A/N

This is a side project that I've being working on and off for awhile. Usually during writer's block. (laughs)

This fanfiction is based on the LN and anime and heavily inspired by the "Louise summons AU Saito / X-over character / OC" fanfics. (snickers)

Speaking of the familiar, he's a High School DxD based OC. No, this is not a X-over. I don't think it counts as X-over since characters from DxD won't be involved in the fic (except maybe cameos - at least so far) but their powers might.

Chapter 1

The clearing was lively as students chatted and celebrated the summoning of their familiars.

Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière however was silent. More specifically, she was nervous.

The Springtime Familiar Summoning Ritual. A sacred ritual in which a mage summons an animal - either mundane or exotic - and binds it into a lifelong contract only cancelled by the death of either the mage or the familiar.

As her… classmates - Louise would not lower herself to her classmates' level of inadequate noble behavior of name calling - summoned their familiars without delay but with plenty of occasional interest, Louis truly hoped she at the very least manage to summon something!

"All right then," said the teacher, Mr. Colbert. He was an middle aged man that was balding at the top of his head. Somewhat eccentric but he was one of Louise's better teachers as he didn't hold her lack of talent against her. "Has everyone performed the ritual?" he asked.

Louise knew that he knew that she had yet to take her turn.

Everyone knew she had yet to take her turn. There was still a perfectly good clearing in place.

"No Mr. Colbert," said an annoyingly alluring voice. Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst - ugh, Louise felt nauseous at the girl's full name - had red hair, dark skin, and an unfairly gifted figure.

Tch! Why was The Enemy the one blessed by the Founder in looks and talent when Germania had no connection to him while she who was third in a family that was still greatly associated with his descendant was not?! It wasn't fair!

"Louise the Zero," The Enemy said with a smirk that made boys weak at the knees. No really, Louise saw some of them faint! "has yet to take her turn. Come now Louise. Didn't you say you'd summon an incredible familiar?"

Stupid Zerbst, Louise thought. She'll show her how amazing her familiar will be. It'll be a lot better than that large fire salamander stupidly named Flame. She actually had a bit of pity for the poor lizard, being bound to a master that couldn't even think of a decent name for her lifelong partner.

Her familiar's name was going to be epic! Not Epic, because that would be silly! Although…

What was she doing again?

"Miss Valliere," Mr. Colbert called. "If you would please step forward. We can't wait forever."

Oh right! The summoning! Stupid Zerbst, distracting her like that.

Louise walked to the front of the crowd, where the summoning circle was located.

This was it. She had studied and prepared for this moment for as long as she could as much as she could.

It's all or nothing, Louise thought as she raised her wand.

"I beg of you," she chanted. "My servant who lives somewhere in the universe!"

Louise felt something instantly. A tug somewhere inside her being, followed by a male voice. The voice whispered with a harsh and cold tone that reminded her of her mother, Karin, and of her eldest sister, Eleanore.

"I, who is about to awaken,"

The crowd of students murmured at her incantation, but she hardly heard them. She poured all her focus and power, her hopes, dreams, and desire into her chant.

"Oh sacred, beautiful, and strong familiar spirit!" she continued. Strange as the sensation was, she couldn't afford to hesitate now!

"am the divine dragon that cursed the principles of corruption to Lucifer."

"I desire and here I plead from my heart!" Louise said, raising her voice.

"I sunder the infinite, and I shatter the dream."

"Answer to my guidance and appear!" Louise finished.

"I shall become the Black Dragon of Corruption,"

She whipped her wand downwards at the circle.

"and I shall drag you to the vastness of ebony void."

As ashamed as Louise would be to admit it - not that she actually would if anyone asked - but she honestly expected the explosion. That was why she had braced herself.

What she had not anticipated, was for the scale to be much larger and stronger than any explosion she had ever done before!

The sound was deafening and the pressure swept the area with dust and smoke.

Her classmates began to pick themselves from the ground, coughing.

"Typical Zero," said Montmorency, a blonde girl with long ringlets.

"You think her familiar survived that?" said Guiche, a blond idiot that constantly references roses.

"Hard to say. Assuming she actually summoned one," said Malicorne, a nasal voiced blond that ate a lot.

