Started out as a writing idea I couldn't get out of my head.

I have no idea if I want to continue or not, but I'm open to requests.

Might make continuities off of chapters; i.e. part 1, part 2, etc.

"I beg you, my servant that lives somewhere in the universe! Oh beautiful, strong, and sacred familiar spirit! I desire and I plead from the bottom of my heart! Answer to my guidance!"

There was a pregnant pause, and then an explosion erupted from within the walled courtyard of the Tristain Academy of Magic. Cries rang out and coughing followed. Smoke billowed into the air, dissipating into the sky.

Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Valliere stared up at that sky, a quiet wheeze escaping her. Thousands of panicking thoughts ran rampant through her mind. As her ears rang and body trembled, she wondered, "Did I do it?"

"Ms. Valliere!" Professor Colbert's appeared over her, one hand on his staff while the other reached for her tentatively. "Are you alright?"

She blinked at him, still caught up in her worries. Slowly, though, the ringing in her ears quieted and the laughter of children came to her. Some of her classmates cracked jokes, others guffawed at them. All together, they were making fun of her and yet another one of her failures.

Louise clenched her wand tightly and grit her teeth. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she wiped them before they could fall. A hand touched her shoulder then, and she looked up at her teacher.

Prof. Colbert gave a sympathetic look and turned to the class. "Children, that's enough!"

They quieted almost immediately. Well, except for that damned Germanian mattress.

"Are you sure, professor?" Kirche von Zerbst rubbed her chin while bearing a smirk. "Shouldn't we help give Louise some pointers on how to improve her performance?"

She growled. Kirche laughed. Then, the crook of a cane bopped her on the head. Everyone looked to Tabitha, who raised a finger towards the smoke. "Look."

They were all looking, and none of them could believe it, least of all Louise. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. If she hadn't hit her head and messed up her vision, then there was a lump lying in the quickly dissipating smoke. A lump meant a possible familiar! And a possible familiar meant she'd succeeded!

A grin broke out across her face and she scrambled to her feet. Breaking into a sprint, she made for her servant. Yet, the moment she neared and the lump was revealed to her, she faltered.

She'd mentally crossed her fingers, hoping for a dragon. Maybe a fire lizard like Kirche. Or even a manticore, just to continue the Vallerie legacy.

Instead, her familiar was a bear. A massive, black and white bear… wearing clothes… and a straw hat….

"The Zero's summoned a circus animal!" Kirche burst into laughter, a hand over her chest.

Soon, the rest of the class followed her example, pointing and laughing and joking. Louise burned red and hid her face, but looked up when Prof. Colbert strode over.

He held his staff close and leveled a disdainful glower at his class.

"Enough!" he barked. "I will not tolerate bullying of any sort in my class! Is that understood?"

The children shut up immediately. He held his glare for a moment longer before turning to her.

"Now, Louise, you still need to complete the ritual."

"But-"

"But nothing." He moved his staff to his other side and stood tall. "The Summoning Ritual is sacred. It must be finished."

"I can't even do a do-over."

"There are no do-overs, Ms. Valliere. No second chances, only the ones we are given and take."

She opened her mouth to argue, but closed it. Taking in a deep breath, she let it cool the nerves in her stomach before letting out a heavy sigh. Then, trudging over, she examined her soon-to-be familiar.

It was a large bear, at least twice her size with a gullet half her height, maybe more. She glared at it, but then eyed its clothes. Black and white threads were weaved into a fine, tunic-like shirt, golden threads embroidered for intricate designs. There was obvious wear and tear, along with a few stains here-and-there. The same went for his pants, and his straw hat, lined with wool, was in practically the same condition.

Looking beside him, she found a long staff lying beside him, its length wrapped in red bands. It led to a large, covered jug, its sides decorated with the bear's face.

"We don't have all day, Louise!"

She shot a glare at Guiche, then turned back to her familiar. She cleared her throat and looked up the heavens.

"My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Valliere! Pentagon of the five elements, grant your blessings upon this creature and bind it as my familiar!"

