Author Notes: This is something of a experiment. It can't be said to be a crossover like most fics in this section..in the traditional sense. It is a crossover between Sci Fi and fantasy.(Or perhaps more space opera if one prefers. If you're not turned out by something original, then sit back, read and maybe you'll enjoy it.
Why..why do I still exist?
That question was something asked since the first life forms could think to themselves. The meaning of life, what purpose their existence served and why they still drew breath. Assassin Android, V-X, serial number 6626, recently 'destroyed' in battle had pondered that question. Unless her memory was malfunctioning, she was pretty sure that other android had pretty much destroyed her. So the question wasn't all the classical philosophical as it was confusion.
She merely floated. Where, she wasn't sure. Everything was blue and she seemed to..drift to where ever it was. V-X didn't know how much time passed, how long she had been there or even where she was. Only that she still existed. Albeit, in some unknown place. It didn't seem like anything she had encountered before.
Still the question remained, regardless of why she was still alive.
Why did she still exist?
There was no bonds to keep her around. Nobody to return to and nothing to look forward to. V-X would have been happy simply with oblivion, but that had been denied to her. Instead she floated in this strange realm, without contact or sound. Perhaps this was punishment, 'sins' she had done while she was in service.
V-X freely admitted she was a monster after all.
Even without a master, she could 'feel it'. The programming trying to control her. Direct her. She still had her free will, but she couldn't deny the underling bloodlust that she had to fight to keep at bay. The desire to kill. To cause pain. All these things and more existed and would exist even without the programming, as a 'bleed over' effect. Such as the nature of the beast.
The best she could do was not let the beast control her.
I beg you..V-X paused. She heard a voice in her head. A young girls. Where..?
My servant who lives somewhere in the universe!
Servant. Her eyes narrowed in rage. No. Never again. Never again would she'd be a tool to somebody else. She'd rather die.
"Oh sacred, beautiful and strong familiar spirit!"
Sacred? Hardly. Beautiful? Objectively, others considered her as such. Strong, she'd admit that one. But who was calling to her and why?
"I desire and here I plead from my heart! Answer to my guidance!"
Whether V-X wanted to or not, she would answer the call.
Louise went by many names, many of them unflattering. 'Zero' was the most common of those nicknames. Today, at the magical Tristian Academy, the students would be summoning ritual. Many of her fellow peers had summoned their Familiar Spirit. Tabitha had summoned a mighty dragon, while others had more strange and exotic ones. Louise at the moment felt a bad case of 'cold feet'.
She had promised she'd show that haughty Kriche a familiar like no other. Now though..she was having second thoughts. Louise was sure she'd screw up again. If she had too, she'd rather summon something so she have a summon to show for her efforts. When it was her turn, the young noble's heart danced in her chest and between her rib cage.
"Don't try too hard Louise."
"I bet she'll summon a rat." The voices were from the crowd of the gathered students in the castle grounds.
Mr. Colbert, the middle-aged and balding instructor gave a reassuring smile to Louise. He however frowned at the students lightly. "That's enough. Louise? If you'd please finish the summoning ceremony."
"Y-yes sir." Louise took a breath, walking forward as she prepared to get the summoning done. As she chanted the ritual, and finished. At first, nothing happened then before the sutdents could throw taunts, there was a explosion. It kicked up dust and made enough smoke it was hard to see anything. Louise coughed, covering her face a bit with her cape and turning away.
"See I told you! One of the students shouted, clutching his strange familar(it looked like a strange rabbit) "Almost got my precious hurt!"
Louise scowled. "At least I didn't summon a useless rabbit!"
"Enough. Please." Clobert said, sighing. "Louse if.."
He trailed off. The smoke had began to clear and it turned out the summon wasn't a failure after all.
Standing there was a tall woman, roughly 5'11 with black hair. Her clothes..were unusual to be sure. It didn't seem like any fashion they were aware of. The eyes stood out the most, they seemed cold. Distant.
When the shock wore away, the students laughed.
"Look at Zero! She summoned a peasant after all. Its fitting."
Louise felt her heart clench, she turned to her teacher. "Mr Clobert, can I please try the ritual again? I never heard of summoning a commoner before!"
"I'm afraid not Louise." They said shifting a bit. "As strange as this is, the ritual is final. Breaking it would be nothing short of blasphemy."
The young noble knew she was stuck. She turned to the familiar. They hadn't moved from their spot and just seemed to be observing them.
