"Hey Raphtalia, can you come here for a moment." Raphtalia cracked her eyes open in the room she found herself in that night. The room was a calming blue with various plushies spread around the room, the plushies were all different colors of Filolial. It was quite nice but she missed having Jaden in the same room with her.
Walking out she saw Jaden standing before her. "Good morning Jaden-sama!" Raphtalia greeted with a smile as she approached.
"Good morning," Jaden said having a smile on his face. Jaden now wore some black polished armor with a red cape hanging behind him while his shield had returned to its base form of a small shield with a green gem in the center. "I suppose we should get down to why we are here." With a flap of their cape Jaden sat down at one of the seats in the kitchen. The kitchen staff were running around delivering a wide variety of food and drinks. They seemed like they were trying to impress their new king. "Sit down I can assure you that none of it is poisoned."
Raphtalia sat down and grabbed a few different foods while pouring some water. "So what type of things are we going to talk about?" She slowly started eating something from her plate.
"I am going to need you to travel with a new companion and help the people of the land." Jaden said while taking a drink. Seeing Raphtalia about to freak out he held up a hand. "Before you say anything would you mind meeting your companion. I'm sure you will find him quite acceptable." With a sad nod Raphtalia went back to her now tasteless food. After breakfast Jaden informed the staff that he was off to meet a guest while taking some of the food for them.
Walking into the room Raphtalia did a double take at she looked back and forth between Jaden and the new comer who could pass as a double. "About time Professor I was starving." The other Jaden said as he took the food and tore into it.
"Wait Professor?" The former slave asked tilting her head in confusion.
"The look on your face has made this vary worth this." The armor wearing Jaden said letting out a chuckle. "You see Jaden and Yubel were talking last night about how to run this country." Turning he looked at Raphtalia who still looked confused. "Ah right I guess you haven't figured it out." With a sound of breaking glass, the figure took on the form of Professor Banner.
"With all the monsters running around after the wave we need to be out there." Jaden said while buttering some of the bread. "So, in order to do that Banner will be taking my place as the king." With that said he shoved the bread into his mouth as Pharaoh jumped up to the table and started chowing down on the food. "Hey that's mine!"
Raphtalia looked straight ahead as she went over what they had said. "But what if Jaden is needed here?"
"Oh, don't worry we think we have a solution for that." Banner said lightly as Jaden tried to pull the fat cat away from his food. "We just need to stop by the church before you leave."
"Okay, but won't someone recognize Jaden-sama?" Raphtalia continued her questions.
"Actually, most people would just pass it off as a weird coincidence and those that look into it will drop it. After all it is impossible for most people to be in two places at once." Banner continued to explain. "As long as Jaden is not seen using anything that could be linked to the Legendary Shield, we should be good. Now if you are wondering about his name just call him Yuki." Raphtalia nodded her head at hearing what he laid out. "Even if people do figure it out it should only help since you will be doing good."
"Hey why did you bring the egg with you?" Jaden asked having pulled out a small bit of meat from the cat, who was looking very proud of them self while eating the large piece of meat.
"Oh, I guess I picked it up when I heard you wanted to see me." Looking down she looked at the incubator with the egg sitting comfortably on it. As they both looked at, they watched as it started shaking while cracks appeared. With panic the racoon girl put the egg on table while ripping the glass off. Jaden, still with meat hanging out of his mouth ran up as the cracks spread farther on it. Banner drew closer with interest while a small beak broke through before the egg shattered revealing the chick.
The baby chick was primarily white with light pink mixed in. As it looked up its eyes landed on Jaden who looked at it with interest. With a happy cry the chick jumped up onto Jaden's head while a screen popped up in front of him. "Well you are a bit of a surprise." Jaden said with a smile while he felt his hair be moved around. "So, anybody got any ideas for a name?"
Raphtalia and Banner look between each other as if asking for each other. Feeling a pull on his shield Jaden looked down as brown hair with green claws started pulling its way through. With a final huff a new figure took form with a triumphant cry. The figure was a brown ball of hair with wide eyes, green clawed hands, and small white wings on its back. "Oh hey, Winged Kuriboh, been awhile!"
