Chapter One: Zero's Familiar, Zero

The blade sticking through my chest left a bitter smile plastered on my face. I smirked a bit on the inside; blood pouring through my mouth as I stump to grasp the black clad individual that stabbed me through the chest. I stare impassively at his form, one hand at my chest where blood swept through, and the other hand on the black clad individual's chest. I look down, cough, before looking back up to lean a little more forward.

I let go of my hand holding my chest, blood covered hand, and grab onto his face mask.

This, I coughed. My whisper ragged with blood. My life slowly leaving me as well as my energy. This is the price I have to pay. I paused to cough again, blood spurt through my mouth and into the black clad individual's clothes. This is my punishment for all that I have killed, deceived, and destroyed. I look right at the individual's face mask, piercing his mask with my stare. I knew who was behind the mask. I know what he has to do. And this, I trace my bloodied hand through his face mask, three blood finger imprints showing on his mask. Is your punishment, Suzaku. Your punishment for all you have deceived, for those you failed, and for the father you killed. I chuckle at the irony. The small chuckle didn't last long though. Blood immediately covered my throat to stop it. I coughed it out and moved my let hand from his chest to his side. I lightly pushed myself from his frame with my bloodied hand, covering his makes with more prints, before I whispered the last part. You will be Zero, Suzaku, forever. When you sleep, eat, and drink. You will never reveal yourself. You will live in the shadows to support. That is your punishment.

I took deep steps, my body weight shifting, making me stumble through the platform. I glanced at the crowd that where already there for their parade. I looked at their expressions through my tired eyes. Everyone of them ranging from disbelief to joy. However, some looked uncertain. I looked back down to the platform floor. I stumble again. I soon felt myself falling. I noticed a deep pain rupture through my head. I must of hit my head when I fell. My position was like Christ, I noticed. My body like a T with blood behind me to make me look like a big martyr. Good, I thought, my eyes drowsed.

I heard shifting through my right side by then. I tried my best to look at what was the sound but I could hardly move. The last it of strength that I have was only to move one of my arms. I soon felt a pull and found myself in somebody's lap.

"Brother?" I hear through my ear. It was quiet, but I knew who it was. A apologetic smile soon found it's way on my face. Nunnally, I found myself whisper. Yet, I doubted she heard me.

"Brother! No!" I heard her say a little louder.

With the last bit of strength, I moved my arm, and placed my hand onto her tear stricken face. I opened my eyes, but they slowly started to close on their own.

"I... destroy worlds." I paused. The screams of the crowd around, the sound of Knightmares, and the shooting of guns drowning out my words. However, I had hoped she heard me. I opened my mouth, but as soon as I did I felt my heart stop. I chocked a bit. "I... … create... worlds.."

I closed my eyes. The last thing I heard were the screams of my sister. I'll miss her.

"Pentagon of the five Elemental powers, heed my summoning and bring forth my familiar!" In puff of smoke a frog appeared. The teacher in front of the student clapped. "Very good Miss Montmorency. So, your affinity is of the water element." She nodded. "Yes." In the background a pretty boy, Guiche, shouted, "well done, my lovely Montmorency!"

She blushed a little but shook it off. The bald teacher read the next person of the list of students, "and next, the final person is Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere!" Louise, with determination in her eyes, shouted, "Yes!" She clenched her fist, however when she heard the whispers of her fellow classmates.

"I wonder if she can manage?"

"I'm curious on what she'll summon though, probably nothing."

"Yeah, she'll just screw up again."

Slightly flustered, Louise grabbed her wand from her robe. "Haa … fuuu," she prepared. She closed her eyes and brought both hands forward. "My name is Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere, pentagon of the five elements, heed my summoning." She brought her left hand upward and slammed it through the air, "and bring forth my familiar!"

A rune diagram soon appeared a few feet in front of Louise. The students watched in silence when the diagram appeared. It spinned a few seconds mid-air before it stopped. When nothing came out after a few minutes, they started to laugh. They pointed their hands at her and laugh.

"Ha! I knew it!"

Lousie bit her lip through it all. She was extremely disappointed, a bit close to anger. She was about to opened her mouth, but something caught her attention. The diagram glowed before a blinding light blinded all.

When it died down, there was a figure on the ground, with the most exotic clothes anybody has ever seen. What caught her attention as well as the students and teacher, Colbert, was the bloodied shirt he had on. They gasped, when they saw blood on his lips as well. He looked pale, and cold.

"Louise." Kirche, the red-head Germanian was the first to break the silence. He buxom figure slightly shinning. "Did you just summon a dead person?"

Louise's lips pursed. She had no idea what she summoned. If she summoned someone dead then that would be the biggest disgrace for her family. She could hear her mother and father already. I hope I didn't, she thought, a subconscious step she took forward.

A groan followed her thought. She heard the groan rom the person on the ground. She saw him twitch—indicating that he's still alive—and relief flooded her heart. However, she remembered what she summoned. A commoner. She looked behind her—hoping that they would not taunt her of her failure once again—before looking back at the moving familiar.

By then, the familiar already sat up—a bit difficult though—and wiped his face to get of the blood. Everybody watched in silence as he slowly opened his eyes'. The person—male from what they can tell, although a bit feminine—and saw how attractive he looked. The females saw him. They sighed dreamily at his form, completely forgetting about his condition.

