Disclaimer: I do not own Sengoku Rance nor do I own Zero no Tsukaima

Kenshin of Zero

Prologue

It was dark.

In the deepest dungeon of Uesugi Castle, Uesugi Kenshin stirred for the… umpteenth time since she was imprisoned. Kenshin sluggishly opened her eyes, flickered it for a while and trying to see through the dark to whoever was making the annoying noise that denied her peace. She saw the jailer in the dark, rattling the rusty chain against the wooden bars that kept her imprisoned.

The jailer was a fat person; he wore a simple brown yukata without pants, which revealed most of the fatness in his sluggish body. He grinned as he saw Kenshins gaze, but chose to ignore it as he took his time to check out her body. The white yukata that Kenshin wore as a prisoner covered her body decently, but also enhanced the curvatures. She moved sluggishly to cover her chest but the chains that restrained her hands kept them above her head, digging into her wrist as she struggled. The jailer giggled sheepishly as he observed the girl trying to preserve whatever dignity that remained.

Kenshin sighed, and with a deep breath tries to remember the time when she was free. Kenshin was the Daimyo of the Uesugi clan that governed over Sado and MAZO of JAPAN, and was most well-known as 'The God of Warfare'. She led entire female troops to the bring justice to the fellow countrymen friend and foe.

However that was in the past. Now she lies beaten, chained up and locked away in the very castle which she grew up and ruled in.

"How is the prisoner?" Bellowed a voice in the darkness, Kenshin abruptly snaps back to reality and stared at the direction of the voice. The owner of the voice was an elderly in his 40's, his tall figure clad in a blue Sengoku Era Ministers attire strolled into the lights, his wrinkly face sneered at the sight of Kenshin giving him a deathly glare.

"Uesugi Kensei…" muttered Kenshin, her hands hardening into a fist as she lunged forward only to be held back by her restraints. "Stop this farce… and release me, I have to attend to the troops…"

"There is no need for that anymore" snapped Kensei as he rubbed his beard, signalling for the jailer to leave them alone. The jailer bowed and slowly strolled into the darkness. "The Uesugi clan are now no longer under threat of attack."

"W-what did you say?" exclaimed Kenshin, stopping in a half kneeling half squatting stance.

Kensei sneered at her and gave another signal for… someone, to step closer. Kenshin squinted as she tried to make out the person who was approaching, then her eyes widened with shock as she saw herself standing besides Kensei.

The girl who stood by Kensei was… in literal sense, a copy, a perfect clone of the restrained Kenshin, fully clothed in the armour that she wears every day.

"W-what is the meaning of this!? Who is she!?" exclaimed Kenshin, losing her composure every moment she looked at the… clone.

"Ah, do not look so angry, Kenshin, it is unbecoming of your teachings." Kensei replied with a sneer, his hand sliding behind the fake and feeling the curvatures of her backside, the woman merely blushed and did not move.

"Do not play games with me, uncle! Explain!" Kenshin screamed, summoning her remaining strength she pulled with all her might to no avail as her restraints held.

Kensei scowled, in a swift movement he picked up a wooden spoon lying in a bucket of water and sprayed the water onto Kenshin.

"Kyaa!" exclaimed Kenshin as the chill of the water stabbed at her skin. She stopped struggling immediately and moved to cover herself as the white yukata she wore became wet and hugged her skin. Shame and coldness prevented her from moving.

"You are too weak to rule, Kenshin." growled Kensei as he stalked closer to the wooden bars. "I do not understand why the previous head of the clan even think about giving the responsibilities of the house to you.

You, who brought up the women to take the rightful roles of men on the battlefield and in the court. You, who brought war into our very home. YOU, who fell in love with the enemy and practically gave him our homeland!"

The last part struck Kenshin like a lightning strike. It was true that she fell in love with the foreigner of the Oda clan, Rance. Everything about the man she found appealing, and that prevented her from bringing the maximum effect of her command against his forces and in the first instance they met, assassinate him.

It was a completely foreign feeling, it was so new to her, and by the time she regained composure Sado was lost. She could only plan night attacks against the invading Oda forces and even that tactic was becoming countered.