The fluff ball let out a high-pitched noise as it raised its paw, as if greeting. Jaden just let a small chuckle while rubbing the back of his head in confusion. "Sorry, I really didn't think about that." Kuriboh let out an annoyed noise before hovering up to look at the chick who titled its head in confusion while Kuriboh let out a noise of greeting. The two seemed to having a conversation of chirps which Jaden only seemed to follow half of. "Hey buddy you sure?" After a chirp directed at him. "So, what do you guys think of the name Filo?" Turning he asked the question to a very confused Raphtalia and amused looking Banner.
"Um… sounds good?" Raphtalia said sounding confused her eyes tracking the Kuriboh as it left the room. "What, who was that?"
"Oh, that is my buddy Winged Kuriboh!" Jaden said with a bright smile. "Turns out he was stuck in my deck for a while." At this he turned a little bashful, "He really chewed me out about leaving him stuck in there."
"But did you summon him? How did he get free?" Jaden took a thinking pose while the Kuriboh flew back into the room looking pleased with itself carrying a bowl of corn and mush.
"Hey Kuriboh, how did you get free?" The Kuriboh had placed down the food before floating up to the chick. The angelic beast let out some chirps while Jaden grabbed the chick and put her in front of the bowls. "Oh, okay." Raphtalia tapped him on the shoulder as he rubbed the back of his head. "He says that he used his own power and our connection to pull himself into this world."
"As entertaining and nostalgic as this is, I believe we have matters to get to." Banner said as he indicated towards a closet. "Since Jaden is still here, he should be the one to deal with the issue." With a sigh Jaden walked over to the closet and opened it up revealing black clothes with red capes attached. It looked similar to the armor she saw Banner wearing when he was disguised as Jaden except without the purple circles and high collar.
"Let's get this day going." Jaden said getting ready to change before looking back at Raphtalia, who eventually got the idea and left. "...Wonder how the other heroes are doing?"
XXXXXXXXX
"MOM!" Mirelia woke with a start as she saw Melty run in to her room.
"What is it?" She asked her daughter trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes.
"All the heroes left! Them and their companions are gone!" Melty yelled while her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.
"All of them?" The former queen asked curious.
"Well the Sword Hero's companions are still here." Melty said with a sad look.
"I see," Mirelia said raising up from the bed. "Are the other shadows following them?" Melty looked confused before a shadow stepped out of the shadows.
"We have at least two following them, degojaru." The shadow answers while Mirelia let out a sigh.
"What are they thinking." She asked while walking over to the dresser. "Are they hoping to be the first to find that bag." Getting dressed she turned to Melty with a serene smile on her face. "Don't worry, we will be going out to look for it to."
"Mam, the former king has also let the former eldest princess out who then left with the Spear Hero, defojaru." Mirelia almost broke the desk in front of her when she slammed her hand down.
"Is he hoping to gain back my favor back or make me madder?" She finished hiding the bag under her eyes and throwing on her clothes before bursting out of her room. All the other doors were open and the only one who was left was her former husband Aultcray. Marching forward she stared down the man with the best glare she could give. "What were you thinking?"
"Our daughter is the only one who has any idea where the demon's bag could be and the heroes were getting anxious. By the time Sir Kitamura had awoken me to help free Malty the Sword Hero had already left." Turning the former queen saw his companions getting there gear obviously intent to follow the Sword Hero or head to another kingdom. "After Malty gave a general location the Bow Hero and his companions left along with the Spear Hero taking Malty."
Melty watched as her mom took deep breaths trying to remain calm. "How did they get past the beasts?"
"They seemed to have disappeared," Aultcray answered before taking on a thinking position. "Meaning he can only keep them around for a set amount of time, or he ran out energy to keep them here. We might be able to use that…"
"That would only matter if we knew how strong those beasts were or how long he can keep them around." Mirelia said coldly to him before turning away. "Melty come, we must find your wayward sister and the other heroes." Not waiting she threw the door open before marching out and toward the stairs hearing the sound of footsteps behind her. Aultcray was coming with them, that she had no doubt, but what could she do with him? To think that in one day everything she had worked to protect and secure was throw into chaos by her once husband and daughter. All those deals and talks were nothing but ash in the wind, granted those two had started it with the way they treated the Shield Hero, even going against her orders to treat him well.
