A day with Maximilian at the magic tower. This is a fanfic I wrote a while back but deleted it from ao3, I’m posting it to encourage myself to write more.
Please enjoy and be nice to me 🥺🩷
A disappointed sign left Maximilian. The results of her Mana Affinity Test, to her dismay, confirmed her fears. She had no fire affinity and little to no water affinity, however, Maximilian had strong earth affinity, but that didn’t make her feel any better. Maximilian exhaled, disappointed with her results. She flipped the paper over, no longer wanting to be faced with the truth of her failures. Tilting her head up, Maximilian glazed out of the window, blocking out her worries.
The full moon shined brightly in the night, accompanied by a few stars and the eye. Maximilian blinked, resting her head on her palm, glazing at the eye. The Closed Eye was an eye-looking symbol that floated in the sky all day and night, and it never opened. It only glowed or dimmed. Maximilian had only started noticing it four or five months ago, and eventually came to learn that no one around her noticed it. Due to the high tensions at the time, she had decided not to mention it to anyone, it caused no harm to anyone and it didn’t affect her. So Maximilian paid it no mind.
On cue, the Closed Eye brightens its light for a few moments before dimming again. It did that quite often every day. For the most part, whenever Maximilian looked at it, it was glowing or dimming; she often wondered what it meant.
But that was a question for another day.
Maximilian stressed with her arms out, letting out a tired yawn. Lowering her arms, Maximilian turned around and looked at her cat.
“Well, l-looks like it’s time for bed, Roy.”
“Meow.”
Maximilian pushed her chair from out of her desk. Placing her hands on her round belly, Maximilian lifted herself off her chair and walked over to her bed. Sitting down, Maximilian stroked her baby bump, lost in her thoughts.
I wonder how your father is doing…
Every day, every hour, her mind constantly thought of her husband. The last time Maximilian spoke to him, it would be an understatement to say that he was less than pleased with her. But she hoped that eventually he would come to understand in time that every action that was taken was necessary. She knew that he was not only upset but hurt. He didn't get to offer any support, other than financial, to her during her pregnancy and Maxi knew that hurt him badly.
Maximilian wasn’t much better either. She missed her husband. She missed being home in Antol with him. She couldn’t sleep as well as she did with her husband and she had to force herself to eat for her baby. The pain and longing is something she knew that she would face everyday until she returned home. But she would endure it, she had no choice.
Taking a deep breath, Maxi laid down and got under her covers, getting as comfortable as her baby allowed her to.
It was cruel really. The time they needed each other the most they couldn’t even be together.
Shifting around, Maximilian tried to get some much needed rest. For now on, things would be tiring and soon she will be overrun with assignments. With that thought, Maximilian eyes fell shut.
…
Tiring was an understatement of the year. It was testing season and the professors were merciless towards they’re students. The assigned work and expected it done in an unreasonable amount of time. Even though Maximilian was new, she wasn’t spared.
Assignment after assignment, project after project, lesson after lesson. Maximilian could barely keep up and she wasn’t the only one feeling the heat. Students were scrambling to live up to their professors expectations and Maximilian was on the same boat.
And soon as fast as it came, the testing season left. Maximilian was for the first time in a long time very proud of herself. She did well for someone who was new and pregnant.
Her pregnancy hasn’t exactly been kind to her. Certain smells sent her gagging, her morning sickness never happened in the morning but instead afternoons so Maximilian had to do her best to predict it and schedule her classes around it. The moving cage made her nauseous and the stairs were too tiring to go up. Her breasts were sore but not as sore as her back.
At first Maximilian did her best to hide her pregnancy. Everyday she wore floor length cloaks to hide her belly and told everyone she was cold.
She didn’t really want people to know and didn’t have a particular reason as for why. But as her pregnancy progressed it became nearly impossible to hide it.
Then one day one of her classes decided to boil chemicals together for a spell. Maximilian was fine until her professor pulled out a glass bottle containing a gas called “Frog’s Breath.” When he opened it she couldn’t hold down her bile at the foul smell and the professor happened to be too close. She saved herself from a year of detention with two words, “I’m pregnant.”
He didn’t believe it until she flapped one side of her cloak to show her belly. She got off with a week in detention. After that Maximilian learned some of the perks of being pregnant.
Extra help on projects, people offering her home made pastries and sweets, people taking over her cleaning duties sometimes, and professors being slightly more lenient. Maximilian didn’t parade her pregnancy around but she didn’t hide it anymore either.
Leaving the library, Maximilian lifts the last of the Cherry Danish to her lips and pops it into her mouth. Today was a rare day that she had time on her hands, originally Maximilian planned to sleep in. But her dreams became too painful, filled with the haunting words of her husband swearing to not wait for her. Instead she decided to attend a class in the Kabbalah. She knew that her Fire Affinity was not good at all but her stubbornness stopped her from facing the truth.
It didn’t take long for her to regret her decision. Vicious glares and dirty looks were thrown her way as she sat in the back of the class, wishing to disappear. Angus warned her about the feud the Kabbalah Hall and Gnome Hall held against each other, but Maximilian didn’t think that she’ll be caught in the crossfire due to the fact she hadn’t officially aligned herself with the Gnome Hall.
