Author Notes:

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I thought I'd celebrated this wonderful holiday by writing up this idea that I've had for a while, and so here we are! While the idea for this story has more or less stayed the same since its inception, the actual format has changed repeatedly. First this was a one shot, then a three shot, then a full story (probably around 7 chapter I think was the goal), started getting written with as a three shot, then was changed back into a one shot halfway through the first chapter. The idea of Louise summoning Kyubey isn't exactly a new and original idea, I can think of two stories with that as the premise off the top of my head, but I kind of wanted to put my own spin on it. I think it could have been a bit better, the last third could have been handled a bit better, but I'm rather pleased with how it came out. Oh, the cards at the end are an idea I had, since they didn't show up in the story proper. Enjoy the story!

Make a Wish

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Louise wondered out loud, looking down at the ground to see what her summoning ritual had brought forth.

It was a small creature, no larger then a rabbit and with the ears to match, with what looked like gold bands hovering near the ends. It was white in color, excluding the tips of it's ears which were light pink and the red circle on its back. Its big, bushy tail twitched back and forth as its large red eyes stared unblinkingly at Louise.

"It's okay Ms. Valliere, I'll allow you another chance," Professor Colbert tells her in an assuring tone.

"Founder knows the Zero needs it," a student in the crowd adds under their breath, followed by a crowd chuckle.

"What do you mean Professor?" Louise asks, ignoring the crowd. "My familiar is right there, in the middle of the summoning circle."

As she finishes saying this, the creature slowly walks towards her until it was right in front of her. Louise looks down at the creature, which in turn stares into her eyes. What kind of creature are you anyway? Louise thought to herself, looking at the bunny-cat.

"Ms. Valliere, I know that not summoning a familiar when your record is as spotty as it is can be rather disheartening but-"

"No, really. It's right here," Louise says, slightly nudging the bunny-cat with her foot. It reacts by slightly tilting its head and saying nothing. Not really sure what I expected in that regard, Louise thinks to herself.

"Ms. Valliere, are you perhaps feeling ill?" Colbert asks, in an increasingly worried tone. "Shall I call a water mage? I can understand if you were perhaps studying late into the night and didn't get much sleep."

The statement did little to ease Louise's confusion. Once she heard the comments from the crowd she started to see things a bit more clearly. What had once been a group of people jeering her and mocking her for her repeated failures were whispering to each other in genuine concern. Had she finally lost it? Had the weight and pressure of her repeated failures finally gotten to her head and driven her mad? No they hadn't. At least, not that she was aware which isn't saying much if one thought on it. However, it was the only though she had in that regard, which led Louise to one conclusion.

They can't see it.

After all these years she finally manages to successfully cast a spell (on her first try, no less!) and no one can see the fruits of her many labors. Louise felt as though the very air around her had been turned into solid irony. Well, all I need to do is finish the contract, right? Louise thought to herself. Provided I am as sane I as I think I am, then the creature should actually be here which means that the familiar contract should work, right?

That last bit of hope in mind, Louise begins her chant to complete the ritual. She finishes her spell, and touches her wand to the creature's forehead. Again, the creature does nothing except examine Louise, an act which is slowly starting to annoy and unnerve the girl. Since the shock of having actually succeeded at something has started to wear off, her familiar's behavior now has free reign to make her as uneasy as possible.

This, however, does nothing to stop Louise from completing the ritual as intended. There's a small, but bright light after Louise's wand touches the creature. The light, unlike the creature, was not invisible to the others and it did a rather good job of shutting the crowd up.

"See? I did summon something. First try even," Louise says. "Pretty cool how only I can see it, isn't it? I suppose this means I'm not a Zero anymore, doesn't it?"

Later that night Louise was resting in her room. Her familiar was sitting on her bed, staring at her. Louise had tried to mostly ignore the questions she kept receiving about her familiar, but now that they were alone they started coming to mind again. "What is it? What does it look like? What can it do? It does exist, right? You're not just messing with us, right?"

Of course she wasn't. Louise honestly wasn't even certain how she would be able to fake something like this. She wondered just who could come up with something like her familiar. It didn't look like anything she had ever heard of before. She had never heard of a semi-invisible rabbit before. At least, she didn't think that she had. It sounded more like something she would have thought up in a nightmare as a child.

So what could it be? Some kind of fairy? No, most fairies at least had something resembling a human shape, even if they were usually no taller then a pencil and fluttered around spreading fairy dust everywhere. Maybe it was some kind of water spirit and was using a water spell to bend the light so no one could see it? No, if that was it then Louise shouldn't be able to see it either.

"Geez, just what are you anyway?" Louise wonders aloud.

"Kyubey," her familiar replies.

"Ahh!"

*THUD*

"Ow," Louise says, rubbing her rear that had recently become acquainted with the hardwood floor. "F-familiar, you can talk?"

"I am capable of communication, yes," her familiar says, jumping off the bed and walking over to her.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier!" Louise exclaims.

"I didn't have anything to say," Kyubey tells her.

"You still should have said something!" Louise declares. "What, were you just going to keep that little fact from me?"

"I had no intention of hiding anything from you," Kyubey tells her. "I simply didn't have anything to say about the events that were happening."

"Hmmm. Fine," Louise decides. "You at least told me about it, so I guess it's fine. Now, familiar. Since you can talk you can answer my questions, right?"

"I'll answer them to the best of my ability," Kyubey answers.

"What are you?" Was obviously the most important question in Louise's mind, so it was the first one asked.

"I'm Kyubey."

"Right," Louise says. Perhaps she could come back to that one later, when her familiar properly understood the intent behind her questions. "Now… Kyubey… this is important. What kind of abilities do you have?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you're asking," Kyubey asks, it's head tilting to the side.

"You're my familiar and a familiar is supposed to in some way represent the master in some way," Louise explains to her bunny cat. Normally she'd feel weird about having to explain something as basic as that, but she was talking to a rabbit/cat hybrid, so she was willing to let it slide. "People tend to summon a familiar that mirrors some aspect of the summoner. That's why I'm curious what you can do."

"I can grant wishes, if that's what you mean," Kyubey says as it stretches itself out.

"Excuse me? Wishes?" Louise asks, not certain if she was hearing correctly.

"Was I not clear enough?" Kyubey asks. "It's my job to go around and find girls who need it and grant their wishes."

Grant their wishes. Had she actually summoned such a creature? What could she gain from something like this? Did she even have a wish she wanted granted? There were a few, now that the topic was brought up but… Louise shook her head. It was obviously too good to be true. Nothing could simply be that good.

"And then what?" Louise asks. "What's the catch? I doubt you simply grant someone a wish free of charge."

"Yes," Kyubey says, wetting it's paw and using it to clean itself off. "In exchange for having their one miracle granted, the girl is transformed into a Magical Girl."

"And what's a Magical Girl?" Louise asks, growing more suspicious by the minute.

"After your wish is granted, the girl is given her soul gem and along with it is bestowed with incredible magical powers!" Kyubey tells her. "She's made incredibly strong and durable and can perform incredible feats of magical ability."

The doubt in Louise heart was growing larger by the second, yet was starting to be eclipsed by a strong desire. Any wish she could possibly ask for, and she would become an incredible mage as a bonus? She was becoming incredibly tempted.

"I still refuse to believe that the deal can be that good," Louise says.

"Such a cynical one," Kyubey laments. "Unfortunately, you are right. You see, it is a Magical Girl's duty to fight witches."

The only witches Louise knew were rather nice people, so this statement made no sense to her. It must be another thing that she was unaware of.

"And what's a witch?" Louise asked, deciding to get rid of the new question as soon as possible.

