//------------------------------// // Chp. 11 - Egg Hunt // Story: Indomitable // by Slendy //------------------------------// Day two since my freedom from the Everfree's grasp, and I'll say it now I have never felt better. The ponies in this town are nice, some even thanked me for taking care of Acidic Glavenous though they did think I was much like my friends, that's fine, at least they aren't coming at me with any needles or chains. The sun bathed me in warmth, and beside me was my good friend Kazu, as he did his best to keep me still. |You shouldn't get too excited, it hasn't even hatched yet| He attempted to we'll my excitement but I was still giddy over his and Taka's relationship from yesterday. With a curious brow, his eyes met mine. |I suppose this still has to do with your fondness for kids?| |It pays to know if its healthy and I'm the Lucario for the job! That, and I can't wait to see an even tinier Eevee, it's gonna be so cute~!| I gushed, clapping my paws happily, then I chuckled. |I'm surprised it's actually been more than two months, guess time flies when you're surviving in a forest hellbent on your suffering| Kazu's ears folded. |I'm sorry we never knew, none of us considered you had been dragged here along with us| That made me scratch my cheek |Yeah... that kinda my fault| Now it was my turn to look ashamed. |I sort of got dragged here by a Goddess wanting me to close rifts that manifest into monsters from Monster Hunter| I revealed the slightly larger gemstone. |Turns out there's a chance those connected to me in a certain way could inadvertently be dragged along, so if anyone's to blame, it's me, sorry| He didn't speak for a moment, sighing while wrapping his tail around my paw. |...If the roles were reversed I believe things would have played out differently| He pulled his tail back, looking ahead with a content expression. |But this world isn't bad, sure, we've been tested on for months by Twilight, but bar those small hiccups are time here has been worthwhile... I even mustered the courage to be where I am now with Taka| He blushed a little, unusual for someone of his down-to-earth nature. |I can't say it's all bad, I certainly don't mind my life here| I was glad, the last thing I wanted was for them to have been put through hell while I, albeit, have been through a few rings myself, have been enjoying my time here, especially now with Yui. |Well, that makes two of us, buddy!| I ruffled his head, the two of us passing by Sugarcube Corner, and -- Oh My God it's made of candy! My face dropped with apprehension. Probably not edible |You know, you seemed awfully charmed this morning when I came to visit your hotel room| While his eyes kept themselves forward, I shifted a little under his knowing smile. Oh no. |Anything happen yesterday after your outburst?| I blew a raspberry. |Pfft, whaaaaat, noooo, nothing in particular! Just some reassurance of one's life| With a single laugh, Kazu moved closer to whisper as I leaned down. |When your friend, Yui, left. You were watching her--| Oh no. |--and with great interest might I add| He pulled away, seeing my face slowly pale, he didn't face me, turning around dramatically. |I believe you were... enraptured| Having dealt with worse from Taka, I stood my ground, crossing my arms while suppressing the blood in my cheeks. |She's my best friend, and the one that usually has the plan forward, so I look to her for guidance| |Ooo, I see, and what 'guidance' did you find in those... swaying hips, hmm?| That nailed the coffin. my face lit up as I robotically moved to tighten my arms around my chest in vain to stop my heart from racing Frantically I swung them out in protest. |No-no! I wasn't looking at her... um, you know... her in that way| |Certainly| Kazu nodded, but that look, he had me on the end of a noose, had fallen for the classic blunder I closed my eyes, still retaining a crimson glow. |I gazed -- Glanced in that direction, maybe| Opening my eyes I slowly exhaled. |But I wasn't staring, or really seen anything, really...| Kazu nodded simply |Of course| He wasn't convinced, so I returned a glare, pointing a claw down at the cunning Umbreon |I hate you| Once more I crossed my arms with a pout. |You're a bad person| Our banter eventually cut off as I stopped and stared ahead to what looked to be quite the commotion ahead. Kazu stopped to as something large came jogging out into the crossroads, being an extra meter taller than me. The creature had the body structure of a large raptor covered in light brown scales and had the face that greatly resembled a Dodo. Though it is mostly covered in scales, it also had colorful feathers on its head and arms. |A Kulu Ya Ku? Seriously? After like... a wyvern with a corrosive katana tail?