//------------------------------// // Great Jaggi, Great Baggi? // Story: Monster Hunting: No Way! // by GhostlyDarkness //------------------------------// "So you think you're ready to take on a quest?" Rain asked as him and Twilight approached the guild quest counter. "They're harder than just hunting the small monsters," he said before facing her. Twilight nodded confidently. She was now decked out in iron plated armor with a scope attached to her helmet. Her leggings were a green-ish color and the right side of her chest plate was red. She noticed a lot of hunters wore this same set as her. Rain on the other hand wore something similar to a purple suit with a purple top hat. The cuffs around his wrist were rolled back and the coil around his waist hung down behind him to about his knees. His sword hung tightly behind him, the frost coming off it's ice elemental blade was noticeable. He wasn't too comfortable wearing this flashy armor set, but it was all he could afford. As they approached the quest counter the quest receptionist greeted them. She was dressed in a light green guild dress and had a friendly smile. "Hello there, would like to take a quest Rain?" she asked with a light smile. She looked over at Twilight with the same smile, "Oh you must be new here can I see your hunters license?" she asked. Twilight looked at Rain with a confused look before looking back at the receptionist, "I don't have one," she said simply. "Oh I'm sorry I can't let you go on a quest yet.." she said sounding disappointed yet light-hearted. Rain interrupted, "she's with me," before flashing a symbol on his wrist to the receptionist. The receptionist stared at the symbol for a moment before nodding, "well if she's going on a quest she's going to need a hunters license," she said before running into the back room. Moments later she came out extending a card to Twilight, "here this is your hunter's license, it's temporary though so after awhile get it renewed." She then pointed over to a board filled with papers, "that's the quest board you can go check out what quests are available for your hunter rank," she said before looking back at Rain. "Take care the two of you," she said smiling. Twilight and Rain quickly walked over to the quest board to see what quests were left. Two quests were left, 5,000 zen to hunt the Great Jaggi one quest read while the other read 5,000 zen to hunt the Great Baggi. "What's a Great Jaggi and what's a Great Baggi?" Twilight asked looking confused. "There are bigger jaggi?" she asked looking over to Rain. Rain chuckled, "you still have a lot to learn anyway you choose since it's your first quest, they're both pretty much the same," he said nonchalantly. "One is just a giant jaggi while the other is a subspecies that can put you to sleep," he said looking over awaiting her choice. Twilight looked carefully at the quest papers, "one says it's in the tundra and the other says it's in the desert." "Choose carefully then," Rain teased. Twilight rolled her eyes before concentrating back on the papers, "i guess I'll go with...the Great Baggi," she said picking up the quest paper. "Nice choice now give it to receptionist and we can get on our way and don't forget to stock up I'll be waiting by the gate," Rain said walking away. Twilight nodded and hurried back to the receptionist desk, "this quest please," she said handing her the paper. The receptionist stamped it with a red symbol, "good luck and the shop is right up ahead next to the gate," she said waving good-bye to her. Twilight smiled and returned the wave before heading to the shop to pick up a couple potions and coatings for her arrows. Once she came out she met Rain right next to the gate. "You ready?" he asked with a slight grin. Twilight returned the same grin and answered with a confident, "yes." It was almost dusk when the hot air balloon reached the tundra area. Once they reached the campsite the two hopped off and gather the supplies provided in the boxes. The ground was coated in a thick snow that almost imitated dirt, and a couple of snowflakes fell to the ground as well. "This place looks gorgeous," Twilight said looking around in wonder. Just as she said that a light breeze blew by and sent her shivering, "it's...freeee--ezing.....here," she said as her teeth began to chatter. Rain laughed slightly, "here drink this," he said handing her a small container. "What is it?" Twilight said reaching for the drink. "Just drink it and find out," Rain said as he drank one himself. Twilight drank the liquid slowly before suddenly she felt as if she was on a hot tropical island. "Wow that feels good and it's not cold anymore," she said smiling. "It's a hot drink, once in awhile you have to drink one to keep your body temperature up so you don't freeze to death while you're here," he said smiling. 