Okay, I'm back-! Due to the virus I have been on a writing frenzy for my fanfics (too many ideas, too many… T.T) but I actually had time to sit down and THINK about this one. That said: thank you my readers, old and new, for sticking with me!
As always, I do not own Rising of the Shield Hero, I do own my OCs and whatever non-cannon plot shenanigans I come up with. Also… Since no one told me if they would rather read a mini adventure or time skip to Melromarc, I'm doing a blend of the two with more of a highlight of their traveling experiences.
Warnings: Gore, swearing and violence are possible! Bad-ass moments also possible! Shenanigans are a certainty!
Onwards with the plot!
Siltvelt-Melromarc Boarder, 1 month until Wave
"Grao!"
"Graah!"
The soldiers at the gate sweat drop as a Dragon and Filolial stare at each other in aggravation. Their handlers merely sigh.
"So… could you hurry up so we can get back on the road? They'll start fighting soon if we don't get a move on." Hazel dryly points out from Meili's back.
They hesitate, glancing between her, Meili, Kai and Sher. Rong is hidden in the back of the wagon, prepping their goods for vendors and 'letting them stretch their wings' to negotiate passage. Hazel began to lose her patience when the soldiers had deliberately ignored them for two hours straight in favor of other travelers. Sher lost her temper after the first half-hour but maintained her composure outwardly.
Rong and Hazel knew better but appreciated her tactfulness. Eventually though, there were no other travelers to wave through and the blatant prejudice began to show. So Hazel does what any annoyed person would do: let the volatile chemistry between Dragons and Filolials simmer to a breaking point. The result was gratifying behold- all the guards on edge and finally fucking talking to them! Point for Team Belladonna!
One of the guards gulps, eyes flickering between Kai and Meili then back at Hazel and Sher.
"C-can't you keep them under control?" He stammers boldly.
Sher scoffs while Hazel's smile becomes brighter.
"See, we might have be able to… if we hadn't been sitting here for the past five hours. These two get along best while on the move and," She makes a pointed sigh.
"We haven't been moving. Besides, they're young and their impulse control isn't great. So the longer you wait for our paperwork to check out, the more likely something is going to happen~" Hazel informs them sweetly.
The guard gulps then visibly straightens his spine.
"Excuse me for a moment." He runs inside the gate fortifications.
His partner stares after him in disbelief.
"Oi! What're you doing-?! Don't leave me alone with them!" He barks before realizing what he said.
Sher's eyes glint maliciously while Hazel keeps her expression as a terrifyingly bemused smile. Hazel tilts her head at him.
"What's the matter, soldier? Don't like what you see?" She purrs.
His face pales as his gaze flickers from her wolf ears to Sher's lashing tail and gulps loudly. Sher bares her teeth in a mockery of a smile and the poor bastard starts sweating. Fortunately, he's rescued by his partner reappearing with another soldier clearly of higher rank.
Hazel's eyes narrow.
A captain.
The new man flickers his eyes over the Belladonna's and then back at the gate guards.
"I have heard from my subordinate that you have an issue with our processing your paperwork." He states.
Hazel keeps her smile bemused, but allows it to relax fractionally as she leans forward to converse.
"Not per se. We simply would like to know when we can continue our journey. It's a warm day and our mounts are growing irritable. Frankly," She sighs, pushing her hair over her shoulder.
"Unless there is a problem with our paperwork, I do not understand why we are still sitting here in a nonexistent line." Hazel finishes lightly.
The captain isn't fooled by her easy-going mannerisms. He glances at her party (clear irritation and simmering tempers) then his subordinates (fearful and averting his gaze) and suppresses a sigh.
"There was a screw up on our end- your paperwork was processed correctly but the confirmation never reached the gate personnel. You are free to enter Melromarc." He states, much to the surprise of his companions.
Hazel keeps her smile a hair shy of mocking and inclines her head to him.
"Excellent- we'll be on our way then."
Sher clucks her tongue and Kai pulls the carriage forward before the guards change their minds. Meili follows after him closely, spitefully whipping her tail to throw dust into the guards' faces as she passes. When they recede into the distance the captain glares at his soldiers.
"I hope there was something in their behavior that we can suitably alter for our King's purposes." He nearly snarls.
Both soldiers flinch and then finally shake their heads.
