!" Louise admonished him.

"No, he speaks true," Prince Wales stated. "We always knew this day would come. At least we managed to enjoy a final celebration before the end, brief as it was. And our story will be carried on by you. Make sure that history remembers how the defenders of Newcastle fought to the very end."

Louise's face scrunched up in frustration and despair. As much as she wished otherwise, there was nothing she could do but accept the inevitable. "Forevermore," she swore.

Wales smiled and signaled to the rest of his men. The soldiers filtered out, giving salutes to the three visitors.

Ash stood, dazed. He could recognize some of the people who passed by. They had been in the training room or in the halls, cheering him on in the ring or giving a friendly greeting as he walked through the fortress. Brief as their meeting was, he felt a kinship with them, and now they were all going to die facing an unstoppable foe.

A memory desperately struggled to surface… only to be smothered by his sense of duty to Louise. There was no point in dwelling on the past. The present was all that mattered.

But was that true?

As Wales nodded his head and moved to leave as well, Wardes put a hand on the prince's shoulder. "No one would fault you for coming with us," said Wardes. "I admire your determination to die with your men, but we could always use another body on the ship."

"Yes," Louise voiced, confused but pleased by Wardes sudden turnabout. "We need a navigator, none of us have much experience with ships.

Prince Wales smiled at them, even as his eyes betrayed the weight his heart carried. "I'm sure that Sir Wardes will be more than capable of steering the ship towards Tristan. This entrance is hidden, so long as you stay below the cloud line, you will be undetected. And you won't have to worry about landing the ship. This will be its final voyage, crash it wherever you can and fly down the rest of the way. You have no need of me."

"But Princess Henrietta does," Louise insisted.

The prince's expression briefly flashed with pain, but he could only sigh. "Even then, I must fulfill my duties. I'm sure you understand."

"We do," said Wardes. "Very well, we won't keep you from your men any longer." He bowed low, letting his hand rest on the pommel on his sword. "Say 'hello' to them in the afterlife."

The prince's expression was briefly puzzled by the odd choice of words, and then he gasped in shock.

Louise screamed, shocking Ash out of his inner turmoil.

Wardes straightened up, pulling his sword from the prince's abdomen. With a flick of the wrist and wordless chant, the blade became free of blood as the body of Prince Wales fell to the ground.

"What?!" Ash shouted. There were so many questions running through his mind, but in his shock that was all he managed to get out. He instinctively drew Derflinger and placed himself between Wardes and Louise.

"I did tell him he was going to die tonight," Wardes said idly. "And so will you, boy."

Ash risked a glance at Louise to see if she knew what was going on. The girl's eyes were wide, and her hands were cupping her mouth as she stared in horror.

In that moment of distraction, Wardes chanted, "Lightning Strike!"

Even while distracted, Ash reflexes were sharp enough to swing Derflinger to absorb the bolt. The force of triangle class spell pushed him back and sent arcs of electricity dancing around his arms, but he stood unfazed by the attack.

"You really are becoming too dangerous," Wardes commented.

"Why are you doing this?" Ash asked.

"Because I work for the Reconquista. Was it not already obvious?"

"The Reconquista?" Louise echoed from behind Ash. Her voice was shrill and incredulous. "Those traitors?"

"Traitors? No, we can hardly betray those who betrayed us first," Wardes argued. "The King of Wales massacred his own people, started witch hunts to root out his opposition, and was oppressing everyone in Albion, commoner and noble. Didn't you find it strange that despite the Royal Family being pushed to one solitary fortress, the country didn't raise arms against us?"

"They feared for their lives," Louise said. Her voice was still shaken, but her fear was gradually shifting into a steady blaze of anger. "Commoners cannot interfere with noble affairs. They have no magic or power."

"And that's where you're wrong," said Wardes gleefully. "Despite all the power the royals had, they were overthrown by some low born nobles supported by the common people. In some cities the Reconquista was welcomed with open arms. This is an era of change, and I will finally get what's due to me!"

"What's due?" Ash echoed.

While Ash was confused, Louise's expression was furious and pained. "The Princess gave you everything you could want!" she protested.

"Everything?" Wardes said, eyes narrowing. "Captain of the Griffon Knights, a lofty position for someone of my birth. However, I was never given the ability to raise my noble status. Do you know why?"

The two hesitantly shook their heads, but Wardes continued almost without waiting for a response.

"My father was a viscount. My mother, a baron's daughter. As far as heritage goes, my family line is nothing worth mentioning. Despite being a square class mage, skilled in politics, management, and combat, the circumstances of my birth held me back. Even the magic I wield is something I had to work harder for than all those other square class mages. I didn't have the privilege of having Royal Blood in my veins. Do you know how hard it is to become a triangle class mage as someone of my pedigree? Do you know hard it is to be a square class mage when my blood is worth barely more than a commoner's?"

Once again, not waiting for a response, Wardes continued his rant. "I lost my parents at a young age. My tutors were second-rate, and I had no one to rely on except myself. Despite all this, I managed to attract the eye of King Henry, who recognized that I had potential. But did he promote me to the rank I deserved? No! He merely reaffirmed my noble rank while giving me a position that would exploit my service for his benefit."

"Upon returning to my family estate, I finally learned the truth. I had a higher calling. I was always meant to be more than a simple Captain! The Reconquista was the path to the future, but I needed more. If I was to obtain the authority I rightly deserved, I would need to acquire it myself. And the best way to do that would be to find someone who had the power to make my dreams a reality." His gaze focused on Louise, eyeing her like one would on a trinket that they fancy.

Ash's fingers unconsciously tightened around the grip of Derflinger.

Louise recoiled. "Why me?" she asked. "I was a nobody, the useless daughter of Karin of the Heavy Wind!"

"Because those idiots failed to pay attention to the legends!" Wardes declared. "Your power is a rare one. The familiar you summoned is proof of that. And now, all that power is mine!"

"You murdered Prince Wales because Louise is powerful?" Ash asked. "That's… stupid!"

"Stupid? No, it would be stupid to not take advantage of the opportunity before me," said Wardes. "Now I have a letter that will ruin Tristan, and the magical power I've always wanted. All in one tiny helpless package." He sneered. "I'd advise that you to start running, boy. Within the hour all that will be left of this place will be a charred crater."

Ash's body trembled. His gaze shifted to Prince's Wales motionless, bleeding body.

"What? Lost your nerve, boy? That's the issue with human familiars. Beasts follow orders, but humans are so blinded by their emotions." Wardes pointed his sword at Ash. "Last chance."

Brown eyes looked up and met Wardes's gaze with a rare display of fury. "As if I'm ever going to give up!" Ash shouted. "Louise is not an object, and I'm not going to run while you kill innocent people!"

"And what are you going to do about it?" Wardes scoffed.

Ash burst forward, swinging Derflinger in a wide arc. Never in his life had he struck to kill before, but Wardes had managed to snap something inside of him. Blind by his rage, the attack was sloppy, but as ever, incredibly fast. The Viscount's eyes widened as the sword approached his chest…

…and then he smirked.

"Ubiquitous Division!"

Ash staggered as the Viscount's body suddenly split into three, causing the boy's swing to swipe through empty air. One jumped backwards, while the other two jumped to the side and slid past him, leaving him in square in the middle of their triangle.

While Ash struggled to regain his footing, the three Wardes chanted, "Lightning Strike!"

The first thought in Ash's mind was that the one that moved back was the real one. However, he couldn't be certain. Deciding to play it safe, Ash immediately used Derflinger to block the one attack in front of him and threw himself to the side in an attempt to dodge the other two spells. While one bolt snapped overhead, making his hair raise from underneath his hat, the other struck the right side of his chest.

Letting out a gasp of shock, Ash flew head over heels. His head hit the ground with a loud crash, sending his cap flying off, twisting and falling towards the open port, where it tragically fluttered into the white mist.

"Ash!" Louise sprinted to her familiar's side and fell to her knees beside him.

"I did warn you about being blinded by emotions," Wardes snarked. "You should be grateful your death was quick. For all the annoyance you caused me, I wanted to make you suffer. Alas, I'm short on time. Come, my dear."

"Stay away from me!" Louise hissed. She moved her hand to Ash's face and winced when an arc of electricity stung her hand. "Ash, wake up!"

Wardes clucked his tongue and strode forward. "Even now you cling to the corpse of a fool," he sneered. "What a petulant, spoiled child you are. Come here, now."

A heavy groan paused Wardes in his tracks. His eyes threatened to burst from his sockets as he saw Ash unsteadily rise to his feet. The human familiar stabbed Derflinger into the stone floor to push himself up, rubbing the side of his head with his free hand.

"Impossible! You should be dead!"

"A bump on the head isn't enough to keep me down," Ash countered with a grimace as he put himself into a defensive position. Now he had confirmed that the real Wardes was the one in front of him. But the two fakes could apparently use magic, somehow.

"Bump on the…—I struck you with Lightning Strike! A triangle-class spell famous for its concentrated deadly power!"

"Really? I've felt stronger Thunderbolts… the floor hurt a lot worse…"

"Partner, I can't even tell if you're doing this on purpose," Derflinger quipped.

Enraged, the Viscount decided to let his magic do the talking. "Lighting Strike!" all three of his copies chanted.

"Move!" Ash shouted as he pushed Louise out of the way. All three bolts of magical lightning collided with his body, sending sparks flying off of him. Ash staggered with a pained gasp, but as the spells came to an end, he stood on his feet, looking hardly worse for the wear aside from signed clothes and a wild new hairstyle.

"What in Halkegenia are you?" Wardes whispered in disbelief. "My Ubiquitous Division are made from my wind magic. Their spells are as strong as my own. It's miracle to survive one direct Lightning Strike, and you survived three at once! How?"

"Pokemon training is all about perseverance," Ash said, half-jokingly. "That can be taking a few hits, or keeping on trying even when the odds are against you."

Wardes's jaw was clenched tight, teeth grating as he seethed. "Let's see how long your perseverance takes you," he growled. "Lightning Strike!"

Ash angled Derflinger to catch two of the bolts, letting the last one strike him in the back. He stumbled forward, but did not fall.

"My partner can handle a lot more than that, you two-bit mage!" Derflinger taunted Wardes.

The viscount was now starting to sweat. While Ubiquitous Division and Lightning Strike were both only triangle class spells, using them in tandem multiplied the Willpower cost, equating the combination to a square-class spell. Wardes may have been a square-class mage, but he was more famous for his talent at using lightning spells than he was for his sheer stamina. "Lightning Strike!"

"Explosion!"

The real Wardes's spell went wide as he was forced to avoid the almost instantaneous explosion. Ash quickly adapted to the situation, blocking one of the two bolts with Derflinger while letting the other pass him by.

"You killed Prince Wales. You tried to kill my familiar. And you asked me to marry you, while you viewed me as some trophy!"

"And you would have been happy like that, until he showed up," Wardes said with a scowl. "You were supposed to be mine. It is your destiny to be mine!"

"You can't own people!" Ash protested.

"And you will never own me," Louise hissed. "For treason against the crown, and the murder of Prince Wales, die Wardes."

"Lightning!"

Ash leapt towards Wardes, calling out, "Swablu use Defog!"

The flying-type popped its head out from Louise's hair and fanned its wings. The two copies of Wardes flickered and faded in ripples, their spells dying out as their bodies lost cohesion and faded into the wind. The real Wardes released his spell, the raw—imprecise original of the Lightning Strike spell. Derflinger was unable to catch all of the smaller bolts that flew from the Viscount's wand, but it didn't matter, as Ash's resilient body tanked them all with ease as he went on the offensive.

"My duplicates!" Wardes gasped as he jumped back from Ash's swing. "How?"

"Defog disperses wind, and you told me your clones are made from your Wind Magic," Ashe replied triumphantly. "All I had to do was tire you out enough so Swablu could break them apart."

"…Partner, did you grow a brain when I wasn't looking?"

"Damn you!" Wardes lunged forward and drew his sword, chanting, "Celerity! Wind Blade!"

Ash's body became enshrouded in a blue haze of aura as he jumped away. His hair sticking out free from any headgear, was now standing almost straight on end. Wardes turned to face him, wondering why the boy was running away now of all times, only to have the hairs on the back of his neck rise when he heard:

"Explosion!"

His Celerity spell gave him the speed to move out of the way in time, but before the explosion had even settled Ash was on him again, swinging Derflinger in a heavy, two-handed strike.

"You shouldn't underestimate Louise!" Ash declared.

Wardes leaned away from the strike before retaliating with a swift thrust. "Wind Blade!"

Ash's eyes flashed blue as he saw a slow-motion image of the sword piercing clean through his lung. He used the force of his swing to unseat his footing, taking his body just out of the way of the viscount's strike before his eyes returned to normal. Ash rolled with the momentum to get distance from Wardes, leaving Louise free to take another pot shot at him.

"How many tricks are you going to pull, boy!" Wardes gnashed his teeth. His Willpower was starting to flag due to the strain of his previous spells. He was supposed to have been long gone by now, leaving the Fortress to be overtaken. Soon the fleet would start using their heavy artillery. And when that happened, this place would collapse. If he could, he would have taken Louise and simply jumped from the port, letting his griffon catch them on the way down. However, he couldn't risk turning his back to Ash, who was almost as fast as he was, and always made sure to interpose himself between the viscount and his target. He also couldn't take advantage of his lightning magic, since every time he and Ash were separated Louise would take the opportunity to attempt to disintegrate his body.

There was only one way to beat someone like this.

"Face me like a man!" Wardes roared as he dashed toward Ash. "Air Needle!"

His sword, coated with the improved version of the Wind Blade spell, streaked towards Ash's heart.

Ash gave a wordless yell as he swung Derflinger to clash with Wardes's blade.

Then Wardes pulled back and dodged to the side.

Ash continued his swing, pivoting on the ball of his foot to face his opponent, but Wardes was already going for a strike from his new angle. With Derflinger grossly out of position, and Ash having already lost most of his momentum, there was no way for Ash pull the same trick twice. Wardes struck low, his sword poised to carve a hole in Ash's stomach. A victorious grin already creased the corners of his lips.

"Barrier!"

Except, as per usual, Ash was full of surprises.

Ash had released one hand from Derflinger's handle. That hand, held palm outstretched, intercepted Wardes's blade. The Air Needle spell, which was designed to cut or stab through pretty much everything, clashed with the rippling blue barrier that radiating from Ash's hand. The barrier flickered and broke, but it lasted just long enough for Ash to twist his torso away, making a would-be-fatal stab into a grazing cut.

Wardes expression fell in disbelief. The shock was so surprising that he didn't notice Derflinger completing his swing, striking the viscount's sword from his hand, and leaving a crimson line in the process.

"Damn you! Damn you!" Wardes screeched. He fell to his knees, both due to pain, and the Willpower exhaustion that was creeping up on him. "You learned another spell in such a short period of time?"

"…no? I learned that over a week ago."

"You hid that spell from me! You never used it in front of me… did you suspect me all along? Were you playing me for a fool?!"

"I think you broke him," Derflinger commented.

Ash risked a side eye at Louise. The girl was frowning as she held her wand pointed at the sweaty, ranting person who she had spent her entire life thinking was the perfect gentleman. "I can't believe I ever thought about marrying you," she said with disgust.

"You were supposed to be mine! My wife! My weapon! My—"

A punch to the face put an end to his hysterics. Ash winced, shaking out his fingers as the viscount's head hit the ground with more force than he had intended. The trainer didn't like hurting people, but the Viscount certainly deserved it.

And now with the villain down for the count… "Louise, what do we do?" Ash asked.

Louise opened her mouth, and then closed it, contemplating. "He is a traitor to the crown, he should be executed," she said finally.

"I see."

They both stared at the count's unconscious body, then glanced at each other. Neither had to say anything to understand each other.

"Partner, after all this, you aren't going to finish the job?" Derflinger asked.

Ash hesitated. "Well…"

Before he could complete his thought, an explosion boomed above their heads.

What if Wardes was Wise

A Non-Canon Omake

"Ash," Wardes pulled the boy aside. "I have favor to ask of you."

"Sure," Ash agreed readily. "What is it?"

"I'm planning to propose to Louise, so I would like you to give me a little time to approach her privately, if you know what I mean."

Ash saluted, flashing Wardes a beaming smile. "Alright, let me know how it goes! Swablu, let's get some more training done!"

Swablu gave Wardes a suspicious look but followed its trainer.

It took less than an hour for Wardes to have Louise mind-controlled, assassinate Prince Wales in his quarters, and smuggle the girl and the letter out of the fortress, never to be seen again.

Chapter Text

The sound of an explosion sent reverberations through their bodies. It echoed through the cavern in a deafening cacophony. Thin cracks spread across the dock's stone ceiling, sending dust falling to the ground below.

"What was that?" Ash asked in alarm.

"We're too deep underground for their artillery to harm us," Louise said in confusion.

"But if the ceiling collapses, we're done for," Ash realized.

They looked towards the ship that was hovering over the open air.

"You know how to fly that?" Ash asked.

"No. You?"

"I'm not even from here!"

"And I'm not a captain!"

"There's got to be a way out!"

"Where? We can't go up; that's where the fighting is!"

"We could hop in the ship and hope it takes us down!"

"You idiot! That's not how airships work!"

"Well, do you have a better idea?"

"No!"

"Neither do I!"

Another explosion echoed overhead. A piece of the ceiling came down near the center of the room, bouncing off the hull of the airship before falling into the clouds. Swablu squawked in fear as it dove into the safety of Louise's hair.

There was no more time to hesitate. Ash scooped Louise, ignoring her shriek of protest as he made a flying leap onto the deck of the ship before dropping her onto her feet.

"There was a ramp on the other side, idiot!"

"Sorry, but I didn't see it!"

"Use your eyes!"

"You two can argue like an old married couple later!" Derflinger shouted at them. "We need to get out of here!"

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Louise snapped.

A large, familiar, sky-blue dragon flew up out of the cloud-filled hole, carrying two passengers on its back.

"Tabitha?"

"Sylphid?"

"Louise."

"Darling!"

"Zerbst!"

"And I'm Derflinger!" the sentient sword interrupted. "Good to see you lot again. Now, let's get out of here!"

Ash wasted no more time, once more scooping up Louise bridal-style, ignoring her shriek yet again, and jumping onto Sylphid's back. "Go! Go! Go!" he urged frantically as another explosion erupted overhead.

Sylphid dove out of the hole and into the clouds as more pieces of the ceiling started to rain down. They flew through the white mist at a steep angle until they pulled out into the open sky.

"What a passionate escape!" Kirche swooned. "I wish I was being princess-carried by a charming young man."

Louise flushed, realizing that she was still in Ash's arms and clinging tightly to his neck. "Put. Me. Down."

Ash did so slowly and without comment.

"No need to be shy, little Louise. Daring adventures fuel the blaze of romance!"

"Quiet, Zerbst!"

"Thanks for the save," said Ash. "We wouldn't have made it out without you."

The reminder sobered Louise. "Yes, we do owe our lives to you."

"I'll collect later," Tabitha replied simply.

The other passengers went silent.

"Did Tabitha just make a joke?" Louise asked.

"I think so?" Kirche said uncertainly.

Ash laughed, the tension flowing out of his body. "Thanks, Tabitha!" he said in relief. "And you too, Kirche, and of course, Sylphid." He lightly rubbed the dragon's side, earning a coo from her. "How did you find us, and what happened while we were gone?"

"Oh, we took care of the bandits easy enough," said Kirche. "We had to stay for a bit to make statements to the guards and the like. The next morning, we took a ship to Albion and asked around until we heard that the last of the Albion loyalist were staying at Newcastle. Then we flew on Sylphid to the fortress to find you. But the Reconquista were watching closely so we couldn't find a way to sneak in. Then Tabitha had the brilliant idea to remain out of sight and try to catch up to you while you were leaving."

"So, if we had left immediately, we would have run into you and been on our way home already," Louise said wistfully.

"I suppose," Kirche said. "Anyway, in the evening some of the ships started moving. We flew Sylphid as close as we dared, but when we didn't see anyone coming out of the fortress, we assumed you had managed to sneak out already. We took to the cloud cover and then—"

"Sylphid saw your cap," Tabitha interjected, pulling the singed cap from her robes and tossing it throwing it over her shoulder.

"No way!" Ash exclaimed as he snatched it from the air and placed it on his head in one smooth motion. "I thought I'd never see this again."

"Sylphid followed your smell. But we couldn't find the entrance. We heard a strange sound. Followed it. Found you."

"Amazing job, Sylphid," Ash said appreciatively as he stroked the dragon's scales.

The dragon cooed appreciatively in response.

"Swa!" a protesting chirp came from Louise's hair.

Kirche and Tabitha turned to stare at Louise.

The pinkette sighed. "Come on out, Swablu."

The flying-type Pokemon poked its round body from the side of Louise's hair. It swiveled its face back and forth, scanning the environment for threats as it tentatively hopped onto her shoulder, before finally deciding it was safe enough to perch atop her head.

"You tamed a cloudsinger?" Kirche said incredulously. "I'm honestly impressed."

"Not exactly…"

"I picked up Swablu on the ride to Albion," said Ash. "I'm going to be its trainer."

"Why is it on Louise?" Tabitha asked.

"It likes my hair, apparently," Louise said drily.

"Swa! Swa!" it chirped happily.

"Aw, but Ash is going to be lonely without his new pet," Kirche teased.

"I'm good," said Ash. "I've got my partner right here." He reached over on his shoulder, only to find only empty air until he hit the strap of Derflinger's sheathe. The boy froze as a strong mix of emotions came over him.