Her ringing ears caught more insults and jeers, but they went in one ear and out the other. Her attention was set on the thinning smoke where her familiar was.

And there was a familiar, she was sure of it.

A silhouette could be seen, and her heart soared. She did it! She summoned a familiar! But what kind of familiar?

Mr. Colbert chanted a wind spell and a breeze cleared the smoke.

Louise widened her eyes. An armored knight! Sharp black steel armor and red jewels placed on the arms, knees, and torso. The face helm was designed with a terrifying visage.

Louise gave a quick glance to the quiet Tabitha, more specifically to her dragon familiar. Seeing the beast confirmed her thoughts. The armor had a dragon motif - a very detailed and very terrifying dragon motif. Louise could almost believe it was an actual humanoid dragon standing there.

"What is that?" someone said.

"A knight?" another asked.

"Interesting results Miss Valliere," Mr. Colbert said, stepping next to her. "Please proceed with the ceremony."

"What?!" Louise said, confused. "But, a human familiar?! A knight no less?! Won't I get in trouble or something?!"

Mr. Colbert shook his head. "I'm afraid the Springtime Familiar Summoning Ritual takes precedence. Whatever consequences that may arise from this will be dealt with as they appear."

Mr. Colbert gave a glance behind them and leaned in to whisper, "Now then Miss Valliere, you have finally succeeded in performing magic by summoning your familiar despite the explosion that occurred. Do not strained this victory with unknown difficulties. There might be problems or there might not. For the moment, enjoy your success and contract your familiar."

Her cheek twitched. Then a grin formed. That's right! There was no denying that she was a mage! Unusual as her familiar was, it was still proof that she was a indeed a mage!

Louise walked forward, and the knight remained as still as he had been since his arrival. Even so, despite the lack of movement, she felt his gaze upon her. A strange pressure began to fall on her with every step, as if challenging her actions.

She grit her teeth. There was no way she was going to back down now! Not after enduring all those insults and putdowns her entire life. The proof to silence her detractors stood in front of her and she was not giving up now damn it!

"Knight!" she said as she stepped in front of him. "I have summoned you to serve as my familiar!"

The knight moved then. He lowered himself to a knee, but Louise didn't think it was acceptance or respect. The helmet covered his head entirely and a black glass of sorts hid his eyes, but there were two smaller red glasses that Louise suspected might represent his eyes when the red glasses narrowed like glaring eyes would.

Babump, pounded her heart. Louise felt the world drift away, as if she and the knight were the only ones in the area.

"You are either very brave or very foolish to have chosen me for this endeavor, young one," the knight said. His voice had a metallic ring to it and it echoed all around her, as if the voice came from the surroundings rather than simply from the knight in front of her.

Louise licked her lips. She subtly wiped her left hand on her skirt.

"Perhaps I am both sir knight," she said with a grin. "I did summon a human familiar after all - something that has never been done before."

"As far as you know," he said.

She had to give him a point there.

"As far as I know," she said.

Silence fell.

Louise tapped her fingers against her thighs as she continued her staring contest. Though its possible the knight might've blinked already. The red glass acting as his eyes was simply a guess.

If he was blinking behind that glass while she was doing her hardest not to blink was completely unfair!

The knight let out a grunt - which for some reason, Louise was certain was an amused one.

"I have one condition," he said, "in being your familiar. This condition must be followed or I will terminate the contract on the spot."

Louise balled her hand. This knight had some nerve to attempt striking a bargain when she, the noble and master, had all the power.

Terminating the contract while both mage and familiar live? Ha!

Still though, she thought. It would be a bad idea to have a bad start to what is supposed to be a lifelong contract.

"If it is within my ability to fulfill it," Louise said, "then I should do my best to do so."

Louise felt the knight grin, and the image of a thousand fangs appeared in her mind.

"The condition is simple," he said. "While addressing me with the terms of familiar or servant may not be an issue, the tone of how they are used however, is an issue."

"The tone?" Louise asked.

"The condition is that you are to treat me as your equal and partner," he said. "You will not treat me as a pet, a slave, or of lower station. You and I will be equal partners, you will simply have the lead most of the time."

