Xrosed Path of the Familiar
by Lunar Wave

Disclaimer: I don't own Familiar of Zero, nor do I own Digimon Xros Wars

CHAPTER START

Familiars: regarded in Halkeginia as the devoted partners of mages. The use of a spell called [Summon Servant] allows the person to call forth these partners. They can function as the eyes and ears of the mages, as well as the most loyal servants of the mage. In Halkeginia, where the nobility are all mages, many of them must have used the spell [Summon Servant] at least once but, though the Familiar would be given longevity almost equal to that of the mage, the mage's or the familiar's death would mean the end to their partnership. After their familiar's death, some mages may refuse to summon another one, either out of sentiment, or simply because they didn't need one. After all, many powerful mages could live without the need of familiars, among them is the infamous Fouquet of the Crumbling Dust.

Each mage has a proficiency, a strength, and this decides what their familiar would be, and the form of these partners is based on the lineage and power of the mage. A Flame Salamander is likely to be summoned by a potentially powerful Fire Mage. I say lineage, because magic in Halkeginia is a hereditary trait. There are five different elements that would distinguish a mage from another, though only four is known and taught, the other regarded as a lost element. These four elements that are taught are: Fire, Earth, Wind, and Water. However, these four magical attributes are not completely divided from each other, as Fire mages would still be completely capable of, say, transmuting metal, levitation, and summoning water, but they would find difficulty in achieving the same proficiency even with the same power that could torch forests.

Not many know of this, even fewer know of the whole truth, but there are only four special familiars. And they are born from, not of the four elements, but of the lost element. The Element of Void. This story is about this. A Special Familiar born of the lost element. The element of void is, according to my research, represents those things beyond our everyday experience, particularly those things composed of pure energy. Pure Energy. Hmm… I wonder…

/Wisemon, you're getting sidetracked./

Ah, sorry, General… But why would you disturb me in mid-explanation?

/Because I can't turn my back on the readers who are getting bored! On with the story!/

Ah, of course. Now a child descended from Founder Brimir himself, though she doesn't know of this. She is a holder of this lost element and is about to summon, a VERY special familiar.

Summoned to Another World, Yet Again!

Answer my call…

Wha? What was that? A voice? A Melody?

My servant who lives somewhere in the universe!

"Uh, is something the matter, Taiki-san?" Tagiru asks me as we walked away from the basketball courts. My face must have gotten a bit odd just now. Who? Who is it? Who is calling?

"Uh, Tagiru, please go ahead of me." I ran off, searching for whoever's voice that was. Where was it? Where was this voice coming from?

Oh sacred, beautiful, and strong familiar spirit!

"Shoutmon, do you know this voice?" I took the time to ask my best partner and Digimon King, Shoutmon.

"What voice Taiki?"

So it IS a melody huh… As far as I know, I'm the only one who can still hear melodies… Where is that voice coming from? Is it in that alley?

I desire and plead from my heart

There it goes again… Huh? What's that? A portal? It looks like the one that took me to the Digital World…

"Taiki, I have a bad feeling about that portal…" Wisemon's voice called from the Xros Loader. That may be so but…

Answer my guidance!

I just couldn't turn my back on this voice!

Halkeginia: Tristain Academy Forest Clearing

Meaningless babble and chatter crowded my ears. I didn't understand a thing, nor did I try to. I expected that by jumping into that portal, I would wind up in the Digital World… But this world… Wait…

I grabbed my Xros Loader, hoping to hear familiar voices.

"Shoutmon? Do you hear me, Shoutmon?" No response. Huh? It's either Shoutmon is busy (he IS the Digimon King), or he isn't connected. No other reason would make Shoutmon shut up. Thinking on that line of thought, I guess he really does live up to his name, huh? I heaved a sigh, and placed my Xros Loader once more into its holder on the back of my pants. I turned back to the group of humans that was all around me. Wait a minute… were they looking when I pulled out my Xros Loader. No worries though… no one was watching. I heard a loud roar of unmistakable laughter from almost everyone in the area. I turned around, looking for the cause of their laughter. Then I spotted her. A girl, pink-haired and comparable to a middle schooler like me. She looked embarrassed and indignant at the same time. She was obviously being picked on. I sighed, looking around if there are those who would defend her.

Then I noticed… Huh? A dragon? This wasn't an ordinary human world. Petting the dragon was a blue-haired girl, glasses girl. The dragon seemed a bit scared… Ah well, whatever, I can't turn my back on the pink-haired girl any further! I turned around, only to see said girl walk up to me. Turning to her, she knelt right next to me, pointed a stick at my face, muttered a few random words, and all of a sudden, she kissed me. Wait what? In an instant, I pushed the girl away immediately, spluttering as I tried to clear away the feeling of the kiss from my lips. That was a bad sign. The girl looks angry. Uh… what was I supposed to say? Um… Sorry? Yeah, that could work but… "Ow-ow-ow-wow-ow!" What in D5 was that? It felt as though my left hand was being scorched by something hot... OW! Well that was the last cry of pain coming from me. I reached my numbed left hand to face me. It was definitely scarred, though the shape of the scar was the most curious part…

"Okay, who are you, Commoner?" She asked me. Huh? Umm…

"Kudou Taiki." I replied, without thinking really. "Wait… commoner? What do you mean by commoner?"