"Ash?" Tabitha asked in concern, a feeling that was mirrored on all of the girls' faces.

"It's nothing," said Ash, shaking his head. "It's been a long day. Let's go home."

It was clear that no one believed him, but it had been an exhausting day—both physically and mentally—so they didn't want to push him.

Derflinger said nothing, but quietly ruminated.

Henrietta smiled when the door to her sitting opened, revealing Louise and Ash.

"Welcome back, Louise, Ash," she greeted them warmly. "I'm glad you came back safe."

"It's good to be back," Ash said in relief.

"Your words are too kind," Louise said demurely. She pulled the letter from her pocket. "The letter is secured. Unfortunately, the Fortress fell and Prince Wales…"

Henrietta's expression fell and her eyes became morose. "I see." She took the letter back from Louise and caressed it gently. "Were you badly hurt?"

"Not really," Ash said, ignoring the raised eyebrow Louise sent in his direction. He was still wearing his cut and singed clothes. There were cuts and bruises visible on his skin. The princess wasn't blind. "But if it wasn't for Tabitha, Sylphid, and Kirche, we probably wouldn't have made it out alive."

Henrietta cocked her head. "And who are they?"

"Kirche and Tabitha are my peers from the Academy," Louise explained. "Sylphid is Tabitha's familiar, a wind dragon. They apparently had followed us ever since we left the Academy. We didn't tell them our mission, but they agreed to help us regardless."

"Well, if it worked out, then it was for the best," said Henrietta. "I trust your judgement. By the way, where is Wardes? Did he already report back to his division?"

The princess did not expect the expressions of anger from Ash and Louise. While Louise had a quick temper, she was never one to get mad at Wardes. And Ash didn't have a mean bone in his body—or so she had assumed.

"We left the traitor behind," Louise said curtly.

"Traitor?" Henrietta echoed. "Wardes?"

Ash unclenched his jaw. "He killed Prince Wales, and then tried to kill me and kidnap Louise," Ash informed her.

"All this time he was working for the Reconquista, and was waiting for the perfect moment to stab us in the back," Louise hissed.

"He's the reason we needed Sylphid to fly in and rescue us," said Ash.

Henrietta expression grew troubled, her mind caught in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. "How?" she asked softly. "How could he do this to us? I thought after all of this, he would be one of my family's strongest supporters. And I sent him with you," she gasped in horror. "I should have known better. He had come asking for you, and I told him everything. And then I sent him after you."

"You shouldn't blame yourself," Louise assured her. "He fooled all of us."

"He was really convincing," Ash added. "I didn't suspect him at all."

His statement would have been much less reassuring if any of them knew how easy it was to bamboozle the Kanto native.

"But if I hadn't listened to him, you wouldn't have been almost killed," said Henrietta.

"Henrietta—" Louise started, but paused when she realized she didn't have the words to comfort her friend.

"How many of our people have the Reconquista swayed to their side?" The princess wondered aloud, her voice gaining a slight tremor. "How many people in these very walls are traitors hiding in plain sight?"

"Easy there, Heneritta," said Ash, noticing that the princess started shaking. He walked towards her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Take a deep breath."

The action shocked Henrietta out of her panic. Not even Louise would casually approach her and touch her. And what's more, she could feel soothing, sincere care from Ash's words.

"Listen, Wardes was crazy and evil, but you can't think everyone is going to be like him. You have Louise; she's your best friend. You can trust her. And while we haven't known each other long, a friend of Louise is a friend of mine. You can count on me too. And I'm sure there's other people close to you that you can trust, right?"

Henrietta nodded. "You're right." She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I apologize for the unsightly display."

"We're all friends here, aren't we?" Ash asked rhetorically. "If you can't be yourself around friends, when can you?"

"Ash," Louise said in a low voice.

"Yes?"

"Get your hands off of Henrietta."

Ash blinked, now not only realizing that he was still holding onto Henrietta's shoulders, but also remembering that Henrietta was a princess. He jumped away as if burnt. "Sorry! Sorry! I totally forgot! Um, that's not a crime, is it?"

Henrietta giggled at Ash's flushed expression as Louise's glare threatened to burn him to ashes. "If my bodyguard was here, she'd probably want your hands," she mentioned, her giggles rising as Ash went deathly pale. "But she's not here right now, and we're not going to mention it."

"Thanks…" Ash breathed out.

"You need to learn proper decorum," Louise lectured the poor boy. "Not every noble will be as gracious as Henrietta."

"You worry too much, Louise," said Henrietta. "I am confident Ash will be a perfect gentleman when he tries."

"Don't encourage him," Louise grumbled.

Henrietta giggled again. "Surely, your charming companion deserves a reward for his service?" she teased lightly, offering her hand to Ash.

Ash stared blankly at the hand for a moment. It was turned palm down, fingers slightly bent, instead of being held in the position for a handshake. The gears in his brain groaned as he tried to remember what the proper cultural response should be. Tentatively, he placed his hand under hers, looked at the Princess's earnest smile, and then asked, "Um, so what do I do now?"

Princess Henrietta's smile only widened as Louise rolled her eyes and scoffed in the background.

"Kiss her, idiot," the pinkette snapped.

"…where?"

"On the hand, obviously! Where else?"

"Never mind," Ash said, his face flushed as he remembered the kiss Louise had given him when he'd first been summoned. He still didn't know how he felt about it, especially since he didn't know if that kiss was supposed to be important, and he wasn't feeling brave enough to ask now.

The boy bent to one knee and kissed Henrietta's gloved hand. Henrietta responded by drawing her wand, holding it over his head, and chanting under breath.

Almost immediately, Ash began to feel better. The minor cuts and aches he'd been trying his best to ignore had now faded away to a dull throb at worst. He rose with a start and began eyeing his skin in the places where his clothes were torn. "I'm healed?" he said incredulously.

"I am a triangle class water mage, after all," the princess declared with no small amount of pride. "It would be discourteous of me to let you leave here with the injuries incurred on my behalf."

"Thank you, Henrietta, for healing my familiar," Louise said. "You are too kind."

"Yeah, thanks, Henreitta!" Ash said enthusiastically. He rotated his left arm like he was preparing to throw a pitch. "I feel awesome!"

"Your body might feel rejuvenated, but the spell doesn't actually restore your stamina," Henrietta confessed. "Please take some time to rest and recover. Both of you," she added, throwing a glance at Louise.

"I'll make sure to rest when we reach the Academy," Louise vowed.

"And I'll make sure she actually rests!" Ash interjected.

"Me? How about you? When's the last time you stopped running around like a hyperactive puppy?"

"When's the last time you took a break from studying? If nothing important happens you're always in your books!"

"I'm a student!"

"Breaks are important!"

Henrietta watched the two argue with a smile clinging to her face.

A stab of jealousy wormed deep into her heart.

A silent tear escaped her eye.

Their meeting with Henrietta concluded, Louise and Ash rejoined Kirche, Tabitha, and Sylphid in the palace courtyard before flying back to the academy. Their arrival was met with no small amount of fanfare as students interrupted their lessons to stick their heads out of windows, watching Sylphid's descent. Before they had even touched the ground, Osmond was already seen flying out of his tower to meet them.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" Ash asked wryly.

"Since we were under orders of her highness, we are exempt from any punishment," said Lousie. "However, some people do not have that privilege."

"You're not going to cover for us?" Kirche mock pouted. "Is that how shallow our battle bonds are?"

"I covered for your appearance at the castle. Which was a lot harder to brush off," Louise pointed out. Uninvited foreigners are most certainly a no go, but being the daughter of a duke had its perks. "You ditching your classes on a whim is on you."

"Louise, they did save us," Ash pointed out.

"We're not in trouble," Tabitha said blandly.

"We're not?" Kirche asked.

Tabitha nodded, not explaining further as Osmond floated down to meet them on the courtyard.

"Miss Valliere, Mister Ketchum," Osmond greeted them cordially. "I'm glad to see you back in the academy. I hope that your business wasn't too eventful?"

Ash wasn't known to be the brightest sort, but even he could tell that the headmaster's eyes were lingering on his clothes. "It was something?" he offered weakly.

"We were merely completing our duties," Louise said. A polite but non-committal answer.

Old Osmond nodded agreeably. "Well, far be it from me to disagree with her royal highness. Now, Mrs. Orleans and Mrs. Zerbst." He then focused his attention on the other two students. "Why exactly have you missed your last few classes?"

"Classified," Tabitha replied quickly yet softly.

For once, Kirche held her tongue, waiting to see the headmaster's reaction. His face was carefully neutral as he mulled over the petite girl's words. Finally, he nodded.

"Very well."

"Really?" Kirche asked, her incredulousness overriding her momentary wisdom.

"Unlike Miss Valliere, you two were not excused from your class assignments. I reckon those will be punishment enough," Osmond replied.

"Are you sure I can't persuade you to let us off this once?" Kirche asked, leaning forward.

Old Osmond's eyes started to wander, but Kirche's attempts were thwarted by Tabitha bonking her on the head.

"Tabitha! You're supposed to be on my side."

"Don't make it worse," Tabitha said as she dragged Kirche by the sleeve towards the central tower. Despite Kirche's complaining, she allowed herself to be pulled along by the girl half her size.

"Good luck," Ash said, giving them an enthusiastic wave. "And thanks again!"

"Anytime, Darling!"

Tabitha gave Ash a silent nod while Sylphid cooed appreciatively before taking off.

"Now, I know you two are tired after your trip and would like return to your room," said Osmond. "But there's something long overdue I wished to show you, if you have the time."

Ash looked at Louise, who only hesitated a moment before replying, "We don't have anything urgent to do. Rest can wait."

"Excellent!"

"Here we are, the Vault!"

The inside of the Vault was, to put it simply, chaos. Some items were hanging on racks, others in display boxes, and still others were just lying around on various tables or even the floor. Only about half of the items had easily found labels. There was no semblance of order, with sections of weapons and armaments scattered in arbitrary clusters. Books were sometimes left separate and sometimes shelved or stacked together. Pieces of jewelry was placed wherever there was space, with the occasional full set being given its own display stand.

"I had hoped the Princess would return with you so I could give you three the tour together like I promised," said Osmond.

"Princess Henrietta is unfortunately preoccupied," Louise said. Her face twitched.

"Ah, nothing to be done about that then." Osmond thankfully didn't push the matter further. "As you can see, the Vault has gained quite a collection of items over the years."

"It's like a museum!" Ash exclaimed, eyes wide and looking around in wonder.

"It's a mess," Louise muttered, scrutinizing the lack of order. "Did Fouquet's attack make it this bad?"

Osmond coughed into his fist. "We rarely visit the Vault except to put new items. Due to security reasons, we can't let any of the staff enter to clean."

"And no one had time to spare to make this place look orderly?" Louise asked.

"This place has everything!"

Louise craned her head to see Ash taking in the sights like a kid in a candy store. "Be careful not to touch anything," she warned. "I'm pretty sure somethings here are dangerous."

"I'm not a kid," Ash shot back.

"Really? You act like one."

Ash turned to give her a deadpan look. "Why do I keep becoming friends with girls who call me kid?"

"Because you know it's true," Louise said confidently.

"Ah, to be young again," Osmond said dreamily.

Louise narrowed her eyes. "And what do you mean by that?" she asked.

Warned by a keen sense of danger honed from many years of experience, Osmond immediately strode over to one of the tables. "Oh, look here, a one-of-a-kind fire crystal," he said. He held a small red diamond with black markings of a flame on it. "A mage about fifty years ago came across this in a crater. Unfortunately, while he was able to determine that it was a strong conduit for fire magic, no one was ever able to figure out how to use it. It was like the stone itself resisted being used."

"If that's the case, then what is it good for?" Louise asked.

"Well, it's a one-of-a-kind magic item."

"A collector's item, you mean? One with no practical value?"

"What about this?" Ash asked, holding up a bow made of pale wood. "What's special about it."

"It was said that that bow came from Elf lands," Osmond said as he stroked his beard.

"Elves!" Lousie practically shrieked.

"So goes the claim," said Osmond calmly. "The bow has an unidentifiable enchantment on it that makes it resist weathering, but it could easily have been enchanted by a mage using a variant of the Preserve spell. While there are stories that elves use bows as their primary weapon, they specialize in magic, so that seems unlikely. Still, due to its reputation it was decided that the bow would best be kept here."

"So what exactly are elves?" Ash asked.

The Headmaster raised an eyebrow. "You haven't heard of them?" he questioned, astounded.

"Louise and Hen—Princess Henrietta mentioned them briefly," Ash replied. He knew that Osmond and Louise caught the slip, but they didn't comment about it—aside from Louise narrowing her eyes—so he continued as if it hadn't happened. "But I still don't know what they are. I thought they were a type of magical creature, but the way you're talking about them they sound like people."

"Elves are nothing like humans," Louise hissed. "They are monstrous savages who are as strong as hundred mages, and eat human babies."

"They what?"

"Ahem, I suspect the latter part is an old wives' tale, made to ensure little children don't go roaming around at night," Osmond interjected.

"What about the rest of it?" Ash asked. Sure, it was a relief to know that they weren't baby eating monsters, but everything else sounded pretty terrifying regardless.

"Well…" Osmond said slowly as he stroked his beard. "All of our previous attempts to reclaim the Holy Land, as some people call it, have been thoroughly stifled. Elf magic is far more powerful than human magic. And with their hatred of humans being well-known, people eventually gave up on in the idea. Now the area is considered Elf Territory, and all Halkegenians give it a wide berth."

"Okay," Ash said slowly. "But what are they? I still don't get it."

"How could you not?" Louise sighed.

"What is the part that eludes you?" Osmond asking patiently.

"I get that they're magical, dangerous, hate humans, and live in lands that are… disputed? I guess that's the word. Right?"

"All sounds correct so far," Osmond agreed.

"But I still don't understand what they are."

"Similar to humans, but with pointed differences," Osmond offered, scratching both of his ears.

Ash stared incomprehensively.

"Monsters," Louise stated.

The trainer sighed and facepalmed. "I—never mind," he said in defeat.

"Girls, am I right, partner?"

"Shut up, you stupid sword," Louise retorted.

Osmond's brow shot up as his eyes widened in intrigue. "Is that a talking sword?" the headmaster asked.

"Yes, but it rarely has anything good to say," Louise said primly.

"Like you're one to talk," Derflinger shot back.

"I didn't know that your new weapon was intelligent," said Osmond. "Fascinating! Those are quite rare."

"Finally, someone with good taste. Girlie here has no appreciation for legendary weapons, and partner here is—"

Ash's eyes caught onto something blue and shiny. "What's that?" he asked as he dashed over to it.

"Seriously, partner?"

"Ash!" Louise shouted after him. "Stop running before you trip over something!"

Ash skidded to a stop in front of the object that caught his eye. "I've seen something like this before," he said as he looked at a jewel this size of his palm. It was made of a blue crystal, and it was cut with sharp, geometric angles that rounded to roughly an oval shape.

"Ah, now that is an old relic," said Old Osmond. "A magical catalyst of unknown origin. A noble family from long ago left it here, as they were unable to use it properly and wanted their family heirloom to be well protected. Alas, not even their name has withstood the test of time."

"It feels very familiar," Ash said, his voice in a whispered hush.

"I get the same feeling," Derflinger agreed.

Almost unconsciously, Ash stretched out his hand to touch it.

Louise slapped his hand down. "What did I say about touching dangerous objects?"

"You didn't need to hit me," Ash grumbled as he rubbed his hand. It didn't really hurt, but still.

"Don't worry, it's not a secret weapon or anything of that nature," Osmond assured. "Like I said, it is merely a catalyst. And one that is rather hard to use, in fact. It is said to grow brightly when wielded by someone of strong willpower, which is partly the reason why the original family let it go. The strength of the glow directly corresponds to the crystal's effectiveness as a catalyst. Every generation was only able to produce a weaker and weaker glow, until it was hardly useful to them at all. Since your familiar isn't a mage, there's no real harm in—AHH! My eyes!"

The crystal lit up like a blue sun as Ash picked it up from its stand. Louise and Osmond were forced to shield their eyes, but Ash didn't seem to be affected by it. "I was right, it's aura crystal, just like the one on Sir Aaron's staff!"

"Aura crystal?" Osmond questioned, blinking the spots from eyes.

"Who's Sir Aaron?" Louise asked, equally disoriented from the flash of light.

"Oh, right." Ash scratched the back of his head. "I guess it's my time to tell a story."

"By all means," Osmond encouraged him. "At my age, I don't often find new tales."

"Make it stop glowing first!" Louise insisted.

"Ah-heh," Ash said awkwardly as he looked down at the crystal. Now that he thought about it, he could feel his aura feeding into the crystal. He calmed himself and tried to cut the connection. After a second or two, the crystal's glow dulled and became inert again.

The trainer channeled the air of a storyteller as he began his tale. "The story comes from Rota, a small country north of Kanto—ah, that's my home country. I learned about when I was traveling with my friends for a tournament—"

"Ash, focus," Louise interrupted.

"Sorry. Anyway, Sir Aaron was an Aura Guardian. They're like knights whose job is to travel around, protect people, and teach others how to use Aura. There was a big battle of two armies who were coming to fight each other, and the Kingdom of Rota was stuck in the middle of them. Queen Rin—she was ruling Rota at the time—asked Sir Aaron to save them, so he went out.

"Sir Aaron knew there was only one way to save the kingdom of Rota. He also knew that his former student and best friend, Lucario, would rather try to stop him or sacrifice himself as well, so he sealed his friend in his staff and made his way to the Tree of Beginning, home of the Legendary Pokemon, Mew.

"Sir Aaron used the power of the Tree of Beginnings to stop both armies in their tracks. They lost their will to fight, and each went home. Their war continued later, but they never used the Kingdom of Rota of their battlefield again.

"However, using so much power from the Tree of Beginnings destabilized it. And Mew was connected to the tree. Mew and the Tree were both in danger of dying, so Sir Aaron used all his Aura to fix the Tree, saving them both. However, using all his Aura meant that he none left for himself. So, Sir Aaron d-died, his body cr-crystalized in the Tree of Beginnings… foreever."

"Ash?" Louise asked softly.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're crying."

Ash blinked, only now realizing that his vision was misty. "Sorry," he apologized quickly, burying his face into his sleeve. "I don't know what happened."

"It certainly is a moving tale," Osmond remarked. "Do you have a personal connection to this story?"

"Not really," said Ash, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I have the same Aura as Sir Aaron, but he died a long time ago and the only person who knew him was…"

"Ash?" Louise asked, seeing her familiar's face scrunch up as his voice trailed off.

"Lucario."

"What?"

"Sir Aaron's Lucario. He was sealed in his staff. I have the same Aura as Sir Aaron, so he thought I was him. We met, Mew took Pikachu, and Lucario died," Ash said, his voice halting. "Why didn't I remember? That's who Prince Wales reminded me of. Why didn't I remember him? Why didn't I remember Pikachu?"

"Ash?"

It took several moments before Ash responded. "I'm fine," he said softly. "It's just, I'm having trouble remember things."

"Too many hits to the head?" Louise suggested.

That got a bark of laughter out of Ash, but it was fleeting. He quickly fell silent, his eyes down and introspective.

"I suspect it's been a long day for you," Osmond said with a surprising amount of tact for those who knew his true personality. "Why don't we call the tour here for now and let you get to your room? You can keep the crystal too. No one will miss it, and it should go to someone who can use it."

"Thank you, headmaster," Louise said politely. "Come on, Ash." She guided her familiar with surprising gentleness as he continued to be lost in his own mind.

"Sorry about that," Ash said softly as they made their way across the courtyard.

"There is nothing to be sorry about," Louise stated. "I've noticed you've been… stressed the past few days."

"Yeah…"

"What we need is a few days to relax," Louise decided. "No grand adventures, no danger, no traitors, just our school and classmates.

"Yeah… um, Louise. You remember I'm not really a student, right?"

"Ah." She had, in fact, forgotten that Ash went to class as her familiar and not a peer. "Well, I should see the headmaster about making you a proper student."

"Why?"

"I promised Commander Wallace that you be taught to your full potential," Louise stated. "You, Ash, are going to learn magic."

"I'm pretty sure he was talking about my fighting ability," said Ash. "And I can't use magic. I use Aura."

"I refuse to believe that someone as unbelievable as you is incapable of learning magic," the petite girl declared.

It took Ash a moment to reinterpret that sentence into something he could understand. "Thanks, Louise," he said genuinely. "It looks like we'll be exploring new magic, together!"

"Ye-yeah, together," Louise said softly, turning her face away so Ash couldn't see her blush. "Speaking of, there was something—"

"Ash!"

"We missed you!"

"What happened to your clothes?"

"Mary, Anne, Mary Anne!" Ash greeted each woman in turn, unaware that Louise was now glaring daggers at the three brunettes. "Good to see you again! We just got back from a trip and I haven't had time to wash off yet," he said with a sheepish laugh as he sweatdropped.

None of the three cousins-not-triplets looked convinced.

"You like you were rolling in a fire pit." Mary Anne deadpanned.

"Is that blood?" Mary asked, pointing to a spot on Ash's shirt near where Wardes's sword had nearly skewered his kidneys. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Ash assured them. "It was barely a scratch. My clothes ended up worse off than I did."

"You should give us your clothes to fix," Mary Anne said slyly as she leaned forward.

"Yeah! We need to make it up to you," Mary agreed, reaching for Ash's shirt.