"Louise." The voice of her teacher snapped her out of her daze. She was thinking about what her family would say. She couldn't find one go thing to defend herself when they learned of him. She sighed, but shock her head later. "Y-yes?" She replied, furiously glance back and forth between her teacher and her familiar who was looking at everything coldly; a slow calculating gaze inside the cold.\

"Can you please complete the ritual?"

She blushed in embarrassment. She completely forgot about that. She looked away from her teacher to the familiar who finally stood up, and looked back way. I have to f-f-finish the ritual with a k-k-k-kiss, she inwardly stuttered. Louise's face flushed. She looked back at him, inhaled, and exhaled. She took small steps, cautiously approaching the familiar, and stopped a few inches in front of him.

"Sorry about this," she whispered. She leaned in, grabbed the familiar's head, and pulled him into a short kiss on the lips. When she pulled back, her whole body burned. She felt hot from the kiss she gave. Her body flushed more so than her face, and finally, she regained her bearings. "Now, what is your name commoner?"

The 'commoner' looked at her. She didn't like the way he looked at her, but she allowed it. After a few twelve seconds of silence, Louise heard him speak.

"My name," he paused. A deep concentration shown on his face. It didn't seem forced, but rather, natural. Louise almost blushed when he smiled at her. His smiled radiated through her heart. Slowly, their kiss returned through her mind. She blushed harder. "My name is Zero."

I found myself in darkness. I wondered if this is what I have to endure for all that I've done. Eupthy, Clovis, and Nunnally. Even if I kept my promise, I know that I hurt her the most through it all. However, the world is better of without me. I looked at my hands, though a bit faded, I could see the blood of all the people I've killed. The ones I had a part in.

I looked around soon. I couldn't just stand, or float, around doing nothing. I have regrets of course, but I don't want to think about it. All the maybes and what ifs. I don't know.

I looked below, a diagram appeared. It caught my attention of course, but I didn't know what to think. Soon, I felt myself drawn towards it. I slowly pushed my arm forward to touch it. As soon as I did though, the diagram inveigled me. I found myself suspended through the darkness and to the light. After a while—a few minutes perhaps—a found my self flung towards something. I hit a soft patch of grass, I realized by the exterior surrounding me. But how, I found myself wondering. I opened my eyes a bit—a felt them sting, refusing to open—and glanced at my surrounding through the position I lied. I stood up—before wiping the blood that I found on my face, my blood—and continued to glance around.

You have to understand my confusion when I saw 'students' of all things surrounding me. I stared at them. I could feel their stares back, but I could tell mine was more piercing. Yet, some of the females acted like back at Ashford Academy. None of them flinched at my stare. Maybe, they weren't actually looking at me but rather at my body. I looked down, realized the state of my attire, and try to stand to ring back their morbid fascination of me to their surrounding. I groaned a bit when I stood. Never have I felt so tired, except the day, I died. Did I die though?

I looked to my left at the sound of someone's voice. I heard him say "Louise," followed by, "Can you please complete the ritual?" I looked around to see to see who this 'Louise' is. I spotted a short girl with bright pink hair, almost like strawberry, with the same uniform everybody around had on. I gave her a short look, and saw her approach me, almost timidly. The 'ritual' part of what the bald, teacher, man soon came to mind. What ritual? Soon as I thought that, I swore I saw her jump a few of her steps to get closer to me. This girl, Louise's, face flushed. I could tell.

I was completely flabbergasted, however, when she grabbed my head forcefully, until she pulled me into a short kiss on the lips. It was so short the it was almost like a peck.

However, what caught me completely surprised was the deep burning pain that followed through. I looked at my hand—teeth grinding, ignoring the pain—and saw some weird runes appear in my hand. The writing seemed familiar; however, I could vague recalled from where.

"Now, what is your name?" I heard her saw finally. I myself wondered who I am. I glanced through the corners of my eyes to look around me. I saw animals—each beside a person—until I spotted a dragon of all things. I kept my surprise in check. This place is weird. I know that now. I glance back at 'Louise' and smile one of my most charming smiles.

"My name," I pause. I have to first learn of my situation of course. So, what's the point of saying my name? Now, I could say my name, but that would ruin it. I know now what I have to do. Gather information.

"My name is Zero." I didn't mean to sound cold, but by the slight flinch said other wise. However, as soon as I said that, a rounding bark of laughter covered the area. I looked at Louise confused out of my mind.

"Haha! Zero summoned Zero!" I heard them say. Raised my eyebrow. What was that supposed to mean anyways? I glance back at Louise to see her trembling, her face flushed with anger.

"Shut up!" Louise barked herself. I look at her, the idea coming to mean already. She must be some kind of 'Zero' to be called that.

"Familiar!" Louise barked again, her chest puffed out. I could tell that she had a lot of pride. "Come here!" I found myself wondering who she was calling though. I continued to look at her—her look looking at me with one of disdain—and realized that she might be possibly talking about me.

"Are you talking to me Louise?" I asked politely. I heard a gasp, and saw her tremble. I rose a brow at her. Things were getting weird.