"Even when we provoked them, they didn't react beyond annoyance. And then the Dragon and Filolial started acting up-! Sir, they didn't do anything we can construe as a crime!"
The captain stiffens then groans, rubbing his forehead.
"His Majesty will not be pleased." He mutters.
Meanwhile with the Belladonnas…
"Those bastards! We should have kicked their asses and kept going, Hazel!" Sher hisses.
"Mhm… And then what?" Hazel asks.
Sher glares at Hazel in annoyance.
"We would be five hours further down the road and that much closer to the capital!"
Hazel shakes her head in a sigh.
"That's not what I meant, Sher. Say we kick their asses- word would reach the other soldiers that a party of Demi-human mercs beat up human soldiers as we entered Melromarc. Even if we didn't kill them, they would likely begin a manhunt with the King's blessing for being lowly Demi-human scum. We wouldn't be fighting just a few soldiers, Sher, but the entire culture of Melromarc if they made the incident public knowledge."
Sher's eyes widen in horror as Hazel's words build a terrifying picture.
"But that's-!"
"Completely possible." Rong interrupts, sitting next to Sher on the wagon bench.
Sher stares in askance at Rong and Hazel.
"But… why would they do that?"
"Prejudice, wounded pride, hate, orders from on high… take your pick." Hazel replies.
"Humanity can be cruel, especially towards those they define as different. That's why it's better to not give a reaction- if we had fought them, we would be only confirming their own prejudice; 'They're a bunch of monsters.'"
Sher falls into uncomfortable contemplation as they put the boarder behind them. Several days after their crossing, Hazel and Rong remove their disguises while giving Sher a make-over. Or rather, they try to.
"NO! You're not dyeing my hair and fur!" She screams, running away from them.
Kai and Meili watch with interest as their 'nee-san' runs away from 'mom' as 'aunt' remains next to them. Rong watches with amusement as Sher uses her training to dodge Hazel's initial tackle. Hazel huffs in annoyance, sitting up.
"Sher, we changed our looks for a reason. We can't do much about Meili and Kai, but the fact remains if you look the same our collective cover is blown!"
"I don't care!" Sher roars back.
Hazel narrows her eyes.
"Alright, that's enough teenage rebellion thank you very much!" Hazel declares, Knokene changing to the Golden Spider Web form and Rysty to the Chained version.
Sher growls and twists to the side to avoid the chains that whistle past her. Hazel grins evilly as she uses Rysty as a distraction while setting up a trap with Knokene. Nearly invisible threads flutter out from the tips of Knokene's claws, creating an invisible barrier between the trees. As Sher ducks another horizontal sweep from Rysty, Hazel flexes her fingers then clenches her hand into a fist. The reaction is immediate as hundreds of threads seem to come out of nowhere and bind Sher's limbs.
Sher yowls as she hangs from Hazel's spider silk trap. Hazel sighs in relief.
"Thank god that actually worked!"
"Let me go, dammit!" Sher bellows as Hazel ignores her.
Black is the easiest to use to cover up her hair color, not to mention her fur… I guess we'll go with a black panther then!
"Hush! Let a cosplayer work!" Hazel scolds, switching to her Hair Dye gauntlets.
"You're in good hands- threads, web, snare, gauntlets-? Anyway, I know what I'm doing so relax, this won't take long. You can try to take your vengeance during our next spar, okay?"
Sher snarls incoherently at this but can do nothing to stop Hazel's (forced) makeover. After Hazel is satisfied there are no awkward undyed sections, she releases Sher. Sher crouches for a moment, expression shadowed as her body starts to shake. Rong notices and conceals a smirk. Sher looks up at Hazel and smiles radiantly.
"I will remember this, Hazel~!"
Hazel chuckles.
"I would be disappointed if you didn't~!" She sings back with a wide grin.
Rong shakes her head at their antics and goes back to stirring the pot.
…
A fortnight passes and they make good time down the roads, despite constant bickering between Meili and Kai. They traversed a mountainous region that divides Melromarc's countryside (it's the area where Naofumi's party was chased by the other heroes when Malty framed them for kidnapping). Rong, using recent maps, directed them up the twisting roads with steep cliffs. Sher nearly puked when she first realized they would be driving along the rudimentary routes.