"I… I…" Kenshin whimpered softly, she began to blame herself for the coming demise of the clan. She tried to put the blame on Rance but every single time she thinks about him it only made her more love-sick.

"We have no use for you anymore, be glad that I haven't purged the rest of the army, as we still have to protect ourselves against the Takeda. Unfortunately the 'ladies army' won't follow through order from us men, that is why we have 're-installed' Kenshin as the head of warfare." Snarled Kensei as he turned to leave, dragging the fake Kenshin along by one hand he quickly paced for the staircase.

"What… will you do to me now?" whispered Kenshin, tears running uncontrollably down her face and dripping onto her chest. Kensei stopped in the middle of the staircase, but did not turn back to pass judgement.

"You may be useless, but you are still young and well-developed. I trust you would make yourself useful in the future as entertainment for the male troops." Kensei said without looking back, and continued up the stairs.

In the darkness, Kenshin whimpered like a young child. In her youth she was taught honour, it was considered more honourable to end your life than becoming a captive of your enemies. This applies especially to women, who were treated with less propriety as men. Onna-bushi were merely playthings to the enemy and even allies.

She wanted to create a world where women were the women were respected, allowed the same prestige and opportunity as the men, and mostly, where the women were… safe.

The dream is still a dream, Kenshin realised as she wept, and her tears hung dry on her face as she felt her consciousness wavering. She slowly faded into her dream world to escape this cruel reality.

"Help… save me… Rance…" she muttered as she fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter 1 - The War God and the Zero

Tristain Academy of Magic, Tristain, Helkegenia.

A field of green extends itself to the horizons as far as the eye can see in this little magical kingdom of Tristain, and on that field a bunch of students gathered around a magic circle.

A girl with long, blond hair curled into multiple drills walked up to the circle. Once inside the circle she raised her wand and muttered the spell required for the summoning.

"Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers…" she chanted, the magic circle glowed brighter in response to the words she muttered.

"You can do it, Montmorency!" cheered a young, blond-haired man in a shirt that is too frilly for any sane male to even consider wearing.

"Ssh! don't break her concentration Guiche." Scolded a bold, middle-aged man clad in different attire from the group. "It will be disastrous if she were to lose concentration in the summoning ceremony."

"Ugh… my apologies, Mr Colbert." Guiche replied, even he knows how bad things can go if the mage performing the summoning were to mess up.

It was a situation that nobody would want to be in.

"… heed my summoning…" Montmorency continued, her tone flat and under control as the lights of the magic circle glowed hot white. "… and bring forth my familiar!"

A puff of smoke appeared before Montmorency and a small frog appeared, it gave off a light croak as it looked around its surroundings and leapt into Montmorency's hands.

"Very good, Miss Montmorency." Colbert congratulated as he adjusted his glasses. "So your affinity is of the Water Element."

"Yes." Montmorency replied as she smiled at the familiar, behind her Guiche walked up and congratulated the young mage.

Taking a quick breath, Colbert adjusted his attention towards the pink-haired girl standing in the crowd.

"Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière." He called the girl out, "I believe you are the last one to perform the summoning."

"Yes!" Louise replied as she stepped forward into the summoning circle. This is it, she thought to herself as she mustered her courage, it will be the spell that would allow her to gain recognition as a worthy mage of the Vallières.

However whispers of the other mages began stirring as she prepares to cast the spell.

"I wonder if she can even manage the spell properly."

"I'm curious about what she might be able to summon."

"She'll probably just make another explosion, again."

Louise felt her face twitch as she listened to the gossips behind her, just you all wait. I will summon the most beautiful, sacred and powerful familiar and make you all eat your words.

Summoning all her strength and will, Louise began to wave her wand and chant the summoning spell.

"My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière." She started, the magic circle began to glow brighter, and the spell seems to be going well. "Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers, heed my summoning and bring forth my familiar!"

Silence followed the chant, which was then followed by an Earth Shattering KABOOM!

Uesugi Castle, MAZO, JAPAN

… enshin…

… Kenshin…

Kenshin stirred upon hearing her name being called, however she could not recognise the voice that called to her. Who would call me at this time and place? She wondered.