| A little underwhelming if I'm being honest but still a pain in the ass if left unchecked. Both of us tilted our heads to copy the Kulu that did the same, the three of us baffled by each other's appearance Immediately, Kazu's black coat turned ghostly white while I heard glass shatter. I blinked, then immediately did the same, my eyes wide as I too heard glass break in my head. The Kulu shambled off into the next street with a squawk, nestled between its claws was a large, white egg with black and blue wisps across the shell. |IT HAS THE EGG!?!| Our combined horror attracted a familiar face over, tears in her eyes "I-I-I'm so so sorry K-Kazu! I-I couldn't stop it from stealing your egg!" Fluttershy wept, her aura trembled with sorrow and fury that I dared not get between if the situation was different |No, it's fine, Fluttershy... I... we need to get it back, now| Kazu was the one I took a step away from, pulling the teary-eyed Fluttershy back, feeling my own anger seeth at just the sight of the crying mare alone, this Kulu gone a messed with the wrong pony and Eevee. Kazu is not a man of violence, in fact, it's the dynamic of him and Taka being yin and yang, but now, oh no, this Kulu up and poked a Rajang. |Zen... mind helping me retrieve my kid?| I nodded immediately, both with the intent to hunt this beast down for daring to harm something so pure and wholesome, and the other to avoid Kazu's parental instincts, unfortunately, being overshadowed by all his unyielding rage. ~---~ Kulu took its time terrorizing the town's market street, sniffing away at some fruits while clutching onto the egg it had stolen. |BANZAI!!| My warcry startled the Bird Wyvern into looking up at the perfect time for my dropkick, smacking the beak in the opposite direction and into a Shadow Ball, the dark miasma clouding the Kulu's senses as it squawked out of fright I entered a Quick Attack, kicking and punching its sides to force its hold on the egg to weaken, yet all the Kulu did was peck at my feet as I dived over its form, landing on the roof with Kazu, himself showering the wyvern in a veil of shadows. Sensing out hostility the Kulu took off down the street, using the stalls as cover. A lightbulb flashed above my head. |Ah-hah! Thanks, Pinkie| The appearance of the pink pony was met with a wide smile and nod. "Get that meanie for taking Taka's baby," By then her leg twitched. "Aah, twitchy leg, something bad's about to happen!" |Kazu, let's combine!| Not wanting to wait any longer he jumped into my waiting paws, my feet breaking apart the tiles as we soared over Fluttershy. With a spin I harnessed the energy build into the Swords Dance, a Shadow Ball chomped between Kazu's teeth. |Umbreon Impact!| With a clap of sound, my paw threw the ball of fluff toward the retreating Kulu. In a matter of seconds, Kazu collided with the Kulu's back, a deafening crack followed by a plume of darkness enveloped its vertebrae while the Eevee stumbled backward, rubbing his forehead. The Wyvern lost its hold on the egg, tossing it higher than its claws could reach. Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Kazu gasped, while I zoomed past them in a blink of an eye. Breaking apart the ground under us, I leapt far above the Kulu, my paws latching around the egg in time for our rough landing. |Safe!| I held the egg proudly, patting it between my chest spike and shoulder. |Alright little guy or gal, you sit tight, Uncle Zen's got this| Just then, I came face-to-face with the Kulu's greatest weapon. A Rock. The Big Bird flew across the road, slamming the stone where I once stood, that being only two feet away, I just kept a neutral face of concern, picking up a small stone before I channeled some aura into my foot. Clearing my throat at the bird's approach I coughed out, |Rock Smash| Kicking the stone it collided with the larger stone as it once more fumbled to catch it, only for the rock to crumble at its feet The Kulu wasn't done, however, striking with its beak again in a manner akin to a chicken which I quite easily parried with a Force Palm to the beak, seeing its head feathers fly off from the shockwave, knocking the