"We had heard a merchant was coming this way, now hand him over" a bandit said
"Oh great" Kelly said as she got out of the Razorback
"Don't worry this will be quick, Raphtalia stay in the cart" he said as he jumped out
"Why do we even have the carriage?" Dutch asked
"So we can transport goods and the massive chicken fell in love" Romeo chuckled only to be pecked by Filo
"Are you sure Master Naofumi?" Raphtalia asked
"I'm sure" Naofumi smiled patting Filo's wing, while swithcing hsi shield from its tome form to its normal form
"Oh crap its the Shield Hero and those armoured guys"
"So how we doing this?" Buck asked
"Oh Simple" Kelly said pulling out a shotgun "This is Oathsworn, a modified M45D Tactical Shotgun, it uses M296 SC 8 gauge magnum shells, it may be shot ranger low rate of fire, but it doesn't mean it's a kiddie weapon" Kelly said pumping the shotgun and firing a round off killing three of the bandits "especially with its high muzzle velocity and damage"
"Not bad" Naofumi said pulling out his SOCOM Sidearm. "This is a M6C/SOCOM semi-automatic pistol, it is a sound supressed version of the M6C Magnum" Naofumi said "it uses 12.7x40mm M228 semi-armour piercing high penetration Magnum rounds, now these aren't as powerful as a shotgun doing low to medium damage, but place it just right" he said firing off a few headshots "And they will still end up dead"
"Can we quit playing around and just you know, get on with it?" Buck asked
"Aww, can't let that happen " Dutch said s he grabbed something out of the carriage
"What is that?" Naofumi asked shocked
"This is a VK78 Commando it contains a clip of 20 6.5 mm rounds, it is a precision weapons and in the right position can pop a head like an egg, full automatic as well with a 2x magification scope, I call mine Vera" Dutch said
"You have issues, and what about the SAW?" Naofumi asked
"Forgot it, that and my Rocket Launcher, Grenade launcher, SPARTAN Laser" Dutch said
"He's our heavy weapons specialist for a reason' Mickey stated
"So you going to let us through or do you need more of a demonstration?" Kelly asked
"GET THEM!" one of them said
"Open fire" Kelly shouted as the team's guns blazed
"Someone got trigger happy" Lasky said
"No doubt Shield Team" Hood said
"I wonder what they were firing at, hopefully just target practice, animals at worse" Laksy said
"Contact them and find out" Hood said "And tell them to be vigilant, we're detecting some sort of signal from there"
"Yes sir" Lasky said walking off
"Roland" Hood said as a yellow hologram of someone wearing a pilot outfit from an older war appeared
"Yes Admiral?" Roland said
"Any luck finding any more SPARTANS?" he asked
"Several" Roland said showing all the SPARTAN markers on the map
"Any sign of the Chief?" Hood asked
"Negative, we have not heard anything from him" Roland said
"The Chief?" Raphtalia asked
"Master Chief Petty Officer John 117, aka the Master Chief" Buck said
"Consider the biggest badass" Dutch said
"he's pretty much the leader of all the SPARTANS" Naofumi said
"And he pretty much saved the galaxy several times" Mickey stated
"Incredible, do you think he can hold up against the waves?" Raphtalia asked
"Very well" Romeo said "Heck he may repel the waves just by the monsters looking at him" Mickey joked
"seriously?" the raccoon girl asked
"Oh yeah" Kelly said
"Heck I saw him once drop from beyond the sky and not take a single inch of damage" Mickey said
"That's because of his armour" Buck said
"Good point" Mickey said as they arrived in the village where the merchant was to be dropped off. He explained to Naofumi and Buck about crafting items and potions, whcih made the shield hero curious so he changed his shield to its tome form and flicked through it
"Since when can it do that?" Buck asked
"Since I absorbed it, looks like I can make medicines and then enhance them" Naofumi said
"Cool" Buck said
The next morning Raphtalia woke up early, still groggy from the dream before, some find of weapon flickering in the darkness, she couldn't remember what it was but it was there, so getting up she stretched and walked over to Naofumi's room
"Master Naofumi" she quietly said knocking on the door "its morning" she yawned walking in when she saw Naofumi in his basic uniform being cuddled, by a little girl with blond hair...and wings...who is naked "MASTER NAOFUMI!" she shouted loudly, only to get a pillow thrown at her face
"It's early" the girl said
"Okay" Naofumi said before realising "WHOA!"
"Master what's wrong?" the girl asked as a banging was heard
"Naofumi are you o" Kelly started "who is she?
"You don't recognise me, its Filo" the girl said
"WHAT!" they all shouted
"Incredible" Bernie said as she scanned Filo on the Infinity
"So what is it?" Kelly asked
"I'm not sure" Bernie said "But she's healthy physically, mentally and in appetite it seems" she listed off seeing Filo demolish a three foot long sandwich
"Quiet the appetite" Kelly muttered "Anything in the books?"