A wind blew through the courtyard and pink petals fluttered in the wind. She stared for a moment, the sight alluring. But then, she returned to her duty and leaned over her familiar.

She pressed her lips to its nose, then pulled back. Giving a disgusted sneer, she spat at the ground and rubbed her mouth. Then watched, wide-eyed, as the bear pushed itself up.

Unlike the beast she'd assumed it to be, the bear raised itself on its paws. Its head craned on its noticeably broad shoulders. Yellow eyes took in its surroundings and the bear hummed.

The more she studied it, the more she noticed the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between her familiar and a beast. While a beast was a mass of muscle and savage instinct, this creature was built like a man- no, more than a man, and it moved with an instinctive grace.

"Excuse me, young miss?" a masculine, baritone voice called. "Would you happen to know where I am?"

It took her a moment to realize that her familiar had just spoken in perfect, proper Tristainian. When it finally clicked, she froze up and stared.

He tilted his head, then adjusted his hat. He glanced behind her, before looking back. His eyes narrowed, then he closed them. "Ah. I understand." He rose up, standing tall like more-than-a-man. "I always forget that not all of your kind have met mine."

He pressed his hands together, as if to pray, and gave a respectful bow. "I am known as Chen."

The next morning, Louise awoke to humming. Loud, baritone humming. She rolled over and moaned, then threw her blanket over her head. It wasn't enough, and so she wrapped her pillow around her ears before burying herself under it.

Nothing kept the humming out, so she shot up with furious eyes and glared at the 'Pandaren' explorer in her room.

Chen Stormstout sat cross-legged on the pile of hay she'd prepared for him. Well, not particularly him, just any familiar she'd gotten… which happened to be him- That didn't matter! What mattered was that he was waking her up too early!

"Can you be quiet?" she snapped, only for him to tilt his head back and hum again.

"I am only meditating." He breathed in and out, giving a content smile. "You should try it. Meditation often helps to balance your emotions."

She gave him a confused scowl and just flopped back onto her bed. A second after, he hummed and she released a feral growl. Grabbing her pillow, she threw it at him.

She expected it to knock him over. Or at least stunt his meditation enough to get the message across. But instead, she watched a blur of black and white snatch the pillow out of the air. A second blur of movement sent it flying back across the room and she squeaked out of terror.

The pillow plopped harmlessly onto her lap. She blinked at it, then at him.

"You are lucky we are not in Pandaria." Chen stroked his beard. "If the stories of my ancestral homeland are to be believed, then your anger would take shape into the form of a vicious demon. And then we'd really be in trouble."

He laughed heartily before lifting up a small, steaming bowl. He drank from it, then lifted a second bowl with his free hand. "Would you like some? It's still fresh."

Much later in the day, Louise found herself leading her familiar through the academy courtyard. Other students in her year had filled the area, sitting on the grass or at brunch-topped tables. Servants weaved in and out of the crowd, offering food or services to her classmates.

"Do you not have class today?" Chen strode beside her, hoisting his jug behind him on his staff. "Is this not a school?"

She gave a grunt and crossed her arms. "Today is a free day because the academy wants us to get to know our familiars."

Her familiar hummed, then chuckled. "Then what would you like to know, hm?"

She arched an eyebrow at his openness before finding them a table to sit at. She ordered them tea and crumpets, then prepared her interrogation.

She asked him about his home. He asked which one. She asked how many homes he had. He claimed the whole of the world he had come from, Azeroth, was his home. But he also confessed that he missed his birth home, the Wandering Isle.

She asked about both his homes and was skeptical to believe his tales of magics that could decimate kingdoms, sciences that had produced weapons of unimaginable scale, and wars that had raged on for an eternity. Yet, he spoke with such conviction and fondness and solemness. She saw no deceit or mischief in his eyes, heard no falsehoods in his stories.

