Darren and the Bunny

"What do you mean you're out of stock?" Darren asked, "You're a Familiar store and you don't have any toads in stock?! This is crazy!"

"I'm sorry, sir." the pimply faced boy said, eyes fearful, "We were out of toads since last week.... how about something else?"

Darren let out a long sigh, the Wizardry finals were coming up and if he didn't have a familiar by then, he'd be the laughingstock of the entire Wizard's guild. "Fine. What do you have in there?"

"Well, we've got a fine collection of rabbits here, sir."

"Rabbits?"

"Rabbits."

"Bunnies?!"

"Yes sir."

Darren bit back the urge to whip out his foci and call a demon to trash the place. "Look," he said, trying to keep his voice as calm and level as possible. "I'm a Class B Summoner, okay? I'm learning to call things bigger than your house that can reduce cities to ashes... and you're offering me a bunny for a familiar?"

"It's as good as any sir. Rabbits make great companions, they're clean, and cute."

"What part of the 'great and powerful indimidating summoner' image don't you understand, kid?"

"I'm sorry sir, but I really can't help you. The bunnies are all that we have left."

Darren touched his brow. Fantastic, I swear I'm going to be laughed at by the assembly "Fine. I don't have any more time to haggle, and you're the only Familiar Shop in town. How much?"

----

The bunny was definitely not what Darren had in mind. It's snowy white fur and fluffy ears contrasted to his black and crimson robes, and the ominous trappings of a summoner. "I guess you'll have to do." he said, as the bunny looked up to him and wiggled its nose, whiskers twitching at its new master.

"I don't have much time left." Darren said, dropping the rabbit into his backpack as he went over to his bicycle. "I need to bring something good for class tomorrow." he explained as the bunny poked its head out of the backpack.

Soon, Darren was home, the living room furniture pushed off to one side as he finished the summoning circle. Arcane designs copied straight off "Summoning for novices vol. 1" filled the hardwood floor, as Darren tossed the chalk to a nearby table, clapping his hands together to dust off most of the chalk. "There." he said, inspecting his handiwork, and looking at the instructions one last time.

Everything is complete... now to do the summoning... Darren heard his bag fall over and realized that he had left the bunny there. The determined rodent had knocked the bag down in its valiant efforts to free itself.
Darren walked up to it, picking it up.

"Since you're my Familiar now, you might as well do something useful." he said, placing the bunny beside him. He wasn't really sure what bunnies did. Toads granted strange mystic energies, cats gave out advice on how to cast spells, rats made excellent spies... but bunnies? Darren shrugged as he raised his hands and began chanting... calling on the spectre of the dreaded Demon of Swords... a class 2 demonic entity which can be bound by strictly following the protocols set down in "The Acquisition, Feeding and Care of Demons, Revised Edition".

Darren narrowed his eyes and steadied his breathing, keeping an eye on his crib sheet, making sure to carefully pronounce the words, feeling the magics in the circle resonate with his own. It's working! Darren continued chanting, hand moving gracefully, leaving trails of magic suspended in the air, forming the patterns of binding even as the Demon of Swords began to manifest in the middle of the circle. Darren's eyes grew wide at the realization that even as it was in a crouching position, the Demon of Swords nearly reached to ceiling, it's massive girth pushing aside the chandelier. Oh no! Darren grit his teeth, seeing the Demon of Swords reach out tentatively against the warding circle, it's sharp talons crackling with energy as it felt the circle resist... then give way. I can't hold it back! Daren gasped, I'm going to die!

The Demon of Swords smiled wickedly as it realized that the boy had no power over it, moving forward, talons at the ready. It would be free to wreak havoc onto the world! Darren recoiled, trying to think of something, anything that could possibly save him.

The bunny stepped forwards, it's ears tucked back, wriggling its nose as it hopped into the circle. Darren looked at it. What the hell is it doing?! he let out a cry as the Demon of Swords looked down as raised one awful claw, swiping down at the rabbit...

A powerful burst of light filled the room, Darren recoiled, holding his arm over his eyes to shield him from the brightness. When the light faded, the Demon of Swords was gone. No residual presence, no demonic energy... just the bunny, sitting quietly in the center of the circle, twitching its nose.

What the hell just happened?

----

Darren sighed, it was going to be hell explaining this to his class. His attempts to bring a demon to his finals was a complete disaster, and the only thing he had to show for it was a bunny familiar. "No offense, bunny." he said, as it poked its head out of his backpack as he biked to school, "But I think I'm going to fail my finals."

The Gymnasium was massive, empty of the crowds that usually filled the venue in monster summoning competitions, Darren made his way to his class, where his other classmates waited. There was Maximillian Blue, with his snow wolf, Terry with his imp, and Marie with her fairy familiar.

"Hey Darren." Max smiled, waving as Darren came closer, "What did you have ready for today's summoning match?"

"Er..." Darren said, trying to find an excuse. The bunny then stuck its head out of his backpack again, looking around curiously.

"What the heck is that?" Terry laughed, "don't tell me that's your Familiar." he grinned maliciously, his imp doing the same.

"Actually..." Darren confessed,"It is... they ran out of Familiars back in the store."

"That's what you get for shopping at the last minute." Marie said, "At least it's cute, right Winka?" her fairy nodded its agreement, giving a little happy tinkling sound.

Terry chuckled, "Well cute ain't going to help him here." he grinned, "let's have a match Darren!" he smiled, as he took out his summoning glove, putting it on. "Just for fun!"

"But, I'm not ready!" Darren said, "I didn't..."

"Come on you wuss!" Terry sneered, as his imp pointed and laughed. "Show me what you've got!"

Darren grit his teeth, there's no way I'm going to let him say that to me! he set his pack down, the rabbit worming its way out of the back to stand beside him. "Fine." he said, trying to remember the spell for one of the summons that he can pull off.

Terry smiled, "That's better." he said, suddenly casting already, hands moving as he drew his symbols of power in the air.

"Hey wait!" Darren cried out as he struggled to catch up.

"That's no fair!" Marie cried out, "you didn't even tell him you were starting, Terry!"

"Tough luck then." Terry said, as he finished his first circle, "Come on out, Firelord!"

The Gym suddenly radiated with heat as a massive man-shaped fire demon stepped out of a space in reality. The air around it warping with the heat, as it drew a flaming sword from its mouth.

"Aaaah!" Max and Marie ran back to the benches, "Don't let him get you, Darren!" Max cried out, "Those things don't hold back!"

"Now you tell me!" Darren said, modifying his circle, trying his best to change it to something, anything that could go up against the Firelord.

The Firelord stepped towards Darren. Terry sneered, "Go get him!"

Darren fumbled, his circle dissapating as it executed a failed command. "Ack!"

The bunny jumped towards the Firelord, and bit the demon's toe. Silence filled the room as everyone stared in shock as the tiny rodent valiantly sunk its buck teeth in...

And the Firelord's head flew off with a loud pop, sliced cleanly off its shoulders as if severed by a very sharp blade. The demon disappated instantly with a low moan.

"What the hell?" Terry said, recoiling in fear at the bunny, "What is that thing?!"

Darren picked up his Familiar, "It's a rabbit."

"I know that! But how did it behead my precious Firelord?!"

Max grinned, "Darren, you sly fox!" he smiled, "You knew about it, didn't you?"

Darren looked at Max, equally confused, "About what?"

"The secret of the Vorpal Bunny, of course."

----

Found this little story somewhere in my hard drive before. I found it cute so I figured I'd post it here. Enjoy!