"Not yet, Roland is still deciphering them alongside Naofumi's shield." Bernie said "That thing is incredible, it's like several aspects of a video game condensed into a shield"
"Yeah, but I'm not liking the magic since we can't locate all of our soldiers in the field, on the upside there's nothing wanting to erase us as an a front to whatever they call deities here" Kelly said
"I'm cold" Filo said
"Oh sorry sweetie, um this may be difficult" Bernie said as Kelly wrapped her in a blanket
"Where's the others?" Kelly asked
"On a recon trip" Bernie said
"Where?" Kelly asked
"THE CAPTITAL?!" Buck exclaimed
"Yeah there's a contact there I need to see" Naofumi said
"This is crazy, you do realize you are walking into enemy territory" Mickey said
"Not the first time" Naofumi said as he was heading for the city's eastern gates
"Please tell me you have a plan" Buck frowned.
"I do" Naofumi smirked flipping his hood up as he walked into the city
"We don't talk about Bruno, no, no, no" Mickey sang making Romeo slap him. Naofumi rolled his eyes and walked into the town, looking around to make sure he was easily spotted.
"And now for lunch" the blacksmith Erhard said as he was about to sit down to a sandwich when Naofumi walked in and lowered his hood "Wow you've got a set of balls on you"
"Yeah well, I don't think I'm in much danger her with my unit outside"
"Hard to imagine that you were a soldier, anyway what do you need?" he asked
"Ever heard of a Filolial changing into a human" Naofumi said
"Okay new one for me" Erhard said
"So there's no one to help?" Naofumi asked
"Not really, have to try the mage shop?" Erhard asked
"the what?" he asked confused
"Ah welcome shield hero" the owner of the magic shop said
"hey, I was wondering about something" Naofumi requested lowering his hood
"What is it?" the shop owner asked
"Have you ever heard of a Fiolial changing into a young girl?" he said
"I'm sorry but I haven't, that doesn't mean it hasn't happened before, now I take it you need clothes for the girl" she smiled
"I do, know where I can get some?" Naofumi said
"the tailor might be able to, but she would have see her" she said
"Understood" Naofumi said as he went to exit the shop
"Excuse me" she said as she produced a crystal ball and a couple of tome "I heard you'd never gotten your reward, so take these" she said
"So a crystal ball and a couple of tomes?" Buck asked as Noafumi had joined them
"Yeah but there was no information" Naofumi said
"What about the man who you bought her off" Dutch asked
"No" Buck said
"Anyway I need Kelly, Bernie and Filo down here asap" Naofumi said
"What's wrong?" Raphtalia asked
"I'm having them go to the tailor for Filo's clothes" Naofumi said
"Good idea, no one in town's seen them" Buck said
"Message sent" Romeo said
"Good; now we wait" Naofumi said
"We need Magical thread" Kelly said coming back
"So where do we get that?" Buck asked
"It needs to be made" Bernie informed them as she brushed Filo's feather
"And the magic shop owner can't make it since she needs another jewel" Kelly stated
"Okay so let's get it" Mickey said
"We need her help" Bernie stated
"Why?" Buck inquired
"We don't know what it looks like, anyway she'll be here in ten minutes and so will our ride" Kelly said
"You're coming with us?" Raphtalia asked
"Yeah kiddo, sure am" she smiled patting the Tanuki girl's head which made Raphtalia's tail wag causing Berni to giggle.
"Debriefing time, we have the location of the gemstone" Buck said
"Where?" Kelly asked from the back of the Pelican sent to pick them up
"An abandoned temple turn hide out for an alchemist" the magic shop owner said.
"Okay so once we get this crystal you can make the giant owl-chicken a dress which won't break when she transforms?" Dutch asked
"Indeed" the magic shop owner said
"okay load up for close quarters, maybe even subterranean conditions" Naofumi said
"ON IT!" the group said
"Yes mast" Raphtalia started before covering her mouth
"air sick?" Naofumi asked quietly
"could be" Bernie shrugged.
An hour later they came upon the area they needed to come for the stone, which was in the village where they dropped off the jewle merchant
"So that's the lair?" Buck asked
"It is" the shop owner said as she lead the way into the cave
"I'm not liking this master" Filo quivered as Naofumi touched her wing
"Its okay" he said in a fatherly manner
"I'm picking up life signs" Kelly said
"Where?" Dutch asked
"I'm not sure" Kelly said
'you let reach fall' a voice said
"What?" Kelly asked
"Kelly?" Naofumi asked
'SHIELD MONSTER, DIE ALREADY WE DON'T NEED YOU!'
