A Lesson For Louise 15: Conversations

[center][font=Impact]Chapter 15: Conversations

<<<Louise>>>[/font][/center]

The surprise on the headmaster’s face was welcome when she’d told him what was happening, it informed her that the inquisitor was telling the truth on something at least. On the other hand, Tabitha seemed far less surprised; which was a touch concerning.

It didn’t take a genius to work out who informed the Inquisition… which she couldn’t truly blame her, if she in fact did inform them. Kirche’s changes were rather sudden, honestly it was a foolish mistake on her part but, well, there was no use crying over spilled milk.

“I’ll be gone from the academy for a few days, possibly a week,” Louise said as she looked at her peer, “The Inquisition has come and asked me to come with them.”

Kirche looked sad before a look went through her eyes. “Did they say no one else could come?~” She asked with a wide smile, “I bet they didn’t.~”

“They didn’t, but frankly I think you’d rather stay and assure your friend that I didn’t brainwash or enslave you.” She said bluntly, “Assuming she informed them, and if not then still better you stay with your friend then under the ‘tender’ mercies of the Inquisition.” The stories she heard about them made her wary of bringing anyone with her.

Truly if she could get away with it Obsidia wouldn’t come along.

Kirche pouted but blinked as everything she said finally registered, before she looked at her friend, “Tabitha??” She asked.

“I didn’t,” She replied, “But I did tell them you went to the barn. And I know how they know.” Tabitha shrugged plainly, “I know well enough to verify things before accusing people of crimes.”

Louise, in turn, shrugged back. “Well if worse comes to worse they attempted to do something drastic resulting in me returning to the other world,” The fact that she said it so casually drew looks from the others, “Though I’ll probably return to heal my sister.”

Tabitha hummed. “I’ll come with you, I think. They won’t hurt me and… my familiar likes yours too much for me to deny them.”

Louise just hummed. “As you wish.” She said before looking at Kirche, “I suppose that means you want to come as well doesn’t it?”

Kirche’s finger rose. “I proposed coming with you first.” Her voice had regained at least some level of fire. “I think I convinced Tabitha instead.”

“... Might as well make a trip of it then…” Louise said as she rubbed her temples, a habit she honestly wasn’t sure where she picked up in the first place.

Rei laughed from nearby. “This was rather inevitable, you know,” She noted, “I’ll pack food for the ride.” She bounced a purse in her hands at the statement, earning confused looks from Kirche and Tabitha.

“I know, it doesn't mean I have to look forward or enjoy it,” Louise grumped, “The stories I’ve heard about them are terrifying, to be quite honest.”

“Darling, darling,” Rei started, “If they start giving you problems, you simply have to make an example of something. The building would be a good start.”

“... I used to be more worried about your girlfriend,” Kirche started, “I’m not sure that’s the case anymore.”

The fox laughed maniacally as even Louise started to get worried.

“Sometimes in war, one must… bare their fangs to get the point across,” Rei demonstrated by doing just that, a haunting white-blue flame flickering in her eyes, “But… only when necessary.”

Louise nodded to Rei before glancing at Kirche. “To be fair you should probably worry about both of them,” She admitted.

Tabitha’s hand raised. “Your familiar is the more powerful of the two.” Her voice was impressively bland. “But your girlfriend has a more malicious nature.”

“Accurate. But I love her regardless,” Louise said, “And honestly it isn’t that bad, but I’m more interested in how exactly you know that Tabitha?” She asked curiously.

“Rei has very loose lips around my familiar,” She replied with a smirk, “And my familiar is very smart.”

“Well I can’t help it, every other familiar is a poor conversationalists!” Rei commented, “And it’s the first time in… centuries I actually sat down and had a proper conversation dragon that didn’t try to burn me alive on sight,” She added with a shrug, “Or try to scam me. Never play cards with a dragon in China, they are dirty cheats.”

Tabitha paused for a moment. “I wasn’t aware that Sylph spoke…” The unsaid with you was still heard, but deniable.

Rei just smugged, “Maybe you should try? Though in private, she’s still young and very shy after all,” She said, “Though she’s had nothing but good things to say about you.”

“... I now consider you the more dangerous of those attached to Louise,” Tabitha acknowledged, “How long were you watching us?”

“Clever girl,” Rei said as she… somehow grinned with her eyes? Honestly Louise still had no idea how she did that, “Since that day, considering you had a proper dragon as a familiar. And not an overhyped lizard with wings.”

Kirche gave Tabitha a double take. For all that the two seemed to trust one another, it seemed there were still secrets that Tabitha kept…

“Tabitha?” Kirche asked.

“Oh, don’t think it's anything personal, Kirche,” Rei said, “But your friend is a very private person. And I think she understood just how unique her familiar is even before this, and well… it’s only wise to keep that sort of thing secret.”

