The Black & White Saga

Chapter 12 - How They Became Partners

Lunette walked out to the balcony at the end of the hall on the second floor, following the moonlight.  The panda cubs finally went to sleep.  Gaia and Skye refused to be separated from her after they heard she had to go on a mission.  This would be the first time they would be apart since the cubs were born.  They stuck to her during their bath time, and didn’t let go even when they fell asleep after story time.  It was only after they were deep asleep that Lunette able to leave without them kicking up a fuss.

Nebula joined Lunette on the second floor balcony.  They enjoyed the view of the stars twinkling brightly in the clear night sky.  A pale yellow crescent moon hangs high above the horizon.  Another silver crescent moon, a size smaller, floats a small distance away from its sister moon to the west, a bit lower in the sky.

“Have they finally settled down?” Nebula asked quietly.

“Mhmm,” Lunette nodded with a small smile.  “I can’t believe you are already a mother with two children.”

“I can’t believe I have children already too,” laughed Nebula.  “Look at us now.  We’ve come so far since we left the capital.  I remember the first time we settled here we were only able to eat instant noodles for a while.  You tried to cook after moving here for a few days, but it was sooooooo terrible that we had to toss it out and boil water for cup noodles instead.”

“Ummm, I may have been a bit too ambitious with some of the recipes at first,” chuckled Lunette with a small blush.

“And look at my girl now,” Nebula crooned.  “She can prepare a full meal that 15 people will fight for, all by herself.”

“At least I can cook,” Lunette retorted back with a roll of her eyes.

“What do I need to cook for?” questioned Nebula, raising her paws with a shrug.  “I’m a panda.  I can eat bamboo.”

Both ladies laughed.  They both met about 10 years ago in Lunette’s first year of secondary school.  The schools in the capital started a program to promote peace and understanding among the different races of Arcadia a few years after the war ended.  It was called the Diversity Fellowship.  The program paired rescued beasts and students to form a mutually beneficial contract so that both parties can help each other train their magic powers more efficiently.  

There were three types of beast contracts that could be used in Arcadia.  The first one is the master and slave contract, where the beast is forced to serve its contractor unquestioningly.  This is an unfair contract to the beast involved, and would usually only end with the master’s death.  If the beast dies before the master, the master will not be affected.  However, if the master dies, the beast will also perish with its master.   The second type of contract is the auxiliary contract, where the beast is the master and the contractor.  This only happens when the beast is much stronger than the contractee.  The contractee’s death will not affect the beast in this case.  The last type of contract is the mutual contract between beast and contractor.  This contract is more flexible, and allows both parties involved to set their own terms.  Whether they want to set a time limit to the contract, or life and death conditions, the beast and its contractor will be able to make their own terms.  It offers the benefits of a contract, which allows both parties to train their magic powers more efficiently when training together, but none of the drawbacks of the other two types of contracts.  The only challenge for the mutual contract is that it requires an excellent scribe to set the contract.  Since the contract is bond with runes, the scribe must know how to create and bind together the necessary runes.  The more terms in the contract, the greater number of runes the scribe must use to set the bond.  Runes were difficult to create, thus the demand on the scribe was extremely high for the mutual contract.

For those who practice magic, partnering with beasts was a common custom on Arcadia.  Many warriors and mages find compatible beasts to form contracts with.  However some were extremely nefarious in their pursuit for beast partners.  For the chance to improve their magic powers quickly, some Arcadians force wild beasts into unfair contracts that only benefit the contractor.  This resulted in a black market for beast companions.  The honorable way to attain a beast companion was for a warrior or magus to challenge the beast and convince it to join them in a mutually beneficial contract.  Regrettable, some tend to be extremely cruel with their capture methods, and subject beasts to inhumane conditions.  In a few extreme cases, after some tortured beasts grew strong enough to become enlightened beasts, they got rid of their one-sided contracts, and killed their contractors mercilessly.  After that, they went to destroy the underground markets that held them captive, and wipeout the hunting groups that captured them and subjected them to a***e.  The League of Arcadia passed laws to protect wild beasts when they came into power.  They shut down underground markets that sold beast illegally, and captured traffickers who abused beasts and subjected them to terrible conditions.  They tried to return the captured beasts to the wild, but many of them were harmed to the extent that they would not be able to survive on their own.  The time it took for them to recover from their wounds depended on the severity of their physical and mental injuries.  Thus the LOA worked with institutions across all of Arcadia to develop the Diversity Fellowship, and give the abused beasts the care they need.

