Chapter II: Meeting Shulk's Friends
Reyn went to the Military District to do drills while Shulk and I were standing outside of Colony 9. I was left wondering what to do next, as the entire town was bustling and saw that my clothes were fairly out of place.
"Shulk, is this the commercial district?"
"Yes, it is."
"Let me get some clothes."
Shulk showed me to the store where I got a shirt that looked exactly out of The Three Musketeers, complete with a hat.
"It's the cheapest, but also the most protective! Only problem is that, it was in fashion about 20 years ago.", chided the storekeeper.
"Ok with me. Shulk, can I borrow a bit of your money?"
"Augustine, I'll let you be my guest for a bit."
"Thanks! You're awesome! By the way, how do you get money?"
"People just ask you to kill monsters, or look for things, and if you do that, or return the items, they give you money. Usually 1000 gold, but Dickson said that some people pay higher."
Thanking Shulk, we walked through the commercial district, and I marveled at how large the Colony was.
"Shulk, about Dunban, it there anything else to him that I should know? Reyn talked about this thing called a Monado and it being a sword? What is it?"
"It's the only sword that can destroy Mechon, the beings of Mechonis. It also kind of has powers as it can enhance blades to also damage Mechon. The Monado also caused Dunban, the greatest fighter in Colony 9, as Reyn said, to lose the use of his right arm. His younger sister takes care of him."
Shulk obviously was having a flashback in that time as he looked lost in thought.
"Shulk look out!", I warned. He jumped back as he was about to run straight into the railing of a bridge that led to the Military District.
"He said that I am the one going to wield it next."
"What? The Monado?"
"Yes.", we kept walking until the Military District, where Shulk saw someone who he probably knew.
"You idiots! What the hell are you playing at? Crashing the mobile artillery into a house?! How long have you been in the force? ", a man with a red mustache shouted.
"Sorry sir, it's just that we were trying to go as fast as we could. Like you ordered…", one of his subordinates replied.
"You're a disgrace to the uniform! Are you forgetting the shame you brought on this colony in joint maneuvers with Colony 6? Stick your back into it, maggots! You better move the artillery back to the district, and I want press-ups until your biceps explode!"
"But sir, we can't move the artillery.", one of the other men said.
"You better give a damn good reason why not!"
"The ether cylinders ran out!"
The colonel cursed again, and hit both of the soldiers. Wincing, Shulk and I kept on moving to the Military District where Shulk saw a man named Dickson. They apparently were close to each other, and again talked about the Monado. I thought, If one more person says crap about the Monado, I will freaking SCREAM! The talk died down and Shulk said that we should go to a park outside of the colony instead.
"Shulk, why?"
"Dickson is basically my adoptive father. I should probably do whatever he says as he is the man who saved me from death when I was younger."
Shulk and I walked to Outlook Park, where we both sat on a bench, I was arguing with him that the Monado was another sword and you only needed skill to wield it, while he said, "Well, you try it next time we're down there!"
"Ok, maybe I will!"
"Shulk!"
Shulk and I turned our heads to look at the girl, or should I say woman who was greeting us. The girl had blonde hair and green eyes, and was about five foot three, or four inches shorter than me. She was wearing red suspenders with a white shirt which slightly revealed her midriff. She was holding up a paper bag which apparently contained a sandwich. She held it up while Shulk said, "Fiora!"
"Shulk, you have a lot of friends in this place!", I told him aloofly.
"Shulk, who is this?", Fiora inquired.
"Oh, this is Augustine. I found him in the Mechon scrapyard, but he still has not told me where he is from yet."
"Wait, I can't remember where I am, but it will probably come back to me in a few hours. I remember though that I came here with one other person."
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find them.", Fiora chimed in. "Anyway, I'll give Shulk this sandwich that I made him."
"This is great! It tastes so good!", Shulk exclaimed.
"Really? You say that every day."
I was standing on the side, notwithstanding and rolling my eyes at the two, as they basically looked like a married couple.
"Not quite, it's always delicious, but to day it is amazing.", Shulk clarified.
"Thank goodness! I used some special herbs and spices today. So if you said that it was just the same as usual, then I'd know for sure that you had no taste."
Shulk and I stood there looking at each other as I thought it was weird that these two friends, or maybe more than that, would be testing each others sense of taste.
"Why do you think Shulk has no sense of taste?", I asked
"Oh, nothing.", she answered. "The breeze feels so good."
"Yes, I think I've forgotten what it feels like. I never knew that it could be so quiet here."
"I agree with both of you. Shulk, it is so peaceful here, there is just the birds singing and the breeze. Fiora, it is also so calm here." I answered.
"Augustine, you are an interesting person, I hope you could stay in the colony. This way, you can experience how it is."
At that moment, a siren rang. I jumped up.
"Guys, are we under attack from those Mechanos things?" I asked, clutching my unstrung bow.
"No, you silly! That is only the debris siren. Even though there hasn't been a lot falling lately..." Fiora answered.
"Yes, we should hurry back to the lab. The anti-air can't protect us out here."
"Cool, Shulk.", I replied. "So, Fiora… do you have any siblings?" I asked, trying to make small talk.
"Wait, Shulk didn't tell you that Dunban is my brother?"
"No. He only said that Dunban is one of the most excellent swordsmen in the colony. I would like to fence him one day..."
"Fiora, remember Augustine is a fencer. He helped me in one of my fights against a c-ca-caterpile."
How odd, why is Shulk stuttering at the word caterpile? Is he afraid of them or not? The three of us walked on, and kept talking.
