Summary: [AU; Agito-verse; Weapon-swap] Under the red cape, they were united as one, as Class Zero.

Character: Class Zero, Peristylium Suzaku's faculty, and others.

Genre: Adventure/Friendship/Family/Romance.

I recommend that you use change the story width to half for easier read.

I – Class Zero

"We've defeated their general!"

"We've finally fended them off! We've won!"

Amidst the scorched hot battlefield, hundreds of red clad warriors raised their weapons triumphantly. They, the proud soldiers of Suzaku, had just won the long term battle against the tyrannical Byakko. And it was all thanks to him.

Eighteen years old Kurasame Susaya sighed in exasperation and put his sword away swiftly. At last, it was over, everything was over. He didn't need to fight this unnecessary war anymore. He could now end his duty as the last Four King of Orience.

"Susaya, we need a little help over here! One of their platoons still insists to fight in district three!"

…Figured so, he spoke too soon. He couldn't rest until everything was confirmed to be over.

"Lead the way."

Half-reluctantly, Kurasame started his beeline to follow the fellow soldier to the third district of Corsi. As he paced forward, he couldn't help but to analyze his wrecked surrounding. He pitied the town, along with the civilians. The place was once a very beautiful town, but no thanks to the bloody conflict of the era, the habitants were evacuated somewhere else. Those were the one with luck on their sides. The unlucky ones were obliterated mercilessly by the opposing country.

"We're almost there, Susaya!"

Kurasame readied his hand around his hip, where his sword rested peacefully, his determination to defeat his enemy visible from his violet eyes.

Yet just before he reached his destination, his feet quickly stopped at the sight on his side. This also tempted his usher to stop for a moment.

"What's wrong, Susaya?"

He returned his question with nothing. His entire attention set on a certain destroyed house. But what prompted Kurasame and the other soldier to be in awe was the small figure that stood between tens of dead Byakko soldiers. The standing figure itself didn't seem to be any older than ten years old, with a piece of kitchen knife by his little hand.

xxx

Knock, knock.

"Kurasame Susaya, reporting for duty."

"Ah, yes. Do come in, Captain Kurasame."

As his leader gave him permission, Kurasame, now one of the finest fighter of the Rubrum's Dominion, politely entered the great ruler's chamber. As always, he was not alone, his little tonberry followed suit just right behind him. As soon as he was inside, he quickly gave a nod, out of courtesy for the headmaster. To that, the older man couldn't help but chuckle.

"No need to be so polite, Captain. Please raise your head."

Behind the mask, Kurasame made a small smile. Even though he was probably already over his prime condition to partake in a war, the man before him was still more than content to accept him as an instructor for cadets, and even sometimes permitted him to jump in to the battlefield when things went haywire. Just as instructed, the twenty six years old raised his head to look at the ruler on his face.

"May I ask why did you call me here, Director Khalia?"

Khalia Chival VI stifled a small chuckle at the direct question. Slowly, he rose from his seat to turn around and stare at the scenery through his window, his arms crossed behind his back.

"Captain Kurasame," the man's friendly atmosphere was fading, and switched with a more serious one. "It's starting again."

Kurasame merely grimaced at the director's statement. He was not one to jump into conclusion, but the recent situation around the country made it clear already.

"I'm sure you understand what I am talking about," Khalia turned around to face Kurasame once more, while approaching his grand desk as well. "Cid Aulstyne is preparing his troops to attack us once again."

He thought he was over it, the darkest time of his memories, where he had to raise his sword to take countless enemies down. Yet…

"I understand where you are coming from, director. But I am still unclear of your purpose for calling me here." Kurasame countered, trying his best to not to sound impolite. He wanted a clear direction here, because if this rumor was a fact, he needed to make his own countermeasure against them as well.

That was when Khalia took out a folder of document with him. He gestured at Kurasame, for him to take a look at it. Considering he couldn't (and wouldn't) disobey Khalia, Kurasame grabbed the folder before carefully having a look at the documents.

They were data about the entire academy's students.

"We need to prepare ourselves fast, Captain Kurasame," Khalia quickly explained. "I want you to form and lead an elite group of student, the Class Zero."

