My Familiar Ate My Husband?

"Then let me do it," five words that would forever change my life. Words that are right up there with the ever-present statement "now I'll show you," or its more direct and vulgar cousin, "hold my beer." All of these could be used to describe the overall clustered state of what happened next.

Zero, largely quiet, and overall docile in our relationship thus far, seemed to have changed as well since our time away. While he told me mentally that he appreciated everything I did for him, upon our escape together, he had always been the quiet one.

Then over time his presence became a valued addition, a constant reminder that he was safe, allowing me to go out and interact with the world for the two of us. In our shared state of being, our thoughts and emotions could be shared freely and rapidly. Most of his were of his long and drawn-out exhaustion that was exacerbated by being on that void planet.

Poof.

Yet, even there in that exhausting state, he always gave me the encouragement I needed to escape. If not for us, then for myself at the very least. He believed in me, which pushed me in ways I never imagined. Without him, I would not be here. There is also the statement that without him, I would not have been there, but I know that to be false. Had I not gone to retrieve Zero, then the crone would have found something else to force me to join her. That is why I made it a point to never blame Zero, not mentally, not ever. I knew from our shared bond that he felt horrible that I was there, that I had given up multiple escape attempts due to his inability to keep up with me.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I barely registered the fact that Penelope and Gwen both arrived on the back of a clearly confused Mr. Kujo. As Penelope arrived, I felt my mind and consciousness reach out and automatically scan, accept, and protect Penelope. For a moment, I mentally acknowledged just how important Penelope has become to me, especially since my return. I think about this, and make a note of it; however, before I could think too much about this now updated automated protective process of mine, my mind shifts back to following Zero.

At this very moment, Zero was taking on the role of a big brother, of my protector. He felt my mounting tension and turmoil that had been building in me due to my interactions with Robi. He knew how I hated the idea of fighting Robi, even when he tried to take everything away from not just me but everyone. The sad part was, had it just been me, had it just been my stuff I likely would have let him take it all. But it wasn't mine, not anymore, it was ours. Every member of my guild put their blood, sweat, and hopes into this land and made it the magical zombie bursting haven that it is today.

This was why I defended the land not once, not twice, but three times. Each time, Robi clearly feared what would happen next, but I knew that even showing mercy might alter the system's perception of the outcome. Had I hesitated, even for a moment, I knew the system would likely try to grant a portion of our work to him. And I couldn't do that, again not because it was mine, but because this was ours. I had no right to give it away, just as he had no right to take it. I think it was this last part that truly awakened Zero. The fact that he realized and felt my inner turmoil for everything that was going on. He could feel my frustration at knowing that my own weakness, not wanting to kill someone, especially not him, my ex. The father of my four beautiful children, and the sad excuse for a progenitor of my grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was there, and as usual he managed to mess things up so that they impacted not just him, but those around him as well.

Feeling all my internal emotions, Zero awoke from his deep slumber and watched. I could feel him using his own version of Angel's Sight. Being my familiar, he too was cursed with standard blindness, which was only enhanced by the fact that Zero too could see magic.

Not going to lie, after nearly a month of not being able to see much of anything other than all consuming darkness on the void planet, this world is slightly bright. I'm sure there is a testament here about how important life is, as it is so blinding that you just might take it for granted if you allow yourself to get blinded by how vibrant every particle of existence truly is.

I knew part of why Zero now felt exhausted was that his mind had a hard time adapting to the sudden change, like being locked in a dry arid basement for a month, only to be released into a glowing field of sunlight and rainbows. Had it not been for Penelope, and my friends I too would have likely taken a day to get reacclimated, but now I am here.

Zero is here as well, lunging from his tattooed form on my arm, to his normal size. A normal size that instantly expands thanks to his Enlargement magic, the same one he normally uses to stay relatively small and non-threatening, he is now using to take on his fully grown towering form. A form that seems to wiggle and squirm its way upward and around me. Normally such a state would be completely at odds with my form, but he also takes the moment to remind us all that he is a spirit dragon. Not just any spirit dragon either, but one that is related to the ruler of the Arcanarus Tower.

Seeing his body growing and pulsing with untold Arcane and Spirit energy, I am reminded of just how formidable my companion truly is. While I might be able to wield and adapt magic and other energy forms to my whim, it was times like these that I was reminded that Zero was primal power given form and consciousness.

Chills ran down my spine at the awe and majesty of Zero taking his true form. Not wanting to stay hiding in my shadow, for I could tell that he thought such a moment was well beyond him at that point. Instead, now he was fully expanding to take on his true form.