The stories of his birth home were more believable, yet still otherworldly. He'd been born on the back of an island-sized sea turtle? One that hosted an entire ecosystem, mountain range, cluster of villages, and elemental spirits? Then again, she was also talking to a bipedal bear.

Their tea arrived then, the maid apologizing profusely for her lateness. She'd opened her mouth to snap at her, both for their delayed meal and for having her story time interrupted. Yet, before she could, Chen pressed his hands together again and gave the servant a bow.

"It is alright, young one." He smiled and brought the tea to his lips. "Remember to slow down, life is meant to be savored."

Louise blinked at him. The servant, a black-haired girl with brown eyes, blinked at him too. However, she recovered quickly, a sudden realization dawning on her. "You- You're Chen Stormstout."

"You know him?" She shot forward, leaning off the table. "How? Why?"

The servant gave a meek yelp and trembled, holding her platter close. Before she could jump on her and grab her collar to demand more answers, Chen put a paw on her shoulder and pushed her back into her seat.

"Calm yourself, my friend. You're scaring the poor girl." While she gaped at his audacity, he turned back to the girl. "Now then, I'm afraid you have me at a loss…."

"Oh! My name is Siesta." She gave a quick bow and a friendly smile. "My great grandfather, he… well, he told me stories about you. He said that you fought in the Third War, that you saved his life and then shared your brew with him and his men."

Louise tilted her head while Chen stroked his beard.

"I have fought many battles and met many men, and shared my brew with many more!" He laughed. "But I am glad to know that your great grandfather's legacy lives on."

The servant Siesta beamed and bowed again before glancing at another occupied table. She gave an anxious look and Chen gave her a dismissive wave. "It is alright, Siesta. We will have time to speak later."

She offered a smile back and sped off to take Guiche's order for him and Montmorency. The blonde girl looked like she was grilling him, though he was playing off her interrogation… well, kind of smoothly.

She'd overheard the gossip floating around, quiet whispers and sightings of Guiche with a first-year student. She leveled a disapproving glower in his direction before turning back to Chen. He was busying himself with their brunch, tasting the pastries and sipping tea. He practically inhaled the food, which wasn't surprising considering his… uh, girth.

The next thing she asked him was about his jug, to which he explained "the legendary history of the Stormstout Brewery" and his part in carrying his family's legacy. It wasn't the most prestigious background she'd ever heard, but she knew about many nobles who'd only settle for the most finely-made of beverages. So, there was some prestige to his family's business and his own pursuit in life, she supposed.

"Are you quite alright, Siesta?"

Louise glanced at her familiar, then at the servant girl who'd returned. Other tables were calling for her while she stumbled about with a plate of cake. In the distance, she heard Guiche calling for his food.

"It's nothing-"

"Are you certain?" Chen rose up. "I can take that for you, if you'd like?"

Siesta bit her lip nervously. She, herself, gave Chen an incredulous look. The Pandaren simply smiled reassuringly.

"O-Okay…." She handed him the plate. "That's supposed to go to Mr. Gramont, the blonde boy over there."

He hummed and nodded, then strode over. Louise sputtered, then scrambled from their table.

"What are you doing?" she screeched.

"Helping a friend," he responded calmly.

"She can do her own job!"

"Perhaps, but to do some good is to do more than nothing."

She opened her mouth to retort, but closed it when they arrived at Guiche's table.

"Finally!" The son of Tristain's general fluffed a lock of his hair. "Oh, hello, Louise."

She glared at him. Across the table, Montmorency gave a much harder glare before looking to her with a friendly smile. She returned it and then looked to Chen as he set the plate down.

"Please, enjoy." He gave a respectful bow and left.

Louise could only gape at him while Guiche burst into a fit of laughter.

"Oh, this is rich!" He held his forehead and threw his head back. "The Zero summons a familiar that serves others!"

She sputtered furiously, her mind stringing together the most foul response she could give. Then, however, a brown-haired girl stormed up beside her.

Guiche's eyes noticeably blew up in alarm. "Katie?"

"Katie?" Montmorency gasped.

