Author's Note: So, this chapter had two ways of being done. I could have either kept it as it is, or split it in half. Considering this is my magnum opus, I'm leaving it as one. So, enjoy the extra long chapter.
Review Response -
Psycho-Kozel: While I did say I am not deviating from the story, that doesn't mean I won't change events to match the specific criteria that has been placed. All it means is that I am sticking to canon events, but doing them differently.
Theoneandonlyedster: Wow, I have Fergus Ward's creator reviewing my story?! Dude, you have no idea how much you've inspired me to write my own OC fanfiction.
Seriously though, if you guys haven't, go check out theoneandonlyedster and his story, Rise of a True Shield Hero (Redux).
Without further adieu, chapter 8!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rising of the Shield Hero or any of its characters, only my own.
"Dialogue."
"Writing."
Thoughts.
August 17, 2020
"We are currently waiting for our meals, so I found that this was as good a time to write if ever. So, around half an hour ago, we managed to acquire a monster egg from a slave trader named Beloukas. I hate to say it, but he has been a big help in my, our, endeavors. If it weren't for that man, then there is a chance I would have not met Raphtalia, and my heart would be colder than ice. I owe that man so much now. Also, Itsuki and Ren, two other people who were summoned here with me, had my back earlier this morning, when they helped me gain an extra 1000 silver to the meager funds the King was originally going to give me. I can only hope that this monster I bought will be worth it."
- Private First Class Wisnieski
As Leo completed his daily journal entry, their meals arrived, having ordered two of the cheapest lunch sets once again. As they had began to dig into their food, it was Raphtalia who spoke first, breaking the silence.
"So, Master Leo, what do you think we'll get from that monster egg?" She asked, motioning to the egg with the seal.
"No idea. I'm hoping to get a dragon, but I'll be fine with whatever. As long as we get something useful, then it really doesn't matter to me." Leo stated.
Quickly finishing his meal, he stood up and grabbed his backpack, putting on it, before pulling up his mask.
"Come on, we should get going. I want to see if the apothecary has any books on medicine that we could buy. While my pills are working out, I need more knowledge if I am to try and make different versions, or maybe even those potions that I keep seeing people use." Leo said, motioning with his hand for Raphtalia to come with him.
"Good idea Master. Who knows, maybe we could also learn some sort of special all healing magical potion or something." Raphtalia joked, putting on a smile.
Leo just chuckled before saying, "Right, as if. Also, can you carry the egg? I can't exactly put it in my backpack without risking it's safety."
"Yeah, no problem." Raphtalia replied, taking the egg from Leo's hands.
Once they exited the restaurant, they took the usual path that led them to the apothecary's shop.
On their way there, Raphtalia finally asked Leo something that she had been curious about for the longest of time.
"Master Leo, why do you always write in that journal of yours?" She asked Leo, since he had been writing in it almost every day.
"Well, a few reasons. For one, it helps me calm my nerves, especially when something bugs me, so I take to writing. For example, the fake trial I was placed under really got to me a lot more than I would like to admit, so writing in my journal about it helped. I also learned that cataloging events such as that can help in the long run as some form of evidence. Next, I use it to keep track of important events, such as when I got you, kid." Leo said as he smiled before rubbing her head.
Raphtalia pouted at the action, but her tail betrayed her, as it showed that she actually enjoyed the physical attention quite a bit. Her reaction caused Leo to chuckle at her, which caused her to pout even further, which in turn caused Leo to explode into full blown laughter. Raphtalia, who couldn't hold her composure for much longer, also began to laugh heartily, which caused them to get a few stares from multiple people. They couldn't care less about what others thought at that moment however, since they had each other, and that was all that mattered. As their laughter died down, they saw they had reached their destination.
"A- alright, let's go inside and see what we can get." Leo said, slowly but surely recomposing himself. It felt good to laugh. It was as if all of their worries were washed away by such a simple gesture, but nonetheless, it came to an end as they entered the old man's shop.
"Ah, the shield hero, just the person I wanted to see." The apothecary said, waving towards the two. Before he went further, he noticed the object in Raphtalia's hands. "Oh? What do you have there, miss?" He asked her as he rubbed his chin, interest taking hold of his face.
"This? This is just a monster egg that we bought. We're hoping for a dragon, but regardless of what it is, it'll be a big help for sure." Raphtalia replied, shrugging.
