Please note that I do not own Familiar of Zero or Fate
Also please note I do not know much about the Fate Universe. I will try and search everything I can, But I will make mistakes. And I'll make a lot of them. Please tell me so I can fix them. I'm doing this to try and cure my writer's block, so please don't bash me too hard in the comments.
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When Saito woke up, the first thing that hit him was the absence of his familiars. They'd usually swarm around his body when he slept, transferring their magical energy and Mystery to him so he could continue living. Now, with these Runes doing the same and more, he no longer needed them to do so, but suddenly stopping a part of his routine felt off.
The second thing was, of course, the underwear Louise had stripped off.
They had somehow ended up in his line of sight, having been carelessly tossed away. Louise, still asleep, was unlike Saito, who was used to waking up with the rising sun. Her sleeping face seemed a lot more childish. Saito could only wonder how such an annoying girl could seem so cute. He wished she could stay this way forever.
The reality, however, was disappointing.
Still, all things considered, it was a refreshing morning. Saito stretched his arms and legs as dazzling light shone into the room. How he missed this! Having the freedom of movement! His Magical Circuits still weren't working for some mysterious reason, but he couldn't care less. He could still use Glamour; that'll get him out of a few tight situations.
Hirei was grooming himself on the window's edge. Saito pointed to his head, and the familiar flew into his master's hair.
First things first, he flung the blanket off Louise.
"Wh-what? What's going on!"
"It's morning, Milady."
"Huh? O-oh... Wait, who are you?" Louise yelled in a slurred voice. Her expression was vacant as she trailed off into a pitiful mumble.
'The audacity was the girl. She forgot me?!'
"Saito Hiraga Kirizaka."
"Oh, the familiar. That's right, I summoned you yesterday, didn't I?" Louise got up and yawned. Then, she ordered Saito. "Clothes."
He tossed her the uniform that had been draped on the chair. Louise began to sluggishly undress.
Saito quickly turned the other way to hide his blushing face.
"Underwear."
"You can get that yourself!"
"They're in the lowest drawer... Of that closet... Over there."
'Great. How much longer is this brat going to humiliate me?'
Holding his tough, Saito went and opened the indicated drawer. Grabbing a pair at random, he threw them over his shoulder without looking back.
Once Louise had put them on, she mumbled again. "Clothes."
"Didn't I give them to you?"
"Dress me."
Saito fumed. Ice began creeping around his ears, and his hair burst into flame, causing his ears to literally emit steam. Fortunately for him, Louise was still too half-asleep to notice his sudden change.
Louise pouted in displeasure. "You must not know because you're a commoner, but nobles will not dress themselves if a servant is available."
That irked Saito to no end. "You can at least dress yourself."
"Alright then. As punishment for being a disrespectful familiar, no breakfast." Louise declared, raising a finger triumphantly.
Reluctantly, Saito picked up her blouse.
...
When he left the room with Louise, he saw three identical wooden doors along the wall. One of them opened, and from inside appeared a girl with flaming red hair. She was taller than Louise, roughly the same height as Saito. She gave off a strongly flirtatious aura. Saito's Glam Sight caught whisps of flame surrounding her as Mana Clouds.
The top two buttons of her blouse were undone, highlighting an impressive cleavage that impulsively drew the eyes in. Her skin was tanned, giving her the look of healthy and natural beauty.
When she saw Louise, she grinned broadly.
"Good morning, Louise."
Louise returned the greeting with a frown.
"Good morning... Kirche."
"That... is your familiar?" Kirche asked somewhat mockingly, pointing at Saito.
"That's right."
"Aha! So it really is a human! That's amazing!"
'Well, excuse the hell out of me for not being born a Great Father.'
"It's just like you to summon a commoner with 'Summon Servant.' What else to expect from Louise the Zero?"
Louise's white cheeks flushed scarlet. "Shut up."
"I summoned a familiar yesterday, too. Unlike a certain somebody, I was successful on my first try."
