DISCLAIMER:

All trademarked items in this fanfiction is owned by their respected copyright holders (Idolmaster by Bandai Namco, Familiar of Zero/Zero no Tsukaima by Noboru Yamaguchi). The ones which are owned by me are merely the plot and the author's thoughts. This fanfiction is made solely for entertainment purposes and not intended for any material gain.

Italicized texts denotes spells or songs (well, things translated into Indonesian).

Chihaya of The Cloudless Sky

An Idolmaster x FoZ Crossover

Far, far in the middle of the forest of Westwood, lie a small cottage. Erected how many years ago, it shelters a beautiful girl from the elements. Her mother made the simple cottage, and enchanted it with elven magicks and enchantment of protection and misdirection, for the little girl sheltered in the cottage had both human and elven blood. Fruits of such a rare union were persecuted from both sides, making covert existence the only real way out.

Today, however, is a little different. An accomplished sorceress has been spending her time there for the past month, instructing the girl of the rudiments of magic. The elven blood in her granted immense magic potential, however the younger girl has yet to find tutelage for her wild talent.

"Are you sure of this… Sis?" The half-elf blond girl asked for the umpteenth time today,and it started to grate on the mage.

"Of course. You have proven in the last month that your alignment to healing spells is indeed great, Tiffania… if a little unique, I give you that," the mage called Matilda replied, eyes gauging as Tiffania finished drawing the runic circle in which the Familiar Summoning Ritual would be done. "Don't worry. This is one of the most basic of all rituals, and I'm more than capable of presiding over it."

"But is all this… necessary?" the half-elf asked still, as she scribed the final rune upon the polished and black-painted blackboard. "Surely there will not be any use of such a creature…"

"On the contrary," Matilda answered with certainty. "The world is getting dangerous. Tristain intelligence are anticipating a war with Albion, while Romalia has been making aggressive pushes into Elven territories. I'm very concerned of your safety, and while I can't always be here, having an extra set of eyes and ears with you is better."

"I- I see…" the half-elven girl stuttered her reply. "Is this okay?"

"Hmm, impeccable," Matilda commented. "Now can you help me carry this outside?"

Together, the pair carried the large implement outside, to a flat land Matilda had prepared the day before. They laid the chalkboard face up, runic circle facing the sky. The portable summoning circle is set, and Matilda had used his divination to choose a rainless day for summoning.

"All set! Perfect," the sorcerer marveled. "Now have you memorized the chant?"

"Yes!" Tiffania replied.

"Marvelous. Let's start then," Matilda said as she gestured Tiffania to the middle of the circle.

Carefully, Tiffania tiptoed to the middle of the circle, making sure that her dainty steps does not disturb the chalk-drawn runes. A few deep breaths, and she's set.

My name is Tiffania Westwood, and I call upon thee!

O servant, which existed somewhere in this vast universe!

My divine and beautiful retainer, wise yet powerful servant!

Heed my call, heed this wish from the deepest of my heart!

Follow upon my guidance, and appear before thy master!

…

Chihaya Kisaragi has came to the very end of her sanity. Kuroi's latest smear campaign upon the idols of 765 Pro has targeted her, and no quarter was given indeed. The dastardly competitor and once-friend of director Junichiro Takagi has dared to trespass the bounds of decency and dealt a fatal blow upon Chihaya's mental fortitude, all of it done merely by uncovering Chihaya's dark past. The ensuing media fiasco has bled the girl dry, and even robbed Chihaya of her only treasured possession: her voice.

Chihaya had done nothing to nourish himself the past few days, even contemplating suicide at times. Rocking back and forth beside her bed with her knees upon the chin, she only dared to whisper hoarse nothings upon herself. Gone was the calm, steeled beauty known as Chihaya Kisaragi; in its place now a mere nondescript shade of a broken girl.

All she wanted now is just to disappear. The world or her, she did not care.

…divine and beautiful retainer, wise yet powerful servant!

Chihaya laughed softly as she faintly heard such a flattering tirade of words. It appears that even my brain is starting to reject reality by appeasing to my ego, Chihaya bitterly thought. Who cares… I'm just a failure anyway…

Heed my call, heed this wish of the deepest of my heart!

A glowing pool of light slowly opened beside the girl. The size of an inflatable pool, it beckons to Chihaya with a serene glow. Lazily, Chihaya let her body topple from her upright position into the glow, immersing herself with nary a splash. Reality conformed to the magic's will, and a brown-haired girl who had come within ten paces of the door promptly loses all memories of a person named Chihaya Kisaragi.