"Ah, well, goodluck with that. Anyway, shield hero, I wanted to give you two this. This is a medical grimoire. It contains recipes for finer medicines, so it could potentially help you create higher grade pills. I was asked by some of my relatives in Lute Village to help you out, so consider this grimoire a token of my gratitude." The apothecary said, motioning for them to take it.
After grabbing the book and opening it, Leo's HUD scanned the pages, but left a message which slightly lowered his spirits.
Failed to Translate
"Damn, I can't read any of it. Well, in any case, thanks. Not only could this potentially increase my pills' qualities, but also help me learn the language of this place." Leo said, grateful for the gift regardless.
"Oh, something else before I forget. That old witch a few stores down asked me if you could head on over to her shop. Says she also has a reward for you, since you helped her grandkid back in Lute." The apothecary informed them, motioning towards the direction of her shop.
"Alright then, we'll make sure to stop by. Also, before we go, could we get your name? Just curious so we know what to properly address you by." Leo asked the older man.
"Sure. Names Luther kid. Yours?" The now known Luther replied before asking Leo the same question.
"Leopold, nice to meet you Luther." He replied before extending his arm for a handshake.
Luther accepted the offer before shooing the two off. "You best get going. I don't want to make that old hag wait any longer than she needs to." He told them as they left.
Once they left the shop, Raphtalia turned to Leo before suggesting him something.
"Master Leo, since you can't read Melromarc's language, I can help teach you. I don't remember much, but we could learn it together nonetheless." She told him, hoping he would take her up on her offer.
"Really? Well, if that's the case, then we've got some work to do when we get some free time. This grimoire may hold the keys to the secrets of medicine I need in order to get better quality pills." He said, holding up the book before adding it to his backpack, placing it next to where his journal was located.
Raphtalia seemed to jump for joy at the prospect of being able to be closer to Leo, even if it was just to help read a book. Careful to not damage the egg that was still in her hands, she quickly calmed down just enough to see the witch's shop.
"Raphtalia, we're on approach. Let's make sure to keep this witch on our good side, as we'll need all the allies we can get." Leo sternly told her, waiting for her response.
"Understood. Since she has something for us as well, I'm pretty sure she's already on our side." Raphtalia said, giving her own input.
"Well, let's hope to keep it that way." Leo said before opening the door, entering the magic shop.
Once they entered, Leo couldn't help but notice how the inside seemed like it had been ripped right out of Harry Potter. From the crystal ball, to the different trinkets, potions, and possible spell books. Yep, just like Harry Potter. Leo concluded.
"Ah, the shield hero and his companion! Welcome to my store." Said a stout lady with brown hair and clothing that made her look like a stereotypical witch.
"Hello there ma'am. Are you the witch that had Luther send us to?" Leo asked her, making sure they went to the right place.
"Yes, I am. My name is Matilda, and I have to thank you, Sir Shield Hero, for helping my grandson back in Lute Village during the wave. It was thanks to you and your tanuki friend that I can see him once more. So in return, I was thinking that I take a look at what your magical affinities are, Sir Shield Hero." Matilda said as she smiled at the young man who stood before her.
Turning to Raphtalia, she just simply nodded before he turned back to face her.
"I don't see why not. And since we're on a first name basis, then mines Leopold. Nice to meet you Matilda." The soldier said, extending his arm for yet another handshake. Just like the apothecary, she took it, shook it, and let go.
"Alrighty then, if you would step over here please." The witch requested, motioning for the pair to come closer towards the crystal ball on the counter.
"Just go ahead and place a hand atop the crystal ball, then we can get started." Matilda said, smiling sweetly at Leo. Doing as she said, Leo placed his hand on the crystal ball. Once that was done, Matilda began inciting a incantation that Leo could not pick up on. Once the incantation was done, Matilda was able to see what forms of magic Leo held.
"My my, Sir Shield Hero, it seems that you have a rare affinity for both healing and supportive magic. That doesn't come at too much of a surprise, considering you are a cardinal hero, as well as what weapon you were chosen for." The witch informed him, earning a smile from the man.
"Well, thank you for the update ma'am. I have a question though. Even though those are my affinities, is it possible to learn other styles of magic?" Leo asked, hoping that she would say yes. His hopes were quickly crushed at her response.