"JUST AS SOON AS I GOT A GOOD LINE OF SIGHT ON HIS BACK, MY BLADE WILL GO IN' Raphtalia was heard saying
'USELESS FAT BIRD, I SHOULD CUT YOU UP AND TURN YOU INTO BURGERS, SEE WHAT IT TASTES LIKE' Naofumi shouted
"Master wants to eat me?" Filo whimpered making the group stop
"What?" Naofumi asked as he was being glared at by Buck and Kelly
"You just said" Filo said
"Anyone mention Reach?" Kelly looked around
"Something's about as right as a left hand" Romeo said
"MASTER NAOFUMI ABOVE US!" Rpahtalia shouted
"Voice Gengars" the shop owners said using fire magic to kill them
"What are those?" Mickey asked
"They are monster that makes people hear things, don't listen to them!" she shouted
"LIGHT THEM UP!" Kelly roared as the unit open fired to take them down, Filo jump kicking a few of them before biting another one and swallowing it
"Okay then' Mickey said disturb.
"Okay looks like that's all of them" Naofumi said a she place another corpse in his shield
"That is still creepy" Romeo stated
"But I need it to unlock new shields" Naofumi said
"Too bad we can't see them" Bernie said, you girls okay?" she gently asked
"Yeah" they said
"Says here the Voice Gengar makes people hear the last thing we want to hear from the last person we want to hear it from, hey Filo cut it out" Naofumi informed as he was nuzzled by the large mass of feathers
"So master doesn't want to turn me into food?" she innocently asked
"No" Naofumi said
"Though Filolial might be a good substitute for Moa" Dutch said
"HEY!" Naofumi and Bernie snapped, before blushing
"Parents both of them" Dutch said
Descending into the mine more revealed an empty box
"Something tells me that was what the alchemist was working on when he died" Naofumi said
"Indeed" Buck said
"We should be close now" the shop keeper said as she lead them to a cavern, upon entry they saw that a monster that looked like a weird monkey tiger snake Chimera was
"A Nue?" the shop keeper said
"ALRIGHT BOYS LIGHT IT UP!" Kelly shouted rushing in
"DON'T!" the shop owner shouter as the monster fired lightning at her
"Lightning?" Kelly said
"What now?" Buck groaned
"ATTACK!" Filo shouted sprinting in
"FILO!" Naofui and Bernie shouted as she tried to slash the monster
"GET HER BACK HERE!" Buck shouted as he and the rest of the ODST opened fired on the beast, only to have lightning block the shots as Filo returned to their side
"This isn't working" Naofumi said as Dutch and Mickey lobbed grenades at it while the shop keeper fired her magic flames at him but were dodged. Raphtalia became invisible and went around behind it, only for it to snap at her
"Did it see her?" Romeo asked
"No it heard her, its sensitive to sound" Filo stated
"Sound huh" Naofumi said looking at his shield
"Okay so what should we do?" Buck grunted
"Cover your ears" Naofumi shouted as his shield became like a megaphone "Filo shouted as loud as you can into this"
"Okay master" Filo nodded before inhaling and screeching into the shield making a loud sonic wave hit the beat making several blood vessels pop in its head
"NOW!" Naofumi shouted
"Right" Filo confirmed running in and kicking its head clean off.
"Okay then" Buck said
"You can put the tail in, but there is in no way I'm letting you stick the head in there" Buck ordered
"What?" Naofumi said
"You heard me, it was bad enough you put chimera remains in there" Buck muttered
"Fine" Nofumi said unaware that Filo was about to lean over and take
"FILO!" Bernie shouted "Don't put that thing anywhere near your mouth!"
"Aww but" Filo whined
"No buts young chick" Bernie firmly said
"Geez those two are her mother and father" Dutch muttered
"Ssh" Kelly replied hitting his ribs.
"Okay" Filo whined
"Good girl" Bernie smiled rubbing her head
"Okay we got what we came for" Naofumi said
A couple of hours later Filo was now wearing a blue and white dress with room for her wings
"Will it fit if she transforms?" Naofumi asked before she transformed showing her dress as a blue bowtie
"So cute right?" Bernie asked
"Yeah she is" Naofumi smiled
"Incredible a Filolial Queen" a voice said
"Who's there?" Kelly asked as the team turned around and aimed at him
"At ease Marines" the voice said
"Who are you?" Buck said as the figure reveals to be Jun-A266
"SIR!" they all saluted
"Good to see you all again" Jun smiled.
G'day Guys Grizz here so this one was the episode where Filo needs clothes and what not, and now I want to thank a couple of my reviewers for the idea of the group showing their weapons off to the bandits, which was fun, and also more ideas for chapter will come from you guys, so look forward to them, and this chapter is the first where I have Noafumi and Bernie act as parents to Filo
So until next time I'll catch you on the flipside