bird over. Rolling over it bounced back to avoid a tackle from Kazu, which immediately followed with another Shadow Ball, this was deflected by yet another Rock. Rock in claw the Kulu pounced, smacking the Umbreon back while swiping with its tail to shatter a nearby stall that Pinkie and Fulltershy watched from, Pinkie giving us... very useful advice I'd give new players of Monster Hunter... why does this feel oddly familiar? Kulu pounced me this time, slamming the rock down and repeating the slam a consecutive amount of times, eyes locked to the egg I cradled in one arm. I could feel the life inside, it wasn't scared at all, I'd say it was more irritated it had been disturbed. I feel ya, buddy... Sliding under the slam I clenched my fist and retaliated with an icy fist to its face again, half freezing the Kulu's beak in a flash. Flicking the frost off I decided it best to finish this charade. Focusing my aura into my palm again, I kept my eyes closed while I let my soul fuel my attack, and yet, something strange was flowing with my own. Blinking, I tore my eyes from the Kulu that tried to run away, only for the two ponies and Pokemon to block its path. Nestled in my arm, a soft, hazel light traveled to my free paw, infusing my bright blue sphere with a hint of brown at its center. I grinned, happily accepting this borrowed power. |Alright little guy or gal, all together now| Folded my arm, I pushed out the excess energy completely. |Double Aura Sphere!| The blast pushed me back, as a smaller mote of hazel encircled my attack for a moment, colliding with the rock in Kulu's claws as it somehow kept the attack at bay. This struggle had me dumbfounded for a moment until the bird cried, the rock broke away and the blast collided with its chest, burning into the scales with enough force to send the body of the oversized KFC flying into the same stall it broke, burying it in planks and a tarp. With the Wyvern dead, a small red mote fluttered into my scarf, and while the ponies gathered round to thank both the ponies, myself, and Kazu, I giggled, patting the egg softly. |You and I are gonna be a great team when you grow up| With only an aura I felt its excitement |We made it back alive!| I bellowed into the library, seeing Yui drop her book while taking a breath "...you are the worst alarm clock ever, of all time." She sighed, then frowned with surprise at mine and Kazu's dirted appearance. "What in Equestria happened to you two?" I and Kazu winced, sharing a quick glance, |Eh, stuff, helped Fluttershy with a... bird problem, yeah, Big Bird, big rock, the usual| Yui had the face of, 'no you didn't' but thankfully didn't press it. From the kitchen came Spike, Summer, and of course, Taka, who's eyes locked to the egg in my paws. |Everything alright, nothing wrong or life-threatening or--| Kazu put a paw over her mouth |It's fine, Zen gave me and Fluttershy the 'All Clear'| We saw Taka's body relax, nodding as he removed his paw I grinned, |It's aura is intense, it even siphoned into mine, definitely will evolve into a Sylveon when it's older| I assured the Glaceon who sat beside Kazu and Spike, himself preparing lunch who grumbled knowing he had two more to prepare, poor drake Taka's head titled. |How can you tell?| My smile grew with a sly look. |'Cause, it will be the opposite of you, duh| *Shiiing!* A large blade of ice pinned itself to the wall next to me, and I clicked my claws. |Ha, see, point proven!| Her body soon started to glow a pale blue, and the two other Eevees facepalmed |Please save your bickering for later...| Summer sighed, but rolled her eyes. |Though it has been too long since you two had a personal spat| Taka complied and waved a paw at me. |Alright, Nurse Joy, hand 'em over| A little saddened I leaned close to the egg |...Don't worry, next time you and I go monster hunting...| Patting the egg a final time, I felt again the bubbling excitement from within the shell [???] In the depths of the Everfree, a pack of Timberwolves snarled at the fresh hunt they had, snapping and barking at one another, wondering which would take the first bite. Due to their in-fighting, the wolves failed to hear the deep, long snarl from the brush ahead. What baffled one's curiosity was not the presence of a large shadow overhead, but rather the strange, buzzing insect that twinkled a yellow and blue on a leaf, and the many more that gather behind the brush like motes of blue light. To Be Continued...