"Sorry Sir Leopold, but I have never heard or seen someone be able to use magic outside their own affinities, so I don't believe so." Matilda replied, her smile disappearing for a moment as she broke him the bad news.
Leo just shrugged in response. "Well, if that's the case, then I can't be sad about it. If my role is to be a medic, then I'll be a medic, no shame in that. That just means that I have one of the most important jobs in the field." He stated calmly, backing away from the orb.
"Now then, let's check your tanuki friend's affinities, shall we?" Matilda asked, motioning for Raphtalia to come forward. Passing their monster egg to Leo for a moment, she took a step up to the crystal ball, repeating the same process of placing her hand upon it.
"Oh my, it seems like the lady has quite the rare combination indeed. Her affinities are light and dark magic, and while it's not surprising to have either as a raccoon demi - human, her having both truly is something special. So, with this combination, she could easily learn illusion magic, so make sure to focus on that, ok dear?" She asked Raphtalia.
Raphtalia did a singular nod before replying to the witch. "Will do ma'am. Thank you for the information." She said with a smile.
"Oh, it's no problem dear. Like I said earlier, just something to do to show my appreciation for helping my grandson. Oh! Before I forget, there is something I would like for you to take." She said, reaching down below the counter for a certain object. "With all that, I would like for you two to have this. This is a magic grimoire, similar to that of Luther's medical one that he should have given you, but this one allows you to unlock magic spells associated with your affinity." Matilda informed them, placing the book on the counter.
Taking the book with his open hand, Leo held it up to his face before stuffing in his pack, right next to the other two books he owned.
"Thank you very much ma'am. We'll make sure to put this to good use." Leo said, grateful to have another ally in this God forsaken world.
"As I said earlier, it's no problem dearie. Although, I do wish I could give you a crystal ball. Sadly, the royal court ordered so many of them, that this one here is my last. I was told that they planned to give them to each of the heroes." Matilda informed them.
"Really? This is the first time I've heard of them. The King more than likely kept them away from me and only gave them to the other three heroes just to spite me. He already hates me for some unknown reason, besides the trial, I just wish I could find out why." Leo said, placing his hand to his head in thought.
"Well, while learning from a grimoire is harder, it certainly pays off. If you keep at it and work hard enough, you can learn as many spells as you want. And you two seem like the type who work hard for even the smallest of things, so you'll be fine. I believe you can do it." The witch said, resolve and a newfound vigor covering her words.
"We'll thank you ma'am. We'll be sure to put all this stuff to use. Again, thanks for all your help Miss Matilda." Leo said as they left her shop, gifts stored and knowledge gained.
Stepping outside, Leo and Raphtalia felt a slight breeze, which gave off an aura of calm as they walked through the streets of the capitol. No words were exchanged, so as to not disturb the peace they both felt at that moment. Raphtalia simply smiled, her bob cut blowing with the wind. Leo had to admit, with the way the sunlight seemed to reflect off her, she seemed… beautiful. Smiling as well, Leo raised his arms and removed his goggles, placing them over the spot where they belonged on his helmet. As soon as he did, the world seemed to grow brighter, the tint of the goggles no longer obstructing his vision of the city. His emerald green eyes took in everything, from the color of the sky, to the buildings that surrounded him. Nothing could stop him, and nothing would stop him. To Leo, the world seemed just right, and with Raphtalia at his side, life couldn't have been better.
On the outskirts of the nearby Village of Lute, Leo and Raphtalia had begun to try and read one of their new books. Setting his bag down next to him, Leo took a seat against the trunk of a tree while taking out the magic grimoire. Raphtalia had taken a seat on his opposite side, the egg being placed on top of his backpack. Opening the book, he got the same message as he did for the medical version.
Failed to Translate
Leo sighed, his eyes closing as he exhaled. "It's going to take months for me to learn this world's language, and we don't have that kind of time. If only there was a skill that translated this world's writing into Polish, then we wouldn't have to worry." He said, flipping through the book.
Leaning close, Raphtalia placed a hand on his shoulder before she gave a response. "Well, like I said, we can learn about it together. I can teach you what I remember. Think about it as me repaying you for teaching me everything I know today." She said, a smile forming on her lips.
"Alright then, I guess that'll be our plan for this stuff. Since it's getting late however, let's go spend the night in Lute Village. Tomorrow, we need to get back to work on our levels. Even if the next Wave is in a month, I feel like that should be our main focus on that for the time being. Learning the language can come later, as I already know how to make different types of pills." Leo replied as he stood up.