As he stirred, I could feel elemental forces from around the area also come to life. My mind felt them all, as I felt the full energy and consciousnesses of four Pomeranian guardians sparking to life with elemental powers, after feeling the threat that an unrestrained Zero now posed. Even the earth underneath me spoke out, seeming to question me if this was a true threat. A threat that had somehow managed to sneak into the very heart of the World's End territory.

My mind, felt, processed, and ultimately responded back with multiple responses. To the earth I replied, we are safe, this is my familiar. To the encroaching guardians, and the Kujos, not Mr. Kujo, as he was already here. Well, he was physically here, his face and clear attention elsewhere showed that he was not as interested in what was happening here as everyone else was. For a moment, I thought about trying to see what Kujo was looking at but decided against such a feat.

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I tracked everyone's responses and noted that they were about a minute away from us. Then for Zero I tried to talk him down, to mentally ask him to show restraint. Then again, I thought the massive and normally passive spirit dragon would use his full size to scare the now spirit version of Robi who was once again waiting to be Resurrected by me, so he could continue his futile effort to take over World's End for himself.

However, Zero seemed to have other plans.

"GRAHHWRR!"

Zero roared out in defiance, his voice laced with Spirit magic. A flood of Spirit magic, looking at the spell form, I realized this was like the dense and piercing soul damage one would take from entering the ethereal realm. Fortunately, I was immune to this, thanks to my Death Shroud, which Gwen was as well being the one person who I taught my Ethereal Healer class to, before I managed to evolve it into the Unique variant that it is now.

For a moment, I worried about Robi, only to realize he was a spirit and thus immune to the piercing soul damage, as it only affected a mortal shell. Which Robi currently was not in possession of.

I checked for Penelope, only to realize I had automatically included her somehow when my mind registered that she had arrived.

Only now did I realize that adding her aura was the only real reason that I even registered the arrival of Gwen, Penelope, and Mr. Kujo. As I added Penelope to my now full version of Death Shroud, that supported Mallory, Zero, and now Penelope.

knowing it could cover three people. And I made it a habit to always try to cover as many people as possible with it at any given time. My mind goes through all those calculations, trying to figure out who might be hurt, only to realize that this was all misdirection on Zero's part.

For Zero used my momentary hesitation, that moment when I was accessing the battlefield and determining who was taking damage, knowing that everyone in the immediate area was safe. He used that exact moment of distraction to act.

CHOMP!

In one precise movement and precision, a long and coiled Zero sprung to life, striking at the stationary Robi. In that instant before Zero struck, I saw the look of complete awe and fear that had come over Robi. It wasn't even fair, the strike. Looking at Robi, and Zero I was reminded of a coiled serpent striking at a rodent who had been caught in the middle of an open room and suddenly froze in fear. Unfortunately for Robi, like any mouse in such a situation, the snake struck. The snake in this case being a coiled Zero who had the long winding body of an eastern dragon with claws.

With one quick and precise strike Zero struck down, snatching up Robi and swallowed him whole. A giant bulge formed in Zero's neck, just past his skull bone. Then proceeded to slowly inch its way backwards, all while a struggling Robi seemed to fight against his sudden prison.

I like everyone else looked on in shocked horror and amazement, as Zero just stood there, eyes nearly wild with rage as he began to slowly calm down. As he breathed out, plumes of purple Spirit magic smoke wafted up, with each forced breath. Then as if deflating from the loss of Spirit magic, Zero began to shrink to a normal size, as he magically shrunk, I could see part of that energy also going to alter Robi's size within Zero's neck, forcing the Robi sized lump to also shrink, despite its still protestations of life, or unlife in this case, he was a spirit, now, after all.

Silence.

Mallory, Gwen and Penelope both came closer, but stopped a few dozen paces away not wanting to invoke the wrath of a Zero who was clearly in the midst of trying to calm down.

Zero paused, mid-shrink to look at me. His solid dead eyes locked with my own dead eyes, as we just looked at each other in the same way we had always done for years now. Seeing him, I could see the rage slowly fading from his features as it was clear that he now felt slightly hesitant about what he had done.

In that shared look, there was a moment of weakness as he seemed to look for forgiveness. Act first with rage, then ask for forgiveness? Isn't that how the statement goes? Anyways, I was just so at a loss, and honestly impressed by the fact that Zero's size shifting magic even affected objects that he had consumed. I could tell that the longer I took to respond, the more anxious Zero would get, and I couldn't be mad, for Robi was still clearly alive. That's when I just said the first thing that came to mind.