A girl with black short hair threw her one of the many unkind glances Maximilian received today and the Cherry Danish that once sat so comfortably in her stomach, now didn’t sit well. Maximilian shifted uncomfortably at the many glares and stares she was receiving. Under her cloak, she unconsciously placed her hands on her belly and stroked it, both protecting and looking for comfort from her baby. Even though she wasn’t hiding her pregnancy anymore, Maximilian did in fact get cold quite often.
“Alright, everyone pull your textbooks out, we're getting started.” Maximilian silently signed in relief. The class started and the glares and stares decreased but didn’t stop but she didn’t mind. At least it wasn’t 90 percent of the class plotting her death anymore. The black haired girl however, found making Maximilian uncomfortable more important than the lesson.
“Professor!” The black haired girl called out interrupting the professor. Maximilian looked up from the textbook she borrowed from the library.
“Yes, Linda?”
She must be a favorite; Maximilian thought to herself. To be interrupting the professor and not getting detention. I’ve seen people get in trouble for less.
“Who’s better in your opinion? The Kabbalah Hall or the Gnome Hall?” Linda asked the question proudly, as if she already knew the answer.
“If you ask for my opinion I guess I’ll have to say the Kabbalah Hall. It’s where I teach after all.” The professor satisfied her curiosity and carried on with his lesson. At his words, Linda turned around and looked at Maximilian with a smug expression. Maximilian couldn’t help but be unimpressed.
Rolling her eyes at the student’s petty attempt at bothering her, Maximilian returned her attention to the professor, trying to make sense of the lesson. In the end she was unsatisfied, the class ended before Maximilian could make sense of anything. Maximilian sat in her seat disappointed, during the class she refused to raise her hand or speak, afraid of the backlash she would receive if she dared. So she decided to wait, maybe she could catch the professor and he’ll clear up her confusion.
But to her dismay he left with his students. Desperate, Maximilian stood up holding the library’s textbook and she made tracks after him. However, Linda stepped in her way when she approached the exit.
“What are you doing here?” Linda demanded, venom dripping from her tone. Maximilian flinched and took a step back.
“I was just h-here because I w-was curious-“
“Curious about what? Curious about how we are better than you?” A smug smile spread on Linda's lips. Maximilian opened her mouth but didn’t speak, unsure of how to respond. “I can tell you how if you want.”
“No, I’m f-fine-“
“Do you always stutter?” A blush of humiliation flush on Maximilian cheeks. Without waiting for a reply, Linda continued. “If you want to hear so bad, who am I to deny you?”
“N-No I really-“
“We’re stronger, smarter, and more capable than you rock collectors. We’re-“
“No, r-really.” Maximilian cut her off, not willing to listen. “Please e-excuse me… I’m trying to leave.”
Maximilian now just wanted to leave. She didn’t even want to go after the professor any more, she wanted to return to her room.
“But I’m trying to tell you why we’re better.” Linda spoke in a falsely sweet tone.
“I’m t-tired. Excuse me please.” Maximilian pressed, trying to be polite but growing irritable by the second.
“I think you should listen-“
“Linda, she said that she was tired. Leave her alone.” A male voice cut in, saving Maximilian. Maximilian eyes fell onto a handsome man with pale skin, long back hair pulled back into a low ponytail, and dark blue eyes. “She obviously doesn’t want to hear what you have to say.”
“But Ash-“
“Don’t call me that. Call me by my name.” A hurt expression took over Linda's face but Maximilian wasn’t interested. Throwing the man a thankful look, she walked around Linda and walked out of the door.
While she was walking down the hallway towards the Urd tower, a voice called out.
“Hey! Red haired girl! Wait!” Maximilian pondered on whether not to stop or ignore him. Even though she wanted to ignore him, Maximilian decided not to. He helped her after all.
Slowing to a stop, Maximilian turned and waited for him to catch up. Slowing from his jog, the man, Ash she guessed, walked up to her.
“Hey, there.”
“Hello.” Maximilian put on a polite smile despite feeling irritated. She just wanted to go back to her room. She just wanted to go home.
“You new around here? Never seen you around.”
“S-Something like that.”
“Well, I’m Azar.” His smile widened. “But you can call me Ash.”
“Alright… Hello, Ash. I’m Maximilian.”
“Maximilian.” He rolled her name on his tongue and took a step toward her. “I like it.”
“Um… T-Thank you.” Maximilian thanked him awkwardly. “Well, it was n-nice meeting you.”
“Where are you going?”
“To the library… I-I need to return this book.” Maximilian motioned to the Kabbalah textbook on her arms.
“I’ll go with you.”
“No, Thank-“
“No, I insist.” Azar reached over and took the textbook out of her arms.
“Hey!”
“Come on. I’ll walk you. That was my last class for the day” After rolling her eyes, Maximilian nodded, secretly happy that she didn’t have to carry the heavy textbook. They both made they’re way to the library, conversioning with each other.
Even though Maximilian didn’t want to be bothered right now, she couldn’t deny that she kinda enjoyed talking to him. He was witty, funny, and fun to talk to. Azar improved her mood even though she didn’t even want to speak to him. To that she was thankful.