Popping his back, he grabbed the monster egg before handing it to Raphtalia. Once she took it, he took hold of one of his pack's straps, hoisting it across his back, and put it on. Nodding, Raphtalia began to walk to Lute's main entrance, this time Leo being the one to follow.
"So, tomorrow, here's the plan. At 0600, we wake up, do our normal exercise routine, and then get some breakfast. I was thinking that we should try and do it quicker than normal, so we can head out and start leveling up at around 0700 or 0730. There's a new shield that I've been anticipating to unlock since I first got summoned." Leo informed Raphtalia as they walked along the path.
"Sounds good. Hopefully we'll find some higher level monsters to fight. We really need to start catching up to your fellow heroes, Master Leo." She replied, watching him as he took a look through his status menu. She already knew that look, the one of concentration as he continued to read through his shield's and their effects.
Closing the menu, Leo shook his head in agreement. "Likewise. I mean, I saw that Motoyasu was already level 43 before our duel. I'm sure Malty had a part to play in that, probably showing him all the better areas to level up." Leo said in response to her comment.
As they entered the village, they made their way to the local inn. Once they entered, they saw that it was nearly empty, as most of the employees had gone home for the night. The only one left seemed to be the one operating the counter. Lifting his head at the new arrivals, he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Ah, Sir Shield Hero! Welcome, welcome. What can I do for our town's savior?" The innkeeper asked the pair.
"Well, we're looking for a place to stay the night. We were wondering if you had any rooms available?" Leo asked the man in a calm voice, trying to not wake any of the other patrons who were probably sleeping.
"Actually, we do, although it's only a one bed room. Is that ok with you?" the innkeeper asked them.
Taking a look towards Raphtalia for her input on the situation, she just shrugged nonchalantly, as if to say she didn't mind. At the same time however, her mind was going haywire.
WhydidIdothatwe'regoingtobesleepinginthesamebedohnothisisbad! Raphtalia put on a sweet smile, if only to mask how much she was internally screaming at the idea of her and Leo sleeping in the same bed for a night.
Turning back to the front desk, Leo addressed the innkeeper. "Alright then. I can just sleep on the floor, I have my sleeping bag, so that won't be a problem."
"Well then, if that's the case, then here you go, Sir Hero." The innkeeper said as he gave Leo the key to their room. With a nod, Leo and Raphtalia quickly and quietly made their way to the room. As described, it had a single bed, a dresser, and desk. Taking off his backpack and placing it against the wall, Leo removed the sleeping bag from the bottom, laying it out across the ground.
"Go ahead and leave the egg on the dresser. It'll be fine for the night." Leo told Raphtalia as he finished setting up his spot for sleep. "I'm going to make some extra healing pills for us for tomorrow." He said, taking out some of the ingredients required. He then took out the magic grimoire and handed it over to Raphtalia. "You can either try and learn some new spells or get some sleep. The choice is yours." He added. Taking a seat, Leo began to create the process of crafting the pills, hoping to get some that were of higher quality.
Removing her boots, Raphtalia laid down in the bed, the moonlight shining through the window. Opening the grimoire, she began to try and translate it. As she flipped through the pages, she realized something was off about the wording of each spell.
None of this makes sense. Each word is just a scramble of different letters. Raphtalia thought as she kept flipping through the pages. Yeah, none of the words look right. I wonder why… As she kept going from one page to another, the softness of the bed suddenly felt appealing. Laying the book on top of the blankets which covered her, she soon drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
Upon not hearing any of the pages of the grimoire flip, Leo stopped what he was doing and turned around in his chair, looking over at Raphtalia. What he saw was the raccoon in question lightly snoring, the moonlight from the window reflecting off her face, similar to the sun from earlier in the day. The magic grimoire was strewn across her torso, the blankets being the only thing stopping it from falling off her sleeping form.
She deserves it. We've been going through everything almost non stop, that we haven't had any time to properly rest and relax. Her especially, with the wave, the banquet , and then the duel. I'm sure she's exhausted. Leo thought as he turned back to his pill station. Taking a look at what he had made, Leo soon found himself surprised at what he saw.
