Guns and Shield (The Rising of the Shield Hero Fanfiction)

23- Blue Haired Girl

"Raphtalia, take it easy. We still have a long way till we can get the holy water for you from the Church."

"It's okay, Naofumi sama! I was the one who wanted you to let me fight after all." She replied.

I just ignored them and continued to fight the monsters that surrounded us with Filo.

Since that night, nothing else between Naofumi and I happened.

"It really seems like that was just my imagination. He seems to be giving Raphtalia more attention anyway," I mumbled, pouting at my thought.

"Amaya, did you say anything?" Asked Naofumi.

My face immediately felt like it was burning and I turned away from him.

"Nope! Nothing at all."

"...If you say so."

However, we met some little girl with blue pigtails that were sitting with a whole bunch of filolials first.

The big long-necked birds turned their heads towards us and immediately dashed away with some panicked clicks leaving their mouths.

"Man, that was a shame. They ran away! Sure looked yummy enough to eat.

My eyes were probably bulging after hearing that come out of her beak.

Naofumi stood in front of her and started lecturing her.

"Filo, that was your own kind, okay?"

After giving a thoughtful hum, we continued to stare at the strange little blue-haired girl.

Surprised at their sudden departure, she looked towards us, the people who caused them to run away in fright.

I swear she looked sort of disappointed when she realized we were the reason her friends were gone, but that hint of sadness was replaced by happiness once her eyes landed on Filo.

"So big... Are you a filolial?" She asked.

"You mean me?" Filo answered with a questioning tone.

"You can talk too!?"

"Mhmm..." Hummed Filo once again.

The little girl looked so happy.

She was blushing out of excitement, and I smiled at her.

It felt like I was watching a clip of myself looking at an eagle with my parents when I was younger in the zoo.

Except this bird was a lot bigger and fatter.

"I've always dreamed of talking to a filolial!" Exclaimed the little girl, only receiving an astounding gasp from Filo.

"I have dried meat for you! Here." She said as she reached out a small piece of meat.

Filo thanked her and bounded over before gulping it down.

The girl then decided to touch Filo's feathers, and couldn't close her mouth after she had felt it.

I couldn't help but grin even wider at their actions.

"Do you think she's from the village?" Raphtalia started, asking Naofumi.

"Nope. She's too well dressed for that. Probably a noble's daughter or something."

"What's your name?"

"Filo!"

"Filo Chan? My name is Melty."

"Mel chan then!"

They kept smiling at each other and it was as if they became best friends already.

"She must love filolials, huh? She has what they need most. Or at least ours, anyway." I stated.

Melty gave Filo a bit more dried meat.

Raphtalia smiled and Naofumi only scratched his back before calling Filo back.

"Filo, we still have things to do in the village. You can play with the girl while we're at it."

"Do you really mean it?" Filo asked, making sure that she heard him correctly.

"Yay!" The bird and girl screamed.

Suddenly, Filo decided to transform into her human form again, and we all sighed.

"Filo! You can turn into a human too?" Melty interrogated.

"How did she take it that easy? It's not every day you meet someone like this.." I wondered.

"She really did take that well." Agreed Naofumi.

"They seem like they're best friends already, don't they?" Raphtalia smiled.

"Filo does need to spend more time with other kids, so that's good."

"Naofumi, you sound so fatherly! I never saw that in you." I teased.

He coughed slightly into his arms as if trying to hide his face, then looked back when Filo asked him another question.

"Master, I can play with Mel chan a bit more, right?"

"Yup. Just be back by sunset. Don't go too far either."

Naofumi smiled after hearing Filo's 'yes's and I giggled.

"Oohoohoohoo~~ ;)"

"Shut up, Amaya."

I could hear Raphtalia's laughs as I continued to tease Naofumi for being such a nice father to Filo.

As we headed back to the village, I walked close to Naofumi.

He looked down at me as if asking what was going on, but I said nothing and continued looking forward.

I opened my mouth.

"Hey, I was thinking..." I started.

"Hmm?"

"When I was having my... What should I call it? My breakout? Yeah just, when I went crazy okay. I heard those hateful words again, wishing me to leave. It didn't sound like people I knew, but it felt like it fueled my anger and I was stronger?"

We continued to walk, and it seemed like he was thinking.

"Hatred fueling your anger, resulting in you losing your senses and overwhelm yourself with power, huh."

I nodded, "They also said something about me being a hero or something. I'm not exactly sure but, I don't think I'm normal either."

Naofumi turned his head towards me in shock, and I closed my eyes.

"They said something along the lines of 'you think you're a hero? With those monstrous, cursed, things of yours?' This might seem weird to you, but I never belonged here. One day I woke up in a field, with these weapons on either side of me. My clothes were different, and..."

I shook my head.

But the people had said that the heroes were summoned from a different world too.

Could Naofumi be someone in the same circumstance as me?

We soon reached the village.

"Let's talk later tonight. I have something to say as well, but we should keep this for later. We're here, and I want this talk to be a bit more private."

I nodded, and we went back into the houses to heal some more people.