"Shulk, thanks for showing me the shop for the arrows! I also love how here, the arrows are free, even though I can still run out of them, but that's not that much of a problem."
We then walked and saw a few bunnits, where we attacked, as a man said he would give 500 gold to kill some bunnits.
Fiora got out both of her daggers, while I got out my rapier, and Shulk got out his junk sword. One of the bunnits charged at me, where I just extended my arm and it ran through my blade, killing it instantly. Fiora then toppled her bunnit, while Shulk used a backslash on it. It was a glancing blow. Fiora then dazed the bunnit, while Shulk then stabbed it using slit edge, killing it.
"That was easy."
"Let's press on and on and on!"
"To victory.", I finished.
The three of us walked through the town, getting more of people's requests. Someone asked to find their key, and we laughed after finding right behind their own house in the Residential District. Walking to the Military District we looked, but apparently neither Shulk or Fiora saw that familiar presence.
"Fiora, do you know where Reyn is? He should be doing drills."
"Why should we worry? Vangarre probably put him on a random assignment!"
We walked down to the Lab where Reyn was holding the Monado. So this is the Monado, I thought. It was a red two handed sword, that had a circle in the middle. When Reyn touched it, the circle in the middle changed to some character and a bright blue blade came out of the sword. Not in control Reyn was being "led" by the Monado, as the sword was cutting everything up. Fiora hid behind a metal wall while Shulk was shouting at Reyn to put the Monado down. Reyn, still not controlling the sword, cut into me, where it injured me. Bouncing off of me, it then cut through the piece of metal that Fiora was hiding behind, then hit her. The hit just bounced off of her, where she stood, while she looked dumbfounded.
"Goodness...", Fiora breathed.
"Excuse me, it's not like I'm bleeding out or anything!", I breathed, annoyed.
"Well, it isn't that bad. You only need a bandage, but I'm okay." Fiora answered back.
"It's broken! My equipment! My lab! Reyn! What were you doing?"
"Sorry. You weren't here, so I thought I could just use the Monado..."
"Reyn, I'm usually here, but sometimes even I need fresh air too!"
"Shulk, why are you worried about your equipment more than Augustine or I?", Fiora was walking up to Shulk, while he was carrying the Monado.
"Uhhh..." Shulk answered, while Fiora was right in her face.
"Excuse me? Where are the bandages?" I inquired.
"Oh, right there." He pointed.
Walking over to the place that Shulk pointed, I got myself a bandage and dressed my wound on my arm. Then, I heard Reyn shouting.
"Shulk!"
I turned and saw Shulk bow his head down, and his eyes grow blue. When that happened, the Monado then ignited. Promptly, I then blacked out.
"NO!" A woman who I thought I knew said, while a scene of a tan woman shooting a rifle was there.
"Whatever happens, stay by me!" I said, Shulk, Reyn, and a little berry were
surrounding me.
"Born in a world of strife, against the odds, we choose to fight! Blossom Dance!" A man with long hair swung three times with his left hand.
A woman then took a parry prime, and with that sliced through a robot.
"But of course I want my revenge!" As a woman with silver hair turned away, looking disappointed.
For some strange reason, I promptly woke up. Shulk also seemed to come out of a trance too.
"What happened?" I asked.
"I don't know, you two just didn't respond." Reyn answered.
"Did you see that?" Shulk warily asked.
"Yes." I answered.
"No" came the collective response of both Fiora and Reyn.
"That's weird." I responded.
"Anyway, no matter how good a sword is, if it does stuff like that, then maybe only Dunban can wield it!" Reyn piped up.
"I will never let my brother wield that sword again!" Fiora said, nearly shouting.
"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
"Look, don't worry. Anyway, what are you here to ask me about?" Shulk pressed.
"Old square-tache has me on punishment duty. Fancy tagging along?"
"Punishment? The colonel was pretty angry today. Did he hit you?"
"Whether he hit me is neither here or there, really..."
"I hope you didn't get hurt that bad, even if you are Reyn." Fiora teased.
"Hey! Anyway, whether he hit me is neither here or there, really...Although actually he did end up hitting me. And that ain't all, he made me do a thousand press-ups and sit-ups."
"Nasty. Does this mean you have to go off and collect ether cylinders?" Shulk replied.
"Is that the big machine that crashed in the Residential District?" Fiora asked.
"Yeah, probably." Shulk answered.
"You know your way around there, right Shulk?" Reyn asked.
"Of course."
"Hold on. The Mag Mell Ruins are in Tephra Cave, right? I heard that there's a Mell Lizard nest there. I couldn't take it if anything happened to Shulk. He's delicate - not like you, Reyn."
"What are you on about?"
"Guys, hello? What are these Mag Mell Ruins? I don't see any ruins anywhere, like ruined buildings, broken streets, stuff like that." I asked.
"Augustine do you want to go?" Reyn asked?
"Of course, I would love to." I answered. "How do we get there?" I asked.
"You walk there, to the cave on the top of the colony." Reyn replied. "Anyway, Fiora I'll make you a promise. Shulk won't even get a scratch. I will protect the both of them."
"A promise doesn't mean much coming from you." Fiora answered. "A promise doesn't mean much coming from you!" She made that last parting shot. Suddenly, Fiora stormed out, apparently mad at Reyn.
"What was that for?" I inquired, wondering why Fiora didn't trust Reyn.
"Easy, he's Reyn." Shulk replied.
We all laughed, and set off for the Commercial District, wanting to get more chores for more money.