"Really?" Louise sounded unimpressed.
"And, if you're going to have a familiar, it should be a good one, like this. Flame!"
Kirche called her familiar triumphantly. From her room, a dark-red lizard slithered out. A wave of heat hit Saito.
"What is this?" Saito bent down to touch the flaming salamander.
Kirche smiled. "Ohoho! Don't tell me this is your first time seeing a fire lizard?"
The creature was at least as large as a tiger. Its tail was tipped with flame, and its mouth emitted sparks and embers akin to a dragon.
"It feels warm," Saito noted.
"It's actually fairly cool to me."
"Is that a salamander?" Louise asked jealously.
"That's right! A fire lizard! See, look at the tail. A flame this vivid means it's, without a doubt, a salamander from the Fire Dragon Mountains!"
"That's nice," Louise said, her voice bitter.
"Isn't it? It matches my affinity perfectly."
"Your affinity is Fire, isn't it?"
"Of course. After all, I'm Kirche the Ardent. The ardent of gently smoldering passion. Everywhere I go, I have boys falling for me. Unlike you, right?" Kirche puffed out her chest proudly.
Not wanting to lose, Louise did the same, but the effect between the two was just too striking. Despite this, Louise glared at Kirche. It looked like she was the kind who really hated losing.
"I don't have the time to go around flirting with everything I see, unlike you."
Kirche only smiled calmly. Then, she turned to Saito. "And what's your name?"
"Saito."
"Saito? What a strange name."
'Well, excuse the living daylights out of me for not being from this world.'
"Well then, I'll be off now."
She stroked her flaming red hair back and dashed off. The salamander followed her with a cute shuffling movement that looked out of place with such a large creature.
As she disappeared, Louise shook a fist in her direction. "Ooh, that girl gets on my nerves! Just because she summoned a salamander from the Fire Dragon mountains! Argh!"
"Calm down. It's just a summoning." Saito honestly didn't care.
"No, it's not! You can determine a mage's true power by looking at the familiar summoned! Why did that harlot get a salamander while I got you?!"
"Doesn't that mean you're the most powerful one here?"
"Huh?!" Louise let out a self-depressing laugh. "You're making fun of me, aren't you?"
"Unless someone manages to summon an adult dragon, I'm the most powerful familiar in this school." Saito hummed, "Or is it the entire country?"
"Didn't you say you were useless in battle?'
"Well... I guess I did..."
"Then shut up and be the good servant you're supposed to be."
Saito huffed, cursing his Circuits' un-functionality. "Fine. Then tell this good servant, is your surname 'Zero?'"
"No way! My name is Louise de La Vallière! 'Zero' is just a nickname."
"Nickname, huh? I understand why she's called 'Ardent,' but why are you 'Zero?'"
"You don't need to know," Louise answered uncomfortably.
"Is it your chest?" Saito smirked, glancing at Louise.
Louise's hand flew out. He dodged it, casual as breathing.
"Come back here!"
"Don't hit me!"
Saito ran away, using just a bit of Glamour to hide within the crowd until Louise calmed down.
'That reminds me. Yesterday, the other classmates flew away while she walked. Not to mention, if she really wanted to control me, couldn't she force me to sign a Self-Geis Scroll? This girl, is she just dense, or is there something else?'
...
The Academy of Mgiac's dining hall was the tallest centermost building. Inside, three extremely long tables were arranged parallel to each other. Each one looked like it could easily seat a hundred people. Lousie and all the second years sat at the middle table.
It appeared that students could be identified by the color of their cloaks. Viewed from the entrance, everyone on the left-hand table looked a little older and wore purple cloaks-third years. The right-hand table students wore brown cloaks-first years.
On an upper level, Saito could see teachers enjoying pleasant chatter.
All the tables were magnificently decorated. Numerous candles, bunches of flowers, baskets full of fruit...
Saito's mouth watered as he stared at the various fruits. Louise raised her head imperiously and began to explain.