Louise blinked. Treat her familiar as equal and partner?

Well, her treatment was going to depend on what she summoned, although as long as she got something she doubted she'd be abusive to it.

She couldn't even begin to imagine the horrors her sweet older sister Cattleya might unleash on her if she abused an animal.

"Let me see if I understand," Louise said. Time to put her mother's and eldest sister's teachings to use. "You will become my familiar, under the condition that I treat you as my equal and as my partner. That means, that as long as my attitude and commands towards you are not those of a dictator, you will follow my orders?"

"That is correct," he said.

Louise tapped her thighs. The condition sounded fair and easy, but the thing was, Louise had no idea how to treat an equal.

She had always been treated as a failure ever since her first few spells blew up in her and her family's faces back home. The subsequent failures throughout the years only made things worse. Her first year in the Academy was no different, with her supposed peers being quick to mock her failures.

The only people she had a good relationship with was with her older sister Cattleya, whom she sends letter to every now and then, and the now Princess Henrietta, although it's been years since their last interaction.

Using them as reference was literally the best she could do as she had no other comparison.

There was just one issue to address.

"And what do you get out of this deal, knight?" Louise asked.

The experience felt absurd! She was actually negotiating the terms of her familiar contract!

The process was summon familiar, brand runes, enjoy life together!

But no! She had to mess that up too just like she messed up everything else!

"Entertainment," the knight said.

"Entertainment?" Louise asked.

The knight nodded. "I was on a journey to enjoy the hard won peace of my homeland. While this summoning was unexpected, I'll treated it as part of my journey."

Louise took a breath.

"The familiar is an extension of the mage," Louise said. "Your actions are considered my actions. As long as your activities do not cause trouble, you may do as you like. However, you will inform me of your actions beforehand whenever possible, and if you can't, then you will explain yourself after. Is that understood?"

The knight tilted his head. He straightened. "Sounds fair."

"If we are in agreement," Louise said. She straightened her posture and crossed her arms, "then remove your helm so we can finalize the contract."

"Why?" the knight said. His confusion was obvious.

Louise maintained her confident look, even as her cheeks warmed. "The familiar contract requires that the mage kiss the familiar in order to brand the runes."

"Is that so?" the knight said. "My kind of contract."

Instead of lifting the helm like she expected, the helm moved as if made from multiple pieces and retreated into his collar.

"Ha." Louise gasped.

The knight had messy midnight hair, quite different from her long pink hair. His skin was fair, similar to her own. He ran an armored hand through his hair, styling it backwards somewhat.

He grinned at her, his brown eyes twinkling with mischief. Her cheeks burned hotter.

At least the beautiful part was true, Louise thought.

"Eh hem," Louise coughed. She raised her wand. "My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers, bless this humble being and make him my familiar."

She tapped the knight on his forehead and drew close.

The kiss was soft. Softer than she expected. She was about to draw back but then she felt a pair of warm hands cup her face, maintaining the kiss.

Her body began to get hot. Really hot! The bad kind of really hot!

"Ah!" Louise mumbled, and then the knight did something really bold.

He slid his tongue inside her mouth!

"Mm!" Louise voiced. "Mmm!"

The heat cooled into a softer warmth. The knight broke the kiss. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"You, you, you pervert!" Louise shouted. Her face felt on fire! "How dare you! To kiss your master so boldly! You should be punished!"

The knight chuckled.

"It's a matter of pride that all my kisses be satisfying," he said. For a moment, she swore his eyes flashed pink. "Especially when it's the other person's first kiss."

"Ah!" Louise gaped. "Shut up! Don't talk like that to your master!"

"I'm not," he said, raising to stand. "I'm talking to my partner."

Partner. Louise went stiff at that word.

That's right! she thought. She's supposed to treat him as her partner, but she was yelling at him instead!

"Don't worry," he said as the helm folded into place. "The kiss will be our little secret."

Louise furrowed her brow. How in the Founder's name was that kiss supposed to be a secret?! Everyone saw-

"Excellent work Miss Valliere," said Mr. Colbert's voice from right behind her.

"Wah!" Louise shouted as she fell to the side.