Healing Pill x 13
Quality: Good x 7, Very Good x 5, Great x 1
Leo took hold of the great quality pill for a moment. Shocked beyond belief, Leo couldn't comprehend the fact that he had managed to make his first high quality pill. Smiling in success, Leo realized just how many ingredients he had left.
Well, that's it then. Guess I should finally get some sleep. I feel like I've earned it. Leo thought as he dragged himself to his sleeping bag. Removing his boots like Raphtalia, he slipped into the comfy source of bedding, before he himself fell asleep.
The sound of an egg cracking woke Leo up from his beauty sleep. Taking a look at his nixie watch, he wondered just what time it was. The orange glowing numbers answered his question for him.
05:50
Welp, right now is the best time to get up anyway. Turning to face the source, Leo saw that it actually was an egg cracking. More specifically, their monster egg. Getting up, Leo's excitement began to grow, as did his curiosity for what they were going to get.
"Raphtalia, wake up!" Leo said in a loud whisper, hoping the sleeping raccoon would hear him. When her raccoon ears flinched, he saw that she had begun to wake up, albeit, slower than normal for such a case.
Hm, she must have been really exhausted if she didn't wake up wide and alert. Leo thought for a moment.
"What is it, Master Leo?" Raphtalia asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. As she stood up and walked next to him, she saw what had made her master wake her up. The monster egg shell had many small cracks in it, as if the creature inside was doing everything in its power to escape its tiny prison. Suddenly, after a small piece of the egg broke off, the entire shell shattered, as a small pink bird emerged from it.
"Piu!" The small bird exclaimed as it broke out from the white shell. Taking a step back, obviously not used to seeing a fully grown bird explode out of its shell, Leo silently compared the tiny thing to a pink baby chick.
"Piu!" The baby bird said once more before leaping into the air. After a moment of "flying," the baby filoilial landed on Leo's dark brown hair. What came next, however, was what made Leo slightly annoyed. The baby filolial then began rubbing itself on the man's head, all the while exclaiming "Pi! Pi!" over and over again.
"Wow, it's such a cute filolial Master Leo!" Raphtalia said as she watched the bird continue to rub itself on Leo's head.
Reaching up and grabbing the bird, Leo used a hand to ruffle any feathers that could have gotten into his hair before stating, "It sure is. All I hope is that it can actually help in a fight, as well as be a sizable mode of transportation."
"Yeah, but first, we need to give it a name." Raphtalia informed him.
"Your right, but even before that, we should get it some food. I'm sure it's got to be hungry." Leo said. Going over and placing the pink bird on the ground, Leo put on and laced his boots before grabbing hold of his backpack, putting it on. The last addition was his helmet, which easily slid over his head as he strapped it into place.
"Alright, let's go get some breakfast." He told the two.
"Yes sir." "Pi!" Raphtalia and her pink counterpart said at the same time.
What Leo did not realize however, was how his day would go, and how their little bird friend would grow with it.
The day's events did not go as Leo had initially planned it the previous day. When the trio had gone to get breakfast from the inn's main lobby, the small bird ate an entire bowl of food on her own. When they had left the inn to go farming in the fields nearby, the group were ambushed by a small pack of wolves. Raphtalia, who had dispatched the wolves in no more than ten minutes, began cutting up the bodies so Leo could absorb them. To their shock, their filolial had eaten three of the seven bodies, all within the span of forty five seconds.
After a lengthy day of leveling up, in which Leo had managed to get to level 23, while Raphtalia managed to gain enough XP to reach level 27, their filoilial had even gained enough XP to reach level 12. Once their training and leveling had finished for the day, the trio went back to the inn, hungry beyond belief. Raphtalia and Leo ordered a slightly more expensive meal than normal to help quench their hunger, but their filolial had other plans. That thing downed over five bowls of the same meal before it finally gave in, falling asleep. The duo called it quits for the day, still wondering just what they had gotten themselves into.
The next day, they group had woke up only for their bird to be a fully grown adult, which spanned an upwards of around 6 feet when standing up. This was when Raphtalia had the bright idea to try and ride it, which Leo agreed to test. After making their way out towards the field, leaving Leo's backpack behind, said man got onto the filiolial in a similar manner to that of a horse. Bad decision. Upon being set up, the filolial shot forward, faster than almost any known animal known to man. The beast only stopped once Leo wrapped his arms around its neck and pulled back. Once they came to a complete stop, Leo turned back, and saw that they were over a few hundred yards from their original position, and in nine seconds no less. Finally returning to Lute Village, the two soldiers placed their filolial in a partially rebuilt stable, finally conversing about the beast in question.
