//------------------------------// // Urgent Quest! :Assassin of the Jungle (Part 1) // Story: Monster Hunting: No Way! // by GhostlyDarkness //------------------------------// Rain opened his eyes to see Twilight peacefully asleep in the bed next to his. His eyes surveyed the room to see Soul leaning in a chair asleep in his armor, yet his helmet was off to reveal his facial features. He had short black hair accompanied by a somewhat light brown skin with a roundish jawline. His right eye bore a scar of what looked to be from an edge of a rugged sharp blade that ran all the way down his cheek. Soul opened up his eyes to reveal his brown-reddish eyes that stared right back at Rain's blue eyes. The two held the gaze in silence, not letting up on what almost seemed to be a staring contest until Soul simply reached over and slipped his helmet on. He then looked back at Rain once more before grabbing his pair of blades off the table and walking out the door of the inn they stayed at. Rain rolled out of bed slowly before standing up and stretching. He looked over at the quest paper that laid on the table, before quickly putting on a mixed set of armor. For his head, chest, and arms he wore Wroggi armor and for his lower body he wore Rathalos faulds and leggings. He then approached Twilight to grab her shoulder and shake her awake. "Wha-- five more minutes of sleep..." she said with a tired voice. Rain sighed before grabbing her shoulder and dragging her out of bed. By this time Twilight was somewhat fully awake with a slight temper. "Damnit Rain, what in Celestia's name do you want!?" she yelled in annoyance. Rain backed off before pointing to the quest paper laying on the table. "Did you forget today we're doing an urgent quest?" he asked in calm tone. Twilight calmed down before looking at the paper and then back at Rain, "sorry I'm just not a morning person," she said apologizing. "Well let's go," she said going into the next room to get her armor on. "Where's Soul?" she asked from the other room. Rain stayed silent for a moment before responding, "I'm not sure he looked at me when he woke up and then simply left," he said as he grabbed his newly made Ananta Boneblade and strapped it to his back in its blue fur like sheath with a single white strip running down the middle. "Wait did you see his face?" she asked curiously. "Yes," he simply replied. "It's weird, its the first time to actually see the man under the armor," he said waiting for Twilight to finish getting ready. "Hmm," was her only response as she came out in her full set of gunner Rathalos armor. "Well we better find him before we depart on the quest," she said getting ready to leave. "Oh and before we head out remind me to pick up my new bow from that blacksmith, I told them to make me a Type 64 Multibow Ⅱ, I hear they're pretty good for hunting," she said as she headed out the door. As the two walked around the port that seemed somewhat deserted except for the dock workers and merchants, they looked around for Soul who appeared nowhere to be found. "Where could he have gone?" Rain asked looking around carefully. Twilight looked around and noticed at the far end of the port she could see Soul leaning on his usual pole waiting for them. Yet this time he was looking right at them. "Found him," she said pointing over at him. Rain looked over to see him watching them carefully. He could now see the somewhat red eyes peering through the slits in his helmet. Both Twilight and Rain walked over to him until his voice stopped them. "What took you two so long?" Soul asked sounding a bit agitated at being kept waiting. Twilight frowned at him, "well if you wouldn't have ran off we wouldn't have taken so long to find you," she responded with annoyance laced in her voice. "Anyway if you'll excuse me I have to go pick up my bow from the blacksmith," she said before running off. Rain watched her as she left and then looked back at Soul who seemed to be looking around. "So...how did you get that scar?" Rain asked curiously wanting to break the silence between them. Soul gave him a fierce look. His eyes seemed to be burning with anger at the mention of it. "Remember your place..." he said calmly yet the underlying tone was one filled with a fiery rage. Rain sighed and backed away slowly. "Alright.." he said before turning away to avoid his gaze. Twilight returned holding a fully green bow with ridges along its handle, its string looked rubbery. The green quiver that seemed to hold thousands of arrows hung behind her, "well let's get going shall we?" she said walking through the gate past Soul and and Rain. The two exchanged somewhat of a glance before following after her. As they reached the base camp at the Misty Peaks they immediately went for the blue chest, but