Cheryl had never been a morning person… in fact, she enjoyed neither day nor night, but if she could choose to be awake during one; she'd choose night.
Not because of its hours or the lack of living bodies out and about… though the latter was definitely a bonus. No, it was because of the darkness. The ever encroaching shadows that danced upon the dimly lit streets of the concrete jungle, the wet dripping of a broken and faulty pipeline, the harsh screeching of rusted metal… she would never admit it, but ever since her eighteenth birthday she had adapted to the darkness.
Because of this unfortunate adaptation however, she more than loathed the coming of the sun. Even now as the rays of morning struck her body, she kicked and struggled as if her very will could push back the coming of the light; yet it would not be. Releasing an annoyed yawn, Cheryl rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked down at the girl nestled in between her shield and her chest.
Malty S. Melromarc. That was this child's name. Cheryl didn't know why she used a different name, but could figure that it had something to do with the king. 'But why lie?' Cheryl thought. Malty must have known that the party function would have shown her real name… unless she didn't?
Sighing, it would be just another secret held by the world and really; who was she to talk? It may have seemed like a lifetime ago, but for many years her name wasn't Cheryl, but Heather. In truth, even the name 'Mason' she wore with such pride and fondness was never her own.
Heather Mason was just a shield for Cheryl Gillespie to hide behind. It had been a shield that ultimately failed, but maybe… just maybe… the shield she had now would work just a little better than a name.
"Heh, it's just you and me…" She whispered softly to the Shield, a faint glow shining and dispersing as quickly as it came. Of course, her words mixed with the prying light of the sun had soon caused young Malty to stir.
"Mm… Miss Shield Hero?" The red head muttered before giving a silent yawn.
"Heya sleepy head~" Cheryl said softly as she ran a hand along Myne's cheek, the young woman blushing madly as she shook a little, but did nothing to pull away, "Ready to get up?"
"Mm… just five more minutes…" Myne replied as she turned away and attempted to hide in the leather jacket. Giggling, Cheryl ruffled the girl's hair before unceremoniously pulling the jacket away and exposing Myne to the harsh cold of morning, "Lady Shield Hero!?" She shouted as a she looked up at closed eyes and a wide grin.
"Come on, faster we get up, faster we can get some coffee!"
Myne blinked as she mouthed the word, "Coffee?" Before she could ask more however, she was unceremoniously pulled up and tugged along to the city limits.
Unbeknownst to the pair, the city's soldiers had been patiently awaiting their return and began to slowly gather. The pair of would be adventurers had entered a restaurant of sorts and immediately sat down before a bartender at the Shield Hero's request.
"Yo! Bar keep!" Cheryl called out happily as Myne started to look back worriedly at the contingent of royal knights at the door, "Coffee!"
"Coffee?" The attendant asked in confusion, "That's not a drink we serve here, ma'am."
Cheryl went wide eyed and sighed, "What? Oh come on… made from crushed brown and coarse beans? Boiled to perfection? Just the thing a person needs to wake up in the morning? Coffee!"
"Ah… Lady Shield Hero?" Myne whispered as she shook Cheryl's arm, "I do not believe now is the time to argue a beverage…"
"Trust me~" Cheryl said as she waved the girl off, "You're gonna love this~"
Before anyone could say anymore, several spears had been pointed at the woman as Myne was unceremoniously pulled away from a now shocked and angry Cheryl.
"By order of his Majesty, King Aultcray Melromarc the Thirty Second! You are to be tried for the murder of a Royal Shadow as well as the mind enslavement of the kingdom's first princess!" A heavily decorated knight declared, "Men! Take the Shield Demon away!"
It had all happened too quickly. As Cheryl reached out and cried out for the more than frightened red headed girl, a message appeared before her as her vision went black.
[Malty S. Melromarc has left the party]
Cheryl didn't know how long it had been until she came to, eyes fluttering open as she let loose a groggy moan. Of course, her eyes soon shot open in fright as she found her arms and legs bound by chains. She had thankfully still had all of her clothing, but even that offered little comfort.