Kai and Meili were indifferent beyond their initial curiosity and Hazel merely whooped when she saw the drop. Sher stayed inside the wagon, working on her reading and writing rather than 'driving along a death trap'. Thanks to Kai and Meili, they make good time and successfully cross the mountains down into the foothills on the other side. When they reach flat ground, Hazel, being Hazel, soon felt a moment of nostalgia and starts singing one of her favorite camping songs.
"Oh ho Ratlin Bog, deep down in the valley oh!"
"Rare bog, Ratlin Bog, deep down in the valley oh~!"
"And in that bog there was a speck, a rare speck, a Ratlin speck!"
"A speck on the hair,
the hair on the flea,
the flea on the hair,
the hair on the feather,
the feather on the chick,
the chick in the egg,
the egg in the bird,
the bird in the nest,
the nest on the twig,
the twig on the branch,
the branch on the limb,
the limb on the tree,
the tree in the hole,
the hole in the bog,
the bog down in the valley oh!"
"Oh ho Ratlin Bog, deep down in the valley oh!"
"Rare bog, Ratlin Bog, deep down in the valley oh~!"
Hazel is wheezing after reciting all the verses but Meili and Kai squawk for more, giving her pleading stares. She laughs and shakes her head.
"Sorry you two, I need a break! That was thirteen verses without stopping!"
Kai pouts and Meili hisses in annoyance but Hazel stands firm, refusing to sing the remaining verses. Rong chuckles then glances at Hazel thoughtfully.
"I have never heard a song like that before- is it one from your world?"
Hazel nods, her grin bright.
"Yeah, I used to camp a lot- sort of like what we're doing, but without the wagon. I have a lot of cousins, two older brothers, one older sister, one younger brother and three younger sisters. We would all camp together in whatever country we were in. At least four of us could make it at any given time, so it was never a lonely thing."
Rong nods, slightly surprised by the number of siblings she has. Sher pokes her head out next to Rong, eyeing Hazel curiously.
"You have seven siblings? What're they like? Are they as weird as you? What would you all do when camping?" She demands, tail lashing back and forth.
Hazel looks a little surprised by the number of questions but answers readily enough.
"What are they like..? Well, my oldest brothers are both in my world's navy; Connor and Flynn have been in service for about five or six years. Connor is more of a prankster while Flynn is more serious. My older sister, Rose, is training to be a doctor- she has the driest sense of humor! Most of the time when she's joking she sounds dead serious. My younger brother, Riley, is a pain in my ass- he's still figuring out what he wants to do and he's driving us all insane with his indecisiveness. Then there's the triplets; Mackenzie, Ashlyn and Brynn. They're a set of sweethearts, unless you cross them- they get even, eventually, and it always sucks!"
Hazel's eyes turn distant as she recalls her family.
"I don't consider them weird- but I'm biased." She shrugs.
Sher tilts her head and her expression grows impatient.
"But what did you do when you're all camping?!"
Hazel blinks and then grins teasingly.
"Oh~? You want to know so badly?"
Sher nods, eyes sparkling. Hazel purses her lips, thinking over her words before answering.
"Hmm… well, we would play hide and seek, kick the can, ship shore, word games and then we would cook our food over the open fire before telling ghost stories!"
Sher's face flushes excitedly- her tail is flicking back and forth. Rong quirks an eyebrow at what she is seeing.
"C-can we… can we do camping?" Sher stammers.
Hazel blinks, tilting her head in confusion.
"But we are camping," She points out.
"Yes! But that's boring! I want to play games and cook food and, and-!" Sher snaps, tightening her grip around her naginata.
Rong clasps the younger girl's shoulder and then stares at Hazel.
"I am also interested in seeing the differences between your world's type of camping and ours."
Hazel blinks before shrugging.
"Uh, well, I guess we can give it a shot! Don't blame me if it's not as exciting as you think it should be." Hazel warns them.
Later that evening…
"Okay, Rong, you are officially the most terrifying person to play Hide and Seek with." Hazel deadpans, staring up at the Shadow.
Rong conceals a smirk- perhaps she shouldn't have used her Detect Presence skill, but it was hard not to fall into the spirit of the game. Both Sher and Hazel are excellent at hiding, either because of training or natural instinct. Regardless, Rong was better due to her job (although if Hazel was using her Ki her task would be exponentially more difficult). With seeking, Sher would have an upper hand with her greater senses if neither Hazel nor Rong used their skills.
Rong gracefully jumps down and leads the way back to camp: Sher is glowering at the campfire, ears flat. Hazel winces, rubbing the back of her head.