were met with an unfamiliar sight. "It's empty," Twilight said sounding confused. "Why is it empty?" she asked looking up from it. "Expect no help from the guild on higher rank quests like this, we're lucky they didn't drop us out in the middle of nowhere," Soul said looking ready to leave the base camp. "Now listen up this quest has somewhat of a back-story and its important that I tell you," he said seriously. Twilight looked intrigued at this, yet Rain felt a shiver through his body. "That's not good..." Rain said with the same level of seriousness as Soul. "Indeed its not," Soul replied. "Apparently we're hunting a Nargacuga that wandered in from the jungle, two hunting parties consisting of four hunters were sent after it and never returned. This Nargacuga also seems to have a nasty temper, so when its eyes glow red and its tail spikes up the guild says to try to avoid getting hit. Especially by the tail... its known to be extremely quick" he said as he looked at the quest paper. "That's all the information from the guild so I guess we're on our own now, let's get moving," he said before turning around to leave. Twilight looked over to Rain with a face of fear and concern while Rain looked at her and gave her a light reassuring smile. "Don't worry it'll be alright," he said resting his hand on her shoulder, before following after Soul. Twilight sighed and wished to herself she was back in Ponyville with her friends and not risking her life out hunting. She was scared yet excited still that she developed a love for the hunt, but she didn't want to lose her life and never see her friends again. She sighed before running to catch up with Rain. The three of them walked around the familiar parts of the mountain, but didn't spot any signs of the monster's presence. The still quietness of the forest gave away the presence of a larger monster lurking nearby though. Suddenly Soul stopped and looked around examining the vegetation by a nearby stream. "What is it?" Twilight whispered to Soul. Soul put his finger up for her to be quiet. In the silence soft rapid footsteps could be heard through the silence before they stopped. A low growl then could be heard from the dark vegetation as two yellow cat-like eyes peered through the shadows. "Don't make any sudden movements," Soul whispered to the two as he slowly reached for his dual swords. Rain slowly reached for his long sword, yet when Twilight flipped out her bow the shadowy creature let out a roar before darting out towards them. Luckily all three of them dodged to the sides as the creature pounced on the ground they once stood. The creature had the body of a cougar along with a pair of wings that seemed to have claws at the tips and bladed edges of the wings. Its face resembled a bat with long pointed ears that flattened down. It had a long sleek tail with the exception of its tip which seemed to be plated over with large spiky scales. All together the creature was a jet black color with a shiny tinge to its fur from the last of the sunrays that peeked over the horizon. For a moment everything seemed to freeze in time, the three hunters watched the monster carefully as they clenched their weapons. The Nargacuga snarled looking at its new enemies. It rose its head up to release a cougar-like roar that would send a Great Jaggi running. Then without warning it charged straight for Twilight who had already pulled back an arrow ready to fire at it. Yet once Twilight released the arrow, the creature quickly dodged it and leaped into the air to pounce on her. Just as the monster was making its descent down onto Twilight, Rain tackled her out of the way. "Stay quick on your toes," he said before getting up to confront the beast that seemed more interested in Soul's quick movements that seemed to match it. His dual blades seemed to be moving as fast as the Nargacuga seemed to be as it dashed in and out at Soul trying to hit him. Yet swings of blades clashing with the bladed parts of the wings and claws kept the beast from actually striking him. The beast eventually gave up before backing up slightly. Yet it quickly swiped its tail across to catch Soul and send him sliding backwards. It then turned its attention over to Rain who stood ready for it with his sword pointed towards it. The beast snarled before lunging forward in a slash with its right side, yet Rain was ready and slashed at the beast before hopping backwards leaving a yellowish substance smeared into the cut he made on the beast. The Nargacuga jumped back slightly before raising up its tail and twirling it around for a couple moments. Soul took this time to rush the monster, but just as he did the beast whipped its tail around, but this time he expected the attack and rolled right over its tail. And got into