Avalon:Chapter Test

Chapter 7 - The Perfect Contrast

After just one week, life in the new world was already starting to fit into a schedule. As usual on Saturday, Kaede went to the roof to meditate through archery; and just like any other weekend morning, Ariadne was taking a self-rewarding joyride on her pegasus.

Spotting the latter, Kaede hesitated for a moment, but decided to wave down the angelic rider.

Her reasons were mostly split between I don't want to become a shut-in and she's as true as nobility gets. Although if Kaede examined her decision tree, she's absolutely gorgeous also ranked top five on the list.

It was hard not to feel attraction towards a gracious lady so stunningly beautiful.

After the usual pleasantries, Ariadne happily dropped what Kaede considered a bombshell question:

"I'm going into town for an errand today. Would you be interested in joining me? We can shop for your clothes while we're there."

Calm down, calm down! Kaede's thoughts scrambled, her cheeks instantly glowing. You're a girl now. There's nothing unusual about this! Stop jumping ahead because she is certainly not probing your interests or anything!

Ariadne's smile only seemed to grow wider as Kaede took a moment to cool.

"Of course I'm interested! Although I'd need to ask Pascal first."

"Of course, but please remind the self-centered prick that we are shopping to give his cute familiar a makeover. Oh, and tell him that my boyfriend Parzifal is coming along..."

Kaede was pretty sure hearts bubbled off Ariadne when she accentuated 'boyfriend' in a proud and flirtatious voice.

"--Since we're meeting an old friend dropping by. We leave in an hour, so please meet us at the inner wall gates before then."

Was that display meant for Pascal as well? He may have stopped freely using Kaede as an extra sensory organ, but to everyone else, she was still his familiar, his 'eyes and ears'.

Kaede wasn't certain, but she couldn't help feel a little put off after hearing it.

----- * * * -----

The indecisive look did not fit Pascal at all.

"Please? Please please? Pretty please please please?" Kaede begged, no longer uncertain about the universal expressiveness of hands in prayer.

"Fine," Pascal gave in at last, before turning to rummage through a drawer. "At least with that borejob Parzifal going, she will not do anything unexpected. Here," he tossed her a small pouch. "Make sure you pay correctly for what you buy. The infinite layers of the Abyss will freeze solid before I owe Ariadne anything."

Being a girl does come in handy at times, Kaede grinned back. She was almost tempted to give him a hug.

"Also, I want you back by two o'clock. We have a ton of work to go through this weekend. I received another project yesterday -- and reading up on spell research is also a good opportunity for you to get acquainted with our sorcery," he noted, his expression reflecting her eager smile.

...Or, maybe not. Her urge died instantly as she replied with a deadpan "Yes Sir."

----- * * * -----

Given Ariadne's breathtaking charm, Parzifal didn't turn out nearly as outstanding as Kaede imagined. He was still handsome in an above average way, with short brown hair above pretty aquamarine eyes, a wide nose, and strong jaws. Around six-foot in height, he had a lean musculature that emphasized powerful legs and thighs in particular, yet his steps were soft, almost silent.

Perhaps the most unusual was his quiet, cool but unassuming personality.

"Hello, Miss Kaede," he barely nodded, not all that pleased to see her. "I'm Parzifal Sigismund von Seydlitz der Chevallerie."

Seriously, if they get married, their kids' names are going to break the word limit, Kaede thought as she gave an inexperienced curtsy in her blizzard-blue dress, still rough around the edges as Pascal only taught her three days ago.

She still found it suspicious that Pascal could do it perfectly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you milord. I'm honored by Ariadne's invitation to come along."

Parzifal's attempt to hide the lemon taste made it obvious he was anything but glad. Yet he swiftly plastered a grin across his expression as Ariadne turned towards him.

Can't really blame him; I am kind of ruining their time alone.

"Just call him Parzifal; the formality will kill the mood," Ariadne said as she grasped his hand, intertwined their fingers, and took a few seconds to snuggle into his chest.

Kaede thought it best to just smile and wait out the intimate moment. Then, still leaning against him, Ariadne turned them around and lead them out of the inner gate, her long strawberry-blond hair billowing like a silken waterfall in the gentle breeze. If the people of this society looked down upon public displays of affection, Ariadne was completely unabashed in showing it off to the world.

"Morning, Ariadne! Morning, Parzifal!"

"Going for another outing?"

"...Trip to the town? Say hello to Lukas for me."

Every person the couple came across greeted them with a friendly face; noble or commoner, staff or servant, it didn't seem to matter. Their network of acquaintances and friends appeared to cover the entire academy.

It was a world of difference compared to how Pascal was treated. Sure, he also stood in the center of attention, but few bothered to talk to him, most only half-admiring and half-mocking from afar.

Perhaps the greatest surprise to Kaede was how genial Parzifal was. His greetings lacked Ariadne's energy, but his smile was always gentle and serene. Not once did he show another the distaste he revealed to Kaede.