"Hey, Sher…"
Sher turns away, her entire posture screaming with annoyance. Hazel winces and then visible stiffens her spine. She claps her hands loudly, startling everyone.
"Alright, time for the fun part of our evening: cooking! Let's get everything together and make stone soup!" She says with a devious gleam in her eyes.
"Eh?! Stone soup?! How can stones become soup?!" Sher demands, staring at her.
Hazel grins cheekily.
"You'll see~!"
Rong, guessing Hazel won't explain herself, fetches the vegetables and meat that Hazel had put aside earlier that day. Hazel has everyone chop the food into bite-sized pieces and set it aside as she fills the soup pot with water. Then she deviates from their normal routine: she changes Rysty and Knokene to their Hellhound Fur forms. They look like furry black gloves with flickers of red and tipped with savage claws. Casually, Hazel grabs a few stones in the fire pit and drops them into the pot, grinning at her companions.
"Watch and learn~!" She sings.
Barely five minutes after that the water boils. They drop the food into the steaming water, simmering it with some spices for flavor.
"Should be ready in about half an hour." Hazel tells them with a happy grin.
They all sit down around the fire, Meili and Kai watching them with confusion as they rest.
"Why is it called 'stone soup'?" Sher questions again, leaning forward to glare at Hazel.
Hazel laughs, resting her back against Kai's feathers.
"It's a folktale and a recipe: story goes a poor man enters a village where no one would share anything- not even a crumb! So, this canny man declares he is going to make 'stone soup' in front of the entire village. They were all dubious, of course, but they went ahead and watched as he found an old pot, filled it with water and dropped stones inside. He gives the mixture a few minutes before declaring loudly 'Ah! What good stone soup this is! If only I had some carrots!' One of the families is intrigued and fetches a few carrots, giving them to the poor man."
"He chops them up and drops them into the pot, stirring fiercely before taking a sip. 'Ah! What wonderful stone soup this is! If only I had some potatoes!' Another family gives him the potatoes, which he also adds to the pot. This continues until everyone in the village has contributed something to the stone soup. The poor man shares the soup with everyone and they all agreed it was the best stone soup they had ever tasted! From that day on, they all shared their bounty and worked together to create wonderful stone soup for all the village to enjoy."
Sher cocks her head, frowning.
"So… why was it called stone soup?"
Rong sweat drops while Hazel is taken aback.
"Uh… I think it's because it started with stones, so that's why it's called stone soup." Hazel puzzles out after a pause.
"Ooooooooh." Sher says, nodding.
"Is the moral of the story to not be greedy?" Rong inquires.
"Hmm… yes and no. It's more like 'working together can lead to great things' and 'sharing is caring'." Hazel explains.
"Hmm." Rong hums thoughtfully.
"Oooh! Soup's done!" Hazel cheers before serving it and claps her hands together in prayer.
"Thanks for the food!"
Ten days later…
"Ah! I can see the capital!" Sher yells, pointing.
Rong and Hazel crane their necks before spotting it; Hazel's expression turns grim.
"Here comes political scum landia." She grumbles, glaring at the castle.
"Are you certain you do not wish to stay inside the castle walls?" Rong questions softly.
Hazel shakes her head.
"We can't afford to be teleported because I bump into one of the other heroes- staying outside of town will help me avoid chance encounters." She explains.
Rong nods and keeps a wary eye on Sher and Meili, who are having a grand time raising a dust trail.
"I presume Sher and I will be doing most of the shopping then?"
Hazel nods, humming.
"Take Kai with you- Filolials aren't that uncommon, so he should pass muster. Make sure to stock up on potions, weapons, better armor for Sher and see if there's anything for Kai or Meili. I'll spend my time gathering herbs and hunting monsters with Meili. In the next few days we should make an effort to reach the Dragon Hourglass- even if we have to break in."
"That's risky." Rong argues.
"Everything we do is risky at this point- and I need to see that damn hourglass." Hazel growls.
"Very well- I will make contact with her majesty this evening." Rong assents.
Hazel inclines her head and refocuses on the road.
…
Sher strides alongside Kai and Rong as they head to Erhard's shop for the first time in months. Idly she wonders if Erhard will recognize her and shakes her head ruefully at the thought. Kai is tied to a nearby post and told to 'kick anyone who isn't us very hard' before Sher follows Rong into the shop, carrying two large sacks. Erhard looks up with a welcoming smile.