Nebula was rescued from an underground beast taming store.  The store appeared to follow LOA regulations on the surface, but they created secret accounts to hide their underhanded dealings.  Many beasts were locked in small cramped cages, with little to no food or water.  They were often beaten or whipped to keep them weak and submissive.  Nebula was a young adult panda at the time she was captured.  She was very cute and cuddly, but not yet full grown.  She did not appear very intimidating due to her small size, but at the same time was too big to be considered a cub.  Since few customers were interested in her, the store treated her even worse.  She was starved until she was only skin and bones.  Covered in red welts and scratches, she was a miserable sight.  The LOA treated Nebula’s wounds when they rescued all the wild beasts from the underground beast taming store, but remnants of scars remained.  

When Lunette’s class walked into the Grand Atrium of the Continental Academy, they saw many animals sitting on platforms around the arena.  They were rescued and treated in the LOA’s most recent operation against animal traffickers.  Many of the beasts still had traces of wounds and scars of their skins and furs.  After the dean’s introduction, the students walked through the stage area, and tried to make a connection with the beasts resting on the platforms.  Many of them were reluctant to interact with humans due to the a***e they suffered at the trafficker’s hands.  The bond between spirit beast and contractor could be developed over time, or completely based on intuition.  The students spent many hours after class to bond with various beasts, trying to convince them to make a contract with them.  Under the watchful eyes of their teachers, no one dared to be overbearing or aggressive.  

As Lunette wandered amongst the different beasts, she stopped by the ones that seem to call out to her.  A bright orange fox with black streaks across its fur looked at her curiously.  It approached the edge of the platform and cried out.  A gray wolf pup with a long scar on the side of it’s belly, watched her and wagged its tail at her as she passed.  A large sparrow with wings wrapped in bandages twittered on the tree branch, while singing a little tune.  She fed them some spirit berries, and stroked their heads gently.  Many animals were drawn to Lunette’s magic aura and loved the spirit berries she fed them.  Lunette liked animals and enjoyed the company of the ones she met so far, but she felt there was someone else calling out to her as her contractee.  She continued to wander throughout the atrium, going around to meet all the spirit beasts present.  Her fellow classmates also wandered among the beasts, trying to establish bonds with them.  The school will host the rescued animals for a month before the LOA sends them back to the wild, or finds them a new home in a protected sanctuary.  

At the corner of the arena, a lone panda laid listlessly on her platform on a bed of straw with a pile of short bamboo stalks in one corner.  She was all skin and bones, and covered in scars.  Very few students tried to interact with her, as she did not respond to anyone.  They avoided her platform, and walked toward other beasts who looked more lively, or had better attack potential.  Lunette walked over to the panda’s platform.  The young adult panda opened her eyes and looked at the approaching figure, before closing them again, and ignoring the student that was visiting.  Lunette looked at the frail figure with a small smile, and put a small handful of spirit berries on a pile of bamboo leaves, before leaving.  

For the next three weeks, Lunette would visit the Grand Atrium with Savana to try to build a relationship with spirit beasts that connect well with them.  After interacting with the students for several weeks, the animals realized that they meant no harm.  They became more willing to communicate with the students.  Some of them even decided to form contracts with the students, and already left the atrium with their new friends.  

Savana went to visit a small white water snake she had taken a liking to.  The poor water snake was caught in the net of a group of poachers who were catching rare water beasts.  Lunette continued to visit the listless panda.  She knew the other beasts who connected well with her on the first day would be able to find other students to pair with since they were very lively and cute.  The panda on the other hand was harder to approach.  To be fair, her lack of cooperation discouraged the students from continuing to spend time with her.  Lunette thought it would be a pity if the panda was abandoned just like that.  It also did not look like the panda had the ability to survive on her own if she was brought back to the wild.  Lunette brought the panda spirit berries, fresh fruit, or fresh bamboo everyday.  The panda usually ignored her.  It only glanced at her when she approached, before closing its eyes or turning its back to her again.  At the beginning of the fourth week, the panda started nibbling on the spirit berries Lunette brought when she placed them down.  

“This human was not like the others,” the panda thought.  “The others never came back after a few days, but this one is persistent.  Her magic aura is very nice too.  Maybe I can give her a chance?”