"If Magical Girls are those who bring hope, witches are the opposite," Kyubey explains. "They're beings that spread despair. Most suicides and murders that seem to defy explanation are usually the product of witches. They're immensely powerful and can only be combated by Magical Girls. Most of them hide out in their own world called a 'Witch's Barrier' where they wait and trick stray travelers into there to consume them."

"Something like that has existed all this time?" Louise asks, her voice a low whisper. Had something that terrifying always existed and she never knew?

"Probably not," Kyubey admits. "I haven't sensed any since you summoned me."

Louise had to fight hard to not fall over. The combination of relief, shock and anger is a truly a fascinating and overpowering one.

"You stupid familiar!" Louise yells. "Making me so terrified over nothing. Why would you even bring them up if they don't exist?"

"You asked," Kyubey tells her. "It's not my fault if you don't like the answer."

Stupid familiar, Louise though to herself.

"So I suppose this means that there aren't any downsides," Louise thinks out loud. "Which means…"

"So for what wish will your Soul Gem shine?" Kyubey asks.

*Knock Knock Knock*

"One second," Louise says, before making her way to the door. "Professor Colbert, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Good evening Ms. Valliere," the professor greets. "I was wondering if you perhaps had a few seconds to answer some questions about your familiar."

Considering it wasn't like everyone else in the academy had tried their hand at the riddle of the Zero's familiar, Louise felt like she could give the professor the benefit of the doubt. After all, surely he wouldn't ask the exact same questions as everyone else, right?

"I'd be happy to," Louise replies.

"Thank you. Firstly, have you learned anything about what it actually is?" Colbert asks.

Of course that'd be the first question, Louise thinks, forcing her most falsely sincere smile possible.

"It said its name was Kyubey for all that matters," Louise told him.

"It spoke?! Really?! How?" Colbert asks, a sudden burst of energy welling forth from the researcher.

"Well it…" Louise paused when she realized it wasn't really talking. Sure, it seemed like it was having a conversation with her, but it's mouth wasn't moving and Louise remembered that she didn't really hear the familiar. At least not in the traditional sense.

"It's telepathy," Kyubey pipes up from her room, startling Louise.

"Telepathy?" Louise parrots.

"Hmm? Telepathy?" Colbert parrots for a second time. "It transmits its thoughts directly into your mind? Incredible!"

… Sure, incredible. Louise decided to let the professor have his moment.

"Ah, sorry, I got distracted," Colbert says, calming down. "What exactly does your familiar look like? If we knew what it looked like we might be able to properly discern just what it is."

That would be a good idea, if Kyubey wasn't so hard to describe. Louise tumbled over the words in her head, before eventually deciding it would be easier to just make a sketch. Fortunately Colbert had some paper and a writing implement just in case he ever needed to take notes at a moment's notice. Unfortunately, Louise had the drawing ability of an earthworm.

"Amazing," Colbert exclaims. "These ovals here, these are it's ears, yes?"

"Um… I think so."

"And these circles around the ears, what might those be?"

"Those are the gold bands that float around its ears," Louise explains. "They just sort of float there."

"Incredible," Colbert replies, nearly speechless. "Telepathy and telekinesis. What other psychic powers could it posses? Ms. Valliere, your familiar is truly astounding."

Of course. After all, it was summoned by the third daughter of the Valliere family, Louise thought, her haughtiness barely contained.

"Yes, I must research this thoroughly," Colbert muses. "Thank you for your time, Ms. Valliere."

"It was my pleasure professor," Louise says with a slight bowing of her head.

With that, Colbert goes off to study things off in the library. Louise turns around and flops down on her bed, ready to drift off and go to sleep.

"What an interesting fellow," Kyubey muses. "Now that he's gone, shall we finish that business from earlier? What's your wish going to be?"

"Are you always this pushy?" Louise asks. "It's pretty impolite. Give me a bit to think it over. Any wish. There's a lot of possibilities you know."

"Most girls jump at the offer to make a wish," Kyubey says. "You humans are so odd sometimes."

"I'm not odd," Louise complains.

It was business as usual the next day. Classes proceeded as usual, and several students once again questioned her about her mysterious invisible familiar. To say that Louise was happy was an understatement. For years and years she had been bullied for all of her failures and inability to cast any spell without it exploding in her face. Now the same people who reminded her of her failures every day were finally respecting her, all because she managed to summon the most mysterious familiar. For that, she definitely owed one to her familiar.

My familiar, Louise thought as she took a bite of her lunch. It sure is a weird one.

She still wasn't certain she could trust it. She had been raised on the idea of earning everything through hard work, only for her familiar to simply pop up and say, "just give me your wish and I'll make it come true! I'll even grant you what you wanted most as a bonus!" Louise supposed there wasn't much point in wishing to be the greatest mage ever, since she would supposedly become a great mage anyway after she became a... What was it called?

"And what are you thinking about so intensely?" A voice asks as it sits down next to Louise. "Are you perhaps distracted by the mystery of your own familiar?"

"Kirche," Louise growled out the name of her rival. "What do you want?"

"How rude! Are you just going to ignore Tabitha here?" she asks, gesturing to the short, blue haired girl next to her.

"Don't mind," Tabitha responds, sitting down at the table and reading a book.

"So what do you want Kirche?" Louise asks. "I'm not a zero anymore, so you can't mock me with that if that was your intention."

"Why would I do that?" Kirche asks, feigning shock. "I simply wanted to congratulate my friend on her successful summoning. And what a summoning it was! You're familiar's been the talk of the academy you know. Everyone's wondering what it is. Some still aren't sure if it exists and think you're just pulling off an elaborate ruse."

"How?" Louise asks, annoyance slipping into her tone. "They saw the ritual, I successfully made the contract. How could I do that if there was nothing there?"

"Oh, I believe you, it's other people who have trouble believing you could accomplish anything," Kirche says. "Not hard to believe given your track record."

"A record that you've been ever so happy to remind me about every day," Louise reminds her.

"Oh, that's the past and this is now!" Kirche exclaims while putting an are around Louise and dragging her close. "After all, now you're a successful mage right? There's nothing stopping you now!"

Not yet, Louise thought. Not yet, but I will be soon. All thanks to my familiar.

"By the way," Kirche adds. "Is your familiar here? Tabitha wanted to see if she could figure anything out about it."

"Curious," Tabitha says, not looking away from her book.

You and the entire academy, Louise quips in her mind.

"Sorry, it's walking around the academy," Louise tells her. "It wanted to get a lay of the land or something. It'll probably be in my room by the time I get back."

"I see. Well, do tell us everything you can," Kirche says. "It's not every day that something this interesting happens."

"Right, if something happens then you'll be the first I let know," Louise says as dryly as possible.

"You'd better," Kirche says with a wink, not catching or simply ignoring the sarcasm. "I'd be hurt if you didn't, darling."

"D-darling?!"

"See you around Louise!" Kirche says, as she gets up and starts to leave. "Best of luck with your familiar."

"Goodbye," Tabitha says, following behind her friend leaving Louise alone at the lunch table.

"… What was that all about?" Louise wonders, absently picking at her food. "Whatever."

Louise dismissed any ideas and thoughts from the last five minutes and proceeded to focus on her food. There's an idea, Louise thinks. Wish that the maids can make better food. Do a little good for the community at large, not just me.

The unsatisfactory food finished, Louise collected her things and went about her day. Classes don't stop simply because you're thinking about what to wish for, after all.

"Good evening Louise, how was your day?" Kyubey asks from it's place upon her bed.

"Just fine," Louise says as she examined the letter in her hand. "Classes were the usual, I suppose."

"What's in the letter?" Kyubey asks.

"It's from my sister, Cattleya," Louise says. "She writes to me when she gets the chance. She's really sick so that chance doesn't show up as much as I would like."

"I see. That she would write to you in spite of her condition makes it seem like she really cares for you," Kyubey observes.