'Anyway let's get a move on the faster we kill this thing, the faster we get back home for some training and a good rest," he said as he walked forward. Twilight nodded and ran up to catch him. The stars began to play among the clear night sky once again. The moon followed and provided ample light to see everywhere they went. There were cries that pierced the silence in the air. They sounding like jaggi cries but with little differences and then there was one loud deep cry the sounded like some kind of bird's cry. "What was that?" Twilight asked looking around. Rain drew his sword which looked to be growing bits of ice on it's blade, "they're coming." Twilight, without hesitation drew her butterfly color patterned bow, the Arko Nulo. She drew in an arrow and held it there. The silence ensued them once again. Just when Twilight was going to whisper a blue-ish white colored wyvern hopped out of the white trees at them. It had an odd crest right above it's head and it's underside rivaled the blue color on top of it. There were dark blue spikes on it's back and glared at them with yellow eyes. With it small jaggi like creatures popped out with the same color pattern and began to encircle them. All of their hind legs clawed the ground ferociously before letting out a small screechy cry. "Take care of the small ones first before we take the leader!" Rain yelled as he raised his sword up and slashed as one of the small ones attempted to jump on him. Twilight looked slightly hesitant, but kept her cool. "Ok..one..two..three.." she repeated in her head as she quickly fired off shots at the small baggies. She felt the rush of adrenaline pumping through her, the excitement of the hunt, the thrill of the kill. She quickly finished off the rest of them before she noticed Rain looking tired and sluggish. Before she could help him the Great Baggi swung it's floppy tail around and sent him flying backwards into the snow. Twilight ran to help him, but more of the baggies came to surround her once again. She was looking panicky, she looked back at the crested leader and then back at Rain who seemed to be moving a bit more. She then turned her attention back to the small ones, but before she could the Great Baggi charged at her. She expertly dodge the charge before taking an arrow and slashing at it's face. The leader flinched and let out a frightful cry before running off with it's small minions trailing behind it. Twilight then ran over to Rain, "are you ok?" she asked frantically. Rain shook his head of the snow, "yeah I'm fine they just caught me with their sleep liquid," he said rubbing his head. "It doesn't last long though so don't worry anyway let's go," he said rushing up to chase where the beast had run off. Twilight shook her head smiling and ran to catch up with him. "I guess this is what it means to be a hunter...it's kind of great," she said to herself smiling. Up ahead they noticed the pack of the baggies waiting to great them along with their leader in the middle looking ready for another fight. "Change of plans Twi," Rain said without looking at her. "Go for the leader if we kill it the rest of them should fled," he said before getting into his stance. Twilight was taken aback when he called her Twi. all she could do was smile and nod. "Let's do this," she said releasing an arrow that whizzed past them jutted right into leader's side. The leader cried out and charged for Twilight ignoring Rain. It caught Twilight off guard while she was about to load in another arrow. Just before the Great Baggi could reach Twilight, Rain had ran back towards it and jumped up using his long sword to propel himself into the air and landed a fierce slash into the Great Baggi's back. The beast surged upwards into sudden pain before toppling over and laying still. The rest of the baggies looked around making their loud cries before retreating to the caves that lay before them. Twilight looked shocked at what she saw, "how..what?" she began asking in confusion. Rain silenced her and smiled, "consider that as a thank you for saving me back there," he said sheathing his sword. Twilight smiled before hugging him. Rain laughed and returned the hug, "since it was your quest you get first carve," he said pointing to the body of the Great Baggi. Twilight was still a bit uncomfortable carving up beasts, but she did it anyway. "That was tough," she said when she was finished carving the pieces she wanted. Rain bent down and began to carve his share from the beast, "yeah I know anyway let's get the bad boy home so we get our rewards and take a nice long rest," he said stretching. "Maybe we should visit the blacksmith too," he said looking at his armor. The two trekked back towards the campsite with felyne cats wheeling the dead monster behind them.