As it turned out the Shield Hero, Jaden, was still a kind soul despite what her daughter had tried. Both Malty and the church had tried their best to smear his reputation but the other countries didn't care. They had only seen her former country mistreating one of the heroes and not sending them to help during the waves. Now that hero had snapped and her home was gone. The kingdom her and her ancestors poured so much blood and sweat into was taken over by an angered Shield Hero.
Stepping into the wagon she watched and gave a smile to Melty who entered but it vanished when Aultcray entered. With a nod forward the cart was dragged forward as she thought of a way to fix this situation before it became worse. Not she was sure how at the moment.
XXXXXX
Jaden led the Slave Trader through the dungeons of the castle. The Slave Trader, or ST as Jaden referred to him, was following through on their deal and thus he was giving him criminals and a small amount of money so as to free some of the children slaves. "Oh, now this one is very good! I will give you two slaves for them." Looking at the cell he saw a balding man with few scars on him and the guard who followed him diligently passed him a file. Taking a quick look through it Jaden nodded his head toward the ST and gave him the file.
"He's all yours." Jaden said while the ST flipped the file open to the first page before closing it with a smile. "Next one." Walking toward the next cell Jaden saw a strawberry blonde girl wearing the traditional prisoner uniform of brown rags that did little to take away from her beauty or her glowing blue eyes. "Oh, hello there!" She greeted in a happy tone. "How can I help you today?"
"Oh, just checking on the prisoners," Jaden replied back as a file was thrusted into his hand. Opening it up he saw a confusing mess of jumbled words and phrases. "What is with this file?" He asked the guard standing beside him.
"What do you mean by that sir?" The guard asked before Jaden flipped the file for him to see. Turning the file toward the guard with a flat stare to show the mess of words and various numbers. Now Jaden originally didn't know how to read but thanks to Yubel's extensive knowledge he was able to pick up the language. It also helps that the shield put the cards it provided in the native language, so hey it was a point to start.
"This crap file is what I'm talking about!" The guard was taken aback by the suddenly harsh voice of his new king. "This file is a mess of words holding no meaning!" True to his words the file held no true charges but hundreds of words.
Stepping back the guard looked shocked by this. "How could this have happened!"
"Who was the one who convicted you?" Jaden asked the imprisoned women who had watched them with a growing smile.
"It was the church of the three heroes, they said I was not fit to be a knight and imprisoned me as punishment." Eclair, her file named her, said as the ST walked up to them unnoticed.
"The church of the three hero?" Jaden asked thinking to the pope he saw during the duel.
"Yes, it is, or was, the popular religion in this country." The ST said almost making Jaden jump in shock. "It is a cult that beliefs that the Sword, Spear, and Bow Hero are Holy Gods while the Shield Hero is a Demon." Calming his nerves Jaden and Yubel tossed the new knowledge around and found that it fit with what they already knew. Was the former king Aultcray a follower? "So how about this one? She would be worth quite a bit." Thoughts later, business now.
"Sorry but I don't think she is a criminal." Jaden said showing the file toward the ST who looked annoyed at not getting her. "Don't pout you can have one of the criminals for half off." That seemed to cheer the short man up who now let out a cheery chuckle and regained his smile.
"How kind of you," ST said with a bow. "Both kind yet shrill, I think I shall end it here!" With a twirl he snapped his finger and the giant guards who had been following him walked toward the criminals and roughly grabbed them pulling them with. "I will have the slaves delivered to you tomorrow." With those final words he followed afterwards while Jaden turned back to the soldier.
"Unlock her cell." Without waiting the guard opened the gate shocking Eclair. "Come with me, we will stop along the way so you can pick up some clothes, then you are coming with me to the church to talk with the pope."