It wasn't until they left the outer walls before Kaede finally spoke up:

"Ummm, pardon me, but how are we getting there?"

"Once outside the Lockdown ward, we're teleporting," Ariadne answered. "We're both still learners and only up for a ten-mile jump, which is just far enough."

The prospect of being broken down into tiny pieces and reassembling at the target -- or at least how the scientific explanation went -- did not thrill Kaede.

"Uh, what happens if we wind up overlapping with a passerby, or something like that, when teleporting?"

"There are precautions built into the Astral Teleport spell itself to prevent that; you just bounce and get shunted off to the side. Towns also have beacons to guide the teleportation into a sparse area. Otherwise it's always possible to bounce off a warded home and land in a weird alley, or wind up inside a commoner's shop since warding is expensive."

Of course. Any convenience must also be defended against. Nice to see that humanity remains the same wherever you go.

The pair then turned halfway around as Ariadne extended her delicate fingers:

"Alright, we're out. Grab my hand and hold on."

Kaede took up her offer and, despite her anxieties, struggled to keep her eyes wide open. Reality was about to be bent, and she had no intention of missing it.

However, both aristocrats closed their eyes as they chanted in unison through Ancient Draconic words:

"Merge Targeting... Beacon Lock... Environment Set. Chain, Astral Teleport!"

Kaede braced herself, but it proved impossible to prepare for. It felt as if her entire body was suddenly enveloped by ice, then sublimated in gas and scattered in the air. Her consciousness was pulled through a tiny hole in the fabric of space that materialized before her eyes, while her surroundings dissolved into it like scenery flushed down a drain. Then, as quick as it came, everything popped back out and returned to normal. Except her body still felt like it was reconnecting itself while her vision swapped -- they now stood in a stone-paved square just outside a small town.

If this was only ten miles, Kaede was glad she was unconscious when Pascal summoned her across world boundaries.

"Should we bring the little miss to 'Midnight Crescent' and let them take care of her? It wouldn't do to drag her with us to meet Eckhart." Parzifal spoke this time. His polite words may have phrased a question, but his unwavering tone left little room for negotiation.

"Sure," Ariadne answered without a second thought.

Merely two lines of exchange quickly rewrote the balance of their relationship in Kaede's eyes.

It's not that Parzifal has no charisma; he's just fine with Ariadne making the choices and staying happy, until there's something he really wants.

----- * * * -----

In the end, Kaede was left behind in Ariadne's recommended 'Midnight Crescent' tailor shop while the couple went off to meet their guest and enjoy the day. She couldn't really complain; it was their day after all.

Besides, the owner, Krista, an elderly lady in her late fifties, was very enthusiastic. With both a keen eye and a creative sense of fashion, she quickly put together several designs based on Kaede's tastes. This included both spiffy uniform-like dresses that were easier to move around in and combination outfits that wore leggings below a shorter skirt -- although Krista admitted worriedly that it was very unorthodox and barely meeting dress decorum. The designs were mostly black or white or some mix thereof as Kaede preferred, with sewn borders and lace trims in either canary-yellow or carnation-pink to bring out the color of her hair or eyes.

Unfortunately for all her talents, Krista wasn't a mage, therefore her designs had to be sent elsewhere for manufacture and enchantment in the highest quality nobles expected. Nevertheless, Ariadne had remarked that the store was a popular shop for the academy's students and earned good money for their ideas.

By one o'clock, Ariadne returned by herself to pick up and send Kaede back. Apparently the meeting was taking far longer than anticipated.

"Sorry about this, even though I invited you," the lady apologized. "Parzifal is usually friendly to everyone, but he dislikes your prick of a master in particular. I was hoping he'd treat you differently, but I guess that was asking bit much."

Kaede didn't even hesitate: "What did Pascal do this time?"

Ariadne left behind her ever-present smile for a faint scowl as she continued:

"Parzifal is on the administrative track and the healer's program, since his dream is to become the Surgeon-General of Weichsel. But in a military academy, he always felt out-shined by the officer cadets. When I had that fight with the arrogant prick two years ago, Parzifal tried to interfere on my side, only to get brushed off and called 'Borinful' in return. It's a really childish thing, but it struck him at a personal complex where it really hurt."

Borinful? Really, Pascal? What were you, eleven?

"That idiot," Kaede voiced. Probably explains why she flaunts their relationship so. What is she, the perfect girlfriend?

What reproductive organ Kaede had hardly mattered; she couldn't help but feel rather envious, towards both of them.

----- * * * -----

"You are late!" Pascal growled.

"Sorry, it's hard to run in these heels, and there was a long way." Kaede looked at the clock. "I'm barely two minutes late!"

"The enemy will not wait a single second for you, late is still late! Come on, we are off to the library. That will be the only break you get this weekend," Pascal decreed as he took her wrist and dragged her out the door. His tight grip was painful and his quick stride almost made her trip several times.

Sheesh, I'm not a stress ball. Don't take your irritation out on me.