"Ladies! How may I be of assistance today?" He asks, leaning on the counter.
Rong walks over and lets him see her face.
"We would like our weapons undergo maintenance along with commissioning new clothing and armor for my companion as well as updating armor from our other member: I believe we still have shop credit, Erhard."
Erhard blinks before his face goes slack with shock. He glances at Sher and squints before grinning.
"Damn, you grew up alright Missy! I didn't think your group would make it back in time for the Wave!" He remarks, scratching his head.
Sher smiles and bows slightly to him.
"Thank you for your help previously; your workmanship has proven hardy!"
Erhard laughs at that, grinning.
"Well, I think I have just the clothes for you, along with some armor pieces-"
"Actually, we were wondering if you could incorporate these." Sher interrupts, placing a sack on the counter.
Erhard gives Sher a questioning look but gamely opens the bag: his jaw drops.
"… Are- are these-!" He stammers faintly.
"They are monster materials we have gathered on our journey." Rong interrupts smoothly.
"If they could be used in making armor or better weapons, we would not mind donating materials." She adds.
Erhard nods and looks up, eyes glinting.
"Do you mind I use any extra materials for another order? They're better quality than what was supplied to me."
Sher tilts her head at him.
"Who is the order for, Mister Erhard?"" She asks bluntly.
Erhard winces before meeting their inquisitive stares.
"The Shield Hero."
The party members glance at each other: Sher shrugs and Rong stills before they both nod in assent to Erhard, who sighs loudly in relief.
"Our party leader would not have objections- in fact, if you could see that he receives a portion of each monster material type we would be obliged." Rong states.
Erhard nods in understanding and then he gives them a curious stare.
"Your party seems more… open-minded than most people." He remarks, watching them carefully.
Sher is the one who answers this time.
"We don't know the details of what happened- but Hazel says that she will judge him herself, not based off of rumors. Until he does something absolutely despicable that she witnesses with her own eyes, she won't condemn him Mister Erhard. Hazel isn't like that." She assures him.
Erhard nods in understanding and grins, rubbing his hands together.
"Alright, enough heavy talk! Let's talk business!"
…
"Meili, let's try this again! Up, down, up, down, up, down!" Hazel orders.
Meili glares but continues to exercise her wings dutifully; fully extended, her wingspan is nearly twenty-five feet. Hazel had had trouble finding a clearing with enough room for Meili to practice in. But stubbornness has prevailed and now Meili is unhappily building up the muscles to fly.
"You can do it! Great job, Meili!" Hazel cheers her on enthusiastically.
Meili grunts: 'mom' is strange but Meili knows that she doesn't demand things for dumb reasons. So even if her back is aching and her wings are trembling, she will continue to flap. This goes on for another hour until Hazel calls for a break; Meili slumps on the ground and wheezes loudly. Hazel strokes her head, scratching behind Meili's horns and eliciting a rumbling purr from the dragon.
A twig snaps nearby and both Hazel and Meili focus on the direction the sound originated from. A young Demi-human with tanuki ears and a bushy tail stumbles out of a thicket. Hazel eyes her equipment- not bad quality but definitely not a beginner's set either. Her sword sheathed at her hip had seen some use and was a good fit for someone her size and weight. The young woman pauses, gaping in shock at Meili and Hazel.
"A Knight's dragon?! Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you!" She apologizes, bowing several times.
Hazel chuckles and waves it off.
"No problem, missy. We're resting from strength training." She explains, standing and stretching her arms behind her head.
Tanuki Girl (as Hazel had dubbed her inside her mind) awkwardly fidgets as she takes in Meili's dark purple scales. Meili tilts her head curiously at her and chuffs inquisitively, standing up. Hazel observes Meili's new behavior as she approaches Tanuki Girl, sniffing her cautiously. Tanuki Girl gulps but stays still, her tail fluffed as Meili shoves her face right into hers, inhaling her scent deeply before chirping and sauntering back to Hazel, demanding pets.
"Aw, you miss me?" Hazel asks dryly, rubbing her eyebrow ridges.
"Graaaaaw!" Meili agrees, coiling her tail around Hazel's legs.
"So spoiled," She says fondly before meeting Tanuki Girl's eyes.
"You alright? I can tell you're an adventurer of some sort and you don't look hurt or anything but I figured I would ask."