Truth to be told, he was only a little surprised at that explanation, and that itself was a little surprising. Because it had been more than two years that he got surprised, the last time being an ambush from a Behemoth. He just flipped the application to the next one, without showing much interest.

"I'll leave it to your judgment to find the members, captain. Whoever you deems worthy."

Whoever he deemed worthy.

"Whoever, director?"

xxx

Kurasame didn't know who the kid was, but after a quick analysis of the condition, he could tell from the fresh red liquid on the knife that it was the kid who ended the soldiers' lives. This already called him for a cautious approach. He wouldn't hurt the kid, but he would at least hit the kid on his hand to remove the knife from him. It was not a toy, although it could be argued that this was neither place nor time to play a toy.

As Kurasame made a silent plan in his mind to approach the little kid, the kid himself turned to face him, and his expression was…

…Fear.

Kurasame thought he would see a crazy and homicidal grin on the boy's lips like in some horror movies, but turned out to be this…? Even more, as time passed, it was clear to him that the kid was trembling in horror, his eyes letting out immeasurable layers of fears.

Even though the other soldier asked him to be on his guard, Kurasame relaxed himself from his battle stance. He recognized the intensity of the kid's eyes. He was very familiar with those lonely lights from his eyes. He didn't want this unknown kid to experience such negative feeling at his young age. Not when he could help it.

As Kurasame drew near to the boy, the boy's tremble worsened. He seemed to be ready to lift the knife against the young soldier, even.

"It's okay. You can put the knife down."

He didn't even remember when was the last thing he smiled to reassure someone else, but right now he performed it genuinely, to assure the young soul of his harmless intention. Fortunately, it worked like a charm, the boy let go of the knife with a loud clank and he quickly fell down to his knees, crying.

It was when Kurasame noticed the boy's hair color. Even though some reds painted it, it still radiated a shiny gold. A feature that he doubted he would forget soon.

In the middle of his crying, the boy still could see a hand just before him.

xxx

Khalia gave him a nod to affirm his question.

"Yes, anyone. Without any exception."

Under his mask, once again, Kurasame made a small smile. If it was going to be this way, he already knew who he would pick. It was past time that his training years were over. It was time for him to show his contribution to the world.

"What say you, Captain Kurasame?" Khalia calmly asked for his answer, even though he could already predict his answer from the not-so-hidden expression of Kurasame. "Would you accept this offer?"

xxx

Whether this was going to be a good thing or a mistake… He would take care of it later. For now, he knew that the moment he found this kid here, he was already his responsibility to protect, to raise him. Thus, without even thinking of anything else, he gently offered the boy his hand.

"Do you want to come with me?"

The boy seemed to be confused in the midst of his weeping. He stared at Kurasame's worn-out palm for a moment, and then averted his gaze at the soldier's face, which he returned with a warm smile.

Thanks to that smile, the kid felt unsure no more. He quickly took his hand.

xxx

"This would be a honor for me, director. I accept your offer."

If it was him, Kurasame was pretty certain that he would be able to do it. He would be able to answer the country's prayer.

xxx

"May I know your name, boy?"

The boy wiped the last of his tears away.

"A-Ace…"

Three letters, one word, one name. A name that Kurasame Susaya would never forget.

As you can read, this is basically a story where almost everyone is separated by classes (See the newly announced FF-Agito for more information about that). In which everyone would gradually gather together in Class Zero because of reasons.

Something that I should note here is that probably the weapon-swap business. So if you expect Ace to fight with cards and Nine with spear, you are in the wrong place. Their weapon(s) are going to be switched with each other. Idk, I was experimenting with it on a PSL and it turned out to be more interesting than I thought.

There are also some key elements that I changed here, mainly involving Crystal, l'Cie, and such. More or less, this story is going to follow the alternate ending of Type-0, so the world will be less of a Crystal infection and that means no Arecia. Call it a bias, but I don't really like her as a character personally :T.

It's been a while since I actually wrote an actual story so reviews, favorites, and follows are deeply appreciated!