He was caught up in a multitude of different actions, but they were all stunted by the girl Katie reaching over and smacking him.

"You said I was the only one!"

The girl ran off crying as Montmorency growled. "So the rumors were true!"

Guiche tried to deny it, but got a second slap for his troubles. Montmorency stormed off, leaving Guiche to stare into the distance. All the while, she looked for her familiar, who happened to be comforting Katie. She made to join him, intent on lecturing him on proper etiquette around nobles.

"Louise the Zero!" Guiche's voice rang out. "I challenge you to a duel!"

She froze, glanced at all the eyes on her, and then turned around. The blonde boy held the rose he wielded as a wand, conviction on his face.

"Wh-What? Why?" She backed up, feeling the weight of attention bearing down on her. "I didn't do anything!"

"Your familiar has broken the hearts of two young ladies!" he declared. "How do I know he did not do this under your orders? Hm?"

Before she could respond, a black and white bulk obscured her vision. Chen stood protectively over her, his staff and jug hoisted over his shoulder.

"She has nothing to do with this." He pointed an accusing finger at him. "The fault is yours alone, boy."

"How dare you!"

"The ravenous tiger chokes when it feasts on more than it can chew."

"That's it!" Guiche flourished his rose and stuck his nose up. "I challenge you, then. Meet me at Vestry Field at noon, familiar!"

"Are you insane?" she grabbed Chen's massive paw of a hand and tried to drag him away. "I could get expelled for this!"

He did not answer her, only continued his march across the courtyard. The sun had risen higher and the entirety of their class had gathered to watch. There were even a few younger or older years here, probably skipping lessons to witness the first real duel in ages.

"Are you even listening to me?" She jumped in front of him and threw her body against his, though it did little to nothing. "I am your master, familiar! I command you to apologize to Guiche!"

Chen scoffed at that. He stopped in mid stride and pushed his belly out, which sent her backpedaling a few feet.

"You would have me stroke the boy's ego?" He growled and gripped his staff tighter, but then breathed in. Letting his breath go, he knelt down before her and put his free hand on her shoulder. "You have asked much of my past, Louise. But I have asked little of yours. Why is it that your fellow students call you 'Zero'?"

She grit her teeth at 'her nickname'. Crossing her arms, she shot a glare at the ground. However, he put a finger under her chin and gently raised her gaze back to him. In his eyes, she saw genuine concern and curiosity, no ulterior motives or mischievous plans. There was neither cruel sadism like that of her classmates nor rigid strictness like that of her sister Éléonore, but instead there was kindness and care. Something she'd so rarely seen, and cherished so much rarer.

A long moment passed before she worked up the nerve to answer him, "I can't do magic." She folded her arms over her chest and averted her face again. "Every noble is expected to be able to manipulate at least one element. But me? …Every single time I try to do a spell, it explodes. All I can do is make things explode."

He hummed, and then nodded. "I see."

"So do you understand now why we have to quit the duel?" She took his hand in hers, holding it tight. "If I get kicked out of this school, then it's my family's honor on the line. I already can't do magic, but if I get expelled because I got caught fighting another student? The Tristanian general's son too? Then it's all over for me."

Chen gave her a sympathetic look, one full of understanding but also… something else.

"Allow me to ask you another question." He looked her in the eye and bore into her soul. "Why do you fight?"

She blinked. "What?"

"Why do you fight?" he repeated, then waited.

She gave him a look then rubbed her arm. After a moment, she shrugged.

"Wh-What do you mean?"

"I mean what I mean. What do you seek? Honor? Glory? Do you fight for crown and country, as so many others have?"

That… made more sense.

"I… yeah. I guess I fight for my family's name? For Tristain? To… I don't know, beat my rivals and be the very best I can be?"

Chen stared at her, long and hard, and then he bowed his head.

"No." He shook his head. "That is no reason to fight."

"Wh-What?"