She slowly opened her eyes but saw complete darkness. It was so dark that she cannot even see her own body as she looked down.

What is the meaning of this? She thought to herself, am I finally going crazy and starting to hallucinate?

Oh how she wished that were true, but it wasn't as she confirmed her sanity with the fact that she can still think and reason properly. Going crazy is but merely a mercy to what horrors that await her when she is thrown to the dogs, and wolves, and pigs.

"Who's there?" Kenshin called out, "Show yourself, if you are a ghost or demon, for I do not fear you as I fear for my future."

Silence followed, Kenshin looked out to the blackness, hoping. Anybody! she thought, calmness turning into anxiety as she hoped for a sign of someone or… something. Anything, answer me…

A light spawned in the darkness, Kenshin flinched at such a brightness that she had long ago forgotten, and tried to shield herself from the light which shone like the blazes of a thousand suns.

"Uesugi Kenshin!" a voice bellowed, a voice so loud that no number of battle cries she has heard in her life could compare to it, causing her to startle and look. She widened her eyes in shock as she looked upon the figure that stood before her.

"It can't be…" whispered Kenshin, dumbfounded at the entity she faced.

The figure was fully armoured in what could be recognised as a medieval Chinese armour, though China did not exist in this world, a cloth floated by the shoulder and around the arms, the figure wielded a small pagoda in the right hand and in the left stood a trident slightly taller than the wielder.

There was no mistake.

The figure that stood before her, bring in the light which it emerged from was the manifestation of war, the bringer of justice and punisher of evildoers that Kenshin grew up worshipping and later sought protection from.

This was Bishamonten.

"Kenshin!" bellowed the God again, striking the ground with the end of the trident. What felt like an earthquake shook the surroundings and snapped Kenshin into full attention.

"What are you doing?" asked Bishamonten, sending a glare that could topple entire armies and scatter demons and youkai alike.

"I… I…" she stuttered, ashamed of her own unsightly figure being presented to the God which she worshipped, a small drop of tear trickled down her cheek.

"What is justice?" asked the God, his tone slightly lower than before, the glare remained as he waited for an answer.

Dumbfounded, Kenshin averted the gaze of the God and thoughts of all kinds ran through her, trying to find the correct answer. Days of memories shot by when she led the armies of Uesugi to protect people, villages, towns and eventually fortresses and clans from attacks.

Was this justice? She thought to herself, slowly she looked back up at the God. She tried to say something but stuttered as other words escaped from her mouth.

"I… I do not know what justice…is"

Expected to be smite by the God as his face took the form of a growl, Kenshin closed her eyes and cringed, awaiting the blow that would end her life.

At least this will end my suffering.

"A good answer."

Kenshin blinked, has she been hallucinating in the time of her demise?

She hesitantly looked back up at the God, who's scowl from before had disappeared and replaced with a smile, a smile so warm that she thought it would have been… handsome if the God were younger and not so… Godly.

"There is not a perfect definition of so-called… justice, it is formless and shapeless and thus… cannot be described. It also changed according to situations, some say." Bishamonten preached, his stance unmoving. "The way you have carried out 'your' justice is… naïve."

"Naïve?" replied Kenshin, puzzled at the predicament.

"The only way you were taught justice is through the protective barrier known as the Uesugi castle and name, it is 'justice' that is recognised by the Uesugi clan…" Bishamonten raised his left hand and pointed it at the girl below. "Not your own."

"You must leave this place, go out into the world and learn of true justice, unhindered, unfiltered by the protective screens of retainers and advisors, abandon the positions and powers granted to you from the Uesugi, then you can truly learn from the world."

The revelation struck like thunderbolts, it flowed through her from head to toe.

Going out to see the world as it is was unthinkable for the ex-head of house. She know not much of the outside world except when she went and conquered or protected, which she rarely interacted with the crowd, that and she possessed no skills of surviving on her own outside.

"B-but I don't think I am up for such a task." She replied, no attempt in hiding her hesitation and fear. She did not know whether to be more afraid of the wrath of her God or the wrath of Nature.

Bishamonten sighed and shook his head at the answer, a sad smile formed as he shook.

