"Hey everyone, Drago3511 here. Before we get into this chapter, I wanted to address something one of my Guest Reviewers left recently. This review was by JustAReader, and it goes as follows."
I'm confused. So apparently this story has been updated, yet it still has 3 chapters. I remember this story already had three chapters before. Not only that, but in the 3rd chapter, you wish the audience happy independence day July 4th. It's 2017 and that hasn't arrived yet. Meaning that had to of been from last year or the year before that.
My point is, how was this story updated? There's no new notes (as far as I can tell) or no new chapters. What exactly did you do?
"And that's a good question. You see, I haven't updated in a while, and just about every story had one or two 'Update Notice' chapters, that I have since erased from said stories. Reason being is because those plans I implemented in the notices... well, they never fell through. I'm just updating on a whim at this point, so I didn't see the need for those guideline chapter fillers to stay up. In short: the update was the removal of those notice chapters."
Sean: "I honestly found them to be kind of a pain myself since you kept making empty promises."
"Shut up... even if it is true. Can you get the disclaimer going so we can pick up where we left off? Most people do the 'Day of Void' in a single chapter, but this makes for a two-parter.'
Sean: "Right, right. I'm on it. Drago3511 does NOT own The Familiar of Zero/Zero no Tsukaima or Digimon. All he owns are his own OCs and any DigiXros that he comes up with."
"Thank you, old friend. Chapter 4, start!"
(Previously, on The Xros Heart Familiar...)
"Alright. If it will get us there, I'll ride on the back of this... Sparrowmon."
"Perfect."
I climbed on Sparrowmon's back and sat down cross-legged. Then, I motioned for her to sit down behind me. She had a little difficult climbing on since Sparrowmon wasn't on solid ground, so she landed and we had Louise sit down that way instead.
"Now put your arms around my waist. Cause this may get a little hectic." I told her, which she did so.
"What do you mean? Haven't you done this before?"
"Nope! This is my first time riding Sparrowmon too!"
"WHAT?!"
"Sparrowmon, take off!"
"Now wait just a minute here!"
"Taking off!" Sparrowmon declared, rising high into the air, with Louise screaming so much she didn't have any time to yell at me.
Then, Sparrowmon started to fly away from the Academy at a pretty decent speed. The screams of Louise could be heard half-way to town.
"Could you slow it down just a little? For such a runt, you sure do walk fast." I stated. Louise and I had ridden Sparrowmon into town today since it was a scheduled day off for the students. Well, more like we rode outside of town and Sparrowmon returned to the X Loader before we entered the area. Even with the rude comment just made, Louise kept silent, probably because she didn't want to cause a scene. Between this, and the "ride from Hell" to town, Louise seemed just about fed up with today already, even if we did make it to town in under an hour. I can tell she decided to be nice and act like a more reasonable person since her previous methods weren't working.
We turned around a corner, down a narrow street. Louise looked as if she was searching for some specific shop.
"I could have sworn it was near the elixir shop... aha, here it is!" Her exclamation sounded in the air as she pointed to a shop with a wooden sign depicting a broadsword. She went inside, with me following not too far behind. It was a small shop, with racks and pots filled with bladed arms. From rapiers, to broadswords, and everything in between. There was even a claymore or two laying around. Behind a simple wooden desk was a man wearing a leather hat, with a skinny angular face, half-frame glasses, buck teeth, and two strands of hair forming a whisker-like mustache. In honesty, he kinda looked like a human rat.
"Ah, good day, miss. How may I help you today?" The man greeted. He didn't even have a sincere smile on his face, more like a cunning grin and a raised eyebrow.
"I'd like to purchase a sword for my... associate, here." She refrained from using the word "Familiar". Whether it was because she didn't want to be thought less of by a shopkeep, or because she was being nice was anyone's guess.
"Why of course, you've come to the right place! In fact, it's the latest trend these days, even among royals who wish to give swords to their servants." He explained. Louise picked up a rapier from one of the pots and grabbed it with both hands, testing the grip for herself.