Inside the pool of coalescing light, Chihaya felt information trickling down into her memory. As the result of this summoning magic, as she was informed, she now has the obligation to serve whoever had pulled her into this cauldron of light. Chihaya doesn't care. For a second chance on a blank slate like this, it's a very cheap price.

Follow upon my guidance, and appear before thy master!

…

Upon completion of the incantation, Matilda was quickly taken by surprise. The flash of light was expected, for some talented and not-so-talented mages do produce this effect while summoning a familiar. However, nothing prepared him for what had come through the spell. A human girl with long hair of beautiful cornflower blue laid in a fetal position, just outside the summoning circle. A quick glance of Matilda' trained eye reveals that the girl was not dead, for her ribcage rises and falls still.

"U-uumm… Matilda…" Tiffania said gingerly. "Is this… my familiar…?"

"I guess…" the mage said, scratching the top of his head. "This is highly irregular, though… to call another human being as a familiar… There has been only scant reports of fairy and goblin familiars, but a full-fledged human being has never been recorded."

"Wh-what shall I do…?" Tiffania muttered uncertainly.

"I guess you must finalize the contract… there's nothing else we can do at this point," Matilda replied. "I'll have some of my Royal Librarian friends look up some information on this."

"O-okay…" the half-elf said, kneeling so she could easily kiss the summoned familiar. "Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers, grant your blessings upon this creature and bind it as my familiar…"

With the last incantation leaving her tongue, the half-elven girl placed a chaste peck on the blue-haired girl's temple. A set of silvery-white runes quickly etched themselves to the girl's left palm.

"Now let's bring her inside, it's getting dark…" Matilda summed up, lifting the surprisingly light girl while turning to eye her well-camouflaged rock python familiar. "Nazgyl, keep watch."

…

Chihaya woke up a little sore. She found herself on a hard mattress, lying in the arms of a blond girl she innately known as her summoner. Streaks of sunlight peeked from outside the curtain, a fact that the bluenette is grateful for.

It takes quite a while to digest all the information pouring to her brain, but the dream-scape provided by whoever made this 'spell' was most informative. Chihaya now had grasped the basic knowledge of this so-called Halkeginia world, although the finer details like countries and whatnot had not been provided by the binding spell. It feels like being in one of the twins' RPG, Chihaya thought.

"Mmhm…" a small, cute grunt escaped the mouth of the blond girl as Chihaya opened the curtains.

"Good morning… Master," Chihaya greeted.

"Fivemoreminutes…" the blond grumbled.

Chihaya smiled. The blond girl was a splitting image of one of her former, now-faraway friends. Blond, busty, and always sleepy.

"Shall I cook breakfast for you?" the bluenette offered.

"Mmm… breakfffffaaaah?" the blond girl finally awoke fully. "Y-y-y-you…!"

"Yes, Master, I am your familiar," the bluenette said. "I am in your care."

"N-no! I-I'm in your care!" The blond girl blurted cutely. Her similarity to blondtree was just so far I guess, thought Chihaya.

"My name is Chihaya Kisaragi," Chihaya introduced herself. "And I'm sixteen years of age. I am grateful to be given a new lease of life by you, Master."

"I-I see…" the blond girl said. "My name is… Tiffania, Chihaya. Let's work hard together, okay?"

"Very well, Master…" Chihaya replied, bowing slightly.

…

It was an middle of another long day, and it marks the sixtieth day Chihaya has lived in Halkeginia. She has discovered much about the new self, which apparently has the ability to converse with animals. With that ability, Tiffania had mentioned that life had been a lot easier. My able hands may have contributed more, Chihaya thought.

"Chihaya Chihaya Chihaya~" a shrill chirpy voice beckoned from the windsill. Chihaya recognized the voice as one of the Parid birds residing in the area.

"Yes?" Chihaya replied, beckoning the Parid to perch on her outsretched hand.

"Sing sing sing~" the Parid chirped happily.

Chihaya sighed. Of all the woodland denizens, the Parids are the one most fervent in getting her to sing again. It doesn't help that the birds use songs to communicate to each other, and other woodland species had even learned to utilize the small birds' distress calls to learn about dangers. Woodland folks even nicknamed the birds 'Forest Heralds', for it was the parids who first knew of rain, frost, and other weather occurences in the woodlands.

"No sorry," Chihaya replied in shrill whistles of her own. Even though the birds understand her Common just fine, she made a point to emulate their own voice. "Chihaya songless."

"Please no hide," the Parid replied, the bird's expression downcast.

Chihaya smiled wistfully, replying, "No now. But next season. Spring."

"Yay! I tell other! We wait!" the small bird said.

…

"So, any luck with the runes, Arnval my friend?" Matilda asked the middle-aged Royal Librarian.

