Here's a very serious question. How do you go to school the day after you've become a superhero?

The right answer is normally. Exactly like you did before.

"Don't stress yourself out. And don't talk about your powers with anyone. Just trust me on this one."

Arienne wasn't going to disagree. She understood that the moment her newfound abilities come out in the open, her previous life would be over. Reporters! Men in Black! Supervillains! Legal issues! Branding nightmares!

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Her hands trembled.

"Really, Arienne, you're worrying too much. It's not the end of the world. No one is going to instantly run up to you and ask if you're by any chance a superhero. Why would they? Everything's going to be fine."

"You're right, you're right!" She took another long deep breath. It helped. "Sorry. I'm just… Sorry."

Staring at the ceiling, she shuffled in her bed for the hundredth time since lying down and trying to go to sleep. She was tired, but at the same time so wired! And just so worried… It helped to have another living creature beside her. Well, more like lying on her chest, not that she complained. The feeling of warm weight against her heart calmed her.

She always wanted a pet, but Mom had allergies. Come to think of it, Arienne really hoped magical familiars were exempt from adverse immune reactions.

The magical part certainly came in handy. Talking was nice. She kinda maybe needed a bit of comfort... She did beat a man to unconsciousness a couple of hours ago. Hopefully only to unconsciousness, and not brain damage or worse.

She shuddered quietly.

"I don't think we should've hightailed it."

"Your situation is complicated enough as it is. Dealing with the authorities raises too many questions and involves too many interested parties."

"But those are the proper authorities…"

A very audible sigh followed.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen. I mean, I see your point. Corruption, suspicion, other bad stuff. But maybe…"

Silence.

"You're only turning sixteen next month."

Arienne lifted her head to better see the silver animal on her chest. "How do you know that?"

"I'm your familiar. I know about you." Wet nose poked her on the cheek, halting a dozen exclamations flashing through her mind. "Yes, that includes many of the invasions of privacy you're no doubt about to bring up. Before you get to it, consider this: I only exist because you do. Without you there is no me. It's difficult to view me as a separate entity."

She mulled it over. "But you are?"

"I am. In a manner that would be very hard to explain. Granted I even understand it myself."

"Okay, then how old are you?" A more pressing matter occurred to her just then. "Oh, wait, I have a better question. Are you a he or a she?"

"Neither. I technically have no gender." A pause. "But I think I prefer he. And when it comes to age, this is not my first life. But at the same time it is. My other lives haven't been with you. I don't remember them like you remember your past. Instead, I possess - how should I put it? - a wealth of general knowledge?"

"That's horrible!"

He snorted. "Nonsense. Please don't be dramatic. It's what a familiar is. We help people by being what they need us to be. If I weren't right for you, or you weren't right for me, we would've never met."

Arienne clicked her tongue.

"Do you want a name?"

"Very much so."

"Then stop being super condescending or you'll end up as 'Mr. Smarty Pants'."

He rolled on his back and stretched, resting his front paws on her chin. "Now here's my human."

She wrapped her arms around him. He was fluffy, reassuringly solid, and he wriggled in her embrace until getting on his stomach so they were face to face again. It felt funny and satisfying. Arienne giggled and stroked his ears.

"Okay, oh wise one, what can you tell me with your wealth of knowledge?"

"Something really bad is happening."

"Wow. Wouldn't have gotten that myself," she huffed. "Care to be more specific?"

Her joke didn't lighten his suddenly serious mood. "Astras are not supposed to be used for evil."

"A-a-and you've lost me. What?"

"His morning star was an astra. A weapon of tremendous power bestowing magical abilities upon its wielder. Throughout history many a champion took them up when need had arisen. Someone like that guy should've never even seen one, saying nothing about using it."

Arienne digested it for a while. The whole concept seemed sorta alien despite all of its fairy tale familiarity.

"Okay, so what do we do about it?"

"You are going to go to school as usual. I will be doing research."

"You mean you're not coming with me?"

"Of course I am!" He shook his head in clear disbelief she would ever doubt it. "You're my human, I'm not leaving you out of my sight for long. But I will sneak around, peek over people's shoulders, pick up rumors. It always helps, and I'm good at hiding."

"That sounds like spying."

"Probably because it is spying."

Feeling increasingly stupid doing it, Arienne still finished making her point, "But spying is, um, bad? Like lying?"

"Well, that may be, but we need information, and we can't come clean on the subject of why. Which is already misdirection, if not outright lying."

She thought hard about it and started to get a headache. "I guess I don't have much choice, do I?"

"Not really, no."

Arienne sighed. So much for hoping magical powers would actually solve problems… Hitting people notwithstanding, even if necessary.

There was a silver lining to all of it, though.

"Hey." She scratched under his chin.

"Yes?"

"I'm gonna call you Argent."

He looked at her, his eyes gleaming in the dark. Then he licked her on the nose. "I like it. Now sleep, Arienne."

Eventually, she did.