The Chimera Summoner – ch 17 – part 2/2

Ch 17 (part 2/2)

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"My summon skill isn’t maxed yet, so that's at least one more familiar.  If I get two more, I’m already there. Could have full party by level ten, potentially.” I shrugged.

“Not all parties are five.” Jennie said, mysteriously sounding offended.

I shrugged. “Sure. But with how experience splits work out one, five, and twenty-five are usually best.”

“You’re looking to be a soloist then?” She asked.

“Yeah,” I said without thinking. “that’s pretty clearly how my Class is shaping up.”

Jennie nodded, scowling.

Flickering and dull, my lights came on.

“You want us to keep partying up.” I groaned. “That’s why the sour face and the huffy and the grumpy. You think I am eager to replace you. Filling up my party so I can kick you to the curb.”

Her face reddened and I watched her clam up.

She stood abruptly.

“I want to unpack and wash.” She announced as if she hadn't heard me. “It's been a long day. See you tomorrow. Or in bed. Separate beds. Obviously. See you.”

She strode away.

Through Lorna’s bond, I felt a sympathetic kind of cringe.

Yeah. Not very diplomatic of me.

I winced. That was going to be a problem. And I had definitely not approached the issue with the kind of tact that it deserved. I owed her an apology.

But as to the issue itself?

I wasn't really sure.

In the short term, I certainly liked Wayfinding with Jennie. And I desperately needed a damage dealer. Lucy, Lorna, and I barely had two real attacks between us.

I knew I wanted Jennie in my party for now, selfishly. But long term? If I got a damage type familiar…?

It made sense to solo, if possible.

It was a rare practice, relative to a full party. But summoners and damage-focused off-tanks were traditionally the ones that could pull it off.

It was dangerous. But the Leveling potential was tremendous.

But where did that leave Jennie?

I slurped up my soup hungrily. Then went back for more. It really had been a hard day.

I sat back down and brooded for a bit, chowing down on my second bowl of hearty soup, nearly a stew. The stuff really was good. Simple. Cheap. Nutritious. I could see myself getting very used to the soup line.

I sighed, worried about the situation with Jennie.

Then brightened as I felt a little nudge from Lucy, through our bond. My mana was full. At least I didn't have to be wrestling with this on my own.

I quickly summoned both my familiars. The magical light show caught some eyes, and I waved apologetically to the curious students. Curiosity turned to near pandemonium as my familiars’ corporeal forms manifested.

“Are you finally ready to stretch out my ass?” Moaned Lucy into my ear as I turned.

My cheeks started burning.

Lucy had manifested completely naked.

In the middle of the cafeteria.

My busty bunny familiar looked around in surprise, her hands going to her chest. Rather than cover herself, she cupped her ample titties and pressed them up and against one another in a mouthwatering display.

She made a face of exaggerated shyness, completely at odds with her pose, thrusting her cleavage in my face.

“Oh, we have an audience?” She gasped, excitedly. “For my very first time in the ass, Eir?!”

She sounded like I had given her an early solstice present.

The cafeteria erupted.

Chairs squeaked as people stood. Students came running around from around the regular partitions that split the dining room up. Phones were emerging rapidly. Shouts, screams… pledges of love and devotion.

Which was fair.

Lucy was Lucy.

“I believe there has been a miscommunication.” Remarked Lorna.

Thankfully, she was clothed. If you could call the whispy, ethereal white dress being clothed. It did provide many tantalizing glimpses of her lithe form.

I dismissed them both with all of my might.

They evaporated in wisps of their respective colors, Lorna icy blue, and Lucy verdant green.

Lucy pouted her lips as she went.

I sensed confusion and disappointment from her.

But I had no time to explain.

Conversations were erupting all around me. I felt like a huge embarrassing spotlight on me. Shouting was growing. People asking their friends what had happened. People were shouting at me. Staff in the various food stations were even staring, wide eyed.

“Hey!” A girl in designer clothes and with the unmistakable grace that only combat fluency could give slammed her hands down on my table where I was shrinking in on myself.

She glared at me accusingly, like I was a big pile of mud that she didn't want to get her shoes in.

“This is a school for elite Wayfinders.” She snarled. “We don't want perverts or pimps or whatever you are in our school.”

“I'm sorry!!” I gasped, reeling away from the onslaught. “It was a mistake!”

The girl curled her lip.

“You're new.” She didn't quite ask.

I nodded anyway.

“You're the pervert from the entrance test.” Even less of a question. More like a final verdict.

I shook my head.

“Do you know how hard it is to have the reputation that we do?” She snarled.

I felt like a mouse pinned beneath an eagle.

She turned her eyes around the assembled students.

“Delete any footage and photos.” She ordered. “If I see any of this leaked, the student council will find you.”

She glared until people started scrambling to obey, eager to do so where she could see them do it, as if to prove themselves above reproach.

Who the hell was this girl to be able to order other students around like this!?

But as the evidence of my faux pax disappeared, I did feel some gratitude and relief. I didn't want people having nudes of Lucy like that. Especially not to share around. I growled internally at the thought.

“You don't belong here, freak.” She said, standing tall and looking down her nose at me. “If you have even a scrap of a normal person’s decency–”

“That will do, Ms. Margarite.” Cut in a cold voice.

Professor Valant crossed the cafeteria, silencing the room with her mere force of presence. The clicking of her heels was suddenly the only sound.

Margarite stood her ground, which impressed me all on its own. She wheeled on Valant and levelled an accusing finger at me.

“This girl just made a lewd display in the middle of the dining hall!” She announced, angrily. “And this isn't the first incident. I have been hearing things about a bathroom disturbance ALL DAY and I have a suspicion that–! She’s obviously a liability to the–”

Professor Valant raised a hand, cutting off the tirade.

“I am aware of the situation.” Said Valant. “Go back to your business.”

She waited. One by one the students drifted off, back to their own tables, or more commonly packing up to leave.

Margarite looked like she wanted to keep talking but Valant raised an eyebrow and after holding her gaze for a second, she stalked away. But not before throwing me an angry glance over her shoulder.

“Walk with me.” Valant ordered, then turned and strode out the door.

I scrambled to clean up my stuff.

“I got it.” A small mousy girl with huge glasses put her hand on my bowl.

I hesitated. “I don't need–” I started.

“Even a freshman should know better than to keep Valant waiting.” She gave me a little smile.

I hesitated. That did seem like a bad idea.

“GO.” She urged.

I nodded and gave her a grateful pat on the shoulder and then dashed.

Valant awaited me in the hall and turned without a word when I emerged.

I trotted after her, heart pounding.

“I'm so sorry.” I blurted as I stumbled along. “I swear I just wanted to talk to my Familiars about something but there was a huge miscommunication. I didn't ask her to show up naked!”

Valant raised a hand and I fell silent.

We walked a little further.

We walked for nearly a minute through the endless twisting hallways of the floating castles, before we stopped abruptly and Valant opened a door and beckoned me in.

It was a small office, dominated by a large desk of a sleek black wood inlaid with runes.

Valant sat behind it and produced a large manila envelope. She gestured for me to take a seat and I did, gulping slightly.

My mouth had gone very dry.

“Please, before you expel me–”

I didn't know what to say.

It had all happened so fast. I had really thought this would just be a social blooper, maybe make people look at me funny for a few weeks. Now I was kissing my future goodbye.

Tears welled in my eyes and I fought them down furiously. I would not sit here and cry like a baby sent to the principal.

“The will of your guardian, Wallace Everfield.” She said, and slid the large envelope across the desk to me.