"Tristain's Academy of Magic doesn't teach just magic."
"Right..." Saito couldn't care less.
"Almost all mages are nobles. The saying 'nobles achieve nobility through the use of magic' is a foundation for the education we receive as nobles. Thus our dining halls must also fit a noble's status."
"Okay..."
"Understand? Normally, a commoner like you would never be allowed in the Alvíss Dining Hall. Be grateful."
"Alvíss... Isn't that the name of a dwarf who was turned to stone by Thor's trickery?"
"No. It's the name for the little people."
'Right. Different world, different legends.'
"See those statues over there?"
Where she pointed to elaborate sculptures of people lined along the walls. Saito could tell from the Mana that swirled around them that they weren't regular statues.
"Let me guess. Those things come to life in the middle of the night."
"Oh, so you knew that?"
"Of course they do."
'Well, they dance. Enough of this. Pull out my chair, will you? You're not a very competent familiar." Louise remarked, crossing her arms and tilting her head, which made her strawberry-blonde hair ripple.
'Ah, who cares. If this is the first food I eat in ten years, I couldn't care less what this girl says.'
Saito pulled Louise's chair out for her.
'Not even a 'thank you,' huh?'
Saito brought over a chair to sit on.
"Well..." Saito eyed a bunch of grapes hungrily. He reached out to grab one. "Don't mind if I-"
Louise grabbed his hand. She was glaring at him.
"What?" Saito asked dubiously.
Louise kept her gaze fixed as she pointed to the floor, where a bowl had been placed.
"It's a bowl."
"Yes, it is."
"There's something suspicious in it."
Louise propped her chin on her hands. "You know, familiars are supposed to stay outside. You're only here on the floor because I especially requested it."
Thus, Saito sat dumbly on the floor, staring at the bowl before him. In it were some sorry-looking scraps of meat floating around in a thin soup. On the edge was half a loaf of hard-looking bread. Needless to say, he wasn't consuming any of it.
'Food, my ass. I'll get poisoned if I eat this sludge.'
Extending his neck, he peered over the edge of the tabletop. He could only gaze longingly at the spectacular feast that was laid out on it.
"Oh, Great Founder Brimir, and our lady, the Queen, thank you for this humble meal you have graciously provided us this morning." The harmonious sound of prayer sounded. Louise joined in as well, closing her eyes.
'How in Merlin's beard is that a 'Humble Meal?'' Saito sulked pitifully under the table. His eyes snapped open as he realized something: All the people had their eyes closed. Saito peeked out, and sure enough, the people were still praying. His eyes landed on the only bunch of grapes he could reach. 'They wouldn't notice if I just...'
Swift as the wind, he snatched the bunch of round fruit and hid under the table again. As soon as the tablecloth covered him entirely, the clinking sound of silverware resonated throughout the dining hall.
'Just in time. Thank goodness.' Saito wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. 'Now, let's see if it was worth it...'
He plucked a purple ball from its stem and popped it into his mouth.
'This is?!'
He was in heaven. This was the food served to the gods, known as ambrosia. He wasn't sure if it was because he hadn't eaten flavourful food for over ten years or because the quality was that good. Probably the former, but hey.
'I didn't know how much I hated that Mana mush.'
Saito's familiars used to feed him a thick Mana-filled liquid as he was too weak to chew. Now that his weakness had been resolved, he could eat whatever he wanted.
Seeing his master enjoying the morsels he stole, Hirei sneakily flew from Saito's hair and stole a grape when he wasn't looking.
Meanwhile, Saito continued stuffing his face with tears running down it. As the last piece of "ambrosia" (read: grape) was swallowed down his throat, he licked the "necker" (read: grape juice) from his mouth and stared mournfully at the bare grape stalk.
His eyes hardened, and he emerged from under the table. He stood up and laid a hand on the tabletop, only to have it slapped away by Louise.
"What are you doing?"
Saito pretended to not hear her. He stood still for a few seconds like a statue... And then grabbed a basket of fruit and ran out the door.