"I'm honestly surprised. She grew up faster in two days than even me, Master Leo!" Raphtalia exclaimed, shock, as well as awe, taking hold of her face.
"I know right? It was probably with the help of that growth boost skill I obtained after absorbing this things' egg shells. Ain't that right Filo?" Leo replied then asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise as well.
The bird, now named Filo, just chirped, or something similar, in response.
"Really Master Leo? Filo? That's so unoriginal." Raphtalia commented after learning their filolials name.
Leo just shrugged in response, causing Raphtalia to roll her eyes. As the two continued looking over Filo, a nearby villager spotted something coming towards the front gate of the town.
"What the, why are the knights here?" The blonde haired villager asked his compatriots. That question was what caught Leo and Raphtalia's attention.
Great question. Why are the royal knights here of all places?
"Due to his bravery and exploits during the previous Wave, the King has decreed that the Spear Hero, Sir Motoyasu, become the new ruling lord of this region." Proudly stated the red haired witch, Malty. Next to her was Motoyasu himself atop a dragon. As Malty continued, the crowd began to talk amongst itself at the royal creed.
"In order to help with the rebuilding process of this village, Sir Motoyasu and I have come up with a toll. The price for such a toll will be fifty silvers for every time a person enters and leaves the village." Malty then stated firmly. This statement managed to anger some in the crowd.
"But that's too much! We won't be able to buy food after that!" Someone from the crowd exclaimed.
"Quiet peasant! Do you wish to defy Sir Motoyasu's orders? Orders from a cardinal hero himself?!" Malty shouted into the crowd. One voice in particular rose above all others.
"You bet your ass we will!" Leo shouted from the back. The moment his voice was heard, the crowd turned in astonishment at the Shield Hero helping them once again.
This time, it was Malty's turn to be surprised. "Ugh, the Shield Hero. What are you of all people doing here? As you heard, this is Sir Motoyasu's land, so you have no right to be here any longer. Begone!" She shouted at him.
"Yeah no, I don't think so. While your status as princess may work on others, it won't work here. So either you leave now, or I won't send you running with your tail between your legs." Leo shouted in response at her. He quickly turned to Motoyasu next before shouting at him as well. "Hey, Blondee McFuckface! Do you have any clue as to how much a night at the inn, as well as a meal here costs?" Leo yelled at him insultingly.
At this, Motoyasu looked confused, as if he couldn't understand what Leo was getting at.
Sighing, Leo answered for him as he raised his hand, holding up his middle finger. "One. It costs one silver you ignorant fool! By charging fifty silver to enter and leave, you're charging over one hundred nights worth of silver!" Leo exclaimed, showing just how little Motoyasu knew of the economic status of the area. Raphtalia couldn't help but stifle a chuckle at Leo's actions.
Before Malty or Motoyasu could retort, the crowd began shouting at them in anger. As their complaints kept coming, Malty attempted to make them all shut up.
"You dare defy a royal decree?!" Malty shouted, raising her hand. At that signal, the royal knights accompanying her raised their weapons at the crowd of villagers. Many of them looked astonished at the fact that she was willing to use force against them, while others became more angry at the sight of the tridents.
"Raphtalia, aim!" Leo shouted towards his companion. Not a moment too soon, Raphtalia's pistol was in her hands, aiming directly at Malty's head.
"If you do this, I will have no choice but to fire! You know what? That doesn't sound like too bad of an option. So, if you care for your life, stand down!" Raphtalia declared at the knights, but more specifically at Malty. Malty, upon seeing the Glock in her hands, froze, knowing first hand just how dangerous such a move was.
Seems like the bitch has some brains after all. Guess there's one thing she cares for more than her boy toy. Leo thought, relieved at Malty's reaction.
Before the situation could escalate or de - escalate any further, five cloaked figures came raining down, landing on the platform. Once Malty saw who they were, her fear rose to a whole new level. The figure in the center looked up, staring Malty in the eye.
"I trust you know who we are, and who we represent, Princess Malty?" The feminine voice asked.
Malty, who was shaking a little, with her arm still raised, shakily responded. "W- why are you h- here?" She asked the shadows. Without speaking, the center shadow provided an elegant scroll to the princess.
