The procession was made up of several people, but at the head were Ben, Marie, and Balmus, all of whom seemed to have a speech prepared as they presented the chest to us, extolling that each of their groups, the Hunters in the gathering of materials, the Adventurers in forging and refining, and the Church in blessing, had a hand in the creation of the gear we were about to receive.

I really had to try hard to keep a straight face through all this, given we'd gotten our last gear upgrades by just going to a spot and putting them on. I understood, of course, that this was different. The people of Sanctuary, all three groups, had to SEE how they had been of use to the Hero to really feel good about themselves, and to further solidify their place and position amongst the others.

Still, it was with some over the top presentation that the chest was opened, and out of it was pulled several bits of gear. The first, as it happened, was for Ray. I had requested very specific bonuses on her gear, but I hadn't helped with the planning of its look, so it was with some awe that I saw her gear was…very shiny. More so than I had expected, given I had expected her to go keep her tabard and full armor she had at the moment.

Instead, as she took it from Ben's hands, it looked like cloth at first, purple and shimmering, with a large headband with a horn on it. With a flourish that I could never hope to match Ray swirled it around, and then placed her hand on part of it, revealing the cloth was, in fact, magical in nature, as it folded and hardened into a pair of armored grieves at the touch of her magic, the purple metal glowing slightly, before she pulled back and let it return to cloth form.

Lucia's was even more interesting, given how simple it was. Black and red, it was her original outfit, the one she'd been wearing on the day we'd met. But it was…different too. It didn't take long to figure out that it was made of finer material obviously, but the way it sparked at her touch as she took hold of it from Balmus, also said it was more charged with magic than the even what she'd been wearing.

My outfit came next, and it was handed to me, with a dark look from Balmus at her back, by Marie, who smiled, commenting that I had unusual taste in armor, as she turned back, and the three leaders shouted again what the three groups had been able to forge together this day, and then pointedly looked back at us, obviously hoping for us to put on a show as we quickly ducked inside and began to robe ourselves in the new armor

Said armor was light, since we weren't a fighter heavy party, but watching as Lucia turned back into the woman I'd seen that first day was interesting, as was watching Ray slip into the purple cloth, which fit her well, and as she placed the headband with a horn on, it shone brightly for a moment, before she came to be wearing armored boots and gloves, as well as a breastplate, that seemed to leave the rest of her uncovered save a shimmer I could feel was magical, and likely offered more protection than an inch of steel, along with its other magical effects.

My own suit took a bit more time, as it was no smock or simple cloth. Unfolding it, I was shocked to see how well they'd made it, a credit to themselves and to Motoyasu's art skills. Still, it didn't take too long to place the inner shirt on, then the middle, and finally the coat, doing the buttons up one at a time. I even got the pants on easily enough, which was good given the last time I'd worn anything like these they'd been awfully tight.

The final bit was the shoes, tough leather things, which still fit like gloves, and even tingled a bit as the magic in them took hold, making me smile before I grabbed the last piece. I had wanted a neck covering to complete the look, but it turned out I had needed to use gems for this final effect, and so I had a broach instead, one that I slipped on, and then tugged, feeling a surge of power as all the effects activated.

Finally I stood up, looking up and down myself, wishing I had a mirror, but feeling the business suit I was wearing, while horribly out of place for the world, was still looking good enough even on my frame. Tugging a bit on the cufflinks, I pulled open my status, and with a smirk, nodded as the bonuses of the outfit began to list on my character sheet, showing not only a good bit of protection, which was a bonus, but also the three primary effects.

For myself, my effects were simple. The broach boosted my SP regeneration rate, and not in an inconsiderable amount. Better, the suit was several pieces that multiplied the effects of other pieces. Including multiplying the multiplication, which resulted in an SP regeneration rate that was only just shy of my maximum amount, meaning that I would be able to constantly use my skills from now on, no worrying about running out or having to ration it.

The final bit was the shoes. Fancy looking things, they completed the suit's image of a business suit, but they had one of the more interesting effects. They had what I called Feather Fall on them, meaning that, if I were to be in the air, I would drift downwards slowly, rather than dropping like a rock. The reason for that was two fold, as it would provide me an overwatch position of the battle in any terrain, so long as the enemy wasn't flying, and even more, I could use it to escape easily.

Lucia's look, while being her original, sparkled with lights on it, showing the magic that it was made with. Her gear, from the rings, to a similar broach to my own, to even the cord now tied around her hat was one that increased her MP regeneration. It wasn't nearly as much as what my SP got up to in proportion, but mixed with the Vassal Staff, which allowed her to level spells just by using them? She was a Goddess of War, just coming into her power, ready to reap the souls of her foes.