Ash slowly inched away from the two. "Make it up for what?"

"Girls," Anne sighed. Her cousins pulled back, sheepish expressions on their face. "First of all, we owe you an apology, Mister Ash and Miss Valliere." She bowed her head low, and her cousins followed in suit.

"What?" Ash was dumbfounded to say the least.

Louise was snapped out of her brooding. "What did you do?" she asked, sounding slightly harsher than necessary.

"We didn't know—" Mary Anne was cut off by Mary hip-bumping her.

"We told Mrs. Longueville—Fouquet—about what you could do with your magic," Anne explained.

"We didn't know she was Fouquet—" Mary Anne interjected.

"—But we still betrayed your trust," added Mary.

"We're sorry," the three chorused.

"It's fine," Ash said. "Fouquet fooled everyone. And we won, so it all worked out."

"It is not fine," Louise said through gritted teeth. "Fouquet was prepared for us because these three decided to spy on us!" If they had been spying for Wardes instead, who knows if they would have returned from Newcastle alive?

"We are sorry—" Mary repeated, but Louise cut her off.

"And why were you reporting to Fouquet—Miss Longueville—about Ash anyway? She's not your boss. Was she bribing you? How much did you charge to sell out—"

Ash put hand on Louise's shoulder. "Hold on, Louise," he said calmly. "They didn't know."

"Ignorance is not an excuse!"

"We know, Miss Valliere," Anne acknowledged. "That is why we ask your forgiveness."

"If you want to have the headmaster fire us, then it is your right," Mary Anne admitted.

"We won't do it again, we swear," Mary added.

Louise stalled at the prospect. She was furious, yes, but compared to murder and intentional betrayal, what amounted to spying and gossip wasn't worth ruining the maids' lives. She didn't have to glance at Ash to know how he felt. "Since no harm was intended or perceived, you are forgiven," she acquiesced, much to the visible delight of the maids. "However, I am not as quick to forget as my familiar is. Make sure this doesn't happen again, or else."

"As you say, Miss Valliere," Anne said in relief.

"We won't!" Mary declared.

"We'll be more careful," Mary Anne promised.

"Ugmph!"

Ash blinked as he saw Lousie collapse onto the bed face first. "You okay?"

"Mphrl."

"It's a little early for sleep, but you should probably change if you want to take a nap."

"Hrfmph."

"Just don't complain to me when your clothes get all wrinkled," Ash sighed.

"Sphrh!"

"I need to get my own clothes fixed," Ash grumbled. "The soot will wash out, but I'm not really good at sewing. I think… Brock. Yeah, Brock was the one to help me with outfits. Serena was also pretty good at it too."

"Hmr?"

"Friends of mine that I travelled with," Ash replied. "Now that I know that I keep forgetting memories from home, I'm going to try to remember everyone I can more often."

"Hmh."

Ash sighed, seeing that nothing he said would move Louise from her spot. Well, he did promise Henritta that he'd make sure she rested, didn't he? The boy slung Derflinger's sheath off his back and let it rest against the side of the bed. Then he took off his blue shirt, leaving him in just his black undershirt, and threw himself onto the bed as well. "Ah… that feels so good."

"Uhmhm!

Ash stuck a hand into the pocket of the shirt, pulling out the aura crystal. It shone brightly in response to his touch, but with a bit of focus he brought it down to a dim glow. "Hey, Louise, with this we should be able to do some experiments comparing Aura and Magic. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Umph, Mrphl."

"Too tired? I get it. I'm tired too… but I feel a little wound up, I guess." A frown crossed Ash's face. "I'm so used to having Pikachu to talk to, that it feels weird not to hear him respond when I talk."

"Hm?"

"What about me, partner?" Derflinger interjected. "You can always talk to me!"

"You're a good friend, Derflinger, but it's not the same," Ash said sadly. "I've been everywhere with Pikachu. We understand each other in a way that I can't even explain. He was my first Pokemon, my partner. Without him I feel like there's something… missing."

Ash's unusually somber tone brough down the mood of the room. The boy sighed and turned his head to the side to look at Louise. His eyes glanced to the crystal in his hand. He whistled softly.

Swablu popped its body out of Louise's voluminous hair.

Ash motioned for Swablu to move to the side.

The Pokemon hopped onto the bed next to Louise, leaving an exposed circle of hair that revealed a small part of Louise's neck.

Ash slowly moved his arm toward's Louise's prone body. He lowered the crystal until it was about an inch away from Louise's skin, before letting go.

In an instant, his sight was flooded with blue as the aura crystal lit up like a beacon.

Louise shrieked as she jerked upright, slapping the back of her neck. She turned and glared at her familiar, who was struggling to contain his laughter even as he rubbed the spots from his eyes.

"That's it!" Louise snapped as she picked up the crystal off the bed. "I'm holding onto this for research purposes until you grow up!"

"You can't do that! Old Osmond gave it to me!"

"And you are my familiar, so what's yours is mine," Louise declared primly.

"No, it isn't!"

"Yes, it is!"

"Give it back!"

"Not a chance!"

Ash reached and swiped it straight from Louise's hand. "Ha!"

Louise, as the mature young woman she was, responded by tackling him hard enough to drive the air from his lungs and attempting to pry his fingers off the crystal. The crystal glowed brightly in response to contact with both of them, but rather than stop them from fighting, it merely emboldened them to fight harder with their eyes closed. "Stop treating it like a toy!"

"You can't tell me what do with it!"

"Give it to me, stupid!"

"Get your own!"

Derflinger audibly sighed. "Teenagers wrestling on a bed like children. What a pair! And a disappointment."

"Give it!"

"No!"

Loud knocks on the door interrupted their scuffle. The two jerked at the same time, causing the crystal to fly through the air, bounce off the ceiling, and crash against Derflinger's pommel.

With a sound of shattering glass, the crystal cracked in half.

The two teenagers froze, watching as the precious relic split into two roughly even pieces and fall to the floor on either side of Derflinger.

Once again, there were knocks on the door. "Miss Louise? Ash?" Siesta's voice came through the wood.

Louise and Ash glanced at each other. They scrambled off the bed. Louise quickly tried to straighten her clothes and hair, while Ash threw his shirt back on.

"One moment!" Louise called out. To Ash she hissed, "We do not speak of this."

"What are we supposed to say?"

"Nothing!"

"Are you two going to keep arguing or open the door already?" Derflinger interjected.

"Shut up!" Louise snapped, kicking Derflinger in reflex. While the sheath and her shoe prevented her from suffering serious injury, she had not expected the pain of kicking metal blade, even through a layer of protection.

Siesta, who had been waiting anxiously at the door, finally was let into the room by a harried-looking Ash, seeing a disheveled Louise hop around wildly on one foot as Derflinger loudly complained about his new position on the floor. "Is this a bad time?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes!"

"No."

Siesta nodded slowly. "I won't be long," she assured them. "I just—what are those?" She finally noticed the two large crystals lying on the floor and pointed at them.

"Nothing!" the room's occupants replied simultaneously.

"Where did you find them?"

"What's it to you?" Louise snapped, putting her foot down gingerly before stalking up the maid. Despite Siesta standing quite a bit taller, she quivered under Louise's glare. "Are you here to spy on us too?"

Siesta blinked. "No? I was here to drop off a letter," she said. She pulled an envelope from her pocket, and Louise's eyes grew wide as she recognized the seal. "It arrived for you yesterday, so the Headmaster held onto it until you returned. I was sent to deliver it."

"So you didn't know anything about the other maids spying on us?" Louise interrogated her.

"I knew they were watching Ash practice in the courtyard," Siesta admitted with a blush. "But, um, everyone was at some point. I watched too… sometimes. When I was on break, of course. I don't think anyone meant any harm. Did something happen?"

"…No." Louise decided against airing out the other maid's dirty laundry. She took the letter Siesta offered and silently moved over to her desk to read it.

"Don't worry about Louise," Ash said softly. "We've had a busy couple of days."

"I can see," Siesta said as she looked him up and down. With his ruffled appearance and torn clothes, he looked like he had been wrestling ally cats while juggling torches. "Do you want me to fix your clothes?"

"You can do that?"

"Of course! I'm pretty good at sewing."

"You're a lifesaver, Siesta! Oh, and there's something else I was wondering if you'd be able to make."

"I can try. And I could ask one of the other maids for help if I can't. What are you think of?"

"Well, it's like this…"

Louise tuned out the two's conversation as her face paled further with every line of the letter she read. When she had finished, she slammed the letter down with far more force than necessary, interrupting Ash and Siesta's conversation.

"What's wrong, Louise?"

Louise took a deep breath to calm herself before replying.

"My mother has ordered me to return home."

Chapter Text

While Ash knew that this was a serious occasion, he couldn't help but be captivated by the view as he looked out of the window of the carriage. "The fields look like they go on forever!" he exclaimed breathlessly.

Louise said nothing as she sat next to him, her gaze fixed on the folded letter in her hands. She hadn't told Ash the contents verbatim, but he could tell that what she had read had disturbed her. Which he found a bit strange. He travelled away from home all the time, and while his mom was annoyed when he forgot to call her, he never was scared to see her after being away for only a few months. He knew that some parents were more overbearing—he remembered Bianca's father hadn't wanted her to leave home at all—but Louise looked more nervous about going home than traveling to Albion.

That reminded him, he wondered how his mother was dealing with his disappearance? He could feel his mind start to slip off the thought, but he refocused himself, giving the question serious thought. Pikachu had been the only one to see him disappear, but he knew his mother worried every time she knew he got caught up in something dangerous. Hopefully she wasn't worrying too much… a pang of sadness hit Ash's gut before he returned his attention to the view outside the window..

"Is that a town over there? It looks so small from here," Ash remarked.

Louise didn't utter a word or even turn her head.

The trip had been like that for several hours now. Ash would make comments while Louise remained silent, as if determined not to say a word until the golem-driven carriage—a gift from the academy—arrived at her family home. The boy had at first been content to give Louise her space, but her continued fixation with the letter was starting to unnerve him. He didn't think it was healthy for her to be so unnaturally still.

"So… what's your family like?" Ash asked.

"What?"

Ash smiled, pleased that his question had snapped Louise out of her trance. "Yesterday you said your mom wanted you to go home, but I don't know much about her. The soldiers at Newcastle knew her too. Is she famous?"

Louise turned to stare at Ash incredulously. Then she shook her head, remembering that he was a foreigner who barely knew the first thing about magic, let alone the local nobility. "My mother is Duchess Karin Désirée de la Valliere née Maillart, also known as Karin of the Heavy Wind, a square class wind mage," she stated as if reciting a quote. "She's well-known across all Halkegenia; no noble hasn't at least heard of her feats. She's gifted in magic, appearance, words, and mind. There is nothing she can't do."

"She sounds impressive," Ash admitted. 'And scary' went unsaid. "What about the rest of your family?"

Louise's expression morphed into a glare. "What is your point with these questions?"

"Well, we're going to see them soon, and I haven't met them before, and you barely talk about your family…" Ash's voice trailed off as he realized, "I guess I don't talk about my family too often either, but since I'm going to meet yours for the first time, I'd like to know a little about them. Like their names. That would be pretty embarrassing if I had to ask…" His voice trailed off with a sheepish laugh as he rubbed the back of his head.

The anger visibly flowed out of Louise's body. "You're right. Sorry," she said softly.

Swablu, as if sensing its nest's mood, tunneled out of Louise's hair and hopped onto her lap, cooing softly.

Louise gently stroked the flying-type's fluffy feathers as her thoughts flew to her family. "My father is Duke Sandorion de la Valliere. He's… a serious man, very dutiful. Ever since the king's death he's been hard at work to keep Tristan strong. He can be overprotective too, sometimes, but he means well."

"My eldest sister is Eleonore Albertine le Blanc de la Blois de la Valliere. She is much like Father in her looks and personality, but she takes after Mother too. When we get there, she will be the first to find something to criticize us for, so you need to be on your best behavior." Louise fixed her familiar a pointed look, and he nodded along.

"Cattleya Yvette la Baume le Blanc de la Fontaine is my other older sister. Out of all of my family, she's the one who I've always been closest to. She likes animals, especially exotic ones, so I think you two will get along. She'll definitely want to see Swablu. Not many mages get to see an Albionese Songbird outside of their natural habitat. Cattleya has always had a weak constitution, so she hasn't been able to travel as much as she'd like."

"Two older sisters, Eleonore and Cattleya," Ash said thoughtfully, the details of their extended titles dripping from his mind like water in a sieve, only leaving the most important cores. "I'm an only child, but sometimes I wonder how it'd be to have siblings."

"It's alright, I guess," Louise said with a shrug. "I love Cattleya to death, and I'm proud of Eleonore's accomplishments, but sometimes… I wish I wasn't always being compared to someone else."

"You're the only you," Ash said with a surprisingly serious yet warm smile. "And that's good enough for me."

"… that was stupid."

"But you're smiling."

Louise shoved Ash, unable to hide the small grin on her face. "Don't get so full of yourself, Ash. It'll take us two days to reach the estate. And before you meet my family, I am going to teach you how to properly greet nobility."

Ash was only now realizing the difference between Louise being rich, and Louise being nobility. The carriage had come to a stop in front of a moat. On the other side were what Ash had assumed to be statues holding the chains of the drawbridge. He quickly realized that that the giant figures of rock, each roughly twenty feet high, were actually golems, as they slowly released chains that lowered a drawbridge over a moat. With the drawbridge down, Ash could see Louise's home was much more than he had expected.

"Woah! You live here?"

"This is my family home, yes," Louise replied simply. Despite her nerves, she couldn't help a small smile as she watched her familiar act so childishly, always jumping and gawking at every new thing. "I can show you around the grounds later. Remember what we're here for."

"To meet your family."

"And see what Mother wants," Louise reminded him. "She will likely be assessing you, since a familiar is a reflection of their master."

"I'm pretty sure we don't look alike," Ash remarked.

Louise elbowed him as punishment for the bad joke. "Just remember to behave yourself. Cattleya will probably be as easy going as Princess Henrietta, but the Eleonore and Mother will definitely be acting like proper nobles."

The carriage rolled to a stop in front of an opulent castle. He had expected to see something like the Parfum Palace in Kalos, which was closer to a large estate than a castle. At best, he expected to see something the size of Shabboneau Castle. But no, the Valliere family lived in a castle that rivaled the one at the Royal Capital. It was situated on top of a hill. There were waterways, high walls, and towers overseeing the entire structure and the surrounding area. The sight alone was enough to convince Ash that the Valliere family was influential and filthy rich.

Once they had pulled into the castle proper, the carriage door was opened by an older gentleman. He had grey hair streaked with the faded remains of its original black pigment. His face was clean shaven except for a thick mustache that covered his entire upper lip. "Miss Valliere," he greeted her with a bow.

"Jerome," Louise acknowledged the man cordially.

The butler held out a hand to Louise. The girl took it, accepting his assistance in exiting the carriage.

Ash followed after her, his eyes still wide with wonder. For once, he was making use of the wardrobe had purchased for him last time they were in the capital. He was wearing a white dress shirt and black coat with matching pants. Instead of his usual shoes, he wore black boots that reached up to his knees. The look was simple, lacking any personal decorations, but it served its purpose of making him look formal instead of foreign.

The butler glanced at Ash, made a small tsk that the boy failed to hear, before addressing Louise, "Your family is awaiting your presence in the summer parlor. I will escort you there."

Louise nodded and followed in step behind the butler. Once the servant's back was turned, she glared at him. While her familiar may have been distracted by his surroundings, she had been paying careful attention to the butler's reaction. The young mage nudged Ash as they entered the mansion. Thankfully, her familiar got the message. While he didn't stop glancing around, he only looked with his eyes instead of turning his entire body. He kept pace alongside her, refraining from peeking around corners, his curiosity assuaged by Louise's promise of a tour later. If one looked at them at the moment, they would see a young noble with her smartly dressed attendant.

Just like the outside of the castle, the parlor was not lacking in impressiveness. There were plenty of wide windows letting in sunlight. Each window was framed by bright curtains and richly colored drapes. A large and ornate chandelier hung from the center of the room's vaulted ceiling, its the refracting crystals adding a constant twinkling to the room's lighting. On one side of the room was a wooden table surrounded by intricately carved chairs. On the other side were a set of plush chairs with red cushions and a love seat, with two small tables occupying some of the space between them. Ornate rugs directed that side of the room, stopping where a fireplace sat opposing the door, dividing the room in half.

Ash felt like he understood the design. It was like a half dining room, half living room, room. And on the living room side sat two young women.

"There you are, Louise!"

Louise froze as she entered the room. "Hello, Eleonore," she said politely.

Ash was very surprised to see how… different Louise's eldest sister was compared to the girl he'd known. Eleonore's hair was just as long and had the same wavy texture, and her face had a similar heart shape, but that was where the similarities ended. While Louise looked like she had skipped out on puberty, Eleonore had no such deficiency. She was tall, almost as tall as Kirche, and while she lacked the Germanian's voluptuous figure, she was in no danger of being mistaken for a man. Eleonore also wore triangular wire-rim glasses that accentuated the displeasure written on her face.

"Is that all you have to say?"

Ash was surprised to see Louise flinch at the rebuke.

"I am glad to see you all well, elder sister Eleonore, elder sister Cattleya," Louise said with a curtsey, using the formal tone Ash was familiar with when she was speaking to Henrietta in public.

Cattleya giggled from her position on the parlor's loveseat. She shared Louise's pink hair, but her face was paler and slightly narrower, likely from her poor constitution. Surprisingly, her frail health did not stop her from completely outstripping Eleonore in feminine assets. "Come here, Louise," Cattleya called, beckoning with a wave.

Louise cautiously stepped around Eleonore, moving like a mouse trying to avoid attracting the attention of a cat, before walking as fast as she dared to her favored elder sister. Ash mirrored her actions, giving the eldest Valliere daughter a polite bow as he passed. He shivered, but somehow missed the pointed glare Eleonore delivered to his turned back.

"You've grown," Cattleya said with a smile.

"Not really," Louise replied with a blush, fiddling with her fingers.

Ash was absolutely gobsmacked. Each member of Louise's family seemed to bring out a new side of her.

"Yes, you have," Cattley insisted. She poked her sister's chest. "Right, here."

Louise face quickly matched the color of her hair. "Cattleya!" she protested, shooting a quick look at Ash, who looked just as clueless as ever.

That sent Cattleya into another fit of giggles. "You still have some time to finish growing there," she teased. "I meant on the inside."

Louise pouted. "You're teasing me."

"Only a little," Cattleya said warmly. "And it's true. You've matured so much in the past few months, haven't you?" She turned her head to Ash, who gave her a smile and wave. "And I suppose this young man is responsible for some of that?"

"I suppose," Louise begrudgingly admitted, pointedly not looking her familiar in the eye.

Ash couldn't help but grin at Louise's reaction. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Cattleya," he greeted the young woman with a bow. "My name is Ash Ketchum of Kanto, and I'm Louise's familiar."

"A servant boy, really?" Eleonore scoffed, cutting into the conversation with her biting tongue. "It's bad enough that your reputation with magic is notorious enough to be a source of gossip even outside of your peers, but you had a servant pretend to be your familiar?"

Ash wanted to protest, but Louise had told him that it was rude for commoners to interrupt nobility, so he was supposed to leave her to do the talking. Hearing not a peep, he turned to the petite mage, only to find her frozen in place, looking straight at the floor, wringing her hands.

"Honestly, what was going on in that little head of yours? This is not a game!" Eleonore apparently decided that tearing into her youngest sister with words wasn't enough, because she stepped forward to grab Louise's cheeks as well. "Don't you realize how dangerous what you're doing is? Soon everyone will be looking for the 'human familiar' who defeated Fouquet and slew a dragon with nothing but a magic sword!"

"I'm sowwy—w-wha?" Louise stammered.

"Yes, some degree of exaggeration is expected given the situation, but this is ridiculous! This 'familiar' of yours will attract the attention of knights who wish to test their skill him, and then how will you deal with the fallout? Did you ever think, for one second, about what in the five elements you were doing?"

"Excuse me!"

The blonde's glare snapped to Ash, who met her gaze with narrowed eyes of his own.

"A servant should know better than to interrupt their betters," she said, releasing her grip on Louise's face to push her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. "Clearly, you are in need of better training."

"I'm Louise's familiar and friend, not a servant," Ash replied. "And you're being unfair to Louise."

Eleonore turned to Louise. "Control your servant, and have him end this farce," she ordered.

"He's not my servant, he's my familiar." Louise's voice was soft, differential, and yet firm.

"Human familiars don't exist," Eleonore stressed.

"I do." Ash pointed a finger at his continuing existence.

"I've written to Headmaster Osmond for his account," Eleonore said severely. "While he speaks favorably about you, your story has no evidence. The last name Ketchum doesn't exist in any Halkegenian records, and neither does a place called 'Kanto'. Your background is entirely fabricated. Louise, I don't know how you managed to convince the faculty that this boy was your familiar—"

"The runes!" Louise interrupted, earning another glare from her eldest sister. "He has familiar runes, which makes him my familiar. Show her!"

Ash peeled off his fingerless glove, showing the black lines that were burned onto his skin.

Faced with tangible proof, Eleonore paused, the wind slightly taken out of her sails, but she still pressed forward, "That doesn't change the fact that he has a fake identity—"

"It's not fake," Ash interrupted, no longer bothering to hold a tone of civility. "I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town of the Kanto Region, a Pokemon Trainer—magical creature tamer—who is also Louise's familiar. Human familiars aren't normal, and I'm not from Halkegenia, but still! Professor Colbert, Headmaster Osmond, and even Princess Henrietta haven't had a problem with Louise summoning me or who I am, so why do you keep calling your sister a liar?"