"Only just," replied the man. "The runes you sketched can be read as Windalfr."

"Hey, I learned Runic too you know," the sorcerer threw a verbal jab good-naturedly. "It's not like I can't read the girl's rune."

"Ah… but that's where this gets interesting," Arnval continued. "Gandalfr, Myoznitnirn, Strafr, Windalfr… the names ring a bell?"

"You're kidding me, old wart," Matilda interjected. "It has got to be a coincidence. It's been six thousand years, names do get recycled at least once in a while… maybe the system ran out of names!"

"The records of Tristainian and Albionese mages' familiars does not indicate that, and believe me I checked," Arnval said. "And while there has been repetitions… the larger and more complex the familiar get, much less repetition of the name surfaces. There hasn't any other python named Nazgyl for almost three thousand years back, isn't there?"

"I get the point, Arnval," the triangle-class earth mage said. "But for my sister to obtain such a great familiar…"

"She had Brimiric powers inside her, Fouquet. You best be careful," Arnval concluded the talk as he took another swig from the tankard of dark ale in front of him.

…

Times come and go, and the turn of the season marched on. It has been close to eight months after Chihaya's arrival, and her first day of her first spring here has arrived. As if on cue, a flock of Parids greeted her as she took the laundry to dry.

"Chihaya! Chihaya! Chihaya!" the flock cheered in their language. "Song! Song! Song!"

Chihaya smiled. She did promised to show her song to the Parids on last autumn, and while she has no real obligation to fulfill it, denying the little birds of their simple wish would also feel wrong. Besides, the Parids' chants reminded her of a cherished part of her past life.

"Very well…" Chihaya replied, setting down her laundry basket while inhaling a deep breath, steeling herself like what she did so many times before.

Angin bertiup di atas bumi

Bumi nan bermandi cahya mentari

Manusia mengejar mimpi

Tanah nan bernaung pelangi

Ia… Arcadia!

The effect of the song was truly awe-inspiring. Beasts of the forest, all shapes and sizes, fell upon their knees in prostration. Mages in a twenty-mile radius felt shivers running down their spine, and diviners far beyond that range realize that they have to rewrite their prophecies. The Aspect of Life and its familiar, Windalfr the Left Hand of God, has revealed themselves to the world.

Around Chihaya, however, the power manifested itself as a blue sphere. The village-square sized dome is tiled with hexagonal parts colored deeper indigo. Tiffania rushed outside as she felt the power spike, and found herself awestruck both by the dome of mana-based shield and Chihaya's lilting melody.

"Chihaya-… did you just…" Tiffania asked unsurely as she approached the singer, who has just finished her full song. The runes on Chihaya's palm glows a soft blue.

"This… is one of my powers, Master," Chihaya explained gingerly, as the blue barrier faded gradually. "I only knew, too… apparently it ties with my singing..."

Chihaya's words trailed off as Tiffania enveloped her in a tight hug. Soft sobs quickly emanated from the busty girl, something that caught Chihaya entirely by surprise.

"What… seem to be the matter, Master?" Chihaya said, returning the hug.

"I'm so glad…" Tiffania whispered between elated sobs. "When I asked for a powerful servant, I was terrified that maybe you're just some unlucky girl plucked from somewhere… I'm so relieved… now that you have the power…"

"I too am relieved… Master," Chihaya replied. "For now… I have the means to defend my Master…"

…

A month has passed since Chihaya first awakened her powers, and today Matilda had again paid them a visit.

"So, you're going to Tristain?" Tiffania asked as the three of them sat by the dinner table.

"Yes. I got a secretarial job there," the older girl replied simply. "The pay's much better than before. So Chihaya, I heard you have awakened special powers?"

"To some extent, yes. Presently I can call up a barrier or influence animals with my voice," the familiar intoned coolly. "I can dismiss the effects with a word, but I also have no idea on how long it actually last, though."

"Chihaya is a brilliant magician, Sis!" Tiffania gushed. "She can even repel rain with her barrier spell!"

"Really?" Matilda said, mildly intrested.

"Master exaggerates things so much," the familiar said.

"No I'm not!" Tiffania countered.

"I only held the rain until all the laundered pieces are taken inside," the familiar humbly said.

"As I thought…" Matilda cuts in grimly. She mentally noted that such a barrier, while not unique to wind-users, are not quite the stuff dot-class mages are capable of. "Tiffania, Chihaya, I'm afraid we have to relocate the two of you."

"Move? But why?" Tiffania asked.

"The monarchy is being toppled by Reconquista…" the older sister said. "This woods might not be as safe as it used to be, especially with monarchy splinter groups seeking refuge and rebel warbands seeking to eliminate them. They might do all manner of bad things, especially when cornered like this…"

"I will not move," Tiffania resolutely said.