Tanuki Girl blinks before shaking her head vigorously.
"N-No, I'm fine, thank you! Um…" Her tail lashes while her gaze slants sideways.
"Whoops, didn't even introduce myself, did I? You can call me Hazel." She offers, leaning back against Meili's flank.
"Raphtalia." Tanuki Girl answers, bowing in greeting.
"So what's bothering you, Raphtalia-san?" Hazel asks gently, easily reading her hesitation.
Raphtalia fidgets, refusing to meet Hazel's sympathetic gaze.
"… I'm scared of failing my master." She admits, folding her hands in front of her and ears drooping.
Hazel tilts her head slightly.
"How so?"
"… We have to fight in the Wave soon, but I'm not sure I am ready to help him the way he needs." Raphtalia explains.
"… Raphtalia-san, can you show me your hands? Without gloves." Hazel clarifies, stepping away from Meili.
Raphtalia is perplexed but does as she was asked, holding her hands out to Hazel. Hazel examines them and smiles.
"I thought so. You have a swordswoman's callouses: those don't form unless you've been handling weapons non-stop for months."
Raphtalia blinks and looks down at her hands, not seeing the purported callouses Hazel is talking about.
"What callouses?" She questions.
Hazel glances up at her.
"May I show you? It will involve me touching your hands," She explains.
Raphtalia nods, confused why Hazel felt the need to ask. Hazel takes one of Raphtalia's hands, tracing down the thumb-side of her index finger, between the index and thumb and then up the inside ridge of her thumb. Raphtalia blinks, surprised she isn't feeling Hazel's touch very much. Hazel grins at her apparent confusion.
"The main part of the callous is between your index finger and thumb- minor callouses form on the palm but they aren't as defined as the one between your fingers." Hazel tells her, releasing her hand.
"But what does a 'swordswoman's callouses' have to do with anything?" Raphtalia puzzles out.
"They tell me you actually train and train hard. You haven't slacked off or half-assed it- you genuinely care about your master, right?" Hazel prods.
Raphtalia nods without hesitation, a gleam in her eyes.
"Yes, I do!"
"And you've been working hard for his sake?"
"Yes!"
"Then… as long as you work together and support each other, you'll do fine. The Waves are no fun but they can be beaten. Remember that, Raphtalia-san." Hazel smiles and retreats back to Meili.
Raphtalia watches the pair stride off into the woods and stares down at her hands- a small smile flickers across her face before a resolute expression takes its place.
"Raphtalia! Where are you?!" Naofumi yells.
Raphtalia's ears perk up and she calls back.
"Coming, Master Naofumi!"
The next day…
Hazel tugs up the hood of her half-cloak, covering her face more securely as Rong leads her to the Dragon Hourglass. The Cathedral that houses it is striking, but falls flat for Hazel, who can only find more signs of a corrupt religion.
Not to mention it's nothing compared to Catedral de Sevilla or St. Peter's Basilica. Hazel muses as she follows Rong through the doors.
It is clean and airy, with excellent illumination highlighting the main focus of the cathedral: the Dragon Hourglass. The giant structure sends a chill down her spine as she stares at it, the crimson sand trickling steadily. Wordlessly, Hazel puts a silver coin (such a waste of money, but yey disguises) into the donation box as Rong had explained to her last night. The attending nun leaves her be and Hazel takes the opportunity kneel near the bottom of the steps, clasping her hands in 'prayer'. In reality, Hazel is letting Knokene and Rysty sync up to the Hourglass.
A faint beam of purple light shines from both gauntlets' jewels and a timer revealing a count-down pops up on her Status. Hazel grins internally and mentally whoops at this minor success. She stays in place for another few minutes before standing and brushing off the dress Rong had supplied her: a simple, dark grey gown that covers nearly all her skin. The modest cut of the dress had amused her back when Rong had first shown it to her, but Rong's rational was hard to ignore.
"A pilgrim, especially a commoner making a pilgrimage for the first time, would not be dressed in unsuitable clothing. Modesty is important in the Church of Three Heroes and they will not look twice at you for it. Clothing shapes others' impressions of you; dress like a traveler and they see a traveler. Dress like a soldier, they see a soldier. Dress like a modest maiden and that is all they will see- make sure to wear the gloves I gave you too! They will hide those scars and callouses of yours."