Finally there was Ray. She used her magic to cause the breastplate, boots, and gauntlets to appear and disappear for a moment, adjusting them as she did so, before nodding as she as able to cause the purple fabric to switch with a single thought, going from robes she wore, to her armor in a blink of an eye. In its robe form, the bonus was merely a small bump to her natural regeneration rate of her HP.

When deployed? It was a percentage based reduction in any damage directed her way. It was, sadly, not possible to block it completely, so even basic attacks would do one point of damage to her. Still being able to ignore the first thirty-seven points of any attack's damage was quite the boost to her, and as she deployed and undeployed it, getting a feel for the armor in both its forms, she nodded at me.

Ready for the crowd, we walked back outside, with me in the center, Lucia to my left, and Ray to my right, we held up our weapons, the light from torches, lanterns, and bonfires giving the Cardinal Bow, Vassal Staff, as well as Glomenthal and Elsenrail a sort of golden sheen that caused the crowd around us to burst into a cheer, even as we walked up to stand before the three leaders of the community.

Marie looked us over, nodding at what she saw, facing Ray directly, who deployed her armor as if to show it off, giving her the look of someone ready to fight, even as she slammed her blades home into their sheaths. Lucia, facing Ben, couldn't exactly do that, but he seemed pleased with what he saw too in her, giving her the same nod, and a gesture I figured meant something for Guild Members, if the way Lucia stood a bit straighter was any indication.

Balmus…well, he was wearing that grandfatherly smile of his that might fool the uninformed into thinking he was a kind, caring, and warm individual. I kept my own expression cool, and that actually seemed to please him greatly as he stood with the others, and then, with a practiced stride, they came to stand beside us, holding up our arms, and extolling to the people that their champions had found their work to be of exceptional quality.

"Indeed, what you have accomplished here, it is beyond what I think any other group could have done. You have built a city, and used your gifts to grow strong enough that, were a Wave to strike this Gorge again as in days long past, you would not only prove victorious, you would drive the fell horde back into the holes in the sky, to tell stories of the horror you inflicted on them," I said, the words coming unbidden, but they seemed to excite everyone before me, as I stepped forward, letting my voice ring off the walls of the gorge.

"Sanctuary stands now, as it has in ages past, as a bulwark against the darkness to come. The Heroes, as ever, will slay the monsters, and protect this world from those who threaten her peace and safety. But we do not do this alone. A world is too big, after all, for even Four Heroes to give such a boon. It requires people willing to stand with us, to fight, and to save everyone from the monsters in the dark," I continue.

"You, all of you, have made me proud. You have built this place of hope, and rather than hoard it like some miser, you go out and offer freely that hope to others. Be it known that the Bow Hero stands with Sanctuary, and that he humbly hopes that Sanctuary stands with him," I said, and then, with a thought, shifted the Bow into one of the forms that shoots bubbles, firing one into the sky.

A rainbow sphere appeared above me, and for a moment, everyone held their breaths, before it burst into a cacophony of colors and sounds, like a small firework, shining, briefly, brighter than any other light. When it was done, the crowd cheered again, and we took our leave, going back into our home, and with me telling them to give as many people the night off as possible, maybe even turn it into a festival night of some kind if they could.

Retiring back into the home, we watched the group outside listen to a speech by the three again, Marie taking charge it seems as she had the most to say, before advising everyone to rest, relax, and enjoy today. Tomorrow, they still had a lot of work ahead of them, but for now, they'd done their best, and that deserved to be celebrated, something the people all over seemed to agree with as we could hear shouts of joy and jubilation, as they slowly moved away.

Once we were sure no one was going to show up at our doorstep for any reason, I placed another marker down in the middle of the room, figuring it best to be able to come back without warning people we'd been away, before gathering Lucia and Ray to my side. We had to test out these new upgrades before we got into a big fight, after all, and there was no time like the present.

(A/N: Ah, what I THINK will be the final upgrade of gear. Just in case anyone's curious

Bard is now wearing the Recruitment Suit from Radiata Stories, a PS2 RPG with a great living world and huge playable cast. In this case without the glasses, which I thought didn't look good, and the red tie replaced with a crystal broach.

Lucia's outfit is inspired by Power Rangers, just like her prior one. In this case, it's her original 'witch' look with glitter on it. Specifically the same glitter used in the Metallic Armor look in Power Rangers Season 3.

And finally Ray was originally going to wear a battle armor I saw on an anthro Twilight Sparkle, but the artist said no, so instead using the next best thing. The Bronze Cloth of the Unicorn, from Saint Seiya, which is also a purple colored unicorn, and provides Ray with maximum mobility as a dual weapon user, as well as non-battle version that is just purple robes.)