"This one seems a bit small and thin. I'm pretty sure the Star Sword is sturdier than this..." She mused.
"Hmm, yeah, you're right." I nodded, seeing as I never took a fencing class, I probably wouldn't get by well with it. Even with the runes giving me a tactical and physical boost. The pinkette mage turned to the shop owner with a hardened look in her eye.
"I want to see what else you have, something much bigger and thicker."
"My apologies, but this weapon seems to be the right size for your compatriot-" He said, but Louise got in his face, spooking the man.
"I SAID I want to see a sword that is BIGGER and THICKER!"
"Yes, right away!" He retreated behind the curtain, going into the back of the store.
"You know, that wasn't the only sword in the store, Louise..." I said. It was true, there were plenty of weapons in the shop. But I have to keep in mind that this was Louise I was talking about. Everything on display probably wasn't grand enough in her eyes.
"Perhaps, but you'll probably be fighting more Digimon from now on by the looks of things, plus if you're ever alone, it's dangerous out there. I'm only providing you with a necessary service, you know. I can't have my Familiar dying on me, it would look bad for my family name." She huffed. So deep down inside, she does care. Even if she shows it in a rude and grandeur way.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Came the voice of the clerk. His arrival brought our attention back to him. From behind the curtain, he walked out with a MASSIVE golden broadsword embedded with jewels in the crossguard and pommel. He presented the weapon proudly to me, watching it glitter in the light as the I observed it. "This is the best sword in the entire shop! It was forged in the most traditional method by a famous alchemist from Germania! It slices steel like warm butter!"
"How much is it?" Louise asked. Before the man could tell her some obviously ridiculous price for an equally obvious flashy and expensive-looking sword, I put up my hand to stop her.
"Now hold on, Louise, this looks amazing and all, but flash isn't everything. Look at the sword, it looks like it's made of solid gold."
"Ah, you have a good eye, lad. That's right, the most precious of metals was used to forge this sword."
"Which also makes it a piece of junk. Gold is one of the softest metals known to man. A sword like this would hardly hold up in a fight before snapping like a twig, it's a giant sparkly paperweight. I may not be an expert on swords, but I do know you're better off using steel rather than gold, especially if you don't want to be conned out of efficiency just because it looks better." My words struck the clerk to his core, I saw right through his 'sale's pitch'. "Louise, how much do you even have on you?"
"Only 100 Écu, unfortunately. Is there anything we can get for that?"
The man grumbled, putting his gold blade down on the counter and shuffling over to a barrel in the corner and pulling out a rusty single-edged sword before handing it to me, albeit a bit forcibly.
"Here, how about this? I'll even give it to you for 50 if you just leave my shop now." His words were sour since his plan was knocked down in a matter of moments.
"This?! It's an old rusty sword, it probably hardly even cuts!" Louise shrieked.
"I could probably clean it up and give it a much-needed sharpening. If there's anyone I could ask for help with that, it's probably Knightmon." I reasoned. "Plus, he's giving it to us for half-off. I say we take it." In my mind, it was better to look on the brighter side of things. We probably wouldn't have much luck anywhere else anyway, considering Louise's lack of funds.
Louise sighed and gave the money to the owner. He provided a sheath for the purchase free of charge and let us go, muttering something under his breath as we went out the door to his shop.
Pulling the sword out of the new sheath to examine it a bit better in the exposed sunlight, this thing REALLY needed some work. Who knows how long it's been since this weapon got any sort of proper care.
"Bet he was trying to sell this forever, but with no luck," I stated. Louise huffed at my words.
"We probably could have gotten a much better weapon if I wasn't so short on money."
"Yeah, why is that, anyway? I don't think I've seen you actually spend any money until today..." Now I'm curious. From all her pride and attitude, as well as seeing people like Guiche, you'd think a "noble" would have more than enough money, even if it was a monthly allowance.