That, at last, managed to leave Eleonore without words. She wasn't so inelegant to leave her mouth gaping open, but her face was twitching in a way that showed that she was barely restraining herself from exploding.

"He does have a point, dear Eleonore," Cattleya said coyly. "You have to admit, our Louise is special, just like I always said."

"That remains to be seen."

Four pairs of eyes snapped to the door. Standing in the doorway was an opposing woman. She was tall like Eleonore and Cattleya, though even more developed than the latter, with the same rosy pink hair as Cattleya and Louise. Her face was narrower than her daughters, and her expression was as solemn as steel, in contrast to Cattleya's warmth and Eleonore's frostiness.

"Mother!" Louise squeaked.

"Duchess Karin," Ash said with a bow.

The intimidating woman looked down at the youths. She looked over she like one would examine a curious insect, before focusing her attention on her youngest daughter "You've attracted attention, Louise," she stated.

"It wasn't my intention," Louise said softly.

"Regardless of your intentions, there are eyes pointed in your direction now," Karin stated. "Your encounter against Fouquet and a rogue dragon were one thing, but with your fiancé now on a secret mission from Princess Henrietta—"

The duchess paused, noticing the pinched expression on Louise's face, her fists clenched at her sides. Her familiar was doing an even worse job at controlling his expressions, his face stormy as his entire body was tense.

"What do you know about Viscount Wardes?" Karin asked her daughter.

"He's a traitor."

"Impossible!" Eleonore exclaimed. "He's been a friend of the Valliere house since before he came of age!"

"He was your fiancé," Cattleya said in pity.

Karin frowned, the first notable change to her visage since she had appeared in the room. "Explain." Her tone brokered no room for argument.

"He was an agent of the Reconquista. He betrayed Princess Henrietta, murdered Prince Wales, and attempted to murder Ash and kidnap me."

Ash could practically hear Eleonore's teeth grinding. "I'll make sure there isn't a body left to bury," the blonde vowed.

Karin held up a hand, immediately bringing her eldest daughter to begrudging silence. "This information does not leave this house," the duchess declared.

"Why?" Louise asked. "He was a traitor! His name should be smeared across the Kingdom!"

"And our name would be smeared as well," Karin replied. "We, the Vallieres, were the ones who sponsored him, who vouched for him, and you were engaged to him. It is best if his betrayal is never made known, and it is assumed that he died in the line of duty." She then narrowed her eyes. "He is dead, correct?"

Louise hesitated. "He—I think so…"

"Do not mumble. Speak clearly and with certainty."

"We left him behind, so I can't be sure," said Louise. "But he was unconscious, and the place was collapsing, so he's probably dead."

"And how did he become unconscious?" Karin pressed. "A man can easily feign unconsciousness to trick his enemies into sparing him. Wardes was a square class mage. He would not go down easily."

"Um…" Louise quickly glanced at Ash. "I wasn't really paying attention. I was angered by what he was saying at the time—"

"I punched him in the face."

The room fell unnaturally silent as Ash's frank admission. Then Cattleya snorted and began giggling.

"Louise." Eleonore began, pushing her glasses up her nose as they shone with an intimidating glare. "How can anyone expect to take you seriously when you have all of these silly stories? Do you expect anyone to believe that a commoner managed to defeat a square class mage, the captain of the Griffon Knights, with a single punch?"

"I didn't say that!" Ash protested. "I knocked him out with a punch! We beat him by working together."

"You and Louise beat a square class mage by yourselves?" Eleonore scoffed.

"Me, Louise, Derflinger, and Swablu!"

"Swa! Swa!" Swablu poked its head out of Louise's hair, giving affirmative chirps.

"An Albionese songbird!" Cattelena squealed. "It's so adorable!"

"You tell that hag, partner!"

"Excuse me?!" Eleonore rounded on Ash and grabbed his ear. "I've tolerated you speaking out of turn, but your insults have gone too far!"

"I didn't say that!"

"With a temper like that, no wonder you're still single."

Enraged, Eleonore grabbed Ash's other ear. "Don't you dare!"

"Sister, that wasn't Ash," Louise interrupted.

"What, did the sword on his back suddenly learn to speak?"

"Hey! I've always been able to speak."

Eleonore paused in her assault, finally noticing that while she heard the words being said, Ash's lips weren't moving. In fact, they couldn't move at all, with how far she had stretched his face out. Her eyes slowly shifted to the sword sheathed on his back.

"Feisty like her sister, but a real woman! You sure now how to catch'em, partner!"

"Leggo mah ars," Ash protested.

Eleonore abruptly complied, letting his face return to shape with a painful snap as her ire was directed to the sword on his back. "I will turn you into a poker," she vowed.

"Sometimes I would like to do the same, but I bought Derflinger for Ash to use as a weapon," Louise said. "I would appreciate if you would not harm my familiar and my property."

Surprisingly, Eleonore complied without complaint, stepping away from Ash while pretending that she hadn't nearly torn his ears from his head. "As I was saying, it would be impossible for you and this commoner to defeat Viscount Wardes. A single cloudsinger isn't much of a threat, especially not a baby one. And while sentient weapons are rare, they aren't powerful enough to allow a commoner into a soldier. And we all know about your failings in magic."

"If we didn't win, we wouldn't be here," Louise argued. "Swablu is helpful. Derflinger is useful. Ash is strong. And I am not to be underestimated!"

"Louise."

A single word brought the room's attention back to the Valliere matriarch. "How strong is your familiar?"

"Mother, you know he can't be—"

A single look cut Eleonore off. "I tire of this circle of arguments," Karin declared. "I will make my own judgements. Louise. Explain."

"Commander Wallace of Newcastle personally acknowledged Ash's talent and said he'd make for the finest soldier in Halkegenia!"

"Did he say it in those words?"

"…He was cruder in speech."

"That, I can believe," Karin said. "So, your secret mission from the princess brought you to Newcastle, where you met a man known for his strength and stamina, who gave your familiar the highest praise he could offer?"

"…yes, Mother."

"What were you doing in Albion?" Eleonore exclaimed. "The country is on the brink of collapse, if it hasn't already!"

"Eleonore," Karin said sternly, turning her head to stare at her eldest daughter. "Contain yourself."

"Yes, Mother."

"That explains where you found an Albionese songbird," Cattleya said with an understanding nod. "But please, Louise, try not to get into any more dangerous scenarios. My heart won't be able to take it."

"Sorry," Louise said with a guilt-stricken face.

"I can understand Commander Wallace recognizing talent, but Wardes is also talented. Not to mention, he is a grown man, while your familiar is—" Karin paused, giving Ash a scrutinizing look.

"Sixteen, ma'am."

"You're what?!" Louise exclaimed.

"Oh wait." Ash started counting off on his fingers. "I lost track of time, my birthday was last week. I guess I'm seventeen now."

"You're seventeen?!" Louise screeched. "I thought you were younger than me!"

"I am, aren't I?" Ash asked, giving her a questioning look. "I just turned seventeen, and you're already seventeen, aren't you?"

"Louise is turning seventeen next month," Cattleya chimed in with a mischievous grin.

"Wait, you're younger than me?!" Ash exclaimed. "I thought you were older! Wait, does this mean Kirche is—"

"Why are you bringing that Germanian cow into this?!"

"Because I thought you were the same age as your classmates!"

"I am the same age as my classmates!"

"Then why do they all look older than you?"

"You look like a kid!"

"So do you!"

"I haven't had my growth spurt!"

"Neither have I!"

"Enough," Karin said, commanding everyone's attention once again. "I have no reason to believe your claim about your age, as you are clearly lacking experience of the world."

Ash bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from saying something quite rude. Louise's two days of etiquette training had been torture, but this was the time to use what he had learned. "With all due respect, Duchess Valliere, I've been traveling the world since I was ten," he replied tersely. "I've explored multiple regions, met hundreds of people, and learned a lot from everyone I've met. I may not know everything about Halkegenia, since I have only been here a few weeks, but I know that Louise is an honest person and trusted friend."

"As her familiar, she is your Master, not your friend."

"Louise is my friend, it doesn't matter if I'm her familiar or not," Ash replied firmly.

The duchess turned her attention to her daughter. "Are you going to say nothing and let your familiar speak for you?" she asked.

Louise quivered in place for a moment. At her side was Ash, who stuck by her through her darkest moments, always encouraging and believing in her. In front of her was her mother, the woman she had grown up respecting and fearing. Her heart sided with Ash, but her body refused to move.

At least, until Swablu gave an encouraging chirp. The flying-type rested its wings against Louise's forehead, bringing a smile to the girl's face. With renewed confidence, Louise looked her mother directly in the eye. "Everything Ash has said is correct, Mother. He is my familiar and my friend. And while I will admit that he is… unusual, he is not a liar. I trust him completely."

Karin's stern gaze remained fixed on Louise. The girl didn't flinch or avert her eyes, but instead met it with an assurance that couldn't be easily faked. The duchess then turned her attention to the bird that was perched on Louise's head. "Cloudsingers are very picky about who they choose to follow," she remarked. "Your claims are unexpected, but I will consider their validity."

"Thank you, Mother."

"Swa!"

"Now come over here," Cattleya urged, holding her arms out. Louise shuffled over with an embarrassed smile as Cattleya reached out to Swablu, only for the bird to bury itself further into Louise's hair. Despite looking disappointed, Cattleya accepted the rejection and instead pulled Louise in for a quick hug. "Oh, Louise, how did you ever tame this cutie? I thought cloudsingers only listened to powerful wind mages."

"Yes, tell us, sister," Eleonore said slowly. "How exactly did you come across such a rare species?"

Duchess Karin said nothing, but her expression clearly showed that she wanted an explanation as well.

"Actually, it's Ash's bird," Louise confessed. "He's a magical creature tamer, so he managed to convince it to join him even though he's not a proper mage."

"Impossible," Eleonore scoffed. "Only exceptional wind mages have ever managed to tame Cloudsingers. A commoner couldn't possibly manage such a feat. Besides, it stays with you, so you clearly tamed it. Did you happen to finally learn how to use real magic?"

Louise shot a glare at her eldest sister, and even Cattleya looked exasperated. Karin's expression remained passively neutral.

Ash frowned. He considered correcting that Pokemon were not the same as magical creatures, but decided it would be best to handle the dismissive attitude without the extra confusion. "Swablu stay in clouds or other high places for most of their life. It likes to stay in Louise's hair because it finds it comforting to roost and hide," he explained. "And Swablu did agree to come with me. Maybe the reason mages find it hard to tame them is because they don't know what they're doing."

"Are insinuating that you, a commoner, knows more than a proper mage?" Eleonore said with a glare.

"You heard him," Louise spoke up in Ash's defense. "He's spent his life taming and training magical creatures. He's been able to identify creatures I've never seen before, like the dragon that we faced in the academy. Don't insult him just because he isn't a noble. And guess what? He can use magic!"

"What…?" Eleonore said in shock, giving Ash a second glance.

"I was told he was a commoner," Karin said evenly.

Cattleya's eyes lit up as her smile grew.

"I'm not a noble," Ash said. "Technically." He scrunched up his face. "I did get the title of Baron from the Battle Chateau, but that was an honorary title, so I don't think that counts."

Louise turned to look at him incredulously. "You were named a Baron?!"

"Honorary title from a tournament in the last region I was traveling in," Ash brushed it off, resisting the urge to rub his ears. "I already know it's nothing like being a real noble. Still—" He looked Louise's mother in the eye. "Just because I'm not a noble doesn't mean I'm less of a person, or don't know what I'm doing."

"Bold of you to say that to me," she responded. "Do you know who I am?"

Ash looked at her in confusion. "Louise's mother?"

Louise's glare burned, but he could only give her a blank look in return. What else was he supposed to say?

Louise kicked him in the shin.

"Duchess Karin de Valliere?" Ash guessed.

"Karin de la Valliere," Louise whispered.

"I am referring to who I am as a mage, not a noble," Karin cut them off.

"Uh…" Ash's face scrunched up as he tried to come up with an answer.

Louise nudged his side with her elbow. "Duchess Karin of the Heavy Wind," she hissed. "Don't you remember?"

"Right, you mentioned it on the ride here," Ash said with a nod. "You're a famous square class mage, right? That's awesome!"

Karin's sharp expression took the wind out of Ash's sails. "There was something about you that didn't match your story," the duchess said. "You are supposed to be a foreign commoner, and while you have features that don't match any Halkegenian, and your attitude shows that you're an uneducated commoner, there was something off with that impression."

Ash was starting to wonder if anyone would mention him being a commoner without it sounding like an insult.

"I have a strong affinity for wind magic, which is why I was aware of the wind spell that has been subtly surrounding your body."

"Wind spell?" Ash questioned.

Louise's eyes widened in understanding. "That's Professor's Colbert Translation spell! Ash doesn't speak the Halkegenian language, so Professor Colbert used the spell on him so he could understand us."

"Is that so?" Karin asked. She pulled out a wand from the inner pocket of her coat. "Dispel Wind Magic."

Ash suddenly felt something change around him. "What was that?" he asked.

"Ash? Es-tu bien?" Louise asked him.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Ash replied.

Louise looked perplexed. "Tu parles bizzarement."

"I'm not speaking weird. You're speaking weird. I can barely understand what you're saying."

"Suffit," Karin said.

Ash stared blankly at her, not understanding what the word meant. But seeing Louise be silent, he followed her cue and waited patiently.

"Traduction," Karin chanted, pointing her wand at Ash again.

Ash could feel a familiar cushion surrounding him. It was subtle, but now that he was paying attention, it felt like a soft blanket of wind settled over his body. "Is the translation spell back on?" he asked.

"Yes," said Louise. "You sounded so strange without it. I could barely understand you."

"Same," said Ash. "And I couldn't understand Mrs. Valliere at all."

"A sufficient bond between Master and Familiar allows them to communicate regardless of language," said Karin. "But you, Ash Ketchum, aren't like other familiars."

"Because I'm human?" Ash guessed.

"No," Karin shot him down immediately. "Some familiars gain the ability to speak when given familiar runes, but you have received no such ability. The first sentence you said was incomprehensible, but after responding to Louise, you began speaking a heavily accented Halkegenian. Still barely understandable, but you switched languages."

"He sounded the same to me," Louise remarked thoughtfully.

"So, the translation spell helped me learn a new language?" Ash asked. "That makes sense."

"No, it doesn't!" Eleonore protested. "That isn't how the Translation spell works!"

"Wait, really?" Ash asked.

"Eleonore is correct," said Karin. "The Translation spell has multiple flaws. It doesn't work well on words without direct translation and is mostly used to account for strong accents. It also doesn't last very long. Even a triangle class wind mage wouldn't be able to make it last for a week without refreshing the spell."

"But Professor Colbert cast the spell weeks ago," said Louise in confusion.

"He's secretly a powerful wind mage?!" Ash exclaimed.

"No, Professor Jean Colbert is fairly skilled at wind magic, but his ability to cast the Translation spell at all is likely the pinnacle of his mastery," Karin refuted. "For the spell to remain this long, it must have been maintained by another source of Willpower."

Ash and Louise looked at each other.

"Louise?" Ash guessed.

Louise slapped her palm against her forehead. "YOU!" she practically screeched. "Are you seriously that dense?"

"But I'm not a mage?"

"Whether or not you have formal magic training, you have strong enough Willpower to fuel a triangle class spell subconsciously. And I don't see a focus on you, unless that sword is also a wand."

"I eat magic, scary lady," Derflinger responded.

"Don't be rude," Louise hissed at the sword.

"Interesting," Karin remarked, his expression becoming contemplative. "No focus, no magical training, but strange talents and impressive feats. You, Ash Ketchum, are an anomaly."

"Thank you?"

Ash thought he could see a ghost of a smile on the duchess's face before she turned around. "Everyone, follow me to the courtyard."

Louise watched anxiously as Eleonore helped Cattleya onto a bench before turning her attention to her mother and familiar.

"Magic is inherited by blood, which is why royalty and nobility is passed by bloodlines," said Karin. "In the case of a noble marrying a commoner, it is more likely than not that the resulting child will be capable of magic. Which leads to the issue of unrecognized mages being among commoners."

"Sorry, Duchess Valliere, but I know both of my parents aren't nobles, or mages," said Ash. "I can use Aura, but I don't know if that's something inherited or not. There aren't many human Aura users around nowadays."

Karin just gave him a disapproving look, which shut him up quickly. Then, she gave him the wand in her hand. "Cast a simple Gust spell," she said.

"Ah…" Ash turned to Louise. "Is that like the Pokemon move Gust?" he asked her.

"How am I supposed to know?" Louise asked.

"Eleonore?" Karin requested.

The eldest Valliere daughter drew her wand and chanted, "Gust."

A strong breeze billowed the grass in a wide column.

Ash looked at the result of the spell, and then down at the wand on his hand. It wasn't quite like the Gust he knew, but there were enough similarities for him to get a general idea. "I'll try," he said. He stepped forward and shouted, "Gust!"

Nothing happened.

"A chant without Willpower are words without meaning," said Karin. "Your spell should be your intention."

"Gust!" Ash tried again.

The trainer felt something stirring inside him, but aside from the grass briefly rippling around him, nothing happened.

"See!" Eleonore exclaimed. "I knew he couldn't use magic!"

"Don't listen to her, Ash!" Louise shouted. "Magic is about picturing an image in your mind and creating it with the power of the elements. Just like Swablu does Defog, you need to create Gust!"

"Go, Ash!" Cattleya cheered from her seat, raising one of her arms while the other kept her steady. "You can do it!"

Karin glared at her daughters for the loud interruption, bringing them to silence. "Again," she commanded Ash. "Use your Willpower, and the focus."

Ash nodded slowly. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He still didn't understand exactly how he was supposed to cast a spell—he wasn't a mage, after all—but he was going to try his best, if only to make Louise and Cattleya happy.

And to spite Eleonore.

Getting approval from Louise's mom would be nice too.

Aura instinctively flowed through Ash's body, but he kept it from leaking into the air around him. He wasn't sure how to feel Willpower, but Aura seemed close enough. And as for the focus… Ash tried to force the Aura into the wand. He could feel something resonating, but nothing was coming out.

Ash thought harder. How was he supposed to make wind? He didn't have wings to flap, and he only knew how to project his Aura outward. A breeze needed direction; how could he give it that?

"Swa! Swa!" Swablu chirped.

Hearing the flying-type Pokemon gave Ash a surge of inspiration. He pictured winds spiraling, twisting around a central point. The wand in his hand seemed to hum in response.

Louise's eyes widened in glee as she saw Ash's clothes rippling. Unlike when he normally let his Aura flow out, he wasn't glowing in a blue aura, and there wasn't a pressure radiating from his body. Instead, small winds were swirling around him and gradually growing in intensity.

"See!" she shouted in triumph. "I told you he could do magic!" Not even Eleonore's frown and glare could dampen Louise's enthusiasm.

The wind continued to build. Karin's hair and clothes flapped wildly, and even from a distance Louise was beginning to feel her own hair start to be picked up in the breeze. Louise's smile slowly slid from her face as she saw the growing gale continue to get stronger with no signs of abating. She could see her mother raise a hand to shield her face as her clothes billowed in the wind.

"Does he know how to stop?" Eleonore grumbled as she drew her wand. The breeze slapped some strands of hair into her mouth, causing her to sputter instead of casting a spell.

Louise quickly realized that the answer to that question was very probably "no".

"Ash!" Louise called out over the wind. "You need to stop!"

The wind continued to build. Now Louise could hear it whistling. Somehow her mother was unmoved despite being mere feet away from Ash, but even she was leaning against the wind to avoid being swept away.

"Ash!"

The wind stopped.

Ash opened his eyes, seeing the flattened grass surrounding him, and Duchess Karin's windswept new hairdo. "Uh… whoops?" he said sheepishly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away. But wow, that felt amazing!"

"You certainly took to it easily enough," said Karin. She drew another wand from her dress, which made Ash wonder how many she carried on her and where they were tucked away. With a quick chant, the duchess's appearance was once again pristine. Ash gaped at the surprising use for magic, but she continued without pause, "A familiar reflects the master, so perhaps Louise does have an affinity for wind magic."

That brought Ash a new line of questioning. "What exactly are familiars?" he asked.

"Has my daughter not explained what your purpose is?"

"Louise said that familiars are lifelong companions to mages, but the closest comparison I can think of is me and my partner Pikachu," said Ash.

"Louise's explanation is essentially correct," Karin replied, only the smallest hint of intrigue showing on her face when Ash said an unfamiliar word. "Once bound, familiars support their masters for the rest of their lives. Their bond is inseparable."

"And that magic thing Louise did to summon me, how does that work?"

"The Founder's Familiar Summoning Ritual summons a creature that is destined to be with the master," Karin replied. "It is a ceremony that requires no magical affinity or talent to complete, but could only be created because of the Founder's Void Magic."

Ash's face became contemplative. "So anyone could use it?"

"So long as they have magic."

"What's the chant?"

"Louise summoned you, so she can show you," Karin said, taking a step back and looking over Ash's shoulder. Ash turned as well to Louise frozen like a dear in headlights only a few paces behind him.

"You want to perform the Summoning Ritual?" Louise queried.

"Yes," Ash said firmly.

"Normally this is done by the academy, I don't know if we'd be breaking rules doing it like this…" Louise said hesitantly, glancing at her mother.