Stepping out of the library, Maximilian turned to Azar with a small smile. “T-Thank you for helping m-me.”
“Anytime.” Azar grinned at her and Maximilian nodded in his direction.
“Enjoy your day, A-Ash.”
“You too.” With that Maximilian turned away and walked away.
What a nice guy. I wonder if I’ll see him around.
…
Time was a funny thing. It went by fast but it you paid too much attention to it, it went by slow. For Maximilian she wanted time to move fast so she could go home and be with her husband again, but she also wanted it to move slower so she could finish her exam on time.
Sweating nervously, Maximilian ran through her calculations again and was once again disappointed. Her calculations weren't coming out right and she didn’t know what she did wrong. She redid it over and over again but she got the same or sometimes a different answer.
Tears of frustration shined in her eyes as she continued to struggle.
What am I doing wrong?! I don’t understand! Maximilian held in a sob as she started redoing the equation. Eventually she was satisfied with her work and she moved on and the process repeated itself.
She did a calculation, didn’t do it right (sometimes she did) and did it again until she got it right but not without tears threatening to overflow. At the end of the class Maximilian wondered how she finished the exam in the time limit.
Approaching her dorm room she unlocked her door and entered, expecting Roy to reveal himself. But he didn’t. Standing in the doorway, Maximilian scanned her room trying to spot her cat.
“… Roy?” Silence. Not a moew, not a thump, nothing. Maximilian heart sunk.
“R-Roy? Roy! Here, boy, where are you!?” Maximilian searched her room from top to bottom but still couldn’t find her cat. It was as if he turned into a ghost.
A loud sob left her lips as she lifted herself off of the ground from looking under the bed. Then she noticed it. Her window was opened, not fully opened but enough for Roy to squeeze through. Maximilian didn’t even consider who could have opened it, she just knew that Roy had escaped and was now out and about in a place that wasn’t particularly safe.
Maximilian’s search for her cat then spread out across Noruni. She searched the best she could for Roy. She stopped people and asked if they saw a black car but no one saw anything. She tried to use her magic but wasn’t in the emotional state to do so but she did pick up his trail and it led her to the Urd tower.
Breathing heavily, Maximilian paused on the staircase to catch her breath. She knew that it wasn’t the best idea to be running around in her state but she couldn’t help it. She was worried sick about her cat and couldn’t help but think about the time she first got him.
She was happy back then. Probably not as happy as she could have been but that was her own fault. The memories of the past took over Maximilian thoughts as she resumed her walk up the stairs.
The building had large glass windows but no moonlight shined through them. On this particular night, the moon was a no show and to everyone else, the sky was dark but to Maximilian the Closed Eye shined brightly. Walking up the final steps, Maximilian became distracted. The Closed Eye shined longer than it normally did and she couldn’t help but wonder for the thousandth time, Why did it shine?
It never opened. It always shined.
Caught in a trace, Maximilian was too distracted to hear the approaching footsteps.
“You can see the light?” A woman's voice spoke calmly. A small surprise gasp left Maximilian, she hurriedly turned around and saw a beautiful young looking woman with a black cat in her arms. “Maximilian?”
Maximilian opened her mouth and tried to speak but no words left her lips. The woman signed.
“It’s fine. You can talk about it now.” It was as if the woman spoke the barrier that prevented Maximilian from speaking.
“Huh… What-“
“The light. Can you see it?” Stunned Maximilian continued staring at the woman lost for words. Raising an eyebrow the woman then looked down in her arms at the sleeping cat.
“Oh! This is your cat right?” The woman shifted Roy in her arms, waking him up and placing him on the ground.
“I was wondering why you were gaping at me like a fish.” The woman mumbled to herself and looked up expecting Maximilian to speak but instead she found her on the verge of tears. “… Why are you crying?”
“I-It’s you… i-isn’t it?” Maximilian said as steadily as she could while fighting back her tears. “I-It was y-you t-that did that.”
The woman blinked, obviously confused, before the light bulb went off in her head. “Oh yeah. I-“
“You s-saved my c-child's l-life.”
“Oh yeah! I am happy that your child survived that, honestly I thought that I only saved you and I failed saving the child. Welp looks like I didn’t fail. Cool.” The woman gave Maximilian a nod to show that she was pleased.
“Thank you… T-Thank y-y-you.” Unable to stop the tears, Maximilian sobbed. Her hands flew to her belly and stroked it. Having her child with her everyday has helped her more than anyone could imagine. The woman cringed.
I don’t think I ever finish this story so imma speak about where I was going with this. The closers floating eye came from Final Fantasy Versus XIII, a game that never got to see the light of day. The eye is the gate to Valhalla that Etro passes through to collect the dead, every time someone dies they eye glows and when tragedy strikes she opens the gate, aka the eye, wide and let dead come through.
The reason why Maximilian can see the gate is because she came into contact with a person who can and had a near death experience. If y’all are interested I’ll post more about the story but I don’t think imma finish it 😅 not disciplined enough.
Thank you for reading and I will be posting more of my writing thank uuu