"We were rather close when I still lived at home," Louise reminisces. "Are. We are close. Have to remember to use present tense. She's still alive, after all."

"Is her condition that serious?" Kyubey asks.

"I don't know," Louise admits with a sigh. "She's incredibly weak to the point where she can barely even cast low level magic without hurting herself. She rarely leaves her room as a result. My parents have gotten the most powerful and famous water mages they can to try and heal her, but nothing they've tried has seemed to work. She's still just as sick as she was before they tried. She doesn't seem to be getting any worse, but she hasn't gotten any better either."

"I see," Kyubey says, offering his condolences.

Not one for empathy, are you? Louise idly wonders as she walks over to her desk and opens her letter. She lights a candle and begins reading through it.

"Fufu," Louise laughs slightly. "Cattleya, I'd like if you sent one letter that didn't involve you in some trouble."

"How so?" Kyubey asks. "How much trouble can a person cause under her circumstances?"

"She's a stubborn one," Louise replies, amusement very clear in her tone. "Sometimes I wonder if she even knows that she's sick. She's always going out on her own just to get some fresh air, or because she saw an animal that needed some help."

"An animal lover?" Kyubey asks.

"What an understatement," Louise chuckles. "Her room is practically a town populated by all sorts of creatures. Some are cute and fluffy, and then there are the other ones. She's even got a pet manticore and that's only one of the weird things she's got."

"She sounds like an interesting human," Kyubey says.

"She would have loved you," Louise tells her familiar. "I'm actually kind of curious what she would have to say about you though. She certainly would've been amused by your many quirks. Like that whole invisible thing, or the telepathy. Or that you're some kind of rabbit and cat thing."

"I'm not a rabbit or a cat," Kyubey complains.

"Right, right, you're a Kyubey," Louise says, waving her hand dismissively before turning her attention back to the letter. "Seems like this time she adopted a baby dragon. Where do you even find something like that! She gets into the oddest situations sometimes, I swear."

Louise spends a few seconds lost in nostalgia. Various tales from her sister's letters came to mind, including the tale of how she got her pet manticore. What an odd and hilarious story that had been. Regardless, that tale didn't have anything to do with the current letter.

"Oh, Cattleya, I wish you would listen to Mother sometimes," Louise laments.

"What happened?" Kyubey asks.

"Mother was rather against Cattleya keeping the baby dragon," Louise explains. "Like I said, Cattleya already has a few dangerous creatures, and Mother is worried that keeping a dragon around could result in a dangerous accident. I mean, I can see where see's coming from, but I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. Cattleya's very good about keeping her animals in line. I hope she's careful though. She does have some touchy creatures."

Her spiel finished, Louise turns her attention back to the letter. A large grin etches itself across her face as she reads about Cattleya's pets and all of the accounts of them being adorable.

"Unfortunately, I can't offer nothing but goods news about Mr. Fluffles," Cattleya's letter reads. "I mean, being the worrywarts that you, Eleonore, Mother and Father are, there's no way you wouldn't be reading this and wondering 'is she alright? She's so sick, I hope she's not straining herself.' No, I'm not feeling any better. I'm sorry I can't tell you anything else. I'm not feeling any worse though! I have been having a lot more coughing fits then normal, and they've been a little fiercer then usual, but I'm fine! Really!"

"Cattleya," Louise says, her smile long gone and fresh worry surfacing forth. From that worry, a decision was reached. "Kyubey, you said you could grant any wish, right?"

"Indeed I can," the familiar answers. "Have you decided on your wish?"

"First I need to ask a question," Louise says. "Is there any rule that says that the wish needs to be used on me? Could I use the wish for someone else? To heal someone, for example?"

"Did you perhaps hope to use your wish to heal your sister?" Kyubey asks, its red eyes staring at Louise.

"Can I?" Louise asks.

"Of course," Kyubey says. "There's no reason why you couldn't. Though that's all up to you. Do you really want your sister cured? Is that what you truly wanted?"

"Of course!" Louise exclaims. "Cattleya never did anything to deserve such a fate, and I have a chance to help her! Who wouldn't wish for her to be cured?"

"Very well," Kyubey says. "Louise, for what wish will your Soul Gem shine?"

"I wish that my sister Cattleya is cured of her illness," Louise says. "I wish for her to be able to lead a healthy life."

Though no one could agree on the cause, many students reported seeing a bright pink light shine from within Louise's room that night.

Louise woke up the next day feeling refreshed. She briefly noted how odd it was, considering she usually had to drag herself out of bed, but simply decided it was the result of getting a good rest last night.

Last night...

Louise went over the events of last night in her head. Right, I made a wish, didn't I? Last night she had made a wish for Cattleya's health. Or at least, she thought she had made a wish. After all, her memories of directly after that were a bit fuzzy. There was a pink light and... Um...

"It couldn't have just been a dream, could it?" Louise wonders aloud as she swings her legs over the side of the bed.

Further thoughts are disrupted by the sound of a small object bouncing on the floor. Louise gets off her bed and bends down to pick it up. Some kind of jewel egg? She thinks as she examines the new piece of jewelry. I mean, it has a pretty color, but where'd it come from?

"That's your Soul Gem."

"Ah!" Louise is briefly startled and nearly drops her Soul Gem. Luckily she was able to catch it before it could hit the floor once again. "Soul Gem? What's a Soul Gem? You've mentioned that a few times, haven't you?"

"Indeed," Kyubey says. "A Soul Gem is the proof that you're a Magical Girl. Without it you can't transform or properly cast magic at all."

"Magical Girl," Louise turns the words over in her head. "So it did happen. Ah! So Cattleya-"

"Your sister should be completely healed," Kyubey says. "That's what you wished for, isn't it?"

"Yes!" Louise starts bouncing around in joy. "Yes, yes, yes!"

"You seem happy," Kyubey notes.

"Of course I am!" Louise says. "My big sister is healed! Finally! Oh, I bet Mother and Father are just beside themselves! I can already imagine they'll be absolutely shocked when they go to wake her up and find her feeling better then she has in years! And it's all thanks to us, Kyubey!"

"Mostly you," Kyubey says. "I certainly didn't make the wish, and I severely underestimated your potential."

"What do you mean by that?" Louise asks.

"You had the potential to grant your wish and become a magical girl, but I had underestimated just how much potential you had," Kyubey explains. "You're far more powerful then I had thought you would be."

"So... I'm-"

"The most powerful mage in this nation, I would assume," Kyubey says, gently stroking Louise's ego.

"It's weird," Louise says. "You say that, and I feel like you're right, but I don't feel any different."

"That's because you haven't transformed yet," Kyubey explains. "Hold your Soul Gem out in front of you. You should know what to do from there."

Louise wasn't certain, but did as instructed and held her Soul Gem out in front of her. Like Kyubey said, she knew exactly what to do. It wasn't like she had the instructions displayed in her mind or anything, she just knew what to do, as if she had already done it a thousand times before.

*One fanservice-filled transformation later*

"Do you feel any different now?" Kyubey asks.

"I... I think s- WHAT AM I WEARING?!" Louise exclaimed in shock and embarrassment.

"That's your magical girl outfit. Everyone gets one," Kyubey explains.

"Th-th-this outfit is horrible!" Louise cries, examining her frilly new attire. "It shows way too much skin! I'm likely to catch a cold in this outfit. I'm a noble, I should dress like one!"

"Hmm. Odd," Kyubey says. "Most girls are rather fond of the outfit. Some are a little hesitant, but I think you might be the first human I've seen who actively despises the outfit."

"Of course I despise it, it's horribly embarrassing!" Louise declares. "It amazing that I still have things left to the imagination in this horrendously skimpy outfit. Do I need to wear this when I want to do magic?"

"Considering how strong you seem to be, no, I don't believe so," Kyubey says. "Your magic won't be as effective when you aren't transformed, but that shouldn't be that big of a deal."