"There are no laws against it. Only tradition. And he is of age," said Karin.

"In that case…" Louise stood straight, her posture reminding Ash of a teacher about to give a lecture. "The chant for the ritual has three main components: an introduction, a prayer, and a call. You should introduce yourself, invoke the power of the five elements—or the founder himself, if you prefer—and then call out for your familiar to answer your summons."

"So that's how you summoned me?" Ash asked.

Louise blushed and turned away. "Not… exactly…"

"So how did you do it?" Ash asked.

"Well," Louise glanced at Ash, then her mother, and then the ground. "I did it… differently. I improvised."

"It can work like that?"

"It worked for me."

"Louise," Karin interrupted. "Be direct. Your familiar wishes to emulate your chant, so recite it to the best of your ability."

Louise's face grew warmer. "I, um…"

"Stop stammering."

"I called out to the universe to give me the most divine, wise, amazing, and powerful familiar!"

The courtyard fell into a stunned silence, only broken when Cattleya's stifled laughs reached everyone's ears.

"That's, um…" Ash tried to be reassuring but couldn't find the words.

"It was stupid, okay?" Louise muttered. "I just really wanted to summon a good familiar, and my other spells always failed, so I did something completely different and prayed for the best.

"I don't know if I'm the 'best', but I'm flattered that your spell thought so," Ash said good-naturedly.

"Just shut up and do the ritual!"

"Don't have to tell me twice," said Ash with a confident grin. He pointed his wand towards the sky and let his Aura fuel his body. "My name is Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, a Pokemon trainer from the Kanto Region! I'm on a journey to become a Pokemon Master, but I can't do it without my best buddy, Pikachu! So, five elements of magic, eighteen types of Pokemon, help me get back, Pikachu!"

While his clothes were billowing and his body was starting to become outlined in a haze of Aura, no Pikachu appeared.

"You need to use the focus," Karin corrected him. "Also, if you point your wand into the sky, your familiar will likely appear there as well.

With a quick correction of wand positioning, Ash began his chant again, this time pushing his Aura directly into the wand. While this hadn't worked when he had been trying to cast the wind spell, this time, the Aura flowed through the wand instead of radiating out of his body. Ash could feel the spell draining him and building up…

And then it dissipated into a ripple of air.

Ash visibly slumped. "What am I doing wrong?" he groaned.

"I believe this is the first case I've heard of the summoning ritual failing," said Karin. "Perhaps not being a Halkegenian makes you unable to use the Founder's ritual properly."

"I'm not going to give up that easily!" Ash challenged. He cast it again, feeling the same drain on his aura, but a similar lack of result.

"You were ready to give up on the wind spell," Karin noted.

"That was because I didn't think I could do magic," Ash replied. "I'm a Pokemon trainer, I barely know how to use my Aura. But if I can use magic, and there's a spell that can reunite me with Pikachu, then I'm not going to stop until we're together again!"

Ash once again chanted and poured his willpower into the spell, but to no avail. "Come on!" he shouted in frustration. "Come to me, Pikachu!" More Aura was consumed, to the point that his body started to become outlined in blue, yet there was still no Pikachu to show for it.

"Ash you're going to get Willpower exhaustion at this rate," said Louise in concern.

"I'm not stopping until I get Pikachu back!" Ash declared. "Come to me, Pikachu!"

"Are you even using the ritual at this point?"

"I don't know and I don't care! I want Pikachu back!"

Louise realized that this was the first time she had seen Ash so desperate. He had shown a lot of sides to her. He'd been happy, excited, angry, sad. He wore his heart on his sleeve. But this was the first time she had seen him in such visceral emotional pain. She could feel it in her heart that this was what could break Ash.

And she couldn't let that happen.

Louise stood next to Ash and gripped his free hand with her own, raising her wand in her left. That shook Ash out of his trance, causing him to look towards her.

"I'm going to help too," she declared.

"Isn't every mage supposed to summon their own familiar?"

"A master's job is to care for their familiar, so if you need help summoning your own familiar, it is my duty to support you in any way I can."

"Won't you end up summoning a familiar too?" Ash asked.

"Idiot. You're already my familiar, I can't summon you again, now can I?" Louise said with a huff. "Try the ritual again."

"One second," Derflinger chimed in. "I just remembered; you should probably take me off your back too."

Louise now realized that Ash had been attempting to perform a magic ritual while carrying a magic-eating sword on his back. "If you're the reason the ritual has been messing up, I will turn you into a shovel," she hissed as Ash planted Derflinger into the ground by his sheathed blade.

"Hey, give me some credit. I barely ate any of the mana through my sheath. The spell can't seem to find its target is all."

"If I can be summoned here, then so can Pikachu," Ash declared. "No amount of space or time will separate us!"

"The Summoning Ritual is the first spell I managed to cast, so follow my lead!" said Louise.

"Got it!"

Karin's head tilted ever so slightly as she watched Ash's left hand clasp around Louise's right. Their other hands, right and left, respectively, lifted and pointed ahead in an uncannily synchronized motion. "Joint casting?" passed through the duchess's lips.

Ash felt his Aura touch Louise's and, for a lack of a better term, link. Two uncalculatable and distinctly different oceans ebbed and flowed in the same rhythm. He couldn't see it, not even with Aura Sight, but he could feel the connection they had.

"I am Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere!"

"My name is Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

Karin took a step back as the grass began to bow away from the pair. There was no wind magic that she could sense, but the air still was oppressively filled with Willpower.

"Ash's familiar that exists in the vast universe!"

"I need my best friend and partner back!"

Ash's body began to be outlined in blue. Surprisingly, the soft glow continued to travel, spreading across Louise's body as well until they were both shrouded by a blue haze that continued to rise as they chanted

"By the power of the five elements—"

"By the power of the eighteen types—"

In tandem, they cried, "Come, Pikachu!"

The flame-like blue haze that surrounded them flared up and surged forward. It came to a stop mere feet away before detonating in a loud explosion. The usual smoky ashes that accompanied Louise's explosions were quickly blown away by the semi-visible pressure wafting off the two. The space in front of them had a circular outline about the size of a person hovering over the ground. A pentagram and triangle both began to appear inside the circle, as if being drawn by invisible pens on a clear pane glass. The shapes were both narrower at the top and overlapped near the bottom of the circle. A second triangle began to form inside the first as runic script spread across the borders of the circle. Once completed, which took scant seconds, a dot appeared in the very center of the circle and quickly expanded, flooding the circle to become solid green.

"Did this happen when you summoned me?" Ash asked in wonder.

"I-I don't know," Louise stammered. "There was a lot of smoke; I couldn't see."

Letting go of Louise's hand, Ash took a step closer to the circle and called out, "Pikachu!"

A yellow missile flew from the green circle and sent Ash crashing into the grass. Not even noticing the circle's immediate disappearance, Ash's attention was captivated by the weight on his chest with a familiar face and wearing a very old hat of his.

"Pikachu!"

"Pikapi!"

Chapter Text

"Guess what, world! I'm going to be the strongest. I'll be a Pokemon Master, and the world will never be in danger again. Not so long as I and my Pokemon are there to defend it. You hear me?"

Pikachu cheered as he heard his trainer shout to the world. After all they had gone through in the past year—their narrow loss at the Pokemon League, the near-world incineration by Team Flare—it was nice to hear Ash remain enthusiastic. Together they would be the best there ever was!

"Aaaahhh!"

Pikachu's pointed ears shot straight up at the sound of his trainer's panicked shouts. "Pikapi!" the Pokemon cried, hopping onto the windowsill just in time to see Ash fall into a glowing green circle. Pikachu jumped after him, hoping to latch onto the trainer's leg, but the second Ash's sneakers disappeared into the circle, it disappeared, leaving Pikachu to plummet to the ground.

"Pika!" Despite the pain of the fall, Pikachu quickly stood up and looked to the roof where the circle had been. Taking a deep breath, Pikachu called out for his best friend, "PIKAPI!"

His cries drew Delia Ketchum and Mimey out of the house. "What's wrong, Pikachu?" Mrs. Ketchum asked. She wasn't a trainer, but it didn't take one to notice how distressed Pikachu was.

"Pika! Pikapi!" Pikachu frantically pointed to the place by the roof where Ash had disappeared.

Not understanding, the woman decided to call out someone who would definitely understand the Pokemon's cries. "Ash! Can you come down here please?"

"Pikapi!"

Not hearing a response, Delia suddenly felt a block of ice form in her gut. She raced inside, taking the stairs two at a time with Pikachu and Mimey right on her heels. Bursting into the room, she looked around frantically. "Ash?" she called out.

"Pikapi!"

"Mime!"

"Pikachu, where did Ash go?" Delia asked.

Pikachu hopped onto the windowsill and then the roof. He ran to where the circle had been and waved his paws in the air. "Pikapi! Pika, Pikachu!"

Delia and Mimey followed Pikachu onto the roof. "Ash?" Delia called. "Ash, honey, where are you?"

"Mime!"

"Pikapi!"

"Brock, Misty," Delia greeted the two as she let them into the house. "I didn't think you'd be able to make it."

"I took some time off. This was too important," Brock replied. He'd gotten taller over the years, now towering over her. And despite spending most of his time in the books, he still kept himself in shape too.

"The trainers will survive the gym being closed for a few days," Misty said. "If the Pokemon League officials want to complain then they can shove it!" She'd also grown since Delia had seen her last. While traveling with Ash, Misty had barely reached Delia's chin. Now, she had blossomed into a young woman who stood almost eye to eye with her.

"I appreciate both of you coming all this way," said Delia.

They arrived at the living room, where Mimey, Gary, Tracey, and Professor Oak were surrounding the kitchen table. On it were several maps, pictures, sketches, and notes.

"Any clue how Ash disappeared or where he went?" Misty asked as she surveyed the mess.

"Pikachu's sketch gave us a lead," said Tracey. He slid over a green circle drawn in marker and filled in with the dexterity of a kindergartener.

"A green portal. Does that mean Celebi is responsible?" Brock asked.

"That's the most likely answer," Gary replied. "However…" his voice trailed off as he looked to his Grandpa.

"Celebi isn't someone who would kidnap Ash without warning, especially for this long," said Professor Oak decisively. "If Celebi is responsible, then something must be terribly wrong."

"So, we find Celebi and ask if its seen Ash," Misty declared.

"That's easier said than done," said Tracey. "We've been trying to figure out where Celebi based on recent sightings, but it's hard."

"Celebi is very good at avoiding being seen when it wants to," said Oak. "We've narrowed down a few locations, but there's a lot of ground to cover."

"We think that Celebi is either in Celadon Forest, Cherrygrove, or Violet Forest," said Tracey, pointing to the respective forests on the map. "Thankfully, all of the sightings in the past six months have been in Kanto and Johto."

"But it would still take days to check everything, and that's if we split up to go to different forests," said Gary.

"So what?" Misty asked. "If Ash or Celebi are in trouble, we can't just sit around!"

"We aren't sitting around," Gary said drily. "We're putting together enough people and information to make sure we find them efficiently. Going off without a clear plan is how Ashy-boy always ends up in trouble."

"Well, we're all here," said Misty. "There's enough of us to make teams of two. What else do we need?"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Delia called out. A few moments later she came back with young woman with blue hair and a red headband. She wore a white shirt and read half-jacket, with black shorts and tights. A silver satchel sat on the side of hip.

"A Pokemon Ranger?" Misty exclaimed.

"That's right," the newcomer replied.

"It's been awhile, Solana," Brock said, holding out his hand to shake.

"Pi-ka-chu!" Pikachu greeted with a wave.

"It certainly has," she replied, returning the gesture and giving a nod to Pikachu. "I'll admit, I didn't expect to see you here. But considering the circumstances…"

"Do you have anything new on Celebi?" Gary asked.

"I do," she replied. "Now, I don't have to explain that this information is highly confidential. The only reason I am sharing this with you is because it is likely relevant to the case, and I trust you to keep this to yourselves." Everyone nodded. "Good. According to our intel, Celebi has spent the past week in the Veridian Forest."

"That close?" Tracey exclaimed.

"We would've gone all the way across the continent before checking the nearest forest," Misty groaned.

"It pays to know who to call," said Gary. Misty shot him a glare.

"Do you know why Celebi decided to come over here?" Brock asked. "The area is well-known for weak but large groups of hostile bug and flying-type Pokemon."

"Unfortunately, we don't have a clue," Solana replied. "We typically avoid approaching legendary Pokemon directly, even peaceful ones like Celebi. Unless there's a problem we keep a non-interference policy."

"Asking Celebi where Ash is wouldn't be a problem, would it?" Delia phrased it as a question, but the tone was lacking in uncertainty.

"It's within acceptable margins, since Ash is a friend of Celebi," Solana replied easily. "I'd advise keeping your group small with people Celebi is most familiar with, just to be on the safe size. She is skittish."

"Celebi's met me before," said Brock.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu chimed in.

"It's not too far, I wouldn't mind stretching my legs," said Professor Oak.

"Don't think you're going to leave me behind," Misty declared, slamming a hand down on the table.

Brock sweatdropped as Solana gave Misty an unimpressed look. "Maybe we should listen to Miss Solana on this one. After all, she's a very experienced ranger. Rank 5, I believe."

"6 actually," the ranger in question corrected him.

"Recent promotion?"

"Just last month."

"Congratulations."

"I probably wouldn't have gotten here so fast if I didn't end up working with you guys," Solana confessed. "I've found that enlisting the help of nearby civilians has been a big help with completing mission objectives. That said, there are different skills for different situations." She eyed Misty. "You, Misty Waterflower of the Cerulean Gym, are a strong trainer, but you're also famous for your temper."

Misty felt the tips of her ears burning, but bit back a retort. "I can hold myself," she said. "Ash is my friend too. I'm not sitting this one out."

"Gotta say, I can't imagine sitting back while all this is going on," said Gary.

"Don't think I'm going to miss this either!" Tracy declared.

"I want to see my baby boy," Delia said.

Solana sighed. "Since I can't personally vouch for all of you, I'll have to clear it with my superiors," she said. "Understood?"

"Sounds good," said Delia. "Mimey, watch the house for me, will you?"

"Mime, Mime!"

"Pika!" Pikachu called out as they entered the forest.

"Hello!" Gary called out as well. "Cele—"

Solana held her arm out to interrupt him. "This area wasn't cleared," she said. "If anyone hears you calling out for a legendary pokemon, this entire forest will be swarming with people wanting to take a look."

"Also, Celebi doesn't know who you are, so hearing your voice might scare her off instead," Brock added.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out again.

"So how are we supposed to find it?" Misty asked. "Should we split up to cover more ground?"

"That could work," said Professor Oak. "But I have a feeling that Pikachu's on the right track."

"Pika!"

Tracey gave the professor a confused look, and he wasn't the only one. "So if Pikachu calls Celebi then eventually…" his voice trailed off.

"What?" Misty asked. She turned her head to stare in the same direction, as did everyone else.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu called out cheerfully.

"Bee!"

The Forest Guardian flew down from the branches of the trees and looped around the group's heads before coming to a stop, hovering by Pikachu.

"It's really Celebi!" Gary exclaimed.

"Let me get my sketchbook," Tracey said as he dug into his pack.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Oak asked.

Celebi trilled happily.

"You've met Celebi before, professor?" Solana asked.

"Once upon a time," Oak replied with a wry smile.

"Pika, Pika Chu!" Pikachu said, waving his front paws.

Celebi tilted its head, and then looked around.

"You're looking for Ash?" Brock asked. Celebi nodded and trilled.

"Pikapi, Pikachu!"

"Bi, Celebi?"

"Ash went missing, we were hoping you knew where he went," said Brock.

"Please, said Delia. "Ash is my baby boy, can you show us where he is?"

Celebi looked at the crowd of humans and a Pokemon, and then shook its head sadly. It flew up and opened a Time Ripple. The space above their heads shattered, as if reality was a pane of glass that had just taken a hammer to it. Green light filtered in through the cracks. Celebi flew into the breach, and then it closed behind her, the space returning to normal.

Gary and Solana were quick to catch Delia as she fell to her knees.

"We're not going to give up," Misty said. "There must be a way to find Ash."

"I noticed something," said Tracey. Everyone looked to him with renewed hope. "It's not much, but based on the image Pikachu drew, Ash fell through a green circle. We thought it was Celebi because of the color and effect, but the shape was wrong."

"You're right," said Professor Oak. "Celebi's Time Ripples aren't nearly as neat as what Pikachu drew."

"Do you think it's another legendary then?" Brock asked.

"I can't recall anything that makes circles and takes people," said Gary. "What about you, gramps?"

"Hmm… well, Hoopa is known to make ring portals," said the professor. "However, the color and design don't fit. And frankly, we don't know much about many legendary Pokemon. And since Celebi just left, it's not like there's any others we can just ask."

Pikachu's ears shot up. "Pika Pika!"

"Huh? What is it Pikachu?" Misty asked.

Pikachu tugged Brock's pants leg to grab his attention, and then pulled on his own face.

It took a Brock a moment, but then he smiled and said, "I got it! There is a legendary we can ask."

"Really?" Solana asked skeptically. "Which region do we have to go to? I'll need to clear things with the Rangers."

"Don't worry," Brock assured her. "This one's local. And I think it's out of Ranger jurisdiction. Let's head back to the lab and let me make some calls."

"I'm not sure if I should be scared or impressed that you managed to get permission from the Queen," Solana remarked. "The Kingdom of Rota is open to tourists, but they don't usually allow people, even Pokemon Rangers, free reign to travel in these areas."

"Ash left quite an impression last time we were here," Brock remarked.

"And it wasn't just the tournament he won either," May chimed in.

The group's composition had changed. Upon returning to the Ketchum home, they had found three girls waiting for them with Mimey. Mrs. Ketchum and Professor Oak had realized that they weren't fit enough to trek across the region looking for Ash. Gary had also stayed behind to help Professor Oak with the research.

So, with Queen Ilene's permission, the current group of Ash's former traveling companions were now traveling in the wilds of Rota. With one additional member.

"I hope the guardians don't come after us again," Kidd Summers commented.

"How did Ash meet a world famous adventurer like you?" Dawn asked. "And why did none of you tell me that you knew the Kidd Summers?"

"Long story," May said.

"We'll fill you in a bit," said Kidd.

"What are we expecting to find here?" Serena asked. She was also curious about the celebrity in their midst, but she was more focused on finding Ash. When she had separated from him only a last week, she had never imagined he would go missing.

"Look over there," said Brock.

Over the ridge, they could see what appeared to be an impossibly large tree. On a more careful look, it was actually a rock formation in the shape of a tree. It looked grey but seemed to be covered with glowing green patches.

"That's the Tree of Beginnings," said Kidd. "Home of the Legendary Pokemon, Mew."

The inside of the tree was a sight. Green crystals were everywhere, absorbing sunlight and providing the life energy needed for plants and Pokemon to live within the giant mountain.

"I thought Diancie's Diamond Domain was impressive, but this has an entire ecosystem!" Serena exclaimed.

"Yeah, which is why this place official doesn't exist," said Kidd.

"I understand," said Solana. "If word was to get out about this place, it would be swarming with tourists, thrill-seekers, and criminals of all shades."

"My thoughts exactly," Kidd replied.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out. "Pikapika!"

"Bonsly!"

"Bonsly!"

A pair of baby rock-type Pokemon ran up and greeted the group happily.

"Aren't you two a cute pair?" Brock said, reminded of his own Bonsly, which had evolved into a Sudowoudo and was currently at his family's gym.

"Don't tell me you feel for it that easily," said Kidd in mock disappointment.

"He fell for what?" Dawn asked, asking the question everyone else was thinking.

Kidd looked at the two Bonsly. "We need your help, Mew," she said.

One of the Bonsly straightened up. "Bon?"

"Mew?" Tracey echoed.

"Another reason why this place will never be open to the public," Solana said under her breath.

"Ash is missing," said May. "He disappeared in a weird portal, we think. Do you know where he is?"

"Mew is a Bonsly?" Serena asked, clearly confused by what was going on.

"Bon!" The alert Bonsly jumped up, and in a flash of light, it turned a pink cat Pokemon with rabbit-like feet. "Mew!"

"Pika, Pikapi! Pikachu!"

"Mew. Mew," Mew replied.

The tree began to glow. The green crystals began to become tinged with blue, and the normally pale grey rocks also gained a light blue hue. Pikachu and humans could feel the power of Mew and the Tree pulsing around them.

Tracey immediately brought out his sketchbook, struggling to hold the paper down properly to draw.

After a few seconds, the energy died down, and their surrounding s returned to normal. Mew cocked its head to the side, and then said, "Mew," with a shake of its head.

"Nothing?" Misty asked in despair.

"Mew…" Mew said sadly.

"Well, thanks for trying," said Brock. "Can you keep an eye out for him?"

"Mew!" Mew agreed with an eager nod.

As the group left, Kidd splitting off to report to her bosses, May had to wonder, "If Mew doesn't know where Ash is, which legendary would?"

"Pikachu!"

"You have an idea?" Dawn asked.

"Pika!"

Through the use of map pointing and miming, Pikachu managed to lead them through a forest to the base of thick mountain in Johto. "Pikachu!"

"Which legendary are we looking for this time?" Tracy asked.

"A powerful one," Misty replied as she remembered her last visit.

"What do you mean by that?" Serena asked.

"It means that we're not going to go up there," Brock said.

"Is this Pokemon really that dangerous?" Dawn asked.

