Within The Familiar of Zero fandom, there exists a Sub-Genre of fanfic known as the 'revolution fic'. These fics involve Louise's summoned familiar, generally an OC Self-Insert, bringing a technological/sociological revolution to Halkegenia, bringing modernity and democracy to the setting.
We Are the Others
, by GuyYouMetOnline, takes this concept and turns it on its head by adding Seija Kijin to the mix.
Throughout her life, Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere has been exposed to the evils of the nobility, the corruption of those in power. She believes fully in the duty of the nobility to protect and lead the people, and is disgusted with the twisted mockery of this duty it has become. But though she wants to do something about it, she knows there's nothing she can do. The nobility is too far gone to change it from within, and nobles' monopoly on magic ensures there's no way the common people can oppose them. But while she may have given up on being able to change anything, her strange new familiar has other ideas.
Seija Kijin doesn't care even the tiniest bit about Louise's ideals or the plight of the common people. She just wants to turn the world order on its head. She failed in Gensokyo, but in this new world she sees a new opportunity. And all she needs to do is get Louise to awaken to her power as a void mage and lead the people as their savior.
This fanfic provides examples of:
- Alternate Universe Fic: Almost all ZnT fics are AU, replacing Saito with some other character, but this one goes a bit further by making some changes to Louise's backstory. WAtO's Louise has seen much more of the evils of corrupt nobles than canon Louise, and has even been through multiple kidnapping attempts. And her sister Cattleya at one point was taken (though not for long, as Karin promptly went Liam Neeson on her captors). All this has resulted in a Louise who shares her canon self's ideals but is much more cynical and sees the nobility as running counter to said ideals.
- Badass Boast: Seija gives one when Lorelei questions her knowledge of aerial warfare.Seija: You've had airships for a while, but to me, you've only just taken your first uncertain steps into the sky. And you don't even know how you're doing that much. You just use your 'windstones' to do it for you. My kind has been in the air since before your society even existed. To you it's new, but to us it's not even worth a spare thought. You have been bound to the land for most of your existence, but the sky has never been closed to us. Do not presume to know more about matters of flight than I do; you know nothing at all about it.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Gallia is on the receiving side of this, courtesy of Reconquista.
- Engineered Public Confession: Something of a variant, in that Cromwell was fully aware he was speaking publicly. Louise and Seija trick him into revealing his true thoughts by angering him to the point where he's simply too pissed off to think about what he says.
- Off the Rails: The plotline is at least recognizable until the mission to retrieve the letter from Wales. Then Louise and Seija seize control of Reconquista, and the story never looks back.
- Unfolding Plan Montage: Seija's plan to seize control of Reconquista from Cromwell plays out this way.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Louise's goal is to free the people from the oppression of the nobility. To do this, she takes control of Reconquista and intends to conquer the rest of Halkegenia and remove the nobility by force, after which she, with Seija's help, will strip them of magic and give said magic to the people to ensure the nobles can't retake control.