"Why, Tiffania? You'll be safer somewhere else!" replied Matilda hotly. "This place could turn into a battlefield anytime!"

"And forsake Mother's memories? After all sacrifices she did in creating the mythal protecting this place?" Tiffania argued. "Mother's memory is far more valuable than my life."

"As her familiar, I shall stay by her side," Chihaya added. " Besides, have you considered why you have not even met any wildlife on your way here? Not a single sparrow?"

"What of it? Non-familiar animals tend to shy away from mages anyway," Matilda grunted.

"No," Chihaya replied coolly, as if springing a trap. "They're all in a silent vigil… animals and trees alike. We knew you are coming since the forest's edge. They are ready. We are ready."

Matilda is struck dumb with Chihaya's statement. The so-called forest's edge is almost two days' walk from the cottage.

…

Archibald Roger Seymour, Duke of Somerset, is fleeing for his dear life. An ardent supporter of the Crown Prince Wales Tudor, he and his band of Crown loyalists had been holding the Reconquista-backed rebels in a stronghold near Westwood Forest proper, but the stronghold has fallen just two weeks ago. The duke and his dwindling troops are now fleeing deeper into the reputedly-haunted forests, faced with the other option of execution.

"Sire! Scouts has spotted Reconquista troops moving in from our western flank!" a loyalist soldier came with the news. Archibald's men has dwindled greatly since they entered the forest mere two weeks ago, now numbering less than a hundred excluding non-combatants.

"God save us… What will I do…" Archibald mumbled, clearly at the very end of his wits.

"We can't go any further into the forests, Sire," an advisor stated gravely. "There lies the sacred domain of faes. They are the elves' allies… and tresspassing elven-backed domain is not an option."

"Dear Founder…" Archibald grunted, before issuing what he thought will be his last command. "Organize the men for a final defense. We will buy enough time for our non-combatants to flee this camps-"

"Sire! Two girls wanted to meet you! They said they are druids and are willing to help!" another soldier barged into the command tent.

"Druids? Preposterous! They are a thing of the past!" the belaguered commander replied. "Everyone knew The Last Druid fell on the Battle of Camlann Plains…"

"But sire… we need all the help we can get," the advisor stated, urgency in his voice.

"Such is true," a charismatic voice said as a blue-haired girl entered the command tent unchallenged. "We offer you our aid and victory, but shall not hinder you to death and solitude. The choice is yours, Duke Seymour of Somerset, and choose wisely."

"Preposterous! Guards, seize her!" Archibald commanded.

"STAY YOUR HANDS!" the blue-haired girl roared, seemingly stopping all breath in the area. "Very well. We shall leave you to your own devices."

"… No, please," the duke finally caved in as the blue-haired girl turned away. "M-my wife, she's due soon… please… save her…"

"Very well, Duke," the blue-haired girl said as she turned to face Archibald once more, a smile thin on her lips. "She is the Aspect of Life, anyway, there is no way she will abandon a new life. Assemble your man, sir. We have enemies to vanquish."

"B-but we only have seventy able soldiers! Scouts say there's more than three hundred of them rebels, and they had encircled us!" Archibald said urgently.

"Oh, that I knew. We also have almost thirty bears and twenty-three families of wolves, all combat-ready," the girl replied. "Not to mention three ents and a dryad the rebels just passed through. More than enough to convert them into the forest's nourishment."

"Ents and dryads! But surely the tree-creatures only exist in faraway forests…" the duke still protested.

"You'll see for yourself," the girl said lightly. "Now we need to hurry."

…

With its seclusion, reputation as a haunted forest, and defensible position, Westwood quickly came to be rallying point for many Crown loyalists. Their numbers quickly swelled well over two thousand strong, as belaguered loyalists flock around them from all over Albion. As a response to this, Archibald swiftly assembled a council of nobles, centered around the two 'Druids of Westwood' who gave them protection in the first place.

"I hereby open this meeting," Archibald stated as fourteen highest-ranking nobles plus two 'druids' convened around a campfire. The meager cottage now had a sizable complex complex around it, the result of non-combatants erecting shelters and various facilities. "Chihaya of The Cloudless Sky, your report please."

"Reconquista had received another shipment of muskets from Iberia, while Gallia had lent them siege machines. Intelligence reports from both the Hamadrias and Count Mountbatten's men indicate that Prince Wales Tudor has died, but his body has not been found," Chihaya delivered her report with her neutral tone.