"You didn't even chew your food."

Silence.

There was a moment of silence as everyone just stared at me in confusion for a moment, but then Zero blinked. Again, a gesture that was completely unnecessary as he was completely blind.

"Did you want me to chew him?" Zero finally asked.

"Well, he does seem to be a choking hazard," I protested as I pointed to his neck where a clearly shrunk, but still living Robi could be seen struggling for release.

Chuckle.

Zero laughs a deep throaty laugh that manages to release more plumes of purple Spirit magic with each breath. I am about to protest, as I don't quite know what exactly is so funny, but Gwen stops with her own brand of questions.

"Wait, are you going to spit him out?" Hearing Gwen's question, Zero just turned his still large muzzle towards Gwen. In all, I'd say he lost about half his size overall, still large and imposing but now he is at a size where he would have to bite his prey in half first and devour through large chunks, versus a full meal.

"No, he tasted bad enough going down, the last thing I want to do is retaste that coming back up," Zero admits.

Hearing that I can only nod in understanding. "I agree, nothing is worse than tasting a bad meal twice."

"What? Mother, that is dad's spirit," Gwen protested.

"Yeah, he's fine," I begin. Mumbled cry for help. Then as if just to make a liar out of me, Robi chose that exact moment to fight even harder to escape from Zero's long and ever slow-moving neck muscles. "Well, mostly."

I am relatively calm, as I can tell that Robi is a spirit, meaning he can't die due to lack of food, water, or even air, as those are all mortal needs. Also, it is clear that as a spirit dragon, Zero naturally radiates enough Spirit energy that a devoured spirit could survive from.

"We are going to be able to witness the marvels of Spirit energy, just as you and I survive daily from Spirit Sustenance, so too will Robi survive from something similar," I state, confidently as I look at the state Robi is in, and how not much is getting to him.

"Wait, so he will just be there? Without dying?" Gwen asked.

"He is already dead, you saw it, right? Three times? Resurrected twice and was just waiting for me to do it a third time, when Zero changed the script." I admit.

Gwen just stared at me in confusion for a moment. Then her mind seemed to engage as her shoulders relaxed as she realized I was right, that Robi was already dead. At that moment Gwen opened her mouth to say more, but I held up a hand to stop her.

"Apparently we have some company," I called out my voice echoing over the fields. To my surprise, I got to see Ms. Kujo and the little Kujos going near their father and seeming to stand as one pack. I could also easily see the way Ms. Kujo conveniently positioned herself between Mr. Kujo and the visibly pregnant Blue Guardian Pomeranian.

Seeing the new members join us, I could see the moment Zero became intensely aware that the Blue water Pomeranian Nagingah arrived. He turned to look and then seemed to instantly deflate at the sight.

What he failed to notice was the way a suddenly captivated air dragon guardian in light blue Pomeranian form suddenly panted a little bit harder upon seeing Zero. Yes, she was clearly tired from all that running, but I was pretty sure there was more to that drool. Then again, I do have a thing about animals randomly drooling on the floor.

Control the things you can control, and trust that others will clean up areas as well as you would. I say a mantra that one of my therapists recommended. It never helped but was always fun to memorize and repeat random sayings out loud, never made you look crazy.

Penelope turned to see that all of her pack was now here. Seeing that they were all tense, she raised her hand to calm them down, as she gently approached.

I pretended not to notice, but at one point the flame guardian Pomeranian looked startled as to how close Penelope had gotten to it, in an attempt to get him to relax.

Snap.

Poof, pop.

While I had tried to let Penelope train the animals on her own, I would not accept the animals aggressively biting at Penelope. That was why I moved mostly on reflex, opened a small portal, stuck my hand through and gently smacked Fulmberro, the glowing red morphed Pomeranian on the head.

In fact, I was so focused on ensuring that Penelope was okay with dealing with the mega pack of creatures now thrust upon her, that I failed to notice Gwen getting closer to me, well to Zero, I was just next to Zero. But as she got closer, she asked a question that I likely should have thought of sooner.

"You sure my father will be okay, after he vacates your premises?' Gwen asked, waving her hand at Zero's long and twisted torso.

"Yes, I guarantee that he will survive the encounter and come out cleansed. After which time you two can attempt to Resurrect him again," Zero stated confidently. Gwen just nodded her head, her eyes going wide as she bit her lip for a second, before continuing to ask important questions.

"How long do you think this cleansing process will take?"

"Oh, no more than three to seven," Zero replied.

"Minutes?"

"Years."

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