"What!? What the hell!?" She cried out as she looked up from her kneeling position. Before her had been king Aultcray, standing upon a podium and giving her a death glare. Steeling her emotions, she met the glare with a tempered, but sharp gaze.
Murmurs and hushed whispers erupted all around her as she finally realized where it was she found herself. The kingdom's royalty surrounded her within the cramped throne room's ground floor as others stood at the edge of the second floor's rafters.
"Order!" Aultcray shouted as he banged a gavel, "We are here this morning for the trial of the Shield Demon."
"Bullshit," Cheryl spat in defiance as the viewing royalty were taken aback and scandalized.
"I SAID ORDER!" Aultcray demanded as his gavel once more echoed throughout the hall, "Kidnapping, mind enslavement, attempts on the life of another Cardinal Hero… these are the crimes of which you have committed!"
"Gonna have to go with not guilty," Cheryl said calmly as those present gave shocked gasps once more. The gavel struck thrice more as Aultcray gave a wicked grin. Unnerved, Cheryl watched with widening eyes as the king raised a hand to his left to usher in Kratos, the man dragging in a broken corpse and throwing them in the center of the room.
"My kingdom's honored hero!" Aultcray shouted, "Tell them… tell them all what this traitorous filth attempted against you!"
"The fool sought to frighten me into submission," Kratos declared, "Assaulting me by cover of darkness and hoping to harm me enough that I would cower before the one who sent him."
"Tell us all who sent this… thing to break you!" Aultcray demanded as he raised his arms to the crowd.
"Hmph, your daughter," Kratos replied simply, "Malty Melromarc!" The accusation had left the room speechless once the audible gasps had ended.
"THAT'S A LIE!" Cheryl shouted as she struggled against her chains!
"QUIET, DEMON!" Aultcray shouted back with burning rage, "IT WAS YOU! YOU TOOK CONTROL OF MY DAUGHTER WITH YOUR DISGUSTING SHIELD! POISONING HER MIND AND MOLDING IT TO YOUR WHIMS!" Cheryl could say nothing as the king raged against her. Blinking away the shock, Cheryl looked to Kratos, the man casually staring back at her in… pity?
"No… no no no…" Cheryl whispered, "She'd never do something like that. Sh-she wouldn't! Where is she!?" She questioned desperately to the king before looking at Kratos, "Please… please don't hurt her…" The man only hardened his gaze at her pleas and looked away as the king shouted once more.
"SILENCE! My daughter is safe and is currently being healed of the harm against their mind," He explained with barely restrained anger, "Kratos, bless his wondrous and forgiving heart, has decided not to call for your punishment. Instead, he has asked to watch over my dear daughter to ensure your corruption has left her entirely."
"Damn it, she's done nothing wrong!" Cheryl shouted, "How could she! I was with her the whole time! You have to believe me!"
"ENOUGH!" Aultcray shouted as the harsh bang of the gavel echoed once more, "It is clear you are unrepentant of your actions against my daughter, though the evidence against you is damning. However… I am not so cruel as to unallow you advocates. May the Sword and Bow Heroes enter!"
The hero of the bow strides in with his clothes slightly disheveled and with shadows covering his eyes. His only companion Abigail nervously looked around the room with all the judgemental eyes that looked down at Cheryl with condemnation and contempt. She looked towards Usopp and saw his shoulders straight and his back firm. He walked forward and seemed to observe the crowd around him with, if she could place it, disgust.
"I have seen many things in my life. I have seen demons ruin countries. A government sentence an innocent woman to damnation and I have seen a person persecuted for just being born. I won't stand for it. I am against this fair and just trial. I am leaving. Don't bug me unless the waves are coming. You leave a foul taste in my mouth that requires soap. Come on Abigail let's get out of here." Usopp turned around and prepared to leave but stopped midway and pulled out his bow so fast and fired in a corner of the room near him where no one was looking. A piercing sound was heard as a shadow fell to the ground with an arrow in his chest.