"Good. Now, what's with this staff anyway?" Louise asks as she taps her staff against the floor.

"That's your weapon," Kyubey says. "Magical Girls exist to fight witches after all. The weapon reflects both the wish and the personality of the Magical Girl herself. You're a mage with a strong desire to become someone of renown, so your weapon reflects that."

"Makes sense, I guess," Louise says, examining the staff. "A little big though. I think I'll stick with my wand."

"If that's what you want," Kyubey says. "You're more naturally attuned to your weapon so it would make it far easier for you."

"Be that as it may, I don't want to show everyone up too badly," Louise says, canceling the transformation. She pats her student uniform and breathes a content sigh. "Much better. Kyubey, what am I supposed to do with my soul gem? It's a little inconvenient to carry it around like this, and I don't want to be too far away from it if it helps me with my magical ability."

"You can turn it into a ring quite easily," Kyubey tells her. "Simply put your hand over and it should transform."

Louise puts a hand over her soul gem, and a dull pink light pours over the jewel, turning into a small ring with a pink gem in it's center. Louise slips the ring onto her finger and looks at it.

"Beautiful," she says, staring at her ring. "So now that that's done, how do I actually use my magic?"

"You should already know," Kyubey says. "You knew how to transform both yourself and your ring, did you not? You should already have an instinctual knowledge of all of your abilities."

"Right," Louise says, grabbing her wand. "Right. Okay… Um…"

Louise gives a quick flick of her wand and the covers of her bed slowly rise up and float in the air. Louise points her wand slightly to the left, and then slightly to the right and the bed sheets follow. She flicks her wand once more, and the sheet fall back onto the bed. A bright smile breaks out on Louise's face.

"I did it! I did it!" Louise exclaims gleefully. "I'm a mage! I'm a proper mage now! I can use magic!"

"Congratulations Louise," Kyubey says.

"Now all I need to do is go to classes and start amazing everyone now that I can actually cast magic," Louise starts planning her next few moves. What was her first class?

"Alright, let's go Kyubey!"

Kyubey hops up on Louise's shoulder and they head off to their first class together. Once there, Louise takes her seat, and Kyubey dismounts and lies down on her desk. Her teacher for this class was Mrs. Chevreuse, a triangle class earth mage. The lecture was interesting enough, but Louise's thoughts were in too much of a blitz to actually focus on it. She was too busy thinking about all the things she could do.

So I managed to cast levitation on the bed sheets, that's a decent start. I know I have magical ability, but what element do they fall under? Low level, unaligned spells are probably pretty easy, but that doesn't do anything for me. During my next break I should probably start testing out some dot class elemental spells. I should start with wind magic, since that's how Mother is aligned. That would definitely be a good start. Though maybe-

"Ms. Valliere," Chevreuse calls. "Are you paying any attention whatsoever?"

"Eh? Ah… Um… O-of course!" Louise replies. "But just in case, could you maybe sum it up a little?"

The class chuckles at her response, and Louise rolls her eyes. Oh sure, laugh at me for not knowing when all of you have been called on far more then I have for not paying attention.

"We were simply discussing transmutation. I was going to use this stone right here as an example," Chevreuse explains, gesturing to the fist-sized stone on her desk. "Ah, perhaps you wanted to show the class how it's done?"

"M-Mrs. Chevreuse, are you serious?" One classmate asks.

"You know what her reputation is, right?" another asks. "She's been called a Zero for a reason!"

Thank you for the reminder, Louise thinks bitterly. Not like everyone already knows it.

"So I've heard," Chevreuse replies. "But I've also heard that she managed to summon a rather extraordinary familiar, so I'm sure she'll manage. How about it, Ms. Valliere? Care to give it a shot?"

"Of course, Mrs. Chevreuse," Louise says, hiding her reaction to the groans from the class rather well. She didn't even flinch when most of them started hiding under their desks. Nope. No reaction. Whatsoever.

"So I just turn this stone into something else, right?" Louise asks, pointing at said stone with her wand.

"Yes, turn it into anything you think you can," Chevreuse says. "Maybe something simple like brass?"

Brass… Louise thinks about it. No, too simple. Something more impressive. What can I do that would be more impressive then simply brass?

Louise waves her wand above her head and points it the small stone. There's a brief light, that shines bright, then fades very quickly. Then there was silence. Louise waits patiently waits and starts tapping her foot as she waits for her classmates to come out from under their desks.

"I already finished everyone," Louise says. "You can leave the safety of under your desk."

"Huh?" A classmate says. "You mean… you cast a spell?"

"And it didn't blow up?" Another student finishes.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Louise asks. "First the summoning and contract go off without a hitch and now I actually cast a real spell." And for my next trick, I shall make the audience reappear! Louise thinks mockingly.

"Like I said, I was sure you could do it," Chevreuse says. "Now, let's inspect your work. Hmm… Ah! Th-this is-"

"Do you like it?" Louise asks. "I was thinking about brass, but I thought I'd go for something with a little more style."

"What'd she do?" Kirche asks, coming out from her hiding spot. "Ah! Is that gold?"

"It's just brass," some random student says. "No way someone like her could do that. Only a square level earth mage can do something like that."

"Huh, guess I'm a square level earth mage now," Louise says as she grabs the rock and tosses it to the student. "That, or I'm just a gifted alchemist."

"N-no way," the student says once he finishes examining the golden rock. "That's not possible. How did you-"

"I just had a bit of block for a while, that's all," Louise says. "Once I got past it, things like that became a snap."

"B-but even square class mages would pass out for a week for changing this much of something into gold!"

"That's right, isn't it?" Louise says. "Well, I feel fine. Doesn't look like I'm about to pass out to me."

"Incredible," Chevreuse says. "Are you sure you're alright? That couldn't have had no side effects, using that much willpower on a spell."

"I'm just fine," Louise says, her boastful attitude surfacing for a brief, shining moment.

Louise was the talk of the academy, for obvious reasons. The "Zero" they were mocking just a few days ago turned out to be such an incredibly powerful mage. No one knew how to react to that. Most simply tried to stay away from her, perhaps out of fear. Perhaps they thought that she would try to enact some form of vengeance on them, now that word was out about how "amazing" of a mage she was. Louise had chuckled at the thought more then once as the day went on.

"You appear to be enjoying yourself," Kyubey notes once they returned to her room.

"Of course I am!" Louise says. "This is amazing! I've never gotten this kind of attention before! It's so incredible! I need to tell my family about this at once!"

Louise bounces to her desk and pulls out the necessary materials to write a letter. She starts writing about everything that happened since she summoned Kyubey, everything about the wishes, and the magic, and how she was finally getting respect… only to shake her head. She crumples up the piece of paper and threw it away.

"What's the matter Louise?" Kyubey asks.

"Kyubey, I don't know if I should tell my family everything about you," Louise replies.

"What's your reasoning behind this decision?" Kyubey asks.

"Think about it, you can grant wishes and create miracles. It's incredible, and I'm sure Eleonore would steal you away and perform countless research experiments on you just to find out what's up with you," Louise explains. "It's probably for the best that a few things stay a secret between us."

"It that's how you feel," Kyubey replies, jumping up on the desk. "Then how do you plan to explain your sister's miraculous recovery or your sudden magical prowess?"

"I don't need or even want to claim any credit for Cattleya getting better," Louise says. "It's okay if they just think it's a miracle. That's really what it is, anyway. As for me suddenly being incredible at magic, I'll just say that the summoning ritual finally broke through that block that I've been having. I hope they won't want to think about it too much and just be as happy as I am that I don't just blow everything up anymore."

"Do you think they will?" Kyubey asks.