Clearing her throat, Louise raised her wand and started the delicate waving as she incanted, "My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers; grant your blessings upon this humble being, and make her my familiar." Finished with the chant, she seemed satisfied that the magic was working without any explosions involved she leaned forward to kiss the new familiar's forehead, completing the ritual.
The woman seemed surprised, then backed away, eyes narrowing. "..Is this your cultural greeting? What did you just do?"
Louise frowned. "I just summoned you as my familiar."
Another pause, the beings eyes narrowed. Before she could speak, runes appeared on her body..
V-X didn't understand what was going on. She had been apparently been summoned to somewhere. It seemed in the middle of nowhere, due to the fact she could pick up no technology. It had to be a undeveloped planet. The fact the air was far cleaner and smoother was a sign to that as well.
Strange..it seems this is a school of some kind, judging by the layout.
Indeed. It did seem like a school of some sort. A magical one; she'd know having been around enough magic users and studying them. After all, in her work they were potential targets. Since magic was such a broad term and infinitely complex in variety and function, it was a task never completely done. The magic energies she picked off were rather primitive. Weak. Nothing she couldn't handle if she choose.
The pink-haired one, Louise(she'd log in that for later to memory) came forward. After discussing something with her teacher. Oddly, the dialect resembled French in tone. That was interesting because she knew she wasn't anywhere on earth. Or a alternate earth for that matter far as she could tell.
'Louise' had stepped forward, and much to V-X's confusion, began reciting a chant before kissing her forehead. At first shocked, she pulled away. "Is this your cultural greeting? What did you just do?"
Louise frowned. "I just summoned you as my familiar."
That didn't sit well with her. She didn't like the implications. Before she could answer, she felt something. Blinking, V-X raised her hands, seeing some runes began to dance and form around her skin.
Warning! Foreign energy detected in systems! The computer in her brain was warning her as..something invaded her systems. It brought back memories. One's she'd rather forget.
V-X gritted her teeth, keeping calm. "What. Did. You. Do?"
Louise faltered, then tried to reign in her summons behavior. "It's like I said, you're my familiar now. And I won't tolerate that tone!"
Colbert coughed, tying to calm the situation. "Like young Louise says, you have been summoned. A summon follows their master, protects them and becomes their eyes and ears. The runes, they represent the bond between summon and mage. They cannot be broken unless the mage dies."
Silent for a moment, V-X responded. "..So I'm to be your slave then? A glorified tool?" Her tone was cold.
"..No." Colbert said slowly. "Not a tool. Consider it a friend. A partnership."
She chuckled bitterly. "If being forced to serve is friendship, I'd hate to see how enemies are treated. As for your answer. No."
V-X began walking away. Louise bristled. "Familiar! Don't walk away from me!"
"You speak as if I care. Leave me alone little girl." V-X kept walking.
Louise turned to Colbert. "Mr Colbert! Stop her please!"
V-X ignored them, continuing to walk before she heard the voice. "Miss. If you please?"
"I'll say it once, and I'll say it again. No." V-X was getting more agitated and hostile. They were trying to cage her. She wouldn't let them.
The students began laughing, Kriche included. The red-head looked smug. "Not only a peasant, but one that doesn't want to be anywhere near Zero!"
"Not that we can blame them." Another quipped.
"S-Shut up.." Louise was humiliated. This was suppose be the best day of her life..and now it was just like the others. Worse still, she had a familiar that wouldn't obey even with the runes that represented the bond between the two. She fought back bitter tears of frustration, she wouldn't let them see it.
The Assassin Android stopped walking as she heard things. Normally, she'd ignore but after hearing things and seeing Louise cry(even if trying to hide it) pulled something. She'd seen plenty of people cry before. Often with her being the cause of it.
She didn't want to be the cause of it this time. Besides, she knew nothing of this world. Maybe she was being rash.
Sighing, V-X made their way back. She was silent, then spoke. "I'll do it." She said simply.
Louise wiped her eyes. "G-good, I'd knew you'd come back." She tried to play it off.
"A heads up. If I'm treated like a object, as a tool, then I'm gone. I'm a monster, Louise. Don't let the form fool you. But if you'll have me, I'll help. In exchange, you'll tell me about where I am and what this place is like. It's function."
Louise was going to say that wasn't how things worked, but bit her tongue for once. If she did that, then she'd leave. And nothing would stop her, not even the runes. "Fine. My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. You are?"
The taller woman said one word simply. What was a name but a few words?
"V-X."