position right behind its foreleg and began slashing away. Twilight had just loaded up a whole batch of power coatings to her bow and began to fire quick, rapid shots at the monster. The beast was too busy trying to fend itself off of its two bladed attackers to dodge the incoming arrows that made it flinch backwards. It raised its head to let out another ferocious roar causing both Rain and Soul to cover their ears from the intense sound. Taking this moment of freedom the Nargacuga leapt up and took flight. Twilight tried to continue firing, but the beast had already began to fly off. "Whew that thing is fast," she couldn't help saying. Rain and Soul chuckled in agreement, before bending down to sharpen up their bladed weapons with the ample supply of whetstones they acquired. As soon as they were finished they headed out to track the beast down once again. The whole forest felt eerie feeling as if they were being watched and followed from the shadows. The sun was now hidden from view under the horizon so the darkness of night didn't help the situation. "This is going to be a lot tougher now," Rain said keeping his hand on the handle of his sword. Soul nodded keeping his dual swords drawn out and constantly looking around as he led the way. Twilight kept her bow drawn and was bringing up the rear watching behind them for any movement. Rustling from a nearby bush quickly caught the trio's attention. It rustled for a moment longer before a small grey deer-like animal came running out from the vegetation. "Oh thank the stars...its just a Kelbi," Rain said relaxing. Just as soon as the Kelbi made it halfway to the hunters the Nargacuga lunged out of the shadows and pounced on it. The hunters flinched and jumped backwards as they watched the monster gorge itself on the helpless animal. Rain took this time to rush in and slash away at the beast's flank. He finished his combo with the signature sweeping slash, which covered his blade in a strong, glowing white aura. As he finished the Nargacuga flinched up from its meal. Its tail then seemed to spike up and its eyes glowed an evil shade of red. It then jumped sideways where it let out the same cougar-like roar yet it seemed to be filled with a fiery anger. Soul dashed in quick for a couple slashes before he was met with a swipe from the beast's claws that sent him flying backwards into the marshy wetlands. Twilight was somewhat closer and had just loaded up a clear coating that seemed to be more effective the closer she got to the beast. She was surprisingly light on her feet and evaded the beast's strikes towards her. The Nargacuga, frustrated at its attempts feinted left as if it was going to strike again making Twilight begin to go right to avoid it. Rain could see right through the beast's moves and rushed over to Twilight dropping his weapon. The beast whipped its spiked tail around, just as it did that Rain pushed Twilight down for her to avoid the attack. Yet, Rain didn't have time to evade and ended up with the tail crashing into the right side of his shoulder just puncturing his armor. The tips of the spikes just grazing his skin, but he was stuck on the end of its tail. Soul and Twilight watched as the beast ran around struggling to get Rain off of its tail. Rain was just being dragged around violently as he tried to get the spikes out of the wedges in his armor, yet the more the beast ran around the deeper they penetrated his armor. Eventually the beast jumped up and flipped around before slamming its tail down on the ground along with Rain. Twilight watched in horror holding back tears when she saw the beast free its tail from Rain's armor yet her partner laying still in a small pool of dirt and blood as well as seeing a good number of spikes jammed through his right shoulder. All she could do was stare with pools of tears forming in her eyes. "Damn," Soul said as he began shuffling around his pouch frantically before pulling out a flash bomb. "Twilight close your eyes!" he yelled before tossing the small ball before it exploded into light blinding the angry Nargacuga. Twilight quickly ran over to Rain's side and frantically shook his side, "Rain? Rain?!" she asked repeatedly. "Not here," Soul said picking up Rain. "Grab his sword we need to get him back to base camp," he said before running back towards the direction they came. Twilight nodded and grabbed his long sword, just as she was leaving she glanced back over at the Nargacuga who seemed to be looking right at her. She noticed a scar over its right eye that seemed fresh, it just stayed in place drooling somewhat snarling at her. She gave it the dirtiest look before running to catch up with Soul. "This is personal now.." she muttered to herself, her voice overflowing with seething rage for the monster.