"I hope so," Louise says, sounding significantly less chipper. Louise worked on her letter for the rest of the night in silence. She told her family about the successful summoning ritual, and how weird her familiar was with it's telepathy and invisibility. She ended by wishing the best for Cattleya, since she mentioned having more coughing fits in her last letter. Louise let the ink dry and put the letter away, making a mental note to send the letter out tomorrow. She went over her class notes for the day, then changed into her nightdress and went to sleep.

The next day proceeded much like the previous. Louise excelled in all her classes, earning more fear and respect from her students. During her lunch break, instead of resting in the lunch room and grabbing some food, Louise was in the courtyard, practicing her newly acquired magic. She was practicing moving things with some earth magic, and lighting things on fire with fire magic. She practiced some quick air spells, then used water magic to heal herself after that ended poorly for her. It was only a few face cuts, nothing terrible. It wasn't like her face had become a rather bloody game of tic tac toe on accident. At least, not once she had healed herself up. Whether is was from the high of success or the sweet relief that healing magic provided, but Louise started giggling.

"Enjoying your success?"

"What do you want Kirche?" Louise asks the redhead as she and Tabitha approached.

"I was simply wondering where you were since you weren't at lunch today. Tabitha thought you might be out here practicing."

"Seemed likely," the short bluenette says from behind her book.

"Well since I am such an amazing mage now doesn't it only seem right that I start practicing?" Louise asks, the boast not quite lost on it's audience.

"Don't let it go to your head too quickly now, you'll get a headache," Kirche warns.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Louise asks. "I just found out that I can use all of the elements easily after years of being ridiculed for a lack of magical talent. I think I've earned the right to be a little arrogant."

"Like I said, don't let it go to your head. A little is fine, but it could easily spiral out of control," Kirche adds.

"Since when have you been worried about me?" Louise asks with a wry smirk. "Finally come around and realized that the your family wronged us all those years ago?"

"Finally getting a little bite, aren't you darling?" Kirche asks with a smirk. "It's about time you acted like that instead of simply taking all that abuse."

"Huh?" Louise was confused.

"Did you know how absolutely annoying it was to just watch you sit there and take all that verbal abuse? I practically wanted to go up to you and yell 'Grow a backbone already!' You were always better at annoying me then you might have thought," Kirche adds with a wink. "You barked back pretty loudly when I teased you, but whenever anyone else mocked you you would just clam up and take it. Perhaps this is karma finally paying you dividends on all the times you didn't explode some hapless students?"

"Very funny," Louise says. "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? Tell me how proud you are? Perhaps get a few barbs in about how much bigger you are then me?"

"Calm down darling, I'm simply trying to extend an olive branch here!" Kirche protests. "We've been bickering since our first year, and our families have been bickering for far longer about things that no longer matter. What's the point of bickering? After all, you are a secret prodigy, aren't you?"

"Is that what I am now? From Zero to secret prodigy?" Louise asks. "I wouldn't mind someone here have some decent naming sense."

"Awful moniker," Tabitha concurs.

"Oh, and what would you call her?" Kirche asks.

There's silence as Tabitha thinks on it.

"Louise," she says eventually.

"No fancy name? Tabitha I'm disappointed," Kirche says. " I expected so much more from you!"

"Unnecessary," Tabitha refutes. "Louise is fine."

"Thank you Tabitha. At least someone here gets it," Louise says.

"I don't know, it's a bit plain, isn't it?" Kirche asks.

"D-don't insult my name! It's a wonderful name and I wear it proudly!" Louise declares in as majestic a voice as her small frame can project.

"Aww, I didn't know you were so attached to your name," Kirche says while giggling. "That's adorable."

"Don't belittle me!" Louise says. "I'll melt you! I will!"

"Right, right," Kirche says, still laughing. "I'd hate to invoke your wrath and bring the entire school down around us. Lunch is just about over. I'll see you around darling."

"Goodbye," Tabitha adds before the dynamic duo head off.

"Hmph, what's with those two?" Louise wonders aloud once they've left earshot. "Thinking they can just talk to me like we're f-f-f-f-f… that word… after everything. Just because I'm the most impressive mage ever doesn't mean you can just sneak into my good graces like that. I'm onto you, you know."

Despite her words, Louise's true feelings showed quite clearly. After all, most people wouldn't be smiling as widely as she is if they were truly as suspicious as she claimed.

"Welcome back Louise," Kyubey says. "Did anything interesting happen today?"

"No, just the same old," Louise says, slapping the letter she held in one hand against the palm of the other. "I got a letter from my family though."

"A response to your previous letter I assume?"

"Probably," Louise confirms. "I'm always amazed at just how fast letters can get around here. Perhaps I should study the mail system one day, just to figure out how they can work that fast. I just sent that letter this morning, didn't I? That's, what, an eight hour turnaround? That's really impressive. Must be some fancy wind dragons or something."

Considering her family would probably be expecting a rapid response thanks to the almost frightening efficiency of the Halkegnian postal department. As such, Louise should probably read the letter and get a reply written out. Louise sat at her desk and Kyubey joined her as she opened the letter and started reading it.

"What's it say?" Kyubey asks.

"They start by congratulating me on finally being able to cast spells properly," Louise says, sounding extraordinarily prideful. "Mother in particular was very happy to see me start living up to my potential. After that they mention that Cattleya's illness seems to have mysteriously vanished. She's up and healthier then ever and is even practicing her magic again since she can now do it without collapsing. I don't know, I feel like they probably should have mentioned all that before congratulating me about anything. It seems more important."

On closer inspection, the line congratulating her was written in much more flowery handwriting and was oddly cheerful. Louise smiled. Oh, Cattleya. I'd really much rather hear about how you're doing. That always takes priority in cases like this.

The rest of the letter was standard home fair. Eleonore's engagement had fallen apart (No surprise there, she is very overbearing, Louise thought) and her Mother still had reservations about the baby dragon Cattleya was keeping. It seemed to have some temper problems, snapping at whatever startles it, as well as a bit of a rivalry with the manticore Cattleya kept.

"Maybe I should advise Cattleya to do something about the dragon," Louise thought out loud. "Mother is very good when it comes to telling what is and isn't dangerous, and if she's not very happy about the dragon then perhaps it's best to let it go."

The letter continued in Cattleya's handwriting as she explained what she was doing now that she was healed. She had gone for a long walk outside of their house, used her magic to flick some pebbles at Eleonore (Louise had fun imagining Eleonore getting upset and Cattleya simply brushing it off with a chuckle). In fact, the pebbles were how they discovered the dragon's issues with being startled. A stray one had landed near the dragon and he nearly made a crater in the ground with how much he bit out of it.

"Don't worry thought," Cattleya assures. "He's a big softy. He's just a little jumpy is all, he'll grow out of it. Again, I'm so happy that you can finally do proper magic! I'm so happy for you, my precious little sister!"

Louise couldn't help but smile at her elder sister's carefree attitude. After that, the letter switched to her mother's handwriting telling Louise that since she was now a mage worthy of the Valliere name, it went without saying that she expected her to start working harder in her studies. Louise almost groaned at her mother's words, but was worried that doing so might cause her to materialize right behind her and give a demonstration on why she was one of the most feared military commanders in history. Not to say that she was a particularly violent parent, far from it. She may not seem like it, but she did genuinely care for her children and wanted nothing but the best for them. She was just very intimidating in every meaning of the word.

"Sometimes I wish you would just lighten up Mother," Louise says aloud. "Hm... Kyubey-"

"Each girl only gets one wish I'm afraid."

"Worth a shot," Louise says with a shrug. "I better get started on that reply now."