He laughed like a maniac as he heard rage-filled shouting of Louise behind him.
...
The classrooms in the Academy of Magic were similar to the Clocktower's lecture halls. And, as expected from people in the Stone Age, they were constructed from stone.
When Saito and Louise entered, Saito still gnawing on a coconut and Louise trying-and failing-to take it away from him, every student in the room simultaneously turned their heads towards them.
And then the laughter began. Kirche was there as well, surrounded by a group of boys.
'I should have stolen more than one basket...'
Saito didn't even hear the laughter, too busy lamenting he was still hungry.
Louise walked to her seat, sullen, and sat down. Saito absentmindedly plopped down beside her. Louise glared at him.
"What?"
"That's a mage's seat. Familiars aren't permitted to use it."
Saito merely glared and focused on the fruit in his hands, trying to get it open so he could eat the coconut meat inside.
The door opened, and the teacher entered.
She was a middle-aged woman with a voluminous purple robe and a hat. She had a plump, round face with a friendly expression on it. The woman gazed around the classroom and spoke with a satisfied smile.
"Well, everyone, the Springtime Familiar Summoning was a great success. I, Chevreuse, always enjoy seeing the new familiars summoned each spring."
Louise cast her eyes downward.
"My, my. You've summoned quite a... peculiar familiar, Miss Vallière." She remarked as she looked at Saito, who was silently chipping away at his coconut with his teeth. The comment was innocent, but the classroom exploded with laughter.
"Louise the Zero! Don't grab random commoners off the street just because you can't summon anything!"
Louise's long strawberry-blonde hair billowed as she stood up. She raised her cute voice in anger. "No! I did everything properly! He was all that appeared!"
"Don't lie! You couldn't cast 'Summon Servant' properly, right?"
The other students chuckled.
"Mrs. Chevreuse! I've been insulted! Malicorne, the 'Common Cold' just insulted me!"
Louise banged her fist against the tabletop in protest.
"Common Cold? I'm Malicorne the Windward! I haven't caught any cold!"
The body called Malicorne stood up and glared at Louise. Chevreuse pointed at them with the wand in her hand. The two suddenly jerked about like puppets on a string and rigidly sat back down.
"Miss Vallière, Mister Malicorne. Please stop this unnecessary argument."
Louise looked visibly dejected. All the vivacity that she'd shown earlier seemed to have evaporated.
"Calling friends 'Zero' or 'Common Cold' is unacceptable. Do you understand?"
"Mrs. Chevreuse, I'm only called that as a joke, but for Louise, it's the truth."
A few giggles broke out from somewhere.
Chevreuse looked around the classroom with a severe expression. She pointed her wand again, and, as if from nowhere, the mouths of the students who'd giggled were suddenly filled with lumps of red clay.
"You people shall continue the lesson in that state."
'Effective.' Saito noted to see if his Glamour could replicate that.
"Now then, let's begin the lesson."
Chevreuse coughed heavily and waved her wand. And a few pebbles materialized on her desktop.
"My Runic name is 'Red Clay.' Chevreuse the Red Clay. This year, I will be teaching you all the magic of the Earth element. Do you know the four great elements of magic, Mister Malicorne?"
"Yes, Mrs. Chevreuse. They are Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind."
'At least there are some similarities between these two worlds.'
Chevreuse nodded. "And combined with the now-lost element of 'Void,' there are five elements in total."
'Void is 'lost?' What does that mean? It should be fairly common to have 'Void' as an element.'
"Of the five elements, I believe Earth holds an important position. This isn't just because my affinity is Earth, nor is it simply a personal preference."
Once again, Chevreuse coughed heavily.
"The magic of Earth is essential as it governs the creation of all matter. Without Earth magic, we can't produce or process necessary metals. Raising buildings from large boulders and harvesting crops would involve much more work. In this manner, the magic of the Earth element is intimately related to everyone's life."