"It is none of your business. It's far too soon for you to complain about something given to you by your Master, understood?" She stopped walking and turned around to face me just to say those words. I figured since even though none of us asked for this situation, the least I could do is call her 'Master' every now and then and try to be a Familiar, as well as a human being and friend. We're working on it, anyways...
Nodding and placing the sword back into the sheath, I slung it over my shoulder and we made our way back to the town entrance. Since we were short on cash and didn't really need anything else, it was probably better to just go back to the Academy. And with not having come here on horseback... Louise better not scream like she did on the way here.
Though something was bugging me as we were leaving, like a pair of hungry eyes were watching us the whole way out.
"Um... wow. You shouldn't have, Kirche."
No, I mean it. She REALLY shouldn't have. Louise and I flew back to the school on Sparrowmon's back and ended up lazing around and chatting the rest of the day away over tea. We usually ended up talking about the Digimon to ease some of her curiosity. But that's beside the point. It was nighttime now, and Kirche came barging into Louise's room with Tabitha... and the incredibly shiny gold sword from the shop we were at earlier today.
"Do you like it, Sean?" Kirche asked, somewhat flirtatiously. I'm sure this is the way she usually talks, but to go to such lengths... I can't tell if she's actually in love with me or she's so rich that buying solid gold to try and impress a man to sleeping with her is the norm... and that's one of the many scary things about her.
"What's the meaning of this, Zerbst? Can't you see he already has a sword?" Louise snarled. Well, snarled isn't the proper word. More like she was agitated, but I could tell she was holding herself back so she didn't blow up her room.
"I just happened to find a sword befitting of him and wanted to give it as a present, is that so wrong?" Kirche retorted. This girl hardly knows me and wants to give me a present... yeah, I'm pretty sure I understand her thought process at this point. This also begs the question, though...
"So you were following us?" Came Louise. Yup, there it is. I have an insanely hot, rich, stalker girl... nobody back home would believe me about that, not that I would want them to.
"You couldn't even get him this cheap sword, and it's my fault for treating him better than you do?" The means of which she calls a solid gold sword "cheap" and how she likely ended up lowering the price also daunts on my mind... and it is shameless. "I heard this sword was made by the finest blacksmith and alchemist in Germania. All the best women and swords come from there. A Tristain woman like you couldn't possibly compete."
I sighed and looked over to Tabitha for help. She looked back at me from her book and shook her head. She clearly wasn't getting involved in this squabble. At least, not verbally. She knew better. Instead, she wordlessly motioned her staff a little and whisked both Kirche and Louise's wands to the floor, away from their previous positions of being pointed at one another when I wasn't paying attention.
"Indoors." That was the only word she spoke, but it was more than enough. I can only imagine how many time's she's had to do this where it's gotten to the point of a habit.
"In that case, I say we let Sean decide."
Finally, my turn to speak!
"Thank you, Kirche. And no, I'm not saying that about the sword. I just didn't want to get caught in the magical crossfires and kept quiet until now." Grabbing both swords and holding them up, at first glance most people would obviously take the jewel-decorated gold sword presented by the attractive woman. But the problem isn't the looks, it's the quality. "Like I stated in the shop, this sword is an oversized paperweight. It looks amazing, but it won't do any good in a fight. If we're going for practicality, the sword I got today from Louise will do just fine."
Kirche looked at me as if I just kicked her very pampered, prize-winning poodle. Well hey, the truth hurts. I appreciate the sentiment and all, but I'm not the kind of guy who's won over with expensive trinkets.
"Finally, a voice of reason. I was getting tired of these women go back and forth."
Everyone paused when a new voice was heard. It was the only other masculine voice aside from mine, but it didn't come from Shoutmon or anyone in the X Loader. In fact, I'm pretty sure I heard a hint of metal clanking when it spoke. Could it be...
"The sword," Tabitha said.
We all looked at the rusted blade more closely.
"Man, I was just taking a nap and these two woke me up. How's a sword supposed to get some peace and quiet with all the noise? While I'm at it, where am I? And what year is it, anyway?"
Yup, a piece of metal between the base of the blade and the guard was moving... and speaking. There was even an empty space in the gap between when it opened to simulate an actual mouth.