In her letter, Louise advised Cattleya to perhaps deposit the dragon somewhere else, but not before letting her know how happy she was that Cattleya had been cured. It was hard to write about since Louise knew the rest of her family would also be reading and it wouldn't seem proper to gush about how happy she was for several paragraphs on end. Perhaps she could write a separate, more personal letter to Cattleya later. Louise assured her Mother that she would be working three times as hard at her studies, and gave Eleonore her condolences about the failed engagement. Once her letter was finished, Louise set it aside to be mailed out tomorrow and crawled under the covers of her bed before quickly falling asleep.

A few days later Louise was visited by Professor Colbert once again.

"Professor Colbert. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Louise asked.

"Ms. Valliere, I simply wanted to have a talk with you," he tells her. "It's nothing serious, so don't worry. Please follow me."

Despite the warning Louise did worry. Teachers don't just ask to talk to you without some kind of reason. What had happened? Was she in some kind of trouble? Those thoughts rattled around in Louise's head the entire trip to the library. Once there, Colbert directed Louise to a table where she took a seat while Colbert sat down in the seat across from her.

"What is this about Professor?" Louise asks. "Did-"

"Nothing's happened if that's what you're worried about," Colbert assures her. "If anything that's the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"As I'm sure you're painfully aware, you haven't had the... Luck, shall we say, that others have in regards to spell casting," Colbert says the words very carefully, trying his best not to misspeak. "In the past few days though you've become rather incredible, putting it lightly."

"All four elements, high level spells and so on," Louise says.

"Correct. You see, there are some members of the staff that have grown... Suspicious of this sudden-"

"Wait," Louise interrupts. "Are you accusing me of cheating?"

"Straight to the point is it?" Colbert asks, sighing in defeat. "Very well. Yes, some teachers suspect that you are using underhanded methods to make it appear as if you have become such a prodigy."

"That's ridiculous!" Louise exclaims. "How would I even do something like that?"

"They suspect that you are somehow using your familiar to help you out with this," Colbert explains. Louise opens her mouth to protest, but Colbert raises his hand. "You may argue that your familiar can't do something like that, but you're the only one who knows what your familiar can do. Remember, no one but you even knows what your familiar looks like. If no one can see it, or know what it can do, perhaps you can understand where they're coming from."

"But... But that's..." Louise it too stunned to try and off an argument.

"Ms. Valliere, I believe you," Colbert says. "I'm sure you wouldn't do something like that. However, while there's no way to prove them right, there isn't anything to prove them wrong either. I been doing more research then usual to try and find just whatever it may be and see if that could prove you innocent, but I have had no such luck."

"Th-that's... I didn't..."

"Louise, I simply felt like you deserved to know what the faculty was thinking," Colbert says. "Something like this does concern you after all, so I felt it was your right to know."

"... Thank you, Mr. Colbert," Louise says, getting out of her chair. "I'll be going now."

Louise walks out of the library, leaving Colbert there. Once out of the library, Louise ran into Kyubey.

"Are you alright, Louise?" Kyubey asks, jumping up onto Louise's shoulder."

"I'm fine," Louise says, not offering any more then that. How could they think that? Louise thought to herself. I'm really a good mage now, really. I got some help from Kyubey, but its my magic, isn't it?

Louise turns her ring into its original form and looks at her soul gem for a minute.

Right. This is my magic now. I don't care what they think, I am a proper mage. They can think me a cheater until the end of time, but the fact remains that I am not a zero. Not anymore.

Her resolve strengthened, Louise turns the gem back into a ring and slips in onto her finger. Kyubey notices that Louise doesn't seem aware of the corruption that has already started claiming her soul gem. He doesn't say anything and lets Louise go about her day.

The following day was very different then the few days where Louise was revered. Before, they had back away from her for fear of retribution or congratulated her on her sudden growth. Now no one would look her in the eye, and she had caught people whispering about her more then once.

Seems like the rumor got out, Louise thinks, noticing just what the whispers seem to be. Doesn't matter. No point in moping about untrue rumors. Better to just ignore them and let it die. It wouldn't be the first time I've started just ignoring people's accusations towards me.

So Louise steeled herself and simply took it. No point in arguing against it, they would just believe what they wanted. By lunchtime, the whispering had not lessened in the slightest, so Louise continued to ignore them.

"Are you sure that's the best course of action?" Kirche asks, joining Louise at her table.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Louise says, choosing to avoid the topic.

"Yes, you do," Kirche says. "Are you sure it's okay to not say anything? It's a pretty nasty rumor you know."

"I've heard it," Louise says. "I don't see a need to talk about it. It's obviously not true, after all."

"Louise, remember that talk we had?" Kirche asks. "Come on, have a little backbone!"

"When did you start caring about what I did?" Louise asks.

"Louise, we're friends, aren't we?" Kirche asks. "It's practically my job to worry about you, especially if no one else will."

Friend. It was such a foreign word to Louise. The only friend she could ever recall having was the princess, Henrietta, and she had been busy with royal family business, so they haven't talked for a long time.

"Right," Louise says. "If you say so."

"Come on darling, cheer up a little!" Kirche says.

"I'm fine," Louise says. "Thanks Kirche."

Though for what I'm thanking you I'm not sure, Louise silently adds.

That night Louise was lying down in her bed.

"Was it a rough day?" Kyubey asks.

"No. Just tiring," Louise replies. "I haven't been feeling very good lately, and having to deal with this whole false accusation thing isn't doing me any favors."

"Are you perhaps feeling ill?" Kyubey asks.

"Not sick or anything, just tired," Louise tell it. "Casting a lot of spells can tire someone out, and I've been casting a lot in the past week. It's probably just all of that catching up to me."

Kyubey remained silent, opting to only look at Louise.

"I'll feel better after a good sleep," Louise reasons. "Tomorrow will be better, I'm sure. Goodnight Kyubey."

That night, Louise had a dream. None of it made any sense to her, it was a swirl of colors and a voice that she couldn't understand. The colors swirled and changed violently, and the voice grew louder, but none of it ever became any more coherent.

"What's going on?"

They're jealous of you.

The voice was strangely familiar. Louise felt almost as if she knew who was talking, but the name slipped away from her.

"Huh?"

You intimidate them. Frighten them. They're wary of your wrath.

"I never did anything to them! I never even thought about it!"

Nobody likes a liar.

"I'm not lying!"

You know you've wanted some kind of revenge on them for all those years of merciless cruelty. To hurt them. To break then.

"No! I'm not like that! I don't care what they think!"

Then why are you so hurt? Why does the fact that they're suspicious of you now make you feel so depressed?

"It doesn't! I'm used to people hating me, I don't care what they think! What do their words mean when I'm finally a mage?"

It's not enough. You want more. You want them to respect you. That time when people actually gave you the respect you thought you deserved was the greatest moments of your life. You crave their attention, you want nothing more then for them to look up to you, to treat you as you think you deserve.

"No! I don't want them to respect me, I want them to accept me! I don't want to be alone anymore..."

And all you've done is make sure that you'll be alone forever. Everything you've done has simply paved the road for your own isolation.

"N-no... That's... Can't be... True..."

The voice doesn't respond verbally, instead choosing to laugh at Louise's pitiable state. The laughter grows louder and louder, the colors swirl faster and harsher. Louise falls to her knees and covers her ears.

"Stop it," Louise pleads. "Stop it."

The voices grow louder and louder, the laughter growing more intense.

"Stop it. Stopitstopitstopitstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitmakeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstopstoppleasstoppleasestoppleasemakeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstop. MAKE IT STOP!"

"Stop it please, make it stop!" Louise yells as she wakes up. When she realizes the dream has ended, she slowly sits up and looks around the room. She inhales deeply then lets it out. "Just a nightmare. Just a nightmare. I'm fine. I'm fine."

Louise takes another deep breath, then looks around her room. Where's Kyubey? Louise wondered. He must be walking around the academy again. I don't know why he insists on doing that. I'll see him around, probably.