"You may be afraid to leave this nest, like a baby chick. But soon, you will grow up."

The God turned away from Kenshin and faded into the void.

Kenshin woke to the sound of steel against steel, her attention now on the three figures that entered the cage which held her. They were ashigaru, armoured with the basic armour given to peasant soldiers which only protected as much as the lower torso without restricting hand movement, and katanas strapped to their waist.

The three eyed the girl, and then looked at each other nervously as if they were facing a monster, albeit a restrained monster.

"You tell her, boss…" the closest one replied, shuffling his feet as he took a step back. The second closest also took a shuffling step to the side and looked at the one at the back, with a sigh the furthest ashigaru stepped up.

She could tell that this ashigaru was just a soldier from a peasant family, he was old, probably because of the lack of hair that accompanied his rat like face and unkept teeth, a few slashes across the face told Kenshin that this 'boss' was a veteran of many battles.

Kenshin never knew the male commanders or soldiers, as her focus were given to the female troops who more than often showed prowess and discipline unmatched even by the mighty Takeda Cavalry.

Silence broke as the 'boss' coughed.

"Kenshin…" he croaked with an old voice. "Lord Kensei has passed judgement that you shall be executed by the end of the day."

Kenshin froze; her heart sank like rock upon hearing what she had not expected to hear.

"W-wait a second, what do you mean by execution?" Kenshin asked, signs of panic showed on her face. "He told me that I was to live as a se-"

She gulped the last word down, ashamed that she even acknowledged that thought.

"Oh ho, looks like she has indeed fallen," the 'boss' replied, his face adopting a grin that send shivers down her entire body. "Well, our Lord Kensei has decided that there would be too much problems in keeping you alive in the long run, not especially if we already have a 'Kenshin' out there commanding already."

"Why… uncle…" Kenshin muttered through gritted teeth.

What have I done to deserve this? Why, uncle? Kenshin thought to herself, she was surprised that she could still shed a tear considering that they've left her with miniscule amounts of food and water since her imprisonment.

"Aw now, don't cry, it would look bad when we present your head with that sort of expression." The 'boss' grunted as he signalled the two other ashigaru to pick her up. They both approached slowly, occasionally stepping back; perhaps they felt sorry for the girl who was once their ruler to break down like this?

The 'boss', perhaps tired of the hesitation shown by the two lackeys, scowled and pulled Kenshin up by her elbow. He paused as the distance between their face became a mere breath away, then his scowling face once again adopted the disgusting grin.

"What a waste of a beauty such as yourself… Say, why don't you experience what it is like being a real woman before crossing to the next life?" Like a hungry beast, he forced himself on her, his tongue frantically searching every exposed part below her neck.

Kenshin screamed and tried to push the man away, but with her wrists bound she was helpless as the man just pushed her against the wall and started moving down from the neck. Unsatisfied with the slow development, the boss shoved Kenshin into the wall and began to fumble with his pants.

Kenshin was waiting for that moment.

She lunged forward, using her entire body to tackle and throw the man sprawling into the wooden bars.

"Gah, you bitch!" cursed the man as he balanced himself with the wooden bars of the cell, he shot an angry stare at the defiant girl only to see her stabbing him in the neck.

"Kuh!" gurgled the boss as he grabbed at the katana and reached for his own, his eyes widening as he slowly realised that it was sticking out of his neck into his lung.

He fell to the floor with a slump.

The other two ashigaru panicked and drew their katanas, Kenshin turned to meet them, her once peaceful and calm eyes now glared like a falcon that found its prey. She was on the second ashigaru in a blink, stabbing him beneath his armpits unprotected side and striking out on the other side, and with a swift pulling motion she removed the blade and beheaded the last ashigaru in a single swing.

Silence followed as the last body… or body part, landed on the floor. Kenshin collapsed, the last of her energy reserves spent , she struggled and tried to use the stolen katana to stand up, but it was useless as she would collapse under her own weight again and again, spending whatever was left she laid on the ground.

"It's over…" she muttered as she closed her eyes, in the distance she could hear the shouts of the jailer, calling for guards as he stumbled up the staircase. Any minute now, they would swarm the girl and cut her until only blood was left… or just rape her until she died.