"I no longer wanted to be followed by your supposed shadows. If one cannot be controlled I hesitate to see what else you may have them do to me and my allies your "Majesty".
Abigail felt safe in her hero's presence as she walked out with him happy that he would accept her no matter what. The guards moved to try and stop Usopp but when they looked at his eyes they stiffened and felt as if a grand winged beast was looking down on them with his long nose and eyes daring them to step in his way. The guards of the door moved and the Hero of the bow left with silence hanging over the courtroom.
"Go Pinocchio…" Cheryl whispered. Aultcray, for all his bravado, said nothing as he stared down the fallen Shadow. He never ordered a shadow into this chamber. His daughter certainly couldn't have. So who placed one here?
Shaking himself from his stupor, the king looked down at a stalwart Shield Hero before looking to War, "Sir War, the Bow Hero's… actions aside, have you words for this demon?"
"If her only crime is having been born a demon, then I am guilty of the same," War replied as Hypolita and the many nobles looked to War with shock. Artoria, the giant's Tyrella who had somehow been allowed to accompany the Hero only gave him a quick look before disregarding his words.
Without another word, War followed his fellow Hero with less fanfare. Every soldier in the vicinity stiffened in fear as War walked past, only relaxing once they were more than sure that he and his two party members were gone, "Two of your fellow Hero's have spoken, one on your behalf and another offhandedly," Aultcray managed to say, "However! You still stand accused and I must state that your motherly act-" Many had started to look to Cheryl with confusion mixed with their disdain, "Is just that… an act and farce played so as to garner sympathy for yourself!"
"Excuse me!?" Cheryl cried out as a teary eyed maid was brought out, a crystal in her hands.
"My dear, please tell us what you have seen," Aultcray asked as the maid sniffed and dabbed at her tears.
"Y-yes your h-higness…" The maid whimpered as she raised the crystal higher. A hazy light began to shine from the gem as an image formed and expanded to show a vision of Cheryl smiling and holding a one sided conversation with a nondescript noble.
"Kids," 'Cheryl' began to say, "Dime a dozen leeches if you ask me~" This statement caused many in the room to gasp and look upon a now wide eyed and fear filled Shield Hero, "I killed my first one. Just a tiny little thing, too and if you asked me; greatest decision I ever made."
"What… what the hell…" The chained woman whispered as she stared at the vision. She could see it in the people's eyes that whatever they were watching had undoubtedly been her… yet the twisted and flesh stretched abomination she herself now gazed upon was nothing like her, "That! You think that's me!?" She questioned aloud much to the growing animosity in the room.
The room's atmosphere only grew heavier as 'Cheryl' continued, "The church from my world even told me that the baby was God! Could you believe it? It was all too much of a hassle for me though~" It said haughtily as the many onlookers watched in disgust. Yet, as the vision continued to play, the once nondescript beast began to convulse and morph into something more resembling Cheryl… "I k-killed… Go-" The vision seemed to become sporadic, yet as Cheryl looked around, she could see that either no one noticed or cared… that is except for an out of the way redhead she could only hope was Malty.
"How is no one seeing this?" She whispered to herself as Alessa herself finally stared back at her.
"Kill… God," The charred and lightning bolt crack adorned woman groaned as she set her eyes on a now pale and deathly frightened Malty, "Kill… GOD!" With a voice threatening great violence, Alessa attempted to break free of the vision all while Malty screamed. Over in an instant, the vision returned to 'normal' as the beast drolled on about caving in God's skull. The recording ended with the screaming of a maiden in dire distress.
"Malty!" Aultcray and Cheryl shout in tandem, the king growling at the still chained Hero, "Kratos!" Aultcray shouted, "Take Malty away to safety, and guards! Remove this murderous filth from my sight immediately!" As Cheryl was dragged away from a screaming Malty, her vision was filled with the image of Alessa as she repeated:
"Kill God… KILL GOD…"