"All is lost indeed, then," an old man said with the tone of finality. Tiffania knew the man as having the name John Shelley, Earl of Cornwall. "What is a kingdom without its king? We might as well be erecting mounds of mulch…"

"We still have a fighting chance," Archibald replied defiantly. "News had stated that Tristain, with the backing from Germania, had declared war on Cromwell and Reconquista. We can use this opportunity to strike!"

"Easy for you to say, pretty boy," a man with unruly blond hair, Fingal of the Cumhaill Clan, harshly grunted. "Those dirty frogs are just as likely entering this war for profit rather than for honor. Founder knows what they want from Albion!"

"We might stand a chance if we ally with them," A young woman known as Patricia Ashley, Commander of the Crown's 23rd Regiment Dragon Knights. "I also heard that Queen Henrietta de Tristain had obtained an alliance with a powerful Void Mage."

"Well I'll be damned!" Fingal exclaimed. "A mage wielding Brimiric Powers?"

"It appears so. Royal Diviners spoke of the 'Aspect of Change' just before I fled the castle," Patricia replied. "If this is proven true, then Tristainians could easily win the war."

"Such power will be a great bargaining chip for them to subjugate us…" Shelley spoke up, his tone a little more optimistic than before.

"I'm sure we can sit as equals with them," Chihaya said calmly. "Personally, I agree on the motion on joining Tristain, but if my liege state otherwise I shall obey."

"What makes you think we're an equal to them? If this… Aspect of Change, could easily win the war for them, what can possibly even the tables out, Chihaya of the Cloudless Sky?" Fingal protested.

"Because we have an Aspect of our own," Chihaya said as she brought Tiffania to stand. "Before you all, the Aspect of Life herself stood. Kneel before her, lest the forests, its denizens, and life itself become your enemy."

Needless to say, all the gathering nobles kneeled on the spot.

...

Saito Hiraga is beyond exhausted. The Reconquista-backed armies of Oliver Cromwell has seeked to end the Battle of Sheffield with a massed charge towards the chokepoint that the Tristainian Army had used earlier. He managed to slay more than ten thousand men charging towards him to the chokepoint, but there are more than six times more behind them. Mighty as his Gandalfr powers is, he is on his last legs.

"So this is the end of Gandalfr, eh?" Saito mumbled as the next wave of soldiers approached. "At least I won't get a Gainax ending…"

"Partner… Look up!" Derflinger warned. "A thick magical energy is falling to us!"

"I can't defend anymore… Derp-" Saito replied, before even that reply is muted.

A shrill chorus belonging to a thousand hawks suddenly filled the air. Not long after that, a mighty crashing sound can be heard as three scores of gargantuan ents made their landing in the middle of Cromwell's foces, their thrashing might no match for puny humans no more than a tenth their size. Saito was left speechless as the next wave of attack by camouflaged mages further decimate Cromwell's mighty army. Spells were flying chaotically, but they seem to bounce off the ents' bark as a song filled the air.

Kaulah mukjizat

Mewujudkan surga di muka bumi

Wahyu ilahi

Diceritakan hingga abadi

"Cometh the Knights of Fianna! Cometh the true heirs of Albion!" A thunderous voice roared as bear-mounted cavalry crashed upon Cromwell's forces from its two sides. Saito watched in grim relief as the common soldiers of Cromwell's army begin to rout, leaving their noble officers vulnerable to the wrath of the woodlands. Only the song lingers in his memory, and the final sight of a roc landing in front of him.

Kaulah mukjizat

Mewujudkan surga di muka bumi

Pahlawan hati

Seorang penghuni sejarah nan sejati

A/N:

This is more of a collection of plotline drabbles in my vain attempt to get this half-formed idea out of my head. You know, inception and all that. Do forgive the overly rough feel to this piece. If you want to adopt and expand this fic, be my guest and notify me first. I can provide help if necessary ;)

Also, i translated the songs i use into not-so-accurate Indonesian, because i don't want to run afoul of this guideline:

3. Copying from a previously published work (including musical lyrics) not in the public domain.

Y'see, if i translate the songs into Indonesian, they will change; That way, i will not be copying the songs verbatim, which is expressly forbidden. Treat the Indonesian parts as Chihaya singing in Japanese or something. I did this because the way i envision Windalfr's power (communication to all magical & mundane beings) plus what FoZ is crossed with in this fic (duh) makes the involvement of non-copyrighted songs inevitable. Chihaya's power as Windalfr here functions somewhat like a Bard's song in DnD 3.5 (with the exception of her first power).

As for the songs used, I'm sure Idolmaster fans will be able to guess the first song easily (it's Chihaya's song anyway), but the second one will be a bit harder. A hint? ID ;) I hope you enjoyed the ride!