"I don't remember hearing about any powerful legendaries living in this part of Johto," May noted.

"Of course not, that would defy the point of secrecy," a mental voice sounded in their heads.

"Pika!"

"It is good to see you again as well," the psychic-type greeted them. "Who are these people you have brought here?" The pokemon's tone wasn't hostile, but it was stern.

"They are friends of ours, and of Ash," Brock replied.

"Don't worry, they can keep a secret," Misty added.

"Y-you can talk?" Serena stammered.

"You must be a psychic type," said May.

"So cool…" Dawn gasped.

"Those features, it resembles Mew," Tracey observed

"I trusted you to not spread rumors of my existence, and you have kept that," Mewtwo responded. "However, you have brought four new humans to my sanctuary." The legendary looking around. "And where is the last human, Ash Ketchum?"

The entire group's expressions became downcast.

"We were hoping you would know," Misty said.

"He's been missing for a few days, and our best guess is a legendary took him," Serena said.

"Pikapi, pika, pikachu!" Pikachu explained while waving his stubby arms.

"That is concerning," Mewtwo said. "I know of no Pokemon that matches that description."

"You can't help us at all?" Dawn asked.

"I am a protector of Pokemon. I do not keep track of humans. However, Ash has proven himself to be an ally of Pokemon. So I will see what I can do." With that, the catlike-pokemon floated high overhead.

"What is it doing?" Tracey asked.

"I guess we'll find out," May said with anticipation.

Mewtwo glowed magenta as it radiated powerful psychic energy. The tops of the nearby trees began to have their leaves tremble. After a few seconds, the glow faded and Mewtwo returned.

"I cannot see him."

A collective sigh of disappointment went through the group.

"This is more serious than you think," Mewtwo warned. "My Future Sight isn't the strongest of the psychic-types, but I could not see him at all. Which means wherever he is, it is beyond my ability to observe."

"Which means, what?" Misty asked.

"Likely, he is another dimension. One I am unaware of."

"Where could Ash be if he's in another dimension?" May asked.

"There was the Mirror Dimension in Kalos," said Serena. "But I don't think that's it."

"I think I might have an idea," said Dawn.

They made a new addition to their party on their next stop.

"Being a gym leader sucks!" Iris complained. "I told the stuffy people that I had a personal emergency, but because it's in another region and stuff, they said it 'wasn't a proper' emergency. Drayden and I are co-leaders, why couldn't they let the gym stay closed until he got back from his trip. A couple of days wouldn't hurt anyone."

"It's hard to leave a gym unattended for long without a suitable replacement or the right clout," said Brock sympathetically.

"So how did you manage to get out of it, Misty?" May asked curiously. "You've been away from your gym for about a week now. Did your sisters finally decide to help out?"

Misty froze like a Stanler in headlights. "I got it handled," she said in exaggerated confidence.

No one called her out on it.

Lake Acuity was cold pretty much year-round, and this time wasn't any different. There was snow in the forests surrounding the lake, but the water itself was surprisingly free of ice, allowing the trainers to ride their Pokemon across the lake to the cave that lay in the center. Down the cold path they traveled, until they encountered a floating grey-blue Pokemon with yellow helmet-like hair and a red gem on its forehead.

"Uxie," the Pokemon said, floating closer to them.

"Hello again, Uxie," Dawn greeted the legendary. "We need your help. Do you know where Ash is?"

The Pokemon floated slightly for a moment, and then slowly shook its head. Despite looking like it was asleep, it seemed to be a bit confused.

"Pika, Pikapi pika pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed.

The Being of Knowledge tilted it head to the side, pondering, and then shook its head again.

"Do you think Azelf and Mespirit would know?" Dawn asked.

The Pokemon raised on one of its stubby arms and tapped the side of its head.

"It can communicate telepathically?" Misty guessed.

"At least that saves us time," said Brock. "But I'd hoped they would know."

Iris decided to try a different question, "Do you know if the three dragons—"

The legendary shook its heads even more fervently.

"Good point, if they were the cause they'd probably take the entire house by accident," said Brock with a sigh.

With another brainstorming and miming session complete, the group set out to travel out of Kanto yet again.

"What's in Dahara City?" Dawn asked Serena curiously. The city was an inlet, very busy. Despite the skyscrapers the ocean breeze was prevalent in the streets.

"Hoopa, another legendary that can make portals," Serena replied. "Though, Hoopa's portals aren't the right color. They're gold rims with dark swirls instead of bright green."

"But at least they are portals," said May.

"However, there is a distinction in that Hoopa's portals link two locations," said Clemont, who had joined the group with his little sister, Bonnie. Clembot had been down helping with City repair work, so he had been unable to leave his post for long enough to go travel to another region. Iris similarly had to return to her gym duties in Unova, but had made the group promise to tell her if they were going to meet other dragon-type legendaries. Misty and Brock had ended up preoccupied with other duties—Misty couldn't hold off the Pokemon League forever, and Brock had classes—and thus were unable to make the long trip to Kalos. Gary had decided to take their place for more Kanto representation.

"Does that mean Ash couldn't have ended up in a place where Hoopa can find him?" May asked.

"Not necessarily," said Clemont. "Unfortunately, I have very little data to work with, so I haven't even been able to build an invention to find him yet."

"But don't worry, my big brother will come up with something!" Bonnie said confidently.

"Maybe we're looking in the wrong direction?" Tracey asked. "Are we sure it's a legendary that got him?"

"If legendaries can't find him, I doubt he was abducted by an ordinary Pokemon," said Dawn.

"We'll find him," Serena vowed. "We're not going to rest until he's safe and sound."

"Don't get into that mindset," Solona told them. The girls, especially Serena, were put off by her tone. "He's been missing for over a week. He's resourceful and tough. Running yourselves to the breaking point searching across the world isn't going to help anyone."

"Why are you with us?" Tracey asked. "Not to sound ungrateful or anything," he hastily assured her, "It's just that most of us are good friends of Ash. As a Pokemon Ranger, I'm surprised you'd be able to spend so much time searching for Ash."

"Yeah," Gary noted. "I figured you'd have some pull, but even Brock and Misty had to go back to their gyms at some point. Are you off duty?"

"Technically, this is a part of my Pokemon Ranger duties," Solana replied. "Ash Ketchum's name has come up in multiple events tied to legendries or infamous criminal organizations. His disappearance, likely the work of an unknown legendary, interests the higher ups. This is my ongoing investigation until further notice."

Gary let out a whistle.

"I didn't realize Ash was that well known," May said with surprise.

"I know Ash had something of a reputation, but I didn't think he was that well known," said Dawn. "Wait, are we famous too?"

"Anyone who helps in Ranger mission have their names noted in the reports," Solana said noncommittally.

"We're here," Serena announced. There was a proud smile on her face.

The group were in the middle of the city, standing in front of a frame of a tower. Piles of debris surrounded the frame, looking so pulverized it was hard to tell what the original material had been.

"What happened here?" May asked.

"Space-time collapse and a lot of legendaries fighting," Serena replied. Everyone's heads snapped to her. "What?" she asked.

"Space-time collapse?" Gary echoed.

"Multiple legendaries fighting?" Solana queried.

"I'm surprised the city is still in one piece," Dawn commented.

"Yeah, the damage is pretty contained for a fight like that," May agreed.

Tracey looked to Gary and Solana. "I'm not the only one who feels like they're way to casual about this, right?" he asked.

"I knew there was some kind of disturbance around this place, but not to this degree," Solana muttered. "So, where's our portal maker."

"Here!"

Solana jumped, front flipped, and rotated with 180 twist to land with one hand on her capture stylus and facing whatever had snuck up on her.

From a dark violet swirl framed by a golden ring, a pink and purple horned head stuck out.

"A talking legendary?" Dawn asked.

"That's right! So, I know Pikan, and I recognize Honey Hair and the Blondies, but who're the rest of you?"

"We're friends of Ash," said Gary. He gave each of their names in turn while pointing them out.

"Nice to meet you all. Now, where's Ashkan? I never see him far from Pikan."

"That's where we're hoping you can help us out," said Serena. She quickly explained the situation to the Mischief Pokemon.

"Huh, I can't think of any portals that look like that," Hoopa said thoughtfully. "I'm working on fixing the tower right now, but I can look around!"

The group looked a little discouraged but nodded. "That'd be a great help, thanks," said Solana.

"Righto!" Hoopa tossed one of its rings and passed through to the other side.

"Did… it forget about the tower?" May asked.

"Hoopa's a little simple minded," said Serena. "Well, do we have any other leads?"

"Pika, pika!"

Over the next couple of weeks, trips were made to visit various legendaries across the regions. They visited Zygarde in Kalos, Latias in Alto Mare, Diancie in the Diamond Domain, Lugia in the waters of Johto, and every legendary they could think. While not everyone was able to attend every trip, they saw more legendaries in a month than most people dreamed of seeing it their entire lives.

They also sent the word out to every person they could find. Ash had managed to make a positive impression on multiple current and former regional champions, as well as countless gym leaders, professors, and other notable officials. There were feelers spread out on every conceivable region with a low-key manhunt or search for clues on the identity of the Pokemon that could have abducted Ash.

And yet, they still didn't have a clue where Ash was.

With their repertoire of sources exhausted, and no other clues to explore, everyone eventually went back to their cities and regions, promising to keep an eye out for any new leads.

Everyone took it hard, but Pikachu took especially bad. The second morning after being stuck at home, Delia found him lying in Ash's bed surrounded by a nest of Ash's spare traveling clothes. He spent every day in the Veridian Forest, calling out for Ash. No matter what Delia and Mimey did to coax him, Pikachu was adamant in his routine. Every morning he'd leave with barely a nibble for breakfast, and wouldn't be back until the moon was in the sky. Every night the pile on Ash's bed grew larger, as Pikachu coveted Ash's backpacks, gear, and especially his clothes.

After a week of this, Delia had had enough.

"You can't keep living like this, Pikachu," she told the electric mouse Pokemon sternly as he half-heartedly wiggled a pellet of Pokemon food with his paw.

"Pikapi…"

"I'm worried about Ash too, but what you're doing isn't going to help," Delia stated. "You're running yourself ragged. By the time someone finds a trace of Ash, you won't be fit to come with us."

"Pika!" Pikachu protested. Electric sparks danced across his body.

"You think you can travel in your condition?" Delia asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Pikachu!"

"If Ash is in danger, we need to be able to battle," said Delia. "Can you fight a legendary if you have to?"

"Pika!" Pikachu said confidently.

"Oh, then you wouldn't mind a quick battle with Mimey and me?"

"Chu?" Pikachu's stance faltered as he looked at her in disbelief.

"Well, if you're ready to fight an unknown legendary, then surely a little battle would be a breeze for you, right?" Delia asked sweetly with a pleasant smile on her face. Pikachu felt a shiver of dread run through his spine. "If you win, you can go back to the way you're acting. But if you lose, I want you to listen to me. Sounds good?"

"Pi… pika!" Pikachu looked a little confused by the deal but nodded in agreement.

"Can't say I ever expected to referee for a match like this," said Gary.

"Thanks for taking the time to help us out," Delia said.

"No problem, Mrs. K," said Gary. "Are both sides ready?"

"Good to go!"

"Mime Mime!"

"Pika!"

"This is a one-on-one battle between Mrs. Ketchum and Mimey versus Pikachu. No substitutions. Battle, begin!"

The second the final word left Gary's lips, Pikachu shot forward, leaving white streaks behind him.

Despite seeing the Quick Attack coming, Mimey didn't make a move. He only responded when Delia called out, "Reflect!"

Pikachu's eyes widened before he crashed headfirst into a translucent pink screen. He had already been in the air when the move had come out, and hadn't had time to think of a way to dodge. He bounced off the psychic barrier and rolled backwards, rubbing his head.

"Mimey, use Focus Punch!"

"Pika?"

Pikachu hadn't heard of Mimey knowing that move, and his momentary confusion was enough to give Miney the chance to him square in the chest. Pikachu tumbled head over paws before he managed to find his balance and skid across the ground on all fours.

"Now use Psychic!"

Pikachu felt himself rise as a field of blue surrounded him, but this time he was ready for it. "Pika CHU!"

A Thunderbolt ripped across the battlefield, striking Mimey and driving the psychic/fairy type back. Mimey lost control of its Psychic, leaving Pikachu free to move again. The electric type ran forward with another burst of speed.

"Reflect!" Delia called out.

This time Pikachu was ready. When the barrier appeared in front of him, he rotated his body to land on it, and then redirected his momentum upwards. An orb of electricity formed on his tail, and he threw it down as he ascended.

"Oh, no! Block it with Light Screen!"

A yellow barrier formed over Mimey's head, protecting it from the Electro Ball.

"Pika!" As Pikachu descended from the sky, his tail shone with a sheen of silver.

"Backbend!"

"Pika?" Pikachu wasn't familiar with that move at all, but he still kept through with his attack. The Iron Tail, boosted by gravity, tore through the Light Screen like scissors cutting paper. Pikachu swung towards Mimey's torso—

—Only for the Mr. Mimey to bend over backwards until his head was almost reaching the floor. Pikachu flew over Mimey's folded body and his Iron Tail buried deep into the ground. Mimey gave Pikachu a cheeky upside-down grin.

"Focus Punch!"

Pikachu struggled to pull himself out, but his feet were just a bit too high to push from the ground, and he couldn't get any leverage. He then realized that he could potentially use Thunder to blow up everything around, but before he could generate more than a spark of electricity, the Focus Punch hit him straight in the belly.

The move was strong enough to free Pikachu from the ground as he rolled in an uncontrolled tumble across the battlefield. He struggled to rise to his feet.

"Psychic!"

Pikachu wasn't able to stop the blue aura from surrounding his almost motionless body. He tried once again to force Mimey to release him by aiming a Thunderbolt.

"Swing him!"

Pikachu found his body jerked to the side, causing the attack to go wide. He tried again, this time with electro ball, but Mimey once again swung him, which made the attack go careening off into the distance.

"Pikachu, if you can't break out, I'm going to have to declare them the winners," said Gary.

"Pika!" Pikachu protested as he released another burst of electricity. The attack was just as effective as the others, harmlessly flying nowhere near his intended target.

"Pikachu, if Mimey wanted to, he could've slammed you into the ground until you were unconscious," Gary said very deliberately. "Can you break out?"

Pikachu tried to release another wild burst of electricity, but the effect was much weaker.

Gary raised an arm towards Mimey and Delia. "Pikachu is unable to battle. The winners of this match are Mimey and Mrs. Ketchum!" He announced.

The blue aura Pikachu gently lowered him to the ground before dissipating. Pikachu's head hung as Delia and Mimey approached. The woman rested her hand against his head and rubbed it gently.

"You're Ash's partner, Pikachu," Delia said kindly. "You're both stubborn and clever. But you know you can't keep running yourself to the bone. The rest of the Pokemon on Professor's Oak's ranch are anxious too, but even though they spend most of their time training, they're also eating and sleeping properly. Do you know why you lost that battle?"

Pikachu shook his head.

"Mimey and I watch every televised fight my boy has been in. We even record them and watch them in our free time as well," Delia revealed. "We've seen what you can do at your best, and this was not your best. Mimey and I don't battle often. Even after watching all of your League battles, we shouldn't have won. We wouldn't have won, if you were fighting like yourself. You and Ash have used a lot of clever strategies in your battles, but you kept fighting Mimey head on even though you should know that Mimey is very good at handling straightforward attacks. We beat you with basic strategies and yoga."

"Pika…"

"Pokemon need proper rest and nutrition to fight to their full abilities," said Delia. "I also think you've been fighting wild Pokemon while running around in the forest. You've been feeling frustrated, maybe a bit guilty, and are working hard to handle it, right?" Pikachu nodded guiltily. "No more of that!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu protested. "Pikapi, pika! Pikachu!"

"You think you're the only one who's worried?" Delia asked. "Every year I barely see Ash for more than a few weeks. He and his father are gone so long that I'm constantly worrying about what danger they've gotten themselves into. Especially Ash, since he can't go two months without running into a legendary or a criminal organization. Normally, I trust that you, his other Pokemon, and his friends will be able to keep him safe. But now he's all alone with no one to rely on. How do you think I feel?"

Pikachu felt guilty as he saw the tears fall from Delia's face. "Chu," he said softly.

Delia hiccupped as she wiped at her face. Mimey passed her a hanky, which she blew into. "Thank you, Mimey, and I don't mean for you to feel bad, Pikachu," she said. "I understand what you're feeling, and so do the others. I just don't want you to destroy yourself before we find Ash. Be strong for him, okay?"

"Pika." Pikachu nodded seriously.

"Good. Now, close your eyes."

"Pika?"

"It's a surprise."

"Mime mime!"

Pikachu looked confused, but obediently closed his eyes. A moment later, a weight settled on his head.

"Open them!"

Pikachu opened his eyes to see a compact mirror in front of him. His reflection showed his battered self, with a familiar hat sitting on his head. It was a red cap with a white front, designed with a stylized green triangle that had one side mostly missing.

"Pika! Pikapi!"

"You of all people and Pokemon deserve to have Ash's favorite hat," said Delia. "He always treasured it since he worked hard to win in it in those sweepstakes. I finally persuaded him to get a new one when he was traveling to Hoenn, since his head had grown a bit, and he was starting to outgrow it. So, until we find Ash, I want you to promise me to keep yourself and that hat safe. Okay?"

A teary-eyed Pikachu nodded. Delia embraced him in a tight hug.

"Scep-tile!"

"Infer-nape!"

A glowing green blade collided with a glowing blue fist. A flash of light and explosion of smoke followed the collision as the two Pokemon backed off to their corners.

"Pika, Pikachu!"

Pikachu lectured the two combatants. Despite the size difference, the larger Pokemon listened attentively and nodded before charging up their moves and doing it again.

"Pikachu's looking like a trainer in his own right," Oak observed as he poured himself and Delia cups of tea.

"I guess our battle really got through to him," Delia said. "He's trying to help the other Pokemon by filling Ash's role. And he's doing pretty well from what I can tell."

"Ash did tell me that Pikachu was even smarter than most of his kind even back during the first month of their journey," said Oak. "I guess this was the push he needed to use his intelligence to its full potential."

"I wish it didn't need this to happen."

"Agreed," said Oak. "I know you're taking the hardest of all of us."

"What makes you say that?"

"You only recently reopened the restaurant," Oak said flatly, but not unkindly. "In a small town like this, people tend to talk."

"I guess I should be grateful that no one's asked me about it yet," said Delia. "Is it that obvious?"

"You've been looking like you've had a Gengar in your shadow ever since Ash disappeared," Oak said. "But we all grieve in different ways."

"Like you canceling some of your poetry sessions to spend more time speaking to Professors and Researchers across the world?" Delia teased.

"Well, I can't deny that," said Oak with a chuckle. "We might be getting a lead on something in Alola. The Aether Foundation apparently does a little more than medicine."

"I hope it works out."

"So do I."

They watched the Pokemon train in a peaceful silence, and then Pikachu's ears suddenly shot up. The Pokemon started looking around, his ears twitching.

"What's the matter, Piakchu?" Delia asked.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu asked.

"We might be able to find him, but we're not sure yet," said Professor Oak.

Pikachu shook his head. He bounded away from the sparring Pokemon, drawing glances of confusion, but they returned to their spars. "Pikapi?" he called out, zigzagging from one direction to another.

"Pikachu?" Delia asked.

Pikachu's ears twitched again as he started running around. He didn't seem to have a direction in mind, as he'd go left, right, then backtrack, or even move in a complete circle. Then he took off calling, "Pikapi!"

Professor Oak had a confused frown on his face. "It might be possible that Pikachu is hearing things," he said slowly.

"Or?"

"Or we might have a lead!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet and following after Piakchu.

"Mimey, get the others!" Delia said as she joined the professor.

Thankfully for the aging professor and middle-aged civilian, Pikachu's wasn't running in a straight line. He was zigzagging constantly, calling out his personal name for Ash. Then he suddenly slid to a stop.

The adults came up behind him, and then they were able to see what gave him pause. A green circle with odd lines that vaguely resembled letters was hovering in front of Pikachu, barely visible in the sunlight. Lines formed shapes in the center, and then a dot formed in the center, quickly expanded and turning the circle into a perfect glowing green surface.

"It's just like the one in the drawing!" Oak exclaimed.

Pikachu's ears twitched. "Pikapi!" he called out before jumping forward. His body slipped through the circle, revealing nothing about what was on the other side.

Delia ran forward, fully convinced that her son was on the other side. But less than a second after Pikachu's tail passed through, the circle simply vanished as if it was never there. She grasped at the empy air, and then knelt down on the grass.

"Those symbols, I think I've seen them before," said Professor Oak, coming up behind her. "We might be able to find them after all!"

"Wherever they are, at least they're together again," Delia said, smiling despite the tears trailing down her face.

Chapter Text

"Pikachu!"

"Pikapi!"

Louise gaped in shock when she saw her familiar embrace his, well, familiar. Many times Ash had told her about how the bond between a Mage and their familiar reminded him of himself and Pikachu. She had eventually come to believe him. But now, she could see the evidence in front of her. The sound of their voices, the tears of joy in their eyes, the fierce warmth of their embrace. Yes, that was the true bond a master and familiar were supposed to have. She could feel it.

Why, then, did she also feel a pang of jealousy within her?

"Pikapi, pika pika-chu!"

"A lot's happened, Pikachu," Ash replied, as if he could understand the nonsensical syllables. "This place is like Kalos, but way different. Like no other region we've been to before!"