"Uh, not sure about the year, but you're at the Tristain Magic Academy. Do you have a name?" What else was I supposed to ask? It can speak and it clearly has a will of its own, a name shouldn't be that odd.
"I'm Derflinger, nice to meet ya. You must be my User, huh? What about you, got a name?"
A User? I'll ask later. Probably should refer to Derflinger as a "he" for now because of the voice.
"I'm Sean Sky, nice to meet you too. Derflinger, right?"
"Yeah, but you can call me 'Derf' for short if ya want."
We shared a chuckle while the girls started at us in disbelief, and they both slumped their shoulders in defeat. Kirche for having her sword rejected, and Louise for having to put up with something new thrown into her life.
The next morning came sooner than I thought it would. It was back to classes and the usual routine. I'd sleep outside, wake up early and go back to Louise's room, help her with her own routine, get breakfast, go to classes, etc. Only this time, after classes were over, I went over to Vestri court with Derf slung over my shoulder. Louise came with me, of course, and the usual crew followed her. That consisted of Guiche, Tabitha, and Kirche.
"So, what did you want to head over here for?" Was Derf's question. I reached into my pouch and grabbed the X Loader, pointing it in front of me.
"Some practical training. And I know just the Mon. Reload, Knightmon!"
From a beam of light materialized the Ultimate/Armor rank Digimon, standing tall in his armor suit-like body with his cape flowing behind him. His tall stature was a little intimidating at first glance, though. Since this is the first time I've seen him in person.
"Good day, General. You wish to engage in some sparring, yes?" Now that I'm not hearing it in Japanese, his voice is as regal and proper as I imagined it.
"That's right," I nodded, then looked at the back of my hand. "I can't rely on the rush I get from the runes, and my knowledge of swordplay, in general, is limited. I'd like you to teach me, Knightmon." I bowed to him slightly, but not enough so that Derf would fall out of his sheath.
"I see..." He rested a finger across what I'm assuming to be his chin on the helmet. "Very well, I shall accept you as my pupil. But be warned, you may be our General, but that does not mean I will make your training easier for you. Are you prepared to put your blood, sweat, and tears into this?"
"I am. If there are more Digimon out there like Togemogumon, there's an equal chance of some not-so-friendly Digimon out there too. I'm not just going to sit back and give orders, I'm going to fight alongside my friends." My resolve was firm, and I drew Derf from his sheath.
"In that case... let us begin."
Knightmon drew his double-edged blade and stood ready. The air was thick, a gentle breeze blew by. And without warning, Knightmon charged at me.
This is just the beginning, and I feel this day has more in store.
(To be continued...)
"Chapter 4! YES!"
Sean: "I'm about to get murdered by Knightmon, and you're celebrating a chapter finish..."
"I'm getting back into my groove, how can I not be happy? Besides, you know Knightmon will stop when he sees you can't fight back anymore."
Sean: "True... but that's besides the point! You only met half your quota with this chapter!"
"You mean showing new Digimon AND explaining why they're there? This is between the end of the Day of Void and the ordeal with Count Mott. This is going to be an original 2-parter, baby!"
Sean: "I would write this off as you being lazy, but this is the second chapter you've put out in less than a month. That's more than you've done in a long time, so I'll give you the pass this time."
"Thanks. Now, to all our readers out there, thanks for the continued support. Ever since the mass notice deletion, I've seen a huge influx of follows, favorites, and even some reviews and PM's. Though this would be common-place if I was more active over the years... Where was I? Oh yeah! Don't forget to review, favorite, and follow this story, as well as read any of my other works if they catch your eye!"
Sean: "As stated in the closer for the last chapter of 'Element Pilots, Abductors, and Warriors', the poll for The Wild Card Ace is still up on Drago's bio page. We'll be closing it after 15 to 20 unique votes, so be sure to give your input there as well. As of now, we've hit the big ONE ZERO, so we're close to our goal."
"Until next time, ja ne!"