"That's what you are." She had replied sharply to me.

"Oh… Uh… Shouldn't you tell me your name as well? I mean, I told you mine…"

"Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere." Okay… Definitely not Japanese. She didn't look it to begin with, anyway, so, no surprises there. Louise, huh? Then I noticed that Louise had already turned around and started walking. She didn't even turn around as she gestured for me to follow her…

"Hey, you're going to be my familiar. So, whether I like it or not, you're stuck with me." Huh? Friendly. Well, I guess she can explain everything to me when we get back. Well, on second thought, why were they flying? So… the humans in this land can fly? Umm… Well, I suppose that makes sense… Somehow.

Halkeginia: Louise's Room

Every noble are mages. That was the single truth that I could get out of my "master." I added the quote-unquote simply because I didn't like the designation. Well, what normal human who was told to do free labor for someone in an indefinite amount of time would say? Not only that, apparently everyone can use magic.

"Who would believe such an incredulous lie?" She told me, for the… I lost count. Ah whatever. It seems that she doesn't seem to get my point… I avoided telling Louise anything about my world, at least. No point telling her that… If this place was anything like the Digital World, I was called here to do something. And apparently, that something is to be this girl's servant. Well… I'm fine with it until she started undressing right in front of me. I immediately confronted her on this habit of hers, but she simply lashes out that I'm simply a familiar. Apparently, I'm lower than even dogs. Ouch, talk about harsh… So this is NOT the Digital World, I know that much now. There shouldn't be any humans in the Digital World to begin with, but this takes the cake. In this world, digital devices aren't even MADE yet. And Shoutmon still hasn't made contact with me yet…

Oh well, we can worry about that later. I guess I'll take a walk or something, before I have to sleep on the hay stack she provided. Or, on second thought, I'll go sleep on the grass outside. I'm used to sleeping out anyway. Thank goodness for my experiences in the Digital World.

Halkeginia: Dorms

I walked down the ancient staircase of the dorm, hopefully finding a good spot outside to rest at. Of course, I spotted a few people on my way out, but what was of note was the lovey-dovey couple on the first floor.

"Hey, aren't you the Zero's Familiar?" Ah… they spotted me. Well, that didn't matter. I looked over and saw the two looking at me, with amused faces.

"I heard that Valliere's Familiar was a commoner… So it's actually true huh?" The girl giggled.

"Yes, of course! Failure count plus one for the Zero." The blonde boy snickered, with absolutely no respect. Hey, at least the girl was a bit respectful! "So commoner, where are you headed?"

"Out."

What else could I say in that kind of situation? I was doing my best not to burst out against the boy… wait, what? Why? Why am I getting so up and angry about? I need to go out really quick, maybe sleeping outside would sort things out for me. I sighed, holding tight to the bag that I still carried since this morning and trudged out the doors of the academy. Brrrrrr… it's quite cold out here… I guess they DID say it was Spring. I looked into my bag, hoping to find my Basketball shirt that I could double onto my shirt. I liked this shirt. Sure, it was designed by Yuu, but I was the one who suggested between the two of us to make a Team Xros Heart. I had to smile, as I touched the insignia on the chest. The mark of Xros Heart, and the symbol of our bonds. The mark of Blue Flare is the symbol of Pride, but ours… it was simply special to me. It was one of the first helping jobs that I actually did for a long term. It was amazing, being in the Digital World.

I looked into my bag to find another shirt. Again, the mark of Xros Heart was proudly engraved onto the cloth, but not by me. It was the same shirt that I wore when I returned to the Digital World. I immediately wore it over my basketball shirt. Then I simply used my bag as a makeshift pillow. Comfy at least. The clothes that defined my team, the clothes of Xros Heart. I will forever cherish those. Speaking of Xros Heart… I instinctively grabbed my X Loader. The screen was still blank, with no light coming off the screen. I toyed with the buttons, trying to reach the registered Xros Heart Members. It felt rather empty without Ballistamon and Dorulumon on the list… Well, they went with Zenjirou and Akari respectively so I can't really complain there. The ones who are still on my side are Shoutmon, Starmon, the Pickmons (minus the red one), Wisemon, Pinochimon, Knightmon (Though some of the Pawnchessmons went with Akari), Bastemon, Jijimon, the Red Monitamons… All of their profiles are in black, so that means they aren't in the Xros Loader… Haha… Didn't think so.

"So… I'm stuck here, huh?" A murmur of regret escaped from my lips… What I'm truly worried about though is… Why don't I feel anything? Why? And… since when did I start crying?

Chapter End

I would appreciate Criticism about the idea, if you don't mind~ If I get enough incentive to continue, I might actually take this story seriously.