"Pika pika?" Pikachu's spiky ears seemed to drop as the electric type tilted its head to the side.

"I'll explain later," Ash assured him. "Right now, let me introduce you to everyone. This is Duchess Karin, and her daughters Louise, Cattleya, and Elenore." Ash pointed to each person in turn. "Swablu is in Louise's hair." The flying-type poked its face out and trilled a greeting. "And the sword over here is Derflinger."

"A friend of partner is a friend of mine!"

"Pika?" There was a questioning expression on Pikachu's face, but the tone carried a hint of a threat.

"Derflinger calls us partners because I have some runes that his partner gets," Ash explained. "It's kind of like how Lucario thought I was Sir Aaron based on my Aura."

Pikachu's hackles began to relax, until Derflinger piped in, "Doesn't matter who you are, the Gandalfr is always my partner!"

"Pika Pikapi, Pikachu!" Pikachu retorted.

"Pikachu says he's my partner since he was my first Pokemon, and he's right," said Ash. "Sorry, Derflinger."

"Pi-ka!" Pikachu declared proudly.

"Alright, alright, no need to rub it in furball," the sword grumbled.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes and jumped out of Ash's arms. "Pika-chu!"

With a bolt of lightning thicker than its origin, Pikachu made his displeasure known. The mages in the audience were—figuratively—shocked.

"Woah there! That lightning has some kick to it!" Derflinger exclaimed. "I see how you survived the traitor's lightning magic, partner!"

"Derflinger, stop provoking him," Ash said in exasperation. "And Pikachu, buddy, Derflinger may act like a jerk sometimes, but he's a part of the team. He's not your replacement, okay?"

"Pika…" Pikachu sulked.

"Sorry, partner," the sword apologized.

"He's adorable!" Cattleya squealed. She quickly pushed herself to her feet, relying on Eleonore to steady her. "Can I hold him, please?"

Pikachu took a wary step back.

"Wait, Cattleya," Karin ordered before addressing the boy. "Ash Ketchum."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"I see that your claims do have some merit. I've never seen a creature quite like that one, and while you are capable of using magic, you are certainly no mage."

"It wasn't that bad for a first attempt, was it?" Ash asked.

"Your use of Wind Magic wasn't the dot class spell, Gust, but an improvised wind spell that used more willpower than a triangle class spell, had the cast time of a square class spell, and was barely able to generate line class spell's worth of force," Karin broke down her assessment. "A normal mage of your experience would've suffered Willpower exhaustion after trying to cast such a spell, but then you repeatedly failed to use the Founder's Summoning Ritual. Again, while using an exorbitant amount of Willpower with no results."

"But it worked in the end," Ash said weakly.

"It worked because you were able perform Joint Casting, a highly advanced technique, with Louise, who has only performed the spell once, and that was the only proper spell she has been able to cast," said Karin. "Your power is an anomaly."

"Pika…" Pikachu growled as his cheeks started sparking.

"Is that a bad thing?" Ash asked.

"We shall see," said Karin. "Now that you have your partner, I will face you as a mage would, in a duel."

Ash grinned. "Awesome! Are you ready, Pikachu?"

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered, pumping a fist. He may have been missing a lot of context for what was going on, but if there was thing he was confident about, it was battling with Ash.

"Not right now," Karin stated, taking the wind from their sails. "You've spent more Willpower in the past hour than most mages spend in a day, or even a week. And you've been separated from your partner for weeks. Take the rest of the day to recover. I will face you tomorrow."

The rational part of Ash's mind realized that she was right. "We'll be ready for you!"

"Pi-Pikachu!"

"I look forward to it," Duchess Valiere replied. She then put two fingers to her lips and blew a piercing whistle. A distant roar answered.

Ash and Pikachu turned to where the roar came from. Flying from over the castle walls was a creature neither of them had seen before. It had the body of a male Pyroar, but easily twice if not thrice the size. Its wings were massive and covered in brown feathers: golden brown on the underside next to the golden fur of its body, but a darker brown, like tree bark, elsewhere. As it got closer, its tail became apparent. It was longer than Ash stood tall, with a wickedly sharp stringer on the end.

The beast landed on the ground with surprising softness despite its massive bulk. Without a word, Karin leapt on to its back, and the beast flew away back over the castle walls. Ash and Pikachu silently stared with open-mouthed shock, even as the creature's disappeared from sight

The moment was not to last, however,

"What is wrong with you?!" Lousie exploded.

Ash and Pikchu turned to Louise. "What's wrong?" Ash asked.

"Did you forget that my mother is famous for being a square class mage? She's a prodigy who's led the best squad in the Tristan military. Why would you duel her?"

"Honestly, Pikachu and I try to get all the battles we can," said Ash. "We've battled Champions from across the regions. Besides, she's the one who challenged us. And we aren't going to turn down that opportunity!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, pumping his fist.

"So cute!" Cattleya said, reaching out towards the electric-type.

Pikachu hopped around Ash's leg to put his partner in between him and the strange lady. "Pika?"

"She's fine, Pikachu, the blonde is the scary one," Ash assured him.

"That's rude of you to say," Eleonore said with a glare.

Pikachu quickly reassessed the threat levels of the strangers. When Cattleya reached down and opened her arms, he looked into her eyes, seeing warmth and wonder. He stepped into her grasp, and allowed himself to be picked up without protest.

"Your fur is so soft," Cattleya cooed. "Aren't you just the cutest thing?"

"Sister, keep in mind that it just used triangle class magic," Eleonore said.

"Cute doesn't mean harmless," Cattleya responded. "Oh, Ash, I really need to show you all of the other creatures I take care of!"

"That sounds awesome!" Ash replied enthusiastically. "Louise said you take care of a bunch of different creatures. I want to see if any of them are Pokemon like Pikachu and Swablu."

"Pikapi, Pikachu?"

"Pokemon are rare here, buddy," Ash said. "Aside from a flock of Swablu, Altaria, and I think a regional variant of Altaria, I haven't seen any other Pokemon."

"Pika?"

"The manticore Duchess Karin was riding is a magical creature. They're similar to Pokemon, but they have slightly different Auras and abilities."

"Ash, I haven't said anything because it's hard to tell anything with you," Louise began. "But do you understand what Peeka-shu is saying?"

"Of course! He's my partner, after all!" Ash replied with a grin. "We've been through a lot, so understanding each other is easy."

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered with a fist pump.

"You're so cute I want to just pinch your cheeks!" Cattleya squealed.

Ash sweatdropped. "That wouldn't be a good idea, Pikachu—"

"Builds lightning in his cheeks before releasing it through his body?" Cattleya guessed.

"—yes," Ash said, flatfooted. "How did you know? I thought you haven't seen a Pikachu before?"

"I know a lot about animals and magical creatures," Cattleya replied with a smile. "I can notice the signs your partner makes when he feels threatened, and sparks forming around his adorable red cheeks is one of them."

"Cattleya, while I understand your fascination, don't you think there are more pressing matters?" Elenore asked.

"Right," said Louise. "Ash, you and Pikashu need to prepare. I see that Pikashu is stronger than Swablu, but my mom is even stronger."

"Don't underestimate Pikachu," Ash said. "We're no pushovers."

"My mother makes other square class wind mages look like triangle class," Louise deadpanned. "Even she holds herself back, this won't be as easy as facing Commander Wallace."

"Then we'll just have to train extra hard!"

"Pika pika!"

"I believe mother expected you to take most of this time to rest and recover," said Eleonore. "She doesn't want to face you while you're dead on your feet."

"Having Pikachu back has given me all the energy I need!"

Pikachu squirmed from Cattleya's grip to hop onto Ash's shoulder. The boy stroked the Pokemon's head in response, shifting to the base of Pikachu's neck when he remembered that his old hat covered the top of Pikachu's head.

Louise felt like something in her mind clicked. Several times she had noticed Ash reach over his shoulder, only to awkwardly tap Derflinger's handle or rub the back of his head. Now, the gesture made much more sense. "Your stamina is incredible, but not infinite," she said sternly. "You need to rest at some point."

"Louise, how much do you know about Ash's stamina?" Cattleya asked innocently.

"He once went for two hours—"

"Oh my!"

"—against Commander Wallace at Newcastle!" Louise finished proudly, not noticing Cattleya's disappointment.

"Casting magic is different from physical exhaustion," said Elenore. "Training the body strengths the mind, but the mind tires much faster than the body. You need to sleep."

"Nah, I'm fine!"

Louise suddenly had a devious idea. She waved at Cattleya before putting her hands over her ears. Confused, her sister did the same. "Swablu!" Louise called out. "Use Sing!"

"Swa?" Swablu chirped, looking down at its nest.

"Ash needs to sleep. Sing him a lullaby!" Louise insisted.

"Swablu, take a nap!" Ash countered.

"Swa?" Swablue looked confused as it shifted its attention from its nest, to its trainer, and back to its nest.

"Don't confuse the poor thing," Cattleya admonished the two. "If Ash doesn't want to sleep right now, you don't have to resort to infighting to get him to take a nap."

"Fine…" Louise grumbled.

With a smile, Cattleya pulled out her want and pointed it at Ash. "Sleep. Levitation." A cloud of white and blue sparkles formed around Ash's head, narrowly missing Pikachu. Before the boy's body could fall, gravity ceased its claim on him. His body floated in the air as Pikachu hung on in shock, using his tail to ensure Ash's old cap remained on his head.

Still smiling, Cattleya said, "Let's find him a nice guest room to sleep in. And find some snacks for his friend. He's come all this way, after all."

As Pikachu clung to Ash's unconscious body, the Pokemon couldn't help but wonder if Ash had drastically underestimated the soft-eyed woman.

(line break)

"Are you sure that's the best way to wake him up?"

"It's what I normally do. It takes a few tries though…"

"Pika pikapi pika-chu!"

"I have no idea what you're saying."

"He sounds confident, I say let him try."

"Do you know what he said?"

"No, but who else would know how to wake up Ash but his partner?"

"I'm his partner too!"

"Pikachu!"

"Never underestimate the bond between a mage and familiar!"

"Are you talking about yourself or the sparking mouse, girlie?"

"Pika-chu!"

"Aaah!" Ash yelped as he tumbled out of bed, somehow tangling himself in the sheets and hitting the ground face first. His body went rigid before following his face over the side of the bed and onto the floor.

"Is he hurt?" Cattleya asked worriedly.

"He's fine," Louise dismissed the concern. "He's a slow riser."

"I'm not that slow," Ash groaned as he wormed his way out of the blanket cocoon. "I was just having a great dream. Pikachu was there and…" Ash's eyes widened as he realized that surrounding his bed were Louise, Cattleya, Derflinger, and Pikachu. "Pikachu!"

"Pikapi!"

Ash tried to embrace his partner, but ended up stumbling with the blankets and bowling him over instead.

Cattleya giggled. "He's such an endearing boy," she said. "I see why you like him."

"He's my familiar, why wouldn't I like him?" Louise asked with a huff. "Even if he can be difficult at times."

"Speak for yourself," Ash shot back. He pulled himself out the blankets as Pikachu struggled to stay balanced on the boy's head. "You fuss over your hair and clothes almost every morning."

"And you always try to walk out of the room looking like you just woke up!"

"That's because I did just wake up!"

"You certainly have your energy back," Cattleya tittered.

"Yeah, I told you that I would be fine," Ash replied. "Hey… wait a minute." He pointed an accusing finger at her. "You put me to sleep!"

"Guilty as charged," Cattleya confessed cheekily. "I was worried you'd collapse in the halls, so I thought it would be best if you took a quick nap. Don't worry, it's still only the afternoon, so you have plenty of time to practice together. Besides, this gave us a chance to get acquainted!"

"Pi Pikachu," Pikachu said with an exasperated sigh as he shot a dirty look at Louise.

"Why are you mad at Louise, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"We had some time to chat while you were napping," said Cattleya.

"I tried to explain that the summoning was an accident," Louise said defensively.

"Pi! Pikapi Pikachu pika!"

"Accidents happen, Pikachu," said Ash. "It's not like this is the first time we've been through this."

"Pi…" Pikachu agreed sullenly.

"Wait," Louise interjected. "What do you mean, this isn't the first—"

"Besides, Louise was the one to help me bring you here," Ash continued. "I couldn't have done it without her."

"Pika pika," Pikachu said with a nod.

"I'm still not sure who we're going to get back to Kanto, but we'll figure it out together. All of us. Sounds good, Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!"

"Partner, I hate agreeing with the little girlie here, but sometimes, you make less sense than a drunk poet."

"I reluctantly concur," Louise grumbled. "And don't call me girlie!"

"Ah! But you don't deny the 'little' part!"

Ash sighed and grabbed the sword from where it was resting against the side of the bed. "Derflinger, you really need to stop annoying people so much," he said as he put on the sword's sheath. "It's not good for team morale."

"You argue with her all the time!"

"It's different."

"How?"

"Louise doesn't threaten to turn me into scrap metal."

"…well, I can't argue with that one."

Pikachu facepalmed. "Pi pika."

"Right, time for practice!" Ash said. "Where's a yard we can use?"

Cattleya beamed and pointed towards the room's biggest window, which was as large as a door. "I made sure to give you a guest room that was attached to an unused courtyard," she said. "We don't have any other guests at the moment, so this space is free for you to use as you like."

Ash and Pikachu went up to the window. The courtyard was mostly open, with a scattering of small trees lining the perimeter walls. A perfect place for a Pokemon battle.

"Let's go!" Ash said, trying to push against the window.

Pikachu, standing on Ash's shoulder, noticed a handle on the side of the window. He jumped on it, causing the door to open, and Ash to stumble onto a small balcony.

"Don't fall over," said Louise. "It'll only take a minute for us to take the steps down."

"Every minute counts!" Ash called out in response.

Then he jumped.

Pikachu followed only a split second after.

"Ash!" Lousie cried out.

The boy made excellent horizontal distance, landing on the branch of one of the small trees and branching hopping his way down to kill momentum before leaping to the ground. Pikachu landed comfortably on his shoulder, and the two waved up at their audience.

"He's going to give me a heart attack," Lousie grumbled.

"Oh, my," said Cattleya, covering her mouth with a hand. "That was impressive! Is he always this… lively?"

"Unfortunately…"

While the sisters decided to remain on the balcony, Ash and Pikachu readied for their practice.

"Alright, Pikachu. Normally, you do the battling while I call the shots, but this time, we'll both be fighting."

"Pikapi pika?" Pikachu looked skeptically at the sword on Ash's back.

"Derf eats magic. And Pokemon moves, kind of," Ash explained. "And I've been learning how to fight. These runes on my hand give me a boost." He drew Derflinger by the hilt, causing the marks on his hands to glow. "I've also been practicing some moves with my Aura. I've gotten pretty strong."

"Pika, pikachu!" Pikachu got on all fours and began building electricity in his cheeks.

"So you've gotten some practice too? Great! Let's see how hard we've been training! Pikachu, I challenge you!"

"Pikachu!"

The two split up to opposite sides of the field.

"Are they… fighting each other?" Cattleya questioned.

"For some reason, this is how he trains," Louise replied with a sigh.

"Swablu, come out and watch a battle!" Ash called.

The blue Pokemon stuck its face out of its nest without leaving its warm confines.

"You ready, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he readied Derflinger.

"Pikachu!"

"You can't swing Derflinger around unsheathed!" Louise called out. "You'll cut him in half!"

"Don't worry, Pikachu's an electric-type, so steel isn't very effective."

"What?"

"He'll be fine," Ash simplified. "If he can face a legendary dragon, this should be easy. Right, buddy?"

"Pika!"

"What?"

"Let's go!" Ash called out as he raced towards Pikachu. The mouse Pokemon moved in the same moment, dashing over the ground with surprising speed for his stubby limbs.

The two met in the center of the courtyard, right in front of the balcony. At the last second, Pikachu jumped into the air and gained a silvery glow in his tail. The tail and sword met in a metallic clang. To Louise's surprise, Ash was the one pushed back by the exchange.

Ash recovered quickly, bringing Derflinger in a low sweep. Pikachu hopped high over it, forming an orb of electricity on his tail and throwing it back as he disengaged. Ash continued his momentum in a spin, bringing Derflinger for a second slash. This cut split the Electro Ball in two, with the halves falling on either side of Ash as he dashed forward with a blue haze around his body.

Pikachu landed on the ground and dashed forward; this time much faster than before as white streaks formed behind him. Rather than swing Derflinger, Ash held the sword to the side as he held his right hand out and called out, "Barrier!"

Pikachu tried hitting him with Quick Attack, only to crash against a blue circle. Pikachu tumbled back, only to be hit by a swing from Derflinger.

To Ash's surprise, the blade cut into Pikachu's skin. Not deep, but enough to leave a bright red line across his side. "Pikachu!" Ash cried out. "Are you hurt?"

"Pi?" Piakchu glanced at the wound along the side of his body. "Pika."

While the Pokemon didn't seem concerned by the injury, Ash looked hesitant to continue the fight. "I don't want you to get seriously hurt," Ash said.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu protested.

"I do know some water magic healing," Cattleya offered. "As long it's small, I can patch you up. Just try not to break any bones, those will take weeks to heal, and a more trained professional to speed up the recovery time."

Ash relaxed a little bit at that, but still looked hesitant to continue the bout.

"Pika, pikapi, pikachu!" Pikachu argued.

"Yeah, we've had battles before, but it feels different when I'm actually hitting you," said Ash. "But… you're right. We've got a tough battle coming up, and we can't afford to hold back this much." Ash turned his cap around. "If you're sure, Pikachu, then bring it on!"

"Pika!" Pikachu dashed toward Ash with Quick Attack, and then started building electricity in his cheeks. "Pika-pika-pika-pikachu!"

Ash brought Derflinger in front of him, guarding with the flat of the blade. "Barrier!" he called out, pulsing out with his Aura. The Aura flowed into Derflinger, manifesting into an oval shaped shield that covered the sword's length. Pikachu's Quick Attack-empowered Volt Tackle cracked and then shattered the Barrier, leaving only Derflinger standing between Ash and his Pokemon. Derflinger drank up the excess electric energy cackling across Pikachu's body, but Ash was still sent skidding back.

"Hm, didn't know Aura could be used like that," Derflinger mumbled. "Feels almost familiar."

Pikachu landed on the ground, moderately disoriented from the recoil of Volt Tackle and the unexpected resistance from Ash. "Pika, Pikapi," he said with a wince.

"You're strong too, buddy," Ash said. "Show me what you're really made of!"

Pikachu decided to respond with his signature move. "Pika-chu!"

To the Pokemon's surprise, Ash opted to leap out of the way, and then held a hand out. A blue orb slowly formed in his palm, until it was about the size of his head. "Aura Sphere!"

"Pika!" Pikachu swatted the middling-sized orb back with Iron Tail.

Ash returned it with Derflinger.

Pikachu struck it back harder.

Ash's eyes blazed blue as he returned it with equal vigor.

The small aura sphere continued to pick up speed as Ash and Pikachu continued deflecting the attack back to each other. The pattern was only broken when Pikachu shifted the angle of his body, impaling his tail on the orb. Then, electricity started to surround it.

Ash paused in surprise. "Well, that's new," he commented.

Pikachu mirrored Ash's earlier action, turning the cap on his head backwards with a grin. "Pika!" The pokemon cried as he ran towards Ash, the Aura Sphere surrounded by Electro Ball, while being held at the end of an Iron Tail.

"Partner, for the love of all magic, what is that?" Derflinger asked.

"Electro Aura Tail, I guess," Ash replied, with a proud grin. "Get ready, Derflinger, I think this is going to be the strongest attack yet!"

"Suddenly, your craziness makes sense," Derflinger remarked. "I'll eat as much as I can, but even with that shield trick we may not hold up!"

"We'll never know unless we try!" Ash declared. His entire body blazed blue as he pushed as much of his Aura as he could into Derflinger, making a shield that he braced into the ground for extra resistance. "Give us all you got, Pikachu!"

"Pi, Pikapi!"

The three-move combo crashed against the vibrant blue shield.

Then Ash was knocked unconscious for the second time that day.

Chapter Text

"Are you certain you're up for this?" Louise asked.

"Of course!" Ash replied enthusiastically in between bites of food. They were having breakfast in one of the castle's smaller guest dining rooms, and Ash had no hesitation in showing his appreciation for the bountiful feast before him. "I'll have Pikachu and Derflinger with me, and you, Swablu, and Cattleya cheering me on!"

"You hardly had any time to train since Pikachu knocked you out," Louise pointed out.

"Pi," Pikachu said apologetically from his seat at the table.

Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, I forgot how hard Pikachu could hit when he gets serious," he acknowledged. "But that battle was all we needed to get back on the same page. Right, buddy?"

"Pikachu!"

Louise narrowed her eyes, but then sighed in defeat. "I'd say you're overconfident or lying, but after what I saw yesterday… just, try to be more careful when dueling my mom, okay?"

Ash opened his mouth to agree, but then paused, for once, to think. "I don't know if I can do that," he said honestly. "Duels are apparently a big deal, if I remember Kalos history correctly. I can't give anything less than my best, and I can't do that while being careful."

While Louise wanted to argue, she knew the truth behind his observation. "Fine," she conceded. "But try to not to die or get maimed."

"Your mom wouldn't go that far, would she?" Ash asked nervously.

"Maybe you should've thought of that before accepting a duel," Louise replied spitefully.

"She won't," Cattleya piped up from her seat next to Louise. "She may break a limb or two, but she'll probably only leave you bruised all over."