"Are you okay Miss Valliere?" Mr. Colbert asked.

Louise looked around. Everyone was talking among themselves, looking at her like she was crazy.

"What just happened?!" she asked. She got up and dusted herself.

"Hm?" Mr. Colbert looked at her strangely. "What do you mean what happened? You performed the Contract Servant spell after declaring that you summoned the knight as your familiar. He knelt down and then you kissed the mouthpiece of his helm. I think it worked in one try as well."

Mr. Colbert approached the knight. "Sir knight. Did you feel a branding somewhere on your person? That would be where the familiar runes are located. I need to categorise it."

Louise felt the knight glanced her way, and then removed his left gauntlet - which for some reason Louise felt should not have been possible. The arm was covered by a long sleeve but the hand was exposed, revealing the familiar runes.

"Interesting runes," Mr. Colbert said as he wrote them on a parchment. "Very well. All right everyone, time to go to class."

He rose into the air, and Louise felt a sting on her left wrist.

"Louise, you better walk back," one of her classmate said as everyone began to levitate away.

"Yeah. You wouldn't want to blow up again when you fail to levitate!" another shouted.

Her wrist stung again, and Louise felt a slight heat tickle her body.

"Well, isn't this interesting, Louise?" The Enemy's voice said as she approached with her salamander.

Tabitha joined along with her dragon. Tabitha didn't look up from the book she was reading.

Louise glared at Kirche, and the heat pulsed inside her body. At the same time, she heard a faint wind blowing even though there wasn't a breeze.

"What do you want, Kirche?!" Louise growled.

"Oh relax, Louise," Kirche said, waving her off. She looked at the knight from top to bottom. "Not bad, all things considered. He's a tall one isn't he." She smirked in amusement.

Louise scrunched her brow at that comment, and she felt the heat and wind die down.

She took a look at her familiar and noticed Kirche was right. The knight was taller than Kirche, who was easily one of the tallest girls in the Academy. He appeared to be six feet tall, give or take a few inches.

It was hard to tell with the armor.

It didn't stop her from feeling tinier than she already did. Was everyone taller than her? When was she supposed to get her growth spurt?!

Tabitha's familiar got real close to the knight, and for a moment, Louise thought it was going to eat him.

"Hey! Get away from him!" Louise shouted.

"Stay," Tabitha softly ordered her familiar. The dragon somehow looked sad as it moved away.

"Well aren't you overprotective?" Kirche said as she laughed.

"Shut up!" Louise said. "Of course I don't want my familiar to be eaten! What kind of master do you take me for?!"

Kirche simply looked down at her and grinned.

"Grr," Louise growled. She clenched her fist and the heat surged.

"Late to class," Tabitha said. She turned and levitate away.

"You better hurry up and run, Louise," Kirche said, giggling as she drifted off the ground.

"Hmph!" Louise grunted as she relaxed and cooled down. "Stupid Zerbst."

She turned to her knight familiar. "What is your name?"

"Adam Gates," he said. His voice still had that metallic ring, only now his voice was clearly coming from inside the helm. "You know master, you should really hurry to class."

"Hmph!" Louise turned around, and flipped her hair. "I know that! Now then, follow me Adam."

She walked to the tower with a straight posture and a large grin. She felt more than heard Adam as he walked beside her.

She did it! Louise cheered. She got her very own familiar!

He may not be the dragon or griffin she had in mind, but his elaborate armor and his comment about hard won peace obviously indicated he was a veteran knight.

She would speak with him later tonight and try to get a better understanding of him.

"My own familiar," Louise whispered as she snuck a glance at her familiar.

He walked with ease in that armor, and in silence too. How was possible? Silent armor? Perhaps it was enchanted.

Louise had a spring in her step now.

A veteran magic knight! Her familiar was the coolest!

A/N

That's it for this chapter.

(grins) so yeah, this is what happens when i get stuck in my stories, or when fic ideas just won't leave me alone.

This one was both.

This fic is a side project at the moment. Progress on it will be slow as my main project is Date A New Live.

Tell me what you guys think. Who knows, maybe it'll get promoted to Main Fic status (laughs)

Until next time (waves goodbye)

Signed,

kingpariah