A thought quickly entered Leo's mind. Wait just a second, who are they? You know what, doesn't matter. If bitch seems scared of them, then maybe I could get them as more allies.
Taking the scroll, Malty opened it before reading. As she read it, her fear left her, as her anger quickly spiked.
"But how… how can this be possible…" Malty said, her fists tightening as she continued fuming. Lower the scroll, she pointed towards Leo, Raphtalia's pistol having been re - holstered when the cloaked figures initially came.
"Shield Hero! We challenge you to a race for control over the village! Or are you too afraid to participate?" Malty exclaimed, taunting Leo with a smile.
Stepping forward, Leo extended his arms as if to say 'Come at me bro.' "Alright then. If it means I can keep these people safe from your greedy, grubby little hands, then fine. Just tell me when and where, as I'll beat you both any day." Leo retorted, not even skipping a beat on his response.
Fuming, Malty's anger just seemed like it could no longer be contained. If any fear remained within her system, it was easily lost.
"Then do so right now you filthy criminal!" The princess exclaimed before turning around and walking out of the village.
Just outside the main gate of the village, Motoyasu's dragon and Leo's filolial were waiting as the track was being set up for the race. Rubbing Filo's neck, Motoyasu spoke up next to him.
"Wow, that's so lame. You really think that bird can beat a dragon? I mean, it's not even a purebred, look at the pink on its chest." Motoyasu said, overconfidence filling his voice.
Before Leo could respond, the greatest thing to have ever happened in Leo's life, well, happened. With one strong kick, Filo smashed her talons against Motoyasu's crotch, sending him literally flying into a haystack, all the while he was in excruciating pain. As the blonde man landed, Leo could overhear Malty screaming for someone with healing magic to come help Motoyasu and his… hurt pride.
Leo on the other hand just hunched over laughing, Raphtalia following suit at what had just occurred.
"I- if that's not k - karma, then I- I don't know what is!" Leo exclaimed as he laughed. After taking a moment to calm down, Leo mounted his horse, or in this case, his bird, with Motoyasu doing the same thing with his dragon on his right.
"The race will be three laps around the entire village! The first person to cross this gate on the third lap will be declared the winner!" The village elder informed.
"I hope you're ready to lose, Leo. Everyone knows that a dragon is superior to some dumb bird." Motoyasu stated as he peered over at Leo.
"Heh, we'll see, cause unlike dragons, birds still exist, the eagle being a prime example of strength." Leo retorted as the village elder raised his arms to countdown.
"3! 2! 1! Go!" He announced. The second he finished, both racers were off, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.
With Leo in the lead, Filo's talons were picking up dirt and dust, blocking the Spear Idiot - I mean Hero's - sight. As the race continued, the spectators could see large mounds of earth being shot up into the air at the sheer force of the two competitors' rides.
As they managed to get close to the end of their fist lap, a hole suddenly appeared in Filo's path, forcing her to lose balance and fall over as she avoided it, Leo flying off as well.
Dammit, why am I not surprised. Should've seen that coming from a mile away. Leo thought. "Filo, on your feet! We're losing ground to that dragon. You don't want to lose to a dragon now, do you?" Leo asked as he got back onto Filo. With a new resolve, Filo shot forward, pushing herself to her max in order to catch up. This seemed to work, as within fifteen seconds of getting up, they had already caught up and even slightly surpassed Motoyasu.
Raphtalia, who had witnessed the whole thing, saw a knight walk off to another part of the course. Curious, she silently followed him. As she snuck up behind him, she could hear him begin an incantation. She was not going to let that slide.
Taking out her combat knife, she held it to his throat. "Cheating are we? Do you really want to go through with that?" She asked tauntingly, smiling all the while.
"Wait, please, I have a family. Please don't kill me." The knight said as he panicked, sweat rolling down his forehead.
Smiling innocently, she watched as Leo passed her position before releasing the man.
As Leo and Filo ran past the gate, signalling their second lap, the dirt that was kicked up sprayed into Malty's face, forcing her to cover her eyes and cough heavily.
As they made their way around the course and into their third lap, Raphtalia had been scouting for any other people who may be attempting to cheat Leo out of his victory. Oh how great she felt when she caught another knight attempting to use a speed spell on Motoyasu's dragon. Sneaking up on him as well, she put the knight into the exact same position as his predecessor.