'So magic is as normal as rain in this world. Not to mention it sounds so primitive.'
"Now, everyone, please recall that the basic magic of the Earth element is 'transmutation.' While there will be people here who have already learned this in their first year, basics build foundations, so let's review it once more."
'Interesting. Let's see this world's magic in action close up.'
Chevreuse turned her attention to the pebbles and twirled her wand over them. She then whispered a spell. Saito activated his Faerie Eyes at the same time the rocks began glowing.
When the light dimmed away, the pebbles had been changed into sparkling lumps of metal.
'So from what I've seen, it's pretty much the same basic alchemy stuff apprentice mages learn. Though one thing has been bothering me.'
"Is that g-gold, Mrs. Chevreues?!" Kirche leaned forward over her desk.
"No, it isn't. It's plain brass. Only Square-class mages can transmute to gold. I'm just..." Chevreuse gave a self-important cough. "A triangle mage..."
"Louise." Saito poked her.
"What? We're in the middle of a lesson here!"
"What's all this about squares and triangles?"
"It's the number of elements a mage can add to a spell, which also determines the level of a mage."
"So it's the levels a mage can belong to?"
"Yes. For example, you can use an Earth spell on its own. But if you add fire magic to it, the overall power of the spell increases greatly."
"I see."
'Those who can stack two elements are called Line mages. Mrs. Chevreuse, being able to combine three, Earth, Earth, and Fire, is a Triangle mage."
"How many can you add?"
Louise didn't answer. 'H-hey. Stop knawing on that coconut alrady." She tried to divert the conversation away from herself.
The teacher noticed them talking.
"Miss Vallière!"
"Y-ys?"
"Please refrain from private chatter during lessons. And have your familiar stop damaging the table with a coconut."
"I'm sorry..."
Saito banged his coconut on the table even harder with a grin.
"Since you have th time to chatter, perhaps I should have you demonstrate for me?"
"Eh? Me?"
"Yes. Try changing these pebbles here into a metal of your choice."
"Louise didn't stand up. She sat there looking troubled and fidgety.
"Hey, come on! She's pointing at you!" Saito nudged.
"Miss Vallière! Is something the matter?"
Mrs. Chevreuse called for her again, but Kirche raised her voice in concern.
"Umm..."
"Yes?"
"I think it would be better if you didn't let her..."
"And why is that?"
"It's dangerous," Kirche answered plainly. The majority of the class nodded in agreement.
"Dangerous? How so?"
"This is your first time teaching Louise, right?"
'It is, but I hear she's a hard worker. Now, Miss Vallière. Don't you worry, try it. You won't be able to do anything if you dread making mistakes."
"Don't, Louise!" Kirche cried, her face pale.
But Louise stood up.
"I'll do it."
With a nervous expression, she walked briskly up to the front of the room.
Chevreuse stood next to Louise and smiled.
"Miss Vallière, you must visualize the metal you wish to transmute them into."
Giving a cute nod, Louise waved her wand. She had never looked as adorable as in that instant when she pursed her lips to begin chanting. Though he was still chipping away at the coconut. Saito was momentarily enamored.
Closing her eyes. Louise uttered a short Rune and flourished her wand.
A rush of Mana traveled along Louise's wand, condensing around the pebbles.
'Wait wait wait what is she doing why is she pouring so much Mana into that spell?!'
Saito instantly realized something was going to happen. He glanced around the room, noting the vast number of wild-and dangerous-beasts within. Saito sighed. It has seen eons since he last spoke the Tongue of Phantasmals. He hoped the language was the same as his old world's.