"Perhaps, there is a better question?" He stroked his beard before looking back at her. "Ask yourself instead, what is worth fighting for?" He waited, but she had no immediate answer. A moment passed before he got up and stepped around her, heading for the amassing students. "I will let you think upon this."

What was worth fighting for? Fame and fortune, of course! Yet, he had hung his head in disapproval at her first answer. Was it so wrong to want to be someone great? He was playing the shining hero for her after all… but he didn't hold himself high or puff his chest with pride….

"My name is Guiche the Bronze! Therefore, a bronze valkyrie will be your opponent!"

Louise was pulled from her stupor as an armored figure emerged from the ground. She'd absentmindedly followed Chen, taking to stand at the very edge of his side of the makeshift arena. She took in the sight of the throngs of teens surrounding them, chattering and cheering. Across the way, Guiche held a smug grin and guffawed to himself before gesturing at her familiar.

"Oh, I'd forgotten! Are you in need of a weapon, familiar?"

Chen huffed and set his jug down. In a single, swift motion, he slipped the staff from beneath the jug's band. He gave it a twirl and held it behind him while holding a hand before him.

"I am known as Chen Stormstout!" he declared. "I will face these 'valkyries' of yours!"

There was no frightened tremble in his voice, no trepidation or hesitation. He was truly willing to go through with this.

What was worth fighting for? What was so worth it for him?

Suddenly, Guiche's valkyrie surged forward. The crowd gasped and she jumped back, but Chen stood his ground. Just before it struck him in the stomach, he stepped aside and it sailed by before coming to a halt.

People looked on in either shock or awe, which only grew her familiar's grin. Across the way, Guiche frowned and flicked his rose. His valkyrie twirled around to throw a punch, only for Chen to lean back and let it sail right over him.

The onlooking crowd gasped, and a few cheered. Louise did a double-take, as did Guiche. A moment later, Guiche flicked his wrist and his valkyrie charged at the Pandaren. It's arms reached out wide, aiming to grab the bigger creature in a hold, but Chen flicked an arm up and let momentum shoot his staff forward.

The end of his weapon struck the valkyrie in the chest, pushing it back. Before it could recover, he grasped his staff and flicked it up, striking it under the chin. Then, he twirled the weapon to grab it by its middle and spun around before whacking the side of the valkyrie's armored head.

There was an audible crack and Guiche's fighter went down. The boy gave a startled cry as the crowd roared or gasped louder. Chen rumbled with a chuckle and gave a bow. Whether it was out of respect or for a taunt, the end result was Guiche huffing and crossing his arms.

"I was merely going easy on you!" He flicked his rose twice, sending two petals to the ground.

Two more valkyries formed, but these ones wielded spears. He aimed his rose at Chen and the valkyrie's stormed forward. But as fast as they were, neither matched her familiar's lightning-quick speed.

He surged at them like a typhoon, spinning with the fury of a hurricane. His staff was nothing more than a blur that snapped the rightmost valkyrie's spear away then blocked the leftmost one's swing. He pushed it away and then kicked his other foe back down before it recovered.

The leftmost valkyrie came back at him with a flurry of blows, but he parried each with ease. Just as it made to impale him, he whipped his staff up and disarmed the valkyrie. Its spear flipped through the air, but he caught it and planted it in the downed valkyrie's back, pinning it to the ground.

There was silence, and then there was applause. Guiche fumed on the other side of the battlefield as his last fighter struggled and ultimately fell to pieces before her familiar. And Louise herself stood stunned, hypnotized by the ebb and flow of her familiar's fighting style.

As she watched, the question popped up in her head again. What was worth fighting for? What was the answer for him? What could be worth so much that he fought with this level of ferocity? She was pretty sure he was only holding back too.

"How! Is! This! Possible!"

She tuned back into the fight, watching Guiche whip his arm left and right to summon six more valkyries. The crowd around them was bigger now, teachers trying to push their way through practically the entire student body. They were too late to stop the six valkyries from attacking Chen, though they didn't need to aid him whatsoever.