Suppressing a sigh, Hazel turns to leave and jolts back, startled. An older man in a pope's hat smiles kindly at her.
"Are you alright, my dear?" He asks indulgently.
Hazel represses the urge to curl her lip and bows her head meekly, nodding.
"I am, thank you." She says, softening her voice and giving it a more airy sound.
Pope Biscus T. Balmus gazes warmly at Hazel Ilmatar, the so-called 'False Hero', and gives her his blessing.
"May your troubles no longer weight upon you, my child. God will protect the righteous."
Hazel curtsies to him and walks gracefully to Rong, who whisks her out of the cathedral without a word. Hazel represses the urge to check over her shoulder as her back itches from turning her back to an enemy.
"Are you alright?" Rong asks eventually as they exit the gates.
"… As much as anyone can be when they look into the eyes of a fanatic." Hazel replies, expression distant.
"Hmm." Rong nods in understanding.
The day of the Wave…
Hazel wolf-whistles at Sher's new look: gone is the battered leather gear! Its' replacement is a combination of Ice Drake scales, Frost Troll leather and warg hide. Erhard had outdone himself with a stunning chest plate, shoulder, and arm and shin guards. He had thrown in durable black pants and new boots made out of Frost Troll leather along with a grey tunic. Overall, Sher looks impressive and prepared for some serious shit.
Hazel is thrilled of course, cooing over Sher's outfit and mumbling how Erhard knows how to make badass armor. To which, Rong and Sher pull out Hazel's updated armor. Erhard had taken her wrap jacket and reinforced it with layers and segments. The torso is mostly Ice Drake scales sewn onto warg leather (it proved more flexible that Frost Troll) with a Golden Spider carapace guarding her upper chest and throat. Erhard had padded the neck with thick canvas to minimize blisters.
The jacket has three-quarter length sleeves, reinforced with warg leather, Ice Drake scales and Golden Spider carapace on the shoulders and upper arms. Erhard had thrown in new boots and leg guards as well, incorporating Frost Troll leather and Ice Drake scales with warg fur as a lining. The best part? Besides the awesome 'I'm terrifying' factor, the jacket was adjusted to come with a hood that Hazel can pull up to hide her face. He had also thrown in a mask made of a warg's skull for her to wear.
Mad cackling ensues.
Rong is not amused as she fits Kai and Meili with the armored claws she had bought from Beloukas- Kai was given a breast plate to protect his chest area. Soon enough, there is nothing left for them to do aside from wait for the clock to run down.
[0:00:00:0:3:43] Hazel sees at the corner of her screen.
"We have three minutes until go time. Does everyone have healing potions?"
"Yes!" Sher answers firmly while Rong just nods.
"Does everyone know their role?" Hazel asks, looking around.
"Sher and Kai will handle evacuations, Meili and I will scout, and you Ilmatar-san will be defending or attracting as many monsters as possible." Rong replies this time.
"Correct. Our priority is to minimize human and Demi-human casualties. Stay alive. I cannot stress this enough! Last stands sound great but you still end up dead. Work together. No one should be fighting alone- yes, I know I'm being a hypocrite but I'm hoping some of the other heroes have common decency to help out. Once you have finished your tasks, regroup at my location- I'll try to be noticeable." She adds wryly.
Sher giggles while Rong gives her a small smile. Hazel gives them all another warm grin and puts on her mask; the starkness of the skull gives Hazel a hauntingly feral look. Erhard had shaved down the bone so it wasn't as heavy and widened the visual orbits to minimize her lack of peripheral vision. But the result is still absolutely terrifying to behold.
Hazel loves it.
Kai and Meili wonder if the thing on 'mom's' face is part of a new game.
Sher finds it mildly scary but also reluctantly fascinating.
Rong wants to face palm.
And the Second Wave of Melromarc begins.
Yes! I am finally reconnecting with the main plot line, dammit! Hazel and her party will be meeting the other Heroes, particularly Naofumi and Raphtalia because they are adorable beans! Side note- thank you those who reviewed the last few months! I will try to keep my writing streak going- it should be easier since I have actual plot to mess with~!
The next few chapters will be highlighting the differences between Hazel and the other Heroes more- aside from her notable class difference. I will finally also be getting into some of the unique aspects of her skill system (I had to really think about it… T.T)
Please comment and review! I love hearing from y'all! Until next time, please stay safe and at home!