"I'm sorry… Ai-chan…" she muttered, feeling another trickle of tear flow down her face as she apologized to her friend and advisor, whom she does not know the fate of since Kensei's revolt and her imprisonment.

She steadied herself and brought the katana above her chest by the blades as she heard the approaching footsteps, ready to end her life.

"… heed my summoning…"

Kenshin blinked, surprised at the voice that seemingly came out of nowhere, reaching her and drowning out the yells of the soldiers gathering outside. She sat up sluggishly and looked around, trying to find the new voice.

Her eyes stopped at a white circle which appeared where she was previously restrained, it spun with what seemed like a star shape and a square with one too many sides in the centre.

Suddenly she felt the urge to touch the white light, an urge so strong that she stood up despite the protests of her weary body, every step she took screamed fatigue right into her mind.

The cell was breached as she touched the white circle, she felt herself sucked in, and was in luck as a spear struck the place she stood a moment before.

She once again found herself surrounded by darkness.

"-Sigh-… why does it always have to be this dark?" she grumbled to herself as she sat down again. Soon the darkness parted, again.

Tristain Academy of Magic, Tristain, Helkegenia.

An explosion followed after Louise finished the summoning spell, sending the crowd behind her to fall over, again, some of the others who have experienced this sort of thing from her have already taken cover further, cursing themselves for not digging deeper into cover as the explosion sent a shockwave that threw them out of cover, again.

"Gah, I knew that this was going to happen, again!" grunted a student as he coughed, others joined the grunt as they stumbled whilst trying to find their footing, again.

"You should stop trying so hard to blow us up, Louise the Zero." Another student cried out, joined by others as they agreed and bayed at the failure of the summoning for what seemed like the… 6th time.

Behind them, Guiche walked up to Montmorency and offered a hand to her. She looked like she was about to accept the help as she lifted her hand, but it pointed towards the explosion.

The field became quiet again as the smoke cleared; in the summoning circle was a girl in a kneeling position, her long waist-length black hair drooped from the doll-like face down to her back, she was wearing a white single white robe that highlighted the curves on the chest that it barely covered.

Some students gasped as they noticed the weapon she held, it was an elegantly curved blade, but stained with a red fluid, some of the girls gagged as they noticed that the blood was still fresh as it dripped into the grass, staining it bright red.

The only reassuring thing about the… person, that Louise summoned, was clearly fatigued and that she was still bound in the wrist.

Louise froze, she had hoped to summon something magnificent familiar like a dragon or a griffon, but to summon a commoner! And potentially a criminal at that! This was never heard of in her knowledge of familiar summoning.

Furthermore, a familiar is supposed to represent the abilities of the master.

Louise shook her head quickly, and walked up to the girl in white. Kenshin looked up, noticing the girl as she casted her shadow over her.

"W-who are you?" Louise stammered, trying to keep her composure intact. She had to make sure.

Kenshin blinked at the girl before her, she was about to tell pink-haired girl her name before she paused. Thinking about the implications and unwanted attention that name would potentially cause. She gulped as she told the girl her name.

"M-my name is Kenshin... Uesugi Kenshin."

Louise huffed; at least we speak the same language. She thought to herself, now the most important question of all. Louise was about to question her again only to be interrupted with a light cough the bald professor.

"Now Louise, please continue with the ceremony." The teacher urged calmly.

"Wait, with her?" she asked, eyes wide with shock.

"Yes, with her." He replied with a calm expression, "How much longer would you intend to extend the Springtime Familiar Summoning Ceremony?"

"Please! Let me try the summoning one more time!" pleaded Louise, she did not want to have just summoned an inferior familiar. This was her only chance to prove to the others that she is a worthy mage like the rest.

"I'm sorry, I cannot allow that." The teacher replied, adjusting his glasses as he continued. "When you are promoted to a second year student, you must summon a familiar, which is what you just did."

"Your elemental specialty is decided by the familiar that you summon. It enables you to advance to the appropriate courses for that element. You cannot change the familiar once you have summoned it, the Springtime Familiar Summoning is a sacred rite. You have no choice but to take her, whether you like it or not." He explained, then shrugged as he added "I can't make an exception."