Her familiar was a force of nature, she realized. He was unstoppable, not in the sense of brute strength or unfaltering stance. It was in the way he not only blocked blows, but diverted them. How he was able to gracefully dodge swings and jabs, then redirect a stab meant for him into another of his opponents.

In her lifetime so far, Louise had come to recognize fighting styles. Her mother was a furious storm that tore through her enemies. Kirche wielded searing flames that consumed her foes. Tabitha was cold and calculating, tearing her opponents apart.

But Chen? He was a river, steady and strong. He flowed without fault, easily dodging every blow aimed at him. He moved with such purpose and struck with greater conviction, unrelenting in his assault because every step back put him a step ahead of his opponents.

Very soon, the six newly-arisen valkyries were reduced to shambling suits of armor with chipped weapons. Guiche was huffing and puffing behind them, weakly flicking his rose to give commands. The teachers had reached him now, trying to talk him down from continuing the duel. The very mention of yielding, however, lit a fire in his eyes and he jumped up, aiming his fighters at the Pandaren.

"I will never yield before the likes of a beast!"

Pride was not worth fighting for, she realized. This wouldn't end well for Guiche.

As before, Chen struck first. He redirected a valkyrie's spear and jabbed another in the chest to push it back into a third. A fourth pushed past the first, wielding a sword high overhead. Just as it swung down, he blocked the blow, then angled his staff to press against its helm. Stepping around it, he led it past him and sent it falling forward atop the first.

He came before the final two valkyries, who swung twin halberd down at him. He raised his staff and caught both weapons, but the momentum and weight took the weapon from his hands.

The crowd gasped, Guiche cheered, and Louise narrowed her eyes. She watched the staff fall to her familiar's feet, and then shoot back up with a quick kick. It struck both valkyries beneath their chins and they reeled backwards.

Then, before any of his foes could recover, Chen jumped forward and then back. He planted his staff on the ground first and momentum carried him into a spin. He twirled in the air, taking his weapon up with him, before coming back down as a blur of black of white.

There was a flash of golden light, a rush of air, and the singing chime of… something else….

Louise sat on her bottom, having been pushed down by the rush of air. Guiche was in the same position, as was the front of the crowd surrounding them. Chen stood amidst broken valkyries, staff in hand. He surveyed the battlefield, eyeing his fallen foes before giving a nod. And then, he moved to Guiche.

The blonde boy yelped, threw his arms over his head, and curled up into a ball. Some students snickered, the rest held their breaths. Louise watched, and then she strode over to stand beside her familiar.

Chen himself had knelt down before the boy, appraising him with a critical look. "You have learned your lesson, yes?"

Guiche peeked from between his fingers, then nodded.

Chen hummed, then turned to her. "And have you learned yours?"

She stared at him, then down at Guiche. "Pride is not worth fighting for."

He nodded. "And neither is glory or honor or fame or fortune. These abstract commodities bring happiness, but it is fleeting."

He rose then, and walked back to their side of the field to collect his jug. She followed quietly as the students around them chatted animatedly. Some quieted as they walked past, giving the Pandaren awed looks. They even gave her some wondrous faces, amazed that her familiar had just done all of that.

"Well, what is worth fighting for?" She hurried to walk ahead of him.

He held a humored face as he slid his staff back through the band of his jug. "In truth, there is no one, true answer. There may be many, or perhaps only a few. But for my kind, it is home and family." He hoisted his jug over his shoulder and offered her a content smile. "We fight not for power or gain, but to preserve balance, and to bring harmony."

I really just needed to throw this out there because I couldn't get this out of my head.

I've been on a Warcraft buzz recently, and I came back to Familiar of Zero fanfics, then the crossovers.

But anyways, I don't know if I'll end up continuing.

Feel free to drop a suggestion for who else Louise should summon.

I was thinking Saurfang or Anduin next. Maybe Vol'jin or Varian.

Or I could try my hand with Arthas or Frostmourne.

Either way, please leave a comment, I sustain myself off of praise or constructive criticism.

I'll be seeing you guys around.