"I̸̧͐ ̶͉͆a̴̓͜m̴̠͝ ̴̪̈́-̷̼͐-̵̬͗-̴̗̅-̵͔̕-̵̪̄-̷̝͌ ̸̲̒-̸̗͊-̵͙̀-̸̛̟-̷̱̇-̵̲̿-̵̞̈ ̴̦̌-̵̻̈-̸͕̄ ̶̲́-̵̭́-̶̫͆-̴͎̓ ̷̨͘-̶̤̎-̸̻͐-̸̉͜-̷̝̈́-̶̟͘-̶͙̈-̵̡͗-̵̳̈́-̵̼̈́.̴͎̉ ̸̬̅-̴̣͑-̸͔͊-̸̡͝-̸̦̄-̵̨̀-̴̤͗ ̷̪̾-̷̙͝-̵̩̎-̷͚͠-̷̹̕ ̷̺̍ơ̷͓f̷̘͠ ̷̝͛t̷̜̓h̵̜̾e̴̦̚ ̶̙͗-̶̱͌-̶̻̍-̷̝̚-̷͚͐-̶͙̆ ̷̻̕W̷͈̋ơ̷͕o̵̺̓d̸̹͠s̴͓̏.̶̮̓ ̴̳̀Ḧ̴̪́e̵̖̍a̸̖͝r̶̪̊ ̷͇̎m̵̦̔e̶͇̅,̶̖̓ ̴͈̿ḽ̵̃e̴͖̕s̶͖̉s̵̜͋e̶̥̎r̴͍͛ ̷̣̏b̸̙̍e̶̟̔a̵̺͂s̸̟͊t̶̨͝s̵̩̅.̸̭͆ ̸̠́R̴͔̄u̴̘͒n̸̨̅ ̴̗̒ȁ̸̱w̶̖͛a̴͉͒ỵ̶̉,̴͕͠ ̶̋͜l̷͉̈́e̸͕̊s̶̢͌t̷̡̔ ̶̨̉y̶̩̓o̵̫͋u̶̥͑ ̷̫̑d̶̼͘ò̶̜ỏ̸̖m̸͈̕ ̵̳̊ỷ̷ͅo̸̓ͅu̷͕̒ṛ̵͊s̸̥̏ȩ̶̔l̸̡̈f̴̠̋ ̶̹̅t̴͚͝o̵̮̔ ̷͖̾y̷̖̕ỏ̸̢u̴̱͗r̸̯̈́ ̸͚͆f̴͑͜a̷̹̾t̸̗̚e̵̺͝".̸̜̈
It seems Saito wasn't rusty, as all the familiars sprang into action as soon as he finished speaking. An enormous snake broke one of the windows on the classroom walls, and all the other familiars used it to escape. Just in time, too.
The pebbles on the desk promptly exploded.
Louise and Chevreuse caught the blast full-on and were thrown against the blackboard. People screamed and took shelter under desks. Meanwhile, Saito was jumping for joy as the explosion had finally cracked open the stubborn coconut he'd been trying to break since the beginning of class.
Mrs. Chevreuse lay on the floor; judging by her occasional twitching: she wasn't dead.
A soot-black Louise rose slowly. She was a miserable sight to behold. Her torn blouse revealed a slender shoulder, and her panties could be seen beneath her ripped skirt.
Still, what a strong-willed girl. She didn't seem at all fazed by the discord in the room. She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the soot off her face.
"Looks like I messed up a little..." She said in a weak voice.
Of course, that elicited a vehement response from the other students.
"That wasn't 'a little!' Louise the Zero!"
"Your success rate is always ZERO!"
'So that's why.'
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So. What do you all think? Not too bad I hope.
Anyways, please like, share, comment, and follow. And tell me if there are any imperfections in my story. I will try my best to fix them.
I hope you all have a great day, I wish you all luck in your game of life.
P.S. If any of you are wondering what Saito's true name is, it's Saito Hiraga Kirizaka, or 再冬日蘿蛾霧逆in Japanese Kanji.
Here's why I chose his name.
再冬: Spelled with the kanji "再," which means "again," and "冬," which means winter.
日蘿蛾: Spelled with the kanji "日," which means "sun," "蘿," meaning vine, and "蛾, which translates to "moth."
霧逆: Spelled with the kanji "霧," which means "mist," and "逆," which means "disobey."