"Um, okay?" The girl uncertainty followed behind him. True to his word Jaden pulled aside one of the maids, one of the few who stayed, and asked for clothes for her. The maid seeing who he was talking about dragged her away so as to get her properly dressed. The maid got her to reveal what had happened to her which resulted in the maid pulling another out of the hall and spreading the story. This shocked Eclair as she watched the other maid take on a shocked expression before fast walking off to help spread the news. "Wait, what are you doing?"
"Oh, I'm just letting the other maids know what happened to one of our favorite knights." The elderly maid said with a twinkle in her eyes. "So, since I helped you, do you mind helping me with a bit of info?"
"Info about what?" Eclair asked while looking over the clothes given to her by the maid. They were plain guard clothes with a blue shirt and tannish pants, both with enchantments sewn into them giving them great durability and defense.
"Right you wouldn't know, having been locked away." The maid watched as she took off her prison garbs and let out a sneer at seeing some ribs. "Apparently having been locked away for too long." When Eclair looked back, she waved it off as best she could. "That man you were with before is the Shield Hero."
Eclair gazed at her shocked and had a look of concentration. "He seems like a good guy, little rough and…" When he had spoken with the possible slave trader, he was business like and very to the point. But it didn't seem like him, it seemed more like someone who was trying to act like a bad guy and get things over with. "He seems like he wants to help people, he helped me out when I was in prison." Nodding her head Eclair stood firm in what she said.
"So, he doesn't seem like the type of guy to take advantage of a women?" The maid asked shocking Eclair who started sputtering and shaking her now red face. "I see so Malty was lying again." The elderly maid said with a disappointed sigh. "I know it's bad of me to say but I am quite glad that which is gone."
"Did something happen to the eldest princess?" So, while getting dressed Eclair learned what had happened in the kingdom. With each word her stomach dropped farther as she learned what her former king had done. She had never liked Malty but to learn that she would treat one of the Four Heroes so badly, and to have the two of them go so far as to ruin his reputation! This had apparently led up to him snapping after he was accused of brainwashing his new companion, who had been a slave, and summoning some type of demons to save her. From there he then took over the entire kingdom and spent the rest of the day talking to anyone who came to complain or yell at him.
"So, I decided to stick around! The man assured us that none of us were being kicked out and nothing would change!" The old maid said happily with a nod. "I put so much blood and sweat into the old building, it was nice to know I would still be working here." Eclair put the final piece of clothing on while nodding. "Well that went faster than I thought. Shall we head out?" Getting a nod, the two walked out to see Jaden talking to a racoon demi-human.
"As I said before Raphtalia, I trust you. If you want to do it, I'll pay for it, but it is up to you." The demi-human, Raphtalia, gave a determined nod.
"I'm set, I know that you'll trust me more!" Jaden let out a sigh before patting her head causing her to turn red.
"Okay, we need to stop by his tent later anyway." As he turned back around to see her and the maid. "Ahh, good to see you properly dressed." When he went to nod his head, his hair let out a chirp. Looking at the brown mass she saw a pink and white mass of feathers sitting in it. "OH, sorry about that Filo." The chick let out a chirp in annoyance before settling back in. Coughing into his hand as he heard the maid lightly laughing at him. "I would appreciate it if you accompany me to the church so as to talk to them about the crimes they committed."
"It would be my honor." Eclair said, having wanted to call him the king but still being a little shocked with how fast things changed. "Do you mind if we stop by the barracks first so I may acquire my weapon once more?"
"So, you were a knight!" Jaden mumbled to himself before looking down the hall. "Well that doesn't matter right now, we have work to do and not enough manpower to do it." As he went to walk down it an angry squeak interrupted him as a brown-haired fluff ball flew in front of him. "What of course you count for double!" This seemed to settle them down.
Eclair watched him, Raphtalia, and the hovering fluff ball go down the corridor before she followed. She had no idea what was coming next but as a knight she served the kingdom and it's the people, and for them she would work with the new king.
AN: Whelp got this done. Might be awhile till the next upload, got some work to do on my other stories. As for how Banner got a body, it shall be explained in the next chapter.