Louise gets out of bed and stumbles the second her feet hit the floor. She puts a hand to her head and tries to shake off the dizziness only to be hit with a horrible headache.

"I feel awful," Louise says. "I must have caught something. I'll heal myself later, I have classes to go to. Classes first. Those are more important."

Louise puts her uniform on and proceeds to her classes. She moved slowly due to the headache and dizziness that just wouldn't. Go. Away.

"Louise, you feeling okay?" Kirche asks. "You look awful."

"I'm fine," Louise says. "I just caught a bad cold or something."

"You don't look fine," Kirche replies. "You're really pale. Are you sure you don't want to just take a day and sleep in?"

"I said I'm fine," Louise growls at her. "There's nothing wrong, I just had a horrible nightmare last night."

"A nightmare? What was it it?"

She doesn't care about you. She just wants to get on your good side. She fears you, that's all. Don't trust her.

Louise shakes her head to clear the voice from her thoughts.

"It was nothing," Louise says. "I'm fine now, so let me just be."

"O-okay then," Kirche concedes. "Louise, I can't help if you don't let me."

Louise ignores the complaint and continues on to class. Kirche followed, looking rather worried but saying nothing. Class wasn't any better for Louise that day. The teacher was Mrs. Chevreuse again and she just kept lecturing and the students kept whispering to each other and it was all pointless noise, noise, noise. Louise grabs her head in her hands and tries to stop the headache. She tries to block out all the nose but it kept leaking through and her head wouldn't stop throbbing.

"Ms. Valliere," Mrs. Chevreuse eventually said to her. "Are you paying any attention at all?"

"Why would she need to pay attention, she's the prodigy after all," one student whispered to another, just loud enough for Louise to hear.

"She needs to know how the spells work so her familiar can do the work for her," the other replies.

They don't trust you. They didn't trust you before, and they trust you even less now that you're finally above them.

"I'm fine," Louise tells Mrs. Chevreuse. "Just a pretty bad headache."

"Do you want to see a water mage?" Chevreuse asks. "If you're feeling ill you should have stayed in bed and gotten rest."

"Why bother? Why doesn't she just cure herself if she's so good at magic?"

"Her familiar's probably not around to make it look like she's feeling better."

They're jealous of you. They hate how you're better then them. They're intimidated by your prowess.

"If you have something to say to me, say it to my face," Louise snarls, standing up and staring down the gossiping duo. "Now. Is there anything you'd wish to say to me?"

"Does it matter?" One student asks, standing up to meet her on equal ground.

"Why would we need to say anything to someone like you?" the other one adds, deciding to remain seated.

"What's the matter, afraid you'll say something to upset me and I'll blast you with my magic?" Louise asks.

That's exactly what it is. They fear you. They fear you and you never even did anything to them. Give them something to fear. You know what you should do, don't you?

"Why would I be afraid of saying something to a cheater like you?" the standing student asks in a mocking tone.

Do it!

There's a bright flare, and the whoosh of flames as a fireball flies towards the student. Luckily, he manages to fall backwards just in time to dodge the basketball sized ball of flames shot towards his head. The fireball hits the back wall and leaves a large scorch mark. Everyone in the room looks at the scorched wall, then slowly moves their gazes towards Louise. The same Louise who was pointing a brightly decorated staff at where the student was standing, the tip of staff smoking slightly.

"I am not a cheater," Louise growls, banging the tip of her staff against the ground. "I have worked hard for YEARS to become a passible mage. Not a good mage, not the greatest mage, I would have settled for just being able to properly call myself a noble. Now here I am finally able to do what I've dreamed of since I was a child, and it was thanks to the miracle my familiar bestowed upon me. You call me a cheater? I call it karma finally paying me dividends! If I hear anything resembling an accusation like that again I will BURN YOU ALIVE UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING BUT ASH AND LEAVE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE!"

The room is silent after Louise's rant, no one daring to make a move out of fear of what would strike them. Louise clicks her tongue and dismisses her staff.

"I'm done here," Louise says. "It's clear I'm not wanted."

With that Louise turns and walks out of the room. The people in the room were too stunned to try and stop her. Once Louise had left, the students sank into their seats in relief.

"I thought I was dead," the student that Louise shot at says. "I didn't mean it. I didn't! I thought we were just ribbing her like we did with that "Zero" thing we did before. I didn't know she would react like that!"

"Should we send someone after her?" another student asks. "We shouldn't just let her wander around should we? What if she torches someone else?"

"Perhaps I should call the rest of the staff and let them know," Mrs. Chevreuse says. "Perhaps they'll know someone who can help her calm down.

"I'll go," Kirche says. "She's my friend, I'll take care of it."

"Ms. Zerbst, are you sure?" Mrs. Chevreuse asks. "I was under the impression that you two had a less then stellar relationship?"

"We got better," Kirche assures her. "Trust me, I'll take care of it. Call the staff if you must, but I'm going to sit here and wait."

"Very well," Mrs. Chevreuse says.

"Leave it to Kirche the Ardent to burn away her worries," Kirche says with a wink before rushing out the door after Louise.

"Louise!"

She ignored it. Whatever it was it wasn't important.

"Louise, stop ignoring me!" Kirche cries, running up to the pink haired girl.

"What do you want?" Louise asks, summoning her staff to her side and lazily pointing it at Kirche.

"Louise, what was that back there?" Kirche asks.

"What? That little spectacle?" Louise asks. "It was his fault. He should have watched what he was saying. If he didn't make a scene like he did, it wouldn't have mattered. Shame that he dodged though."

"Louise, what are you saying?" Kirche asks. "That's a student! You act like him dying wouldn't have mattered at all!"

"Why should it?" Louise asks. "Why does this matter anyway, weren't you the one who suggested that I grow a backbone?"

"That wasn't what I meant!" Kirche protests. "I didn't mean that you should hurt anyone who insulted you! Stand up to them, don't kill them!"

"What would you have me do, talk to them? 'Oh, would you please not say those things? They're rather untrue.' No one would listen to me! This way I can get my point across. Now no one will doubt me. Kyubey's certainly nowhere near so they can't say that he did anything."

"Kyubey? Is that your familiar's name?" Kirche asks, before deciding it doesn't matter. "Louise, your familiar has nothing to do with it."

"I know! That's the beauty of it!" Louise says, grinning madly. "Kyubey never did anything! All he did was grant my wish and cure Cattleya, and now everyone's saying that he's doing everything for me when this is MY magic! My magic that I can use whenever I want! Isn't it fantastic?! I'm a proper mage, and no one believes me! They're mocking me and talking about me behind my back just the same as when I was a Zero! Incredible!"

"Louise, something's wrong," Kirche decides. "You're acting to weird. Did something happen? If so you can tell me, I'm your friend."

"Friend? FRIEND? Then where were you when everyone was putting me down? Where were you when I was just a Zero?" Louise asks. "Oh that's right, you were with them, mocking me every chance you got! Mocking how I can't cast magic, saying I looked like a child. Everything I did you were there mocking me the entire time. Now here I am, the most powerful mage in Halkegnia, and then you come and try to get on my good side. If I hadn't gotten past this block you never would have liked me. It's just like how you always act. You see something you like so you try and take it for yourself. Whether it's a boy for another of your many one night stands, my dignity when you constantly belittle me, or a place by my side now that I'm as powerful as I am, that's all you ever try to do."

"Th… That's-"

"An accurate description?" Louise continues, not letting Kirche get a word in. "You thought we could be friends? I don't need friends. I don't want friends. I just want to be left alone and no one ever gives me that! They're either bullying me for my worthlessness or offering fake pity. Now guess what I get that I've finally proven myself? More verbal insults and fake pity! I don't want anything from anyone! I just want you all to leave me alone! Just go away!"