“I’m surprised the Inquisition didn’t request your presence as well…” Louise noted, “If you’re trusted enough to inform them of where I went… unless you never told them?” Her eyes widened. “You didn’t. Well, if you don’t say how special Rei is, I won’t say anything about Sylph, deal?”

“... Deal,” Tabiha said, and if nothing else Louise could respect her for wanting to keep her familiar safe.

She’d be the same of course, if Rei wasn’t so… Rei. In truth, she had a feeling she’d be protecting the Inquisition from her, not if they upset her but if she suddenly felt… impish.

“... Also, what are you going to be packing for food, Rei?” It was better to ask now than find out she’d only brought berries or something. Again.

“It was one time!” Rei whined, “I know better!”

Louise just looked at her, “Hmm…”

The fox slumped before she started to list her planned foods… several of which Louise had to veto (who ate fermented herring!?), but some she allowed.

Kirche just giggled and even Tabiha looked rather amused.

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Thankfully the cart was spacious enough for Obsidia’s lamia form and the two extras in the form of Kirche and Tabitha.

Unfortunately, someone had to sit next to the driver of it and Rei had… volunteered herself. And thus: they had to listen to her prattle nonsense for the vast majority of the ride. Between horse and hair care routines and how similar they were to each other and some of the strangest political talk she’d ever heard (peasants voting on their rulers!?) it was…

She felt rather bad for their driver, even if Kirche and the Inquisitor seemed amused by it.

“... I’d apologize if I didn’t know she’d do it regardless of what I said…” Louise said with a look of exasperated fondness.

“A fey mood has come over her,” Obsidia sighed, “The last time she got like this… was that around the time of the rockslide or the tornado?” She asked, “I think it was the tornado.”

“It was,” Louise commented, “Though I can’t say the unexpected trip was a waste. You certainly liked those ruby shoes we came back with.”

“That was a play,” Obsidia replied, “The other tornado. The real one.”

“Ah… that one was irritating…” Louise said with a nod, “The fact she didn’t help me restore the forest that was ruined irked me.”

“That’s because you needed the practice!” Rei replied, “And it wasn’t my fault. I just flirted with the wind and didn’t know it had a jealous lover already!”

“... It is a good thing our driver is also an inquisition agent,” The red clad man sighed. “But I suppose this brings us to an important topic and I might as well begin the… interview now.” Louise could tell he’d wanted to use a stronger word there. “How long were you in that other world?”

“Little over a year, give or take a few months,” Louise responded, “Rather peaceful truth be told, and more… fantastical in some regards.”

“What spirits did you bring with you?” He asked, “And what was the world like? Were there humans there?”

“There were humans, a variety of elves, dwarves, gnomes, orcs, goblins… and probably more that I never encountered. I was busy learning mostly,” Louise said, “As for spirits? Some elemental spirits, one quirky Time spirit.”

“No disease or… stranger spirits?” He asked with a nod, “I doubt you did, you’re able to talk after all, but I just want to make sure.”

“My teacher very firmly warned my class away from attempting to summon those spirits,” Louise said, “He explained that the benefits were vastly outweighed by the downsides of dealing with them. Though he did touch on how to banish said spirits if they were ever encountered.”

“Good, good,” He sighed, visibly relaxing, “I suppose I should explain why we’re so… secretive about void magic, no?”

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Louise said.

“Put simply, we have a deal with elves,” He explained, “The exact details will have to wait for us to be in a more… private location,” that statement was rather worrying considering the amount of silencing spells around the cabin, “but Brimir had very good reasons. Reasons we happen to agree with.”

Louise just hummed as she thought that over, that made sense. But it didn’t explain the frankly terrifying reputation the organization had. Following Brimir was one thing, but burning heretics and violent interrogations? Well… she supposed interrogations were inherently violent to begin with, honestly.

“I think the biggest thing to keep in mind is that, no matter what elves you met, there are much, much worse examples out there,” He warned, “The ones nearest us are… isolationists, but not too cruel about it but…” His head shook. “I wouldn’t believe some of the things in those books if I hadn’t seen the proof myself.”

“I’m dating a sadomasochistic that torments me as much as I do her, I know.” Of course she would never actually say that out loud, “Honestly, the only elves I’ve interacted with had a superior complex… honestly, their attitudes made me homesick.” 

“Mild, for elves,” He mumbled, looking as though he were going to say more before Rei shouted.

“Brace yourselves!” Her tone was imperious, though not panicked, and very, very martial.

The exact tone she used every other time they’d been attacked by monsters, natural disasters, or bandits.

Louise braced without a second thought, which Tabitha and Kirche followed shortly after. Obsidia looked excited (or possibly horny, it was legitimately hard to tell with her sometimes) as she braced as well.

The inquisitor threw out his arms and cast a spell, wand in hand, but she couldn’t tell what it was before the world devolved into nothing but light and sound and violence.

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