//------------------------------// // Competition On the Hunt! // Story: Monster Hunting: No Way! // by GhostlyDarkness //------------------------------// "So what are we doing now Soul?" Twilight finally asked as the three of them reached back down to the port. Soul looked back slightly and smirked, "go ask the quest counter girl that has that crowd cramming around her," he answered pointing over to the massive mob of hunters cluttering the quest counter. Twilight looked over at Rain with worried purple eyes and then back at the desk. Rain looked confused, but walked ahead while Twilight then followed right behind him. As the two approached the counter the crowd seemed to have grown even larger forcing the two to squeeze their way through the sea of hunters. Just as they made it to the front they could see three more hunters in front of them talking to one of the quest receptionists. "...and that'll be it for your registration you're team number six in the competition," she said right as she stamped down on a sheet of paper. "Now remember you two, don't underestimate the competition," said the hunter wearing a skull mask half hidden with a hood over his head. There appeared to be a bigger skull on his left shoulder, the majority of his armor appeared to be made up of a full skeleton of a beast lined with a seemingly weathered dark red and black linen. A dark grey scythe-like longsword hung from his back that let off a deep chill that could be seen in the form of frost. "No sweat, these losers here could never even come close to beating the Death Trio," a hunter wearing dark brown golden samurai looking armor with strips of white patterned linen while the inner linings of the armor had red stripes, his helmet was off showing off his wavy light grey hair. "After all we're probably the only hunters here who actually took down an elder dragon," he said. He had a grey bone and steel axe-like longsword it closely resembled a switchaxe. Frost also seemed to be coming off his blade as well. There was a third hunter with them as well, he looked to be the youngest of the three and wore standard Rathian armor. The armor showing its mix between the green wyvern scales and hard steel with the exception of the helmet which revealed his spiky purple hair. He had two dual swords on his back one that was fiery red with dark black scales running down its middle and lining the edge of the blade. The other was completely covered in green scales with smaller dark green scales running along its edge. His blades seemed to give off small glints of fire sparks. "Who are they?" Twilight asked looking at Rain. But before he could respond the grey haired hunter turned around to face her. "Why we're the Death Trio, we're the best hunters around," he said triumphantly. He examined Twilight over before continuing, "my name is Smoke...Smoke Rodriguez what is yours my darling," he said grabbing Twilight's hand. Rain stood in between the two of them, "Yeah sorry bub, but we're trying to get to the desk and you're in the way," he said separating Smoke from Twilight. "Hey! You should watch it mister I bet you can't even qualify for this competition here," he said pushing Rain back. The other two hunters came to join Smoke by his side. Rain pushed past him and looked at the quest attendant, "excuse me miss what exactly is going on here today, is it an event quest?" he asked curiously. Twilight came and joined Rain keeping close to him trying to ignore the gaze from Smoke. "Well today we have a hunting competition, first place prize is a special weapon and armor set, registration is here do you want to sign up?" she asked. "Don't even bother fool, you could never get past the Death Trio," Smoke said leaning in on Rain's shoulder. "You see my companions here Poison Fire and Reaper easily defeated every monster we ever came across. We even came upon a Kushala Daora and took it down ourselves," he said proudly. "Also we're looking for a fourth," he said winking over at Twilight. Twilight squirmed around uncomfortably in his gaze. Rain ignored him entirely and nodded to the desk attendant, "team of three Rain, Twilight, and..." he said before he was interrupted. "Soul," Soul said coming from behind Rain squeezing in a position right between him and Twilight. The quest attendant nodded and stamped down on the papers and handed them to Soul, "the competition begins in one hour and meet by the arena," she said before rushing away to tend to the other potential contestants. "Well see you losers at the competition and you beautiful," Smoke said winking at Twilight before walking off with Poison following behind him. Rain shook his head, "c'mon Twi let's get ready," he said before walking the other direction. Twilight nodded before following him. Soul looked over to see Reaper looking back at him. The two veteran hunters held a gaze for a moment before reaper slowly extended his hand out towards Soul. Soul looked at his hand with a questioning gaze before reaching out to complete the firm handshake. "Soul.." Reaper said with a lighter tone than before. Soul looked up at the face hidden by the hood and mask, "yes?" he answered. "May the best hunter win," Reaper responded before turning away to follow after his group. Soul held a puzzled gaze as he watched him walk away, "there's something familiar about him..." he whispered to himself.