Struggling, the man attempted to insult the female soldier. "Damn demi - human, let me go! I'll have your head for this." He said, the fear all too evident behind his empty threat.
Leaning in close so he got the message, Raphtalia gave a threat of her own.
"Not unless I have yours first." She simply stated. That one line was enough to scare the knight so much, that he actually pissed his pants. Letting the man go, he dropped to the ground, dazed. Delivering a nice hard kick to his head, Raphtalia knocked him out cold. Before the race could end, she went back to the finish line to cheer for Leo as he kept his lead on his opponent.
As Filo had crossed the finish line, the village erupted in cheers for Leo's victory.
"Sir Shield Hero, that was great! Thank you for doing this. Without the princess getting our way, we can focus on rebuilding our village!" The elder exclaimed, excited that he didn't have to deal with any of the royalty any longer.
Climbing off of Filo, Leo took a breath of victory before replying. "It wasn't a problem. However, if there's anyone you should thank, it's Filo here for winning the ra-" He was cut off when he noticed a green light encompass where Filo had been standing. Now, instead of an ostrich - like bird, something more akin to an owl stood there, even taller than before.
"You cheater! You never told us that your filolial was in actuality this giant tub of lard you call a bird." Malty accused Leo.
"On the contrary, I believe you were the one who cheated, Princess." Raphtalia called out. "I managed to stop two of your royal knights from interfering with the race." Raphtalia informed. Leo smirked, proud at Raphtalia's actions. Without her, there was more than likely a chance he would have lost.
Before Malty could give some snarky response, the cloaked figures from before once again reappeared, giving information on what they had done.
"The tanuki is correct in her call. We found traces of magic in the course, as well as an unconscious knight who we woke up and questioned, therefore confirming with demi - humans information." One of the cloaked figures, the female from before, reported.
Malty looked like she was going to blow a fuse at essentially being called out as a big cheat. Without anything else to say, Malty just turned and began to leave the village, her knights following her out.
Motoyasu was the one who walked up next to them before telling Leo and Raphtalia, "Remember, I let you win that race. Next time though, I'm going to go all out."
"Yeah yeah, keep telling yourself that. And before you say anything else, I'm sure your one millimeter wonder wouldn't like to take another hit from Filo now, would it?" Leo asked as he smirked behind his facemask. Motoyasu, afraid for his manhood, looked like a vain was about to burst in his forehead before jogging off, catching up to Malty. Raphtalia just turned to Leo, smiled, said "Nice," and held out a hand for a fistbump, which he eagerly took.
Once Motoyasu had left the scene, the village elder was the next person to come up to the trio.
"Sir Shield Hero, as stated before, the entire village thanks you once again for saving us. We are truly grateful for everything you have done for us." The old man said as he smiled.
Sighing, Leo just felt like he had to do something more for these people. Taking out over two hundred silver, he handed it to the older man before stating, "Here, this is my personal gift to the rebuilding fund. You'll find two hundred silver in that bag, all I ask in return is that cart over there so we can travel around and make some more money." He said as he pointed to the broken down cart.
"Thank you so much Sir Shield Hero! And of course, just give us a few minutes and we'll have it ready for you." The elder said as he motioned for some of the villagers to get working on the cart.
"That was so kind of you Master Leo. Why did you do it though?" Raphtalia asked him, a confused look placed upon her face.
"Well, after everything they've done for us, I felt like we kinda owed them. From the inn, the cart, and the whole royalty ordeal, I think they deserved our help. I mean, we aren't exactly swimming in cash, but we can spare a few to help this place rebuild." Leo said as he explained his actions.
It's like I thought earlier, maybe our luck is truly turning around.
Author's Note: Finally! We got to see Filo's first appearance, as well as how Raphtalia's quick aging process is affecting her maturity when not in a serious situation or combat zone. She may be part soldier now, but I think we can all agree when I say that, no matter how much training she gets in order to be a better fighter, she'll still be the same innocent raccoon fluffball we all know from canon lore. Also, I personally found Filo a little more on the annoying side in the anime, so I'm going to tone it down a little bit. Her over the top personality wasn't bad, if anything, it was what helped define her character, it was just that alongside her disobeying almost EVERYTHING that was told to her, she would only fall in line for food. Anyway, stay safe, bye!