"Louise, I'm trying to help!" Kirche exclaims, taking a step forward. "If you would please just let me talk for a minute-

"No!" Louise swings her staff and a wall of flame forms between her and Kirche. "Leave me alone!"

Louise use the wall as a cover and starts running away. Kirche pulls out her wand, chants a few words and swings her wand casting a few spell of her own. The two spells collide and smoke each other out. Kirche looks around, but she doesn't see Louise. They're in a hallway, so there's only one way that Louise have gone, and that's the direction Kirche starts running in.

"Louise!" Kirche calls out. "Louise, where are you?"

Louise was in her room, curled in a ball on the floor, feeling like she was about to sob.

"Why did I say all that?" Louise asks herself. "She was trying to help. Why am I being such an idiot?"

You're wrong. You're the only smart one here. You can't trust anyone else, they're only going to use you for their own ends. She wasn't going to help, she was going to abuse you and your abilities.

"Stop it," Louise says, covering her ears. "Stop it. Stop it!"

"Stop what, Louise?"

"K-Kyubey! Where have you been?" Louise asks, seeing her familiar standing on her bed. "Wh… What's that in your mouth?"

"A letter from your family," Kyubey says, depositing it next to Louise. "It came in for you recently. I imagine you would like to read it. Unless you would prefer to wait for a better time?"

"I… I'll read it," Louise says, her hand shaking as she reaches for the letter. She grabs the envelope and opens it, pulling the letter out. Her eyes widen the second she reads the first line.

"Cattleya is… my sister is dead?"

Louise read the rest of the letter. Cattleya had been practicing her magic, playing some pranks on Eleonore by throwing a few pebbles and so on. One of the pebbles had accidentally hit the dragon she had been keeping, and it had been startled. Unfortunately, it had decided that Cattleya's pet manticore was responsible and attacked it. Cattleya tried to stop the fight, but was heavily wounded by the dragon in the process. The dragon had bitten a large chunk out of her side when she had tried to interfere. By the time the rest of the family had managed to subdue the dragon, Cattleya had already bled out from her wound. The dragon was killed on the spot, while the manticore which had also sustained injuries in the fight perished later.

"But… But Cattleya… you!" Louise crushes the letter in her hand, crawls to her knees and points at Kyubey. "You tricked me!"

"I don't understand the concept of deception," Kyubey says.

"You lied to me! Cattleya was supposed to live!" Louise yells at Kyubey. "She was supposed to live a long, healthy and eventful life, I wished for it! You lied to me!"

"I did no such thing," Kyubey says. "That may have been your intent when you made your wish, but was it what you actually wished for?"

"Of course it is!" Louise says.

"But it isn't," Kyubey tells her, sounding almost like a parent admonishing it's child for a mistake they made. "You wished for your sister to be cured of her illness and live a healthy life. She was cured of her illness and was certainly in good health before she was killed by her pet dragon. Your wish was granted in exactly the way you asked for it."

"But… but…"

"If you had wanted for your sister to live a long life, you should have asked for that in your wish," Kyubey says. "Though I imagine if you hadn't made a wish at all your sister would have been fine."

"What… what are you talking about, she was horribly sick!" Louise protests. "Not even the best healers could cure her!"

"Perhaps. You've said she's incredibly weak to the point where she can't cast spells, correct?" Kyubey asks.

Louise's eyes widen in shock and she gasps, realizing where Kyubey is going. "No. Don't say it."

"You seem to have figured it out," Kyubey says.

"Don't say it!"

"The reason your sister is dead-"

"STOP!"

"Is all because of you. If you hadn't made that wish, she would most likely still be bedridden right now, true, but she would still be alive and in the company of her loved ones."

Louise opens her mouth to protest, but is hit by a wave of pain that causes her to collapse onto the floor. The pain washes over her and continues, rendering her unable to even question what's happening.

"That seems to have done it," Kyubey says.

"Done… wha-AAAAH!" Louise is interrupted by the pain.

"Louise, have you been paying attention to your Soul Gem at all since you first received it?" Kyubey asks. "Have you noticed what's been happening to it?"

Louise turns her ring into it's original form which rolls onto the ground in front of her. Louise almost gasps in surprise, but gasps in pain instead when she sees the color of her gem.

"Wh…y is it all… black?" Louise asks, forcing her words out through the pain. "It wasn't…"

"That's the corruption," Kyubey tells her. "Whenever you did anything, used magic, transformed or even moved your own body, you were slowly corrupting your Soul Gem. Once your Soul Gem is fully corrupted, this is what happens."

"H… How?" Louise asks. "It's just a jewel."

"True, if a normal jewel was tainted, it's likely that this effect would not occur," Kyubey begins. "But it's not a normal jewel. It's called a Soul Gem for a reason, Louise. Because it houses your soul within it."

Louise wants to question Kyubey, as it what it means, but she's in too much pain to open her mouth. As such, Kyubey takes this as it's cue to continue the explanation.

"Louise, Magical Girls exist to fight witches. You can't do that if your body is as fragile as most humans, so Magical Girl's souls are removed from their bodies so that the body can be strengthened. You haven't fought any witches, so you don't understand how essential this is. Rest assured, it is necessary otherwise Magical Girls would never be able to defeat the witches."

"W… hy didn't yo…u tell me?" Louise manages to get out.

"You never asked," Kyubey says. "You humans never seem to ask the most important questions until it's far too late."

"Wh…at happens to m…e now?" Louise asks.

"The same thing that happens to every Magical Girl who falls into despair or uses up their magic. They die and are reborn as a witch. Congratulations Louise, you will be the first witch this world has ever seen. I look forward to seeing what this world does in response. Assuming word gets out about you, that is. It's entirely possible that you'll simply absorb the entire academy into your barrier and consume everyone in here, erasing the academy from the maps with no one ever knowing why."

Tears are streaming from Louise's cheeks. All the held back emotions from the years come out in that moment, and Louise begins sobbing like a small child.

"Why?" she manages to get out through the pain and tears. "Wh…y tell me no…w?"

"You asked," Kyubey says. "It's not my fault if you don't like the answer."

Louise shrieks in pain. She grabs her soul gem and stares at it. A small crack forms on the glass. Louise continues sobbing.

I'm sorry everyone, Louise thinks. I'm sorry Kirche.

The gem fractures even more, the glass becoming an intricate pattern of webbing. Louise sobs for a final few seconds.

I'm sorry… Cattleya.

Her soul gem shatters.

"How interesting," Kyubey says, observing the scene from afar. "To think that she would become such a power witch. I thought that her taking the entire academy with her into the barrier with her was only a small possibility, but she did it anyway."

Where the Tristain Academy of Magic once stood there was now nothing. No crater, no ruins, nothing that would ever indicate that something had been there. It had all simply been removed.

"A shame," Kyubey laments. "I had noticed a few potential candidates. It's regretful that they're lost, but not a problem. There are other people in this world after all."

Kyubey turns and starts walking. It briefly pauses and looks over it's shoulder.

"Goodbye Louise. You've done the universe a great service."

*Witch Cards*

Name: Akasha

Type: Void Witch

Nature: Worthless

Description: The Witch of Void, whose nature is to feel worthless. She does little, choosing to sit in her barrier and wait. She fights back if provoked, and eats only when necessary. As such, it is the duty of her familiar to bring food to her on a consistent basis to keep her from dying. She has no set form, constantly changing based on her feelings and emotions. She constantly prays for the day someone ends her misery.

Name: Serenity

Type: Void Witch's minion

Duty: Hunter

Description: The Void Witch's minion, whose duty is to hunt. As the sole minion of the witch, her sole purpose is to hunt for souls to feed to her mother. She preys on innocents unlucky enough to wander into the barrier by hiding inside their mind and manipulating shadows to show them their worst fears. As such she, much like her mother, has no set form. Her appearance is based solely on whose mind she is inhabiting.