Louise dropped her shoulders in defeat, and knelt in front of Kenshin.

Kenshin backed away slightly as Louise's face got too close for her comfort zone, even Ai-chan didn't get this close to me in the past, she thought.

"Hey." Louise addressed her.

"Y-yes?" Kenshin stuttered an answer.

"You should feel grateful about this, normally you would never expect something like this from a Noble."

Louise closed her eyes, in a very fluent pattern waved the wooden stick that she had carried.

"My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers; bless this humble being, and make her my familiar."

Kenshin stared at her as she chanted the phrases over and over, she instinctively closed her eyes as Louise brought the stick close to her eyes and felt it touch her forehead.

She then felt a pair of lips touching hers.

Shocked and embarrassed, Kenshin abruptly pulled back, stumbling and falling flat on the ground, her face completely red as she touched her lips.

"W-w-w-w-w-w-what was that for!?" she shrieked like a little girl who had just seen something that was too adult for her age.

"Sh-shut up! It's not like I wanted to do that either!" replied Louise as she also retreated, her face a perfect reflection of Kenshin's.

"But that was my first kiss!" Kenshin replied again, both hands clutching her face. "I intended to save it for Rance!"

"Th-that was my first kiss too!" Louise stammered as looked away, fidgeting her fingers. "I-it was for my beloved…"

"Well, you have failed 'Summon Servant' many times, but you have managed to succeed with 'Contract Servant' in your first attempt." Colbert chimed in, a smile grew upon his face as this had been the second successful magic Louise had completed.

"Well, of course she would have succeeded as she only summoned a commoner." A student added, soon others joined in.

"It would have been all but impossible if the familiar she summoned was a powerful magical beast." Another added, the group of students laughed in agreement.

"Don't make fun of me! Even I do things right once in a while!" Louise retorted, her face grew redder and her mood madder at the teasing.

"Truly 'once in a while', Louise the Zero." Laughed Montmorency, her forehand held up to her face like a noble woman's laugh.

"Mr. Colbert! Montmorency the Flood just insulted me!" Louise accused as she turned to face the teacher.

"Who are you calling 'the Flood'? I'm Montmorency the Fragrance!"

"I heard that you used to wet the bed like a flood, didn't you? 'The Flood' suits you better!"

"I hadn't expected better manners from Louise the Zero."

"Watch it! Nobles ought to show each other the proper respect," scolded the middle-aged teacher as he tried to break the fight.

Kenshin watched in silence as the group bickered, she tilted her head in confusion as she could not understand the reason that they were bickering.

She looked around; the land was foreign to her, as most of the plains she had seen during her field endeavours were fields of pasture and cattle. However this place was only grassland, and in the distance stood a building that was definitely not of JAPAN design.

Her strings of thoughts were killed as she felt her body burn up.

"Uwah!" Kenshin exclaimed as she dropped her weapon and fought to stand, she felt like her entire body were burning and her bonds just making it worse. "I'm burning!"

"It will be over soon; just wait. The Familiar's Runes are being inscribed" replied an irritated Louise, her attention back to Kenshin as she put her fists on her hips.

Kenshin calmed down as the heat retreated as soon as it had appeared.

"That was quick..." Colbert commented as he approached, he casted a fire spell that burnt off the ropes that bound Kenshin and took her left hand. Kenshin was surprised at the presence of white, shining letters of another language that appeared on her forehand.

"Hou… these are some most unusual runes." The middle-aged teacher noted.

That was the last thing Kenshin heard before she lost conciousness from hunger, falling to the ground like a log.

Authors Notes:

Hello, first time trying out writing a fan fiction, I wrote this fan-fiction mainly because I was inspired by the other Zero no Tsukaima fan-fictions so I got a few ideas of my own.

Though there was another story that I thought up of before this one with Rance being summoned instead of Kenshin.

.

..

...

Don't know how well that one would have ended up, but oh well.

Rated MA because of the certain 'event' that happened before the summoning, but otherwise it would be rated T or M.

Anyway, please enjoy and I hope to receive some reviews on my first attempt at writing a fanfic.