Ash stared at her in surprise, and even Louise looked a little nervous.

"But I'm sure you'll be fine," Cattleya assured Ash with a warm smile. "I don't think I've ever seen a powerful creature like your adorable Pikachu!"

"Adorable or not, why are your creatures seated at the table?" Eleonore, who sat next to Cattleya, looked across the table to where Pikachu, Swablu, and even Derflinger had a place at the table for themselves. The pokemon each had plates of food they were devouring, while Derflinger sat in the chair with an empty plate in front of him. "Your sword can't even eat!"

"No one else is using the chair," Ash said defensively. "He might as well have a seat since everyone else is." Technically, Swablu wasn't even using its chair, but his point remained.

"And I like the smell!" Derflinger chimed in. "It's easier to get the aroma from up here."

"How can you smell?" Eleonore protested. "You don't even have a nose!"

"I don't have ears, but I can still hear your whiny voice!"

"You're not helping, Derflinger," Ash said with a sigh. "We already have one Valliere to duel, let's not try to start another fight."

"Where is mother, by the way?" Louise asked her sisters.

"She took a private breakfast on the grounds," Eleonore replied. "It's poor form to be in polite company with someone you plan to duel."

"Aha!" Derflinger exclaimed. "So, you don't plan on dueling us!"

"My mind might change on that matter," Eleonore replied icily.

"Derflinger, cease your petty squabbling with my sister, or you will remain on the floor the rest of your stay," Louise threatened the sword.

"Sorry, girlie, but my partner here is the only one who can boss me around!"

"I agree with Louise," said Ash. "We're guests. We shouldn't be rude to our hosts."

"What?!" Derflinger exclaimed.

"Pika," Pikachu said smugly.

"Wet blankets, the lot of you!"

Ash looked himself over. "I'm pretty sure I dried off after my shower," he responded.

"…I give up. Let's go fight the Duchess of Tornados already."

The chosen battlefield was yet another courtyard at the back of the castle. The sheer amount of space the castle grounds covered made Ash wonder why it was occupied by so few people. While he'd passed several servants in the halls, despite the Valliere castle being almost the size of the royal castle, he doubted it held even a fraction of the population.

Karin was already waiting for them when they arrived. She was standing next to her Manticore, her gaze locked on Ash. The boy stepped forward, only to be stopped when Louise took hold of his hand.

"I don't care if you win or lose, just try to not get hurt too badly, okay?" she tried to make it sound like an order, but the uncertainty in her voice grew stronger as she finished.

"I'll try to avoid anything worse than bumps and bruises," Ash promised. "And we'll try to win too. Right guys?"

"Pika! Pika!"

"You got that right, partner!"

Louise couldn't help the proud smile that spread across her face. She turned away quickly and made her way back to her sisters, who remained in the shade of the courtyard wall, far from the potential collateral damage. Cattleya gave her a knowing, teasing smile.

"So, you still wish to face me?" Karin asked as Ash approached.

"We're always up for a challenge," Ash declared.

"Your courage is commendable, however—" the duchess's voice grew harsher "—there is a fine line between bravery and foolishness."

At that point, Ash felt like he had to ask, "Does everyone expect us to lose that badly? Even if we don't win, we're going to give it our all. We won't give up no matter how many times you try to scare us!"

"Pikachu!"

"You tell her, partner!"

"Unwavering dedication, even in the face of adversity," the duchess said, so softly Ash barely caught it. In a louder voice, she declared, "Very well. Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, prepare yourself."

"We're ready when you are!"

From the sidelines, Eleonore called out, "Begin!"

The duchess wasted no time, chanting and drawing her sword in one swift motion. "Wind Blades!"

"Get down, Pikachu!" Ash called out, drawing Derflinger and channeling his Aura. He hunkered down with Pikachu, hiding behind the barrier he projected from Derflinger's blade. The attack reminded him of Razor Wind, but with a much shorter delay. Once the barrage of attacks stopped, he called out, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu leapt high out from the cover. "Pika-chu!"

"Wind Shield!" Karin moved with calm and practiced movements, summoning a convex barrier of wind that dispersed the stream of electricity.

"Aura Sphere!"

The small blue orb Ash fired ground uselessly into the Wind Shield as well before exploding harmlessly. The explosion created a small smokescreen, giving Ash a window to charge the barrier directly.

Karin watched his approach stoically, feeling disappointed. Wind Shield was well-known for its ability to deflect almost any attack, be it from magic or physical sources. Despite the unsubstantial element, it took overwhelming power to break through such a spell. Ash was certainly stronger than a boy his age should be, but raw force alone would never penetrate her defenses.

The duchess's eyes widened in surprise when Derflinger pierced through the barrier. The thrust was slowed considerably, but the sword steadily slid through, unraveling the spell like a knife cutting through threads of thick yarn. Karin put her own sword against Derflinger's blade and pushed.

To his credit, Ash managed to stay on his feet. However, Derflinger was successfully pushed out of the Wind Shield, and Ash was clearly off balance. She dispersed the spell and lunged forward, only to see a blur of movement in the corner of her eye. She pulled back, letting Pikachu streak in between her and Ash.

"Get him," she commanded.

Her manticore lunged forward, like a cat pouncing on a mouse. Pikachu zigzagged to dodge with surprising speed and agility.

"Thunderbolt!"

Karin noticed that even as Ash gave the command, he only briefly glanced at the fight between familiars, keeping his attention focused on her. There was a technique for mages to use the familiar contract to share senses with their familiars, but that usually took months to learn, if not years. She knew that Ash would not have been able to pick it up within a single day. Despite this, he was still able to properly command his familiar in combat. That was a level of confidence that could only come from deep trust, which was usually built through experience.

Experience that the average teenager did not have.

Ash engaged her again, using the same straight forward thrust as before. For all his battlefield awareness, he didn't seem to have a foundation on combat. His form was surprisingly crisp, but very clearly telegraphed. The average soldier would be overwhelmed by his speed and power. However…

Clang!

Karin of the Heavy Wind was far from average. She struck down, sending Derflinger into the dirt before swinging upwards, being careful to angle the flat of the blade so she would only break a rib instead of cutting the boy in half.

Ash surprised her by leaning far back, taking one hand off his sword, before reengaging. He pulled Derflinger out of the ground, holding the sword in an awkward reverse-grip while reaching out to her with his free hand.

A casual sword swing deflected Derflinger, and Karin sidestepped Ash's open hand before spinning on her heel and kicking him in the gut. She had a preference for wearing short but well-tapered heels, which doubled as an effective weapon when hitting an unarmored opponent The boy tumbled backwards and rolled back onto his feet, not losing his grip on his sword.

The duchess quickly checked on her manticore using their connection. The electric mouse was proving to be quite nimble, dancing around her familiar and throwing out blasts of electricity every time it gained enough distance. Her manticore had been hit the first time, but not since then. Karin was certain that her manticore would be able to catch Pikachu if they were moving in a straight line, but Pikachu's nimbleness was a vexing issue, especially since this was land battle.

"Pikachu, use Thunder Wave!"

Ash had used the extra space to reassess Pikachu's situation. He was unused to not being able to keep an eye on Pikachu during the entire fight, but he trusted Pikachu's judgement.

Pikachu fired a bolt of electricity, notably weaker than the previous ones. Her manticore dodged all the same, and then lunged forward. Pikachu dodged to the side, but this time the Manticore's tail was poised to strike. The tail was clad in a thick exoskeleton, it's stinger tipped with one of the deadliest venoms known on Halkegenia. Of course, Karin wasn't planning on using such an extreme measure in this fight. The tail was over twice Pikachu's length from ear to tail, so even a glancing hit from the bulb would hurt.

"Iron Tail!"

Pikachu's tail glowed with a silvery sheen as it deflected the deadly tail.

Karin's eyes narrowed at the development. She had assumed that the unfamiliar creature was more of a more magical inclination, and the triangle-class spells it was throwing around substantiated that idea. Its agility and size made it also seem frail, but it was able to strike with surprising physical strength.

Seeing the duchess look distracted, Ash took a moment to hold his free hand out and use, "Aura Sphere!"

"Crescent Wind."

A slice of wind, expanding as it flew until it was longer than the duchess was tall, ripped through the Aura Sphere with ease. Ash leapt to the side, a nervous but excited grin on his face. "Looks we're taking it up a notch," he said. He crouched down into a sprinter's stance and pushed off the ground, blitzing towards Karin.

He was certainly moving faster than before. Karin assumed that Ash was using a subtle spell to increase his speed. While his speed was impressive, it wasn't anything she hadn't seen from training Wardes. And as per usual, his attack was clearly telegraphed. Worse, he was only thrusting with one hand, which made parrying his attack comically easy.

Karin's eyes widened as she realized that Derflinger was parried far too easily. Her instincts were proven true as Ash spun in midair with the momentum, planting Derflinger in the ground so he could use both feet to dropkick her.

Ash's feet caught her right in her ribs. The duchess was knocked a pace back, but caught herself quickly and grabbed one of Ash's legs. Rather than hang helplessly, Ash pulled himself towards her, yanking Derflinger out of the ground in the process, forcing Karin to drop his leg and get more space to defend with her sword.

"Innovative, but clumsy," she lectured him, shoving him back. This time, she went on the offensive, striking with a balance of speed and precision that Ash struggled to keep up with. Her parries made his physical strength useless, and the positioning of her blade prevented him from making openings with his usual wild swings.

"Then we'll get more creative!" Ash responded. "Pikachu, use Thunder Wave!"

Pikachu jumped high into the air to get space from Karin's Manticore. "Pika-chu!"

Karin's attention was focused on pressuring Ash, but a warning howl from her familiar gave her pause. Sharing her manticore's vision, she saw that rather than target his opponent, Pikachu had aimed his attack at her. She pulled back, only to be stopped by Ash grabbing her arm while standing in the path of the attack.

The duchess didn't even have time to cast a defensive spell before the electric-type move struck Ash, and then flowed into her.

"Foolhardy," she said, forcing her body to enunciate the words. She could still move, by sheer force of will, but she was clearly debilitated. Every movement she tried to make was slow and jerky. "Crippling yourself with your opponent is a death sentence on the battlefield."

"I'll be fine," Ash said assuredly. His eyes shone blue, as did the hand that was gripping her arm. "Force Palm!"

As Karin's feet skidded over the grass, she cast a quick lightning spell of her own, Ash swung Derflinger to block the bolt before charging at her with far more speed than a normal person should have in his condition.

"Celerity," she chanted. While her muscles still weren't responding properly, with her enhanced speed she was easily able to outpace Ash.

Then Ash became outlined in a blue haze, and his speed redoubled as well. The duchess found herself only going blow for blow, with her previous skill advantage being hampered by the partial paralysis, and her speed and strength being matched, if not surpassed.

Over at the familiars, Pikachu was desperate to get some distance. Going up in the air had given space to assist Ash, but it had cost Pikachu his own advantage. Manticores were well suited for aerial combat, and once Pikachu touched back on the ground, he no longer had the space to charge enough electricity to force the familiar to back off. "Pikapi!" he called out.

"Quick Attack, then Iron Tail!" Ash responded, only needing a quick glance to assess the situation and come up with a plan.

Given what Ash had displayed so far, Karin had an inkling of what Pikachu was going to do. "To me!" Karin commanded her familiar.

Pikachu sprinted towards the two humans, but in a burst of speed, Karin's Manticore reached them first. Karin leapt upwards and landed on her Manticore's back. Pikachu ran to Ash, who presented the flat of Derflinger's blade like a springboard and launched Pikachu into the air after them. Piakchu's Tail glowed with a metallic sheen as he swung for Karin, who deflected it with her own blade. Her Manticore then smacked Pikachu away with one of its wings.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Pika-chu!"

"Wind Shield!" Karin countered. The lightning struck the circle of swirling wind, but failed to penetrate.

Ash planted Derflinger in the ground to catch Pikachu with both arms. "We'll go for a combo attack," he said. "Electro Aura Sphere!"

Ash charged his Aura Sphere near Pikachu's tail, and then Pikachu formed an Electro Ball around it. The electric orb had faint showings of blue underneath, and was notable larger than an average Electro Ball.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried as he threw the attack.

Karin watched as the orb flew into her shield. The swirling winds ate away at the electricity and the blue aura underneath. The attack exploded, and the smoke quickly cleared away, leaving her unscathed.

"Is that all?" she called out.

"Time to give it your all, Pikachu," said Ash. "Use Thunderbolt!"

"Pi…" Pikachu charged up as much as electricity into his cheeks as he could, and then released with a "ka-chu!"

This bolt of lightning was thicker than the last. Rather than be broken down by the Wind Shield, it collided and flared around it, as if it were a torrent of water breaking against a rock. Karin also quickly noticed that the attack wasn't stopping. It was not a burst of lightning, but a constant stream. She could feel the triangle class spell buckle under the pressure. Wordlessly, she nudged her manticore with her leg. Her familiar responded by banking sharply to the side a mere second before the Wind Shield exploded, and the lightning pierced through her previous position.

On the sidelines, Eleonore's jaw dropped. "That lightning, it had the power of a square class spell. How?"

"Ash certainly is impressive, right Louise?" Cattleya asked with an impish smile.

Louise, enraptured by the sight, nodded along, not even consciously registering the words.

Karin, from the safety of her Manticore, circled around Ash until all that was behind him was open fields. "Do your best to survive," she called out as she raised her sword in the sky.

Ash could see the power building up around Karin. The aura of her body was flaring brightly, much like when Louise was putting her full effort into her explosions. "Derflinger, how much of that spell do you think you can eat?" he asked.

"Partner, I can feel the tingling from all the way over here. I don't think I'm going to be much help stopping this one."

"Pika pi…" Pikachu said nervously.

"Heavy Wind!"

"Mother, no!" Lousie cried out. "You're going to kill him!"

Swablu, who had been content to watch this all unfold from the comfort of Louise's hair, popped its head out to better see the chaos unfold.

Below Karin's manticore, three tornados sprang into existence. Each was the size of a castle tower, and were filled with a swarm of Wind Blades. Ash's eyes bulged as his Aura Sight took in the full scale of the spell. "Pikachu, we're going to have improvise a new version of Counter Shield. You ready?"

"Pika!"

"Derflinger, can you focus on absorbing the wind more than Pikachu's lightning?"

"Magic is easier for me to digest than his lightning, but this is new territory, partner," Derflinger warned Ash.

"Someone's got be the first," Ash said encouragingly, even as the tornados bore down on their position. He held Derflinger high in front of him. "Pikachu, use Thunder all around us! Derflinger, drink up!"

"Pika-chu!"

Ash closed his eyes and fully embraced the Aura within him. The hazy glow around him flared like bonfire. Instead of using this Aura as a shield to weather the storm, he let the Aura flow through his body, and he dove straight into the central tornado. He dove in, eyes still closed, relying on his Aura Sense instead of his sight. When he sensed a Wind Blade, he let the runes' autopilot takeover his body, allowing Derflinger to slice through each one with ease. Pikachu's constant use of Thunder constantly shocked Ash's body, but with his Aura and natural endurance, it was hardly a hinderance. Derflinger's blade drank in a little of the attack and also guided most of the lightning in front of them, but that only aided in Ash's plan. The biting winds of the Tornado were unable to pierce the power of Pikachu's Thunder, and stray Windblades often crashed ineffectively against the improvised counter shield.

As the Valliere ladies watched anxiously, the Heavy Wind spell tore through the ground. Slicing through the central tornado was Ash, sparking with remnants of lightning and radiating a dying blue glow. Ash raised Derflinger in triumph—

—Only for Karin's Manticore to divebomb him, sending him face first into the ground.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu declared, swinging with Iron Tail. Karin parried and then retaliated. While Pikachu was able to block her first strike, he was too slow to block the second. The duchess's sword caught him in the stomach, sending him skidding into the ruined grass.

Karin surveyed her work. Pikachu was out cold—she had hit him with the flat end, but she hadn't held back her strength or speed—and Ash, despite having over a ton of weight crash into him after fighting his way through her signature spell, was still struggling to rise from underneath her Manticore's paw. The glow of his Aura had faded, but she could see the glow of the runes shining brightly from underneath his fingerless gloves. One of his hands still held Derflinger, while the other was braced against the ground in an effort to push himself up despite the colossal weight on his back.

Karin stepped towards Ash and put her blade to his throat. "Do you yield?" she asked.

Ash took a moment to swallow, "I yield," he agreed.

Karin sheathed her blade as her familiar stepped off of Ash. She offered her hand, and, with a brief look of surprise, he took it with a smile. Then he dashed over to Pikachu. The duchess was surprised that he'd break decorum, but only for a moment. Seeing the concern in Ash's face as he picked up his long-time partner, she found herself nodding in approval.

"You did great, Pikachu," Ash assured his Pokemon. Pikachu stirred in response to Ash's voice. "Get some rest, you deserve it."

"Pika… pikapi…" Pikachu said sleepily, before curling up in Ash's in embrace.

Ash carefully walked back to where Karin and her manticore stood, making sure that Pikachu was properly cradled in one arm in a way that he wouldn't be jostled and the cap on his head wouldn't move either. The other hand still held Derflinger, with the runes still faintly glowing. "Thank you for the duel, Duchess Karin," Ash said, ducking his head. "It was an honor. We learned a lot from this."

"Good," Karin replied. "You have potential. Don't waste it."

"I'll do my best."

Karin gave him and Pikachu an evaluating look. "A question, if you will. Your familiar, are all of its species that strong?" she asked curiously.

"Ah, no, not really," Ash admitted. "Pikachu are pretty popular pets; not many trainers catch them for battling. And if they do, they usually evolve them into Raichu. But Pikachu doesn't want to evolve, so his strength comes from all the training and battles we've done."

The specifics of what Ash explained sounded like gibberish to Karin, but she could understand the gist of it. "Manchester has fought many familiars and mounts, but few have given them as much trouble as your familiar," she said. "And you, if I was still the Captain of the Manticore Knights, I would recruit you immediately."

"Uh…" Ash sweatdropped. "I'm flattered, but… why? Without these runes I don't even know how to swing a sword, and I don't know the first thing about being a soldier."

"You held back at the start of our duel," Karin stated.

"So did you," Ash shot back.

"I held back because I was testing you. You held back to test me as well, and to catch me off guard with your true abilities," Karin responded clinically. "You knew you lacked formal training, so you played a fool and used unorthodox and elaborate plans to get every advantage you could find. When faced with an attack you couldn't endure, you took the initiative to go on the counteroffensive. Your bond with your familiar is on par with seasoned soldiers with years of combat experience. Even now, you're exhausted on your feet, but your first action was to see to your familiar, even though the polite thing to do would be to address me first."

"Ah, sorry?" Ash apologized. "I'm not good with the formal customs here."

"Would you do the same thing now that you are aware?"

"Yes," Ash replied immediately. "Sorry, but Pikachu will always be my first priority."

"Then don't apologize," Karin said firmly. "Your actions are noble, and all who say otherwise fail to understand the importance of the bond between mages and familiars. Speaking of, there is someone who is waiting. You should go."

There was a long moment of blankness on Ash's face, before he turned to where the spectating crowd had been. Louise was standing at the edge of the ruined grass, hands kneading the edges of her skirt, with Swablu's face sticking out from her voluminous hair. Ash quickly bowed his head to Karin before trudging through the ruined ground. The winds had turned the perfect lawn into a twisted stew of grassy dirt clumps and uneven footing. Ash stumbled and nearly fell twice before he finally made it to where Louise was standing.

"Sorry, Louise, we couldn't win," Ash said sheepishly.

"You idiot," Louise said with surprising gentleness, hitting his shoulder with her fist. Compared to her usual hits, it felt like a light tap. "What kind of idiotic, stupid, moron runs straight into a Square Class spell?"

"It worked, kind of," Ash said in his defense.

"Swa! Swa!" Swablu chirped happily.

Louise shook her head and wrapped her arms around Ash, pulling him close, their bodies only separated by Pikachu's sleeping form. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"I get it, I get it," Ash said drily.

"Aww, you two are so cute together!"

Louise jumped away and nailed her hands to her sides. "It's only natural for a mage to check on her familiar," she instinctively said in her defense.

Catttleya's smile only widened at that. "Of course, Louise, I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

Eleonore, who stood beside Cattleya, gave Ash a critical glance, and then sighed. "I must apologize for my earlier conduct," she said, sounding embarrassed as she forced the words to come out. "You… certainly aren't an ordinary commoner, and there likely is some truth to the rumors."

It wasn't the best apology Ash had heard, especially when it was said through gritted teeth, but he nodded and said, "Apology accepted. Some of the rumors probably exaggerated a bit, but I've made some friends that helped make the impossible into reality."

"Now, how about we get you two to a nice bed and healer," said Cattleya.

"Yeah," Ash said, sheathing Derflinger. "I'm beat." When the glow from the runes faded, Ash stumbled forward. Louise yelped as he fell into her. Caught off guard and lacking in physicality, she hardly slowed him down as they fell to the ground.

"Ash! What are you—get off me!" Louise quickly realized that Ash was out cold. And she couldn't push him off; he had Pikachu cradled with him. "Cattleya, Eleonore, help me!"

"How romantic," Cattleya said dreamily.

"Really, sister?" Eleonore scoffed. With a quick chant she levitated Ash and Pikachu off of Louise. "If he was awake, I would threaten him for his impropriety."

"For falling asleep in the arms of his lover?"

"I'm not his lover!" Louise protested vehemently.

Her furious blush was less than convincing.