Dragonhearted

by Slendy

Chp. 6 - Bitter Sweet

Assignment
Bitter Sweet ⭐
Main Objective
*Gather 10 Honey

Forgotten Oak | Reward 285 Bits | Fee 50 Bits

"Level with me, why's it a gathering quest gives more Bits than a hunt?" I listed off while staring up at the emerald green ceiling above me.

"Cost-efficient," Argo replied softly.

"So less blood money, you mean?" I cocked my head to him as his amber magic field pushed it back, not saying a word but he didn't deny it. Rubbing my chin with my left-wing, I gasped. "There, finally!" I wasn't impatient, but when you've walked past the same tree with a face that's laughing at you three times, it tends to drive a bat pony mad.

Hanging from a small grey tree was our prize, a glistening honeycomb dripping with the golden liquid, and a few bees buzzing around but a few stings is a quick antidote away from disappearing. Argo approached it to begin carving out the comb we needed for collection as I stood guard in my new, and much softer gear.

I now had an orange headband cap with Izuchi fur hanging like hair to the right side, cobalt scales lined a breastplate and gauntlets with thick orange outer scales, and three clean white claws lining the bracers. Attached to my left foreleg were my orange buckler, a grave shield with two large Great Izuchi fangs welded to the bottom, and my sword decorated with the alpha's colorful fur and feathers across the guard. Great Izuchi armor, best upgrade that... I had no real test for yet -- me and my big mouth but an Amadeus keeps their word.

The area was nearest the center of the Forgotten Oak, a large open space where the largest trees created a natural wall and roof over the area with rays of light piercing spots where smaller trees grew around the darker portion of the forest. A few animals grazed nearby, primarily a herd of Kelbi. A dear-like creature that poses very little threat. They are usually green for the males and blue for the females. Males have large, prominent horns, making it a herd of six with three each. They were very durable creatures too... those horns are used for a type of potion too...

A sharp bonk echoed throughout my skull, "Ow!"

"Don't," Argo's magic levitated the butt of his hunting knife away from my pout as I huffed and sat on a fallen log to wait. This is just so booooring...!

Deciding to do something with my life, I whipped out from my saddlebag a silver tool with a matching net, a bug net, and crept toward a nearby hollow tree were a few blue bugs bathed in the sunlight. Quickly, my hooves swung down, snatching two of them at once, Bitterbugs were a must for crafting. Next, I swept the bushes nearby, procuring myself a few other bugs of various uses. Ever since the ecosystems of Equestria and the Old World became a mesh after the Rift Crisis a few years back these kinds of animals became wildly sought after by researchers to further understand the rapid change in the world.

"Wonder if Dad's world got affected too?" I've never been to the world he came from, I wonder what it's like? I have an aunt there, and grandparents too...

My curiosity had to stop at the station as the tracks switched to the hunter's train service. Spinning around, I threw my bug net away and ran for Argo who just finished his next collection of honey into a saddlebag when he blinked slowly, tackled behind the same tree by yours truly. He didn't complain, the second our eyes met, the seriousness I probably beamed into his eyes forced his muzzle shut, and a slow stomp toward us put the fur on the backs of our necks on end.

The heavy thuds froze, then we jumped as the tree bent against Argo's back, forcing me to push my hooves against the bark to hold it steady. Peeking out, we got a good look at our trespasser stealing our hard-earned honey from the bees. An ursine body covered in turquoise-colored fur. Its back is made of a tough hide like a carapace. The claws were a pair of elongated red nails, each claw had a tough brace encasing and protecting the wrist and forearm. Large, bulky legs connected to much smaller feet and a short, wide tail. It was our old friend from the trial only less disgusting, Arzuros.

The fanged beast licked and munched on the sweet-smelling honey as it tore a chunk off to eat between its claws. I gave Argo a slow nod, and reluctantly, he mirrored the action, translation, 'fine, only because we need that honey too'. With a smirk, I drew my sword and prepared for battle, focusing my dark aura around the blade, lacing its edge in a magenta pigment. "Night Slash - Square!" My own new alternate move. Taking the brute by surprise, I tore through the air, carving a deep gash through its right forearm, then across the jaw, down the left arm, and between them both, disarming the honey from its claws.

Landing as the contrail square vanished, the bear tumbled backward, rolling onto all fours to roar, charging toward me angrily. It wasn't nearly as strong as the Frenzy-infested one, and my new sword was sharper thanks to the Great Izuchi. The sun caught the face of my blade as I drew it backward, flying straight at the Arzuros. It rose up, slashing in two wide streaks that I effortlessly evaded, slicing across its hardened back with some considerable resistance. It sat back, banging against my shield before throwing itself around to swipe its claws down at me.

I leapt into a backflip, balancing on my back hooves before lunging again with a blackish-purple haze overtaking my shield in waves. "Dark Pulse - Bash!" I struck its forehead with my shield in a swipe, then in a forward slam that flowed into an uppercut as I flew toward the treetops, my shield sparkling with my ferocious descent, colliding with the top of Arzuros' scalp with a halo of dark energy, knocking the beast through a nearby tree and into the dirt with a grunt and howl. "Combo breaker!"

"Akira!" Argo yelled over from a distance but I just flashed a fanged grin and pursued the downed bear.

Closing my eyes as I dove backward into a wide arc, I pushed all my energy toward the tips of my hooves, a heat rising within my chest that exploded into a twirling stance of four swords, further increasing my strength as my eyes opened wide with a scarlet glint. Arzuros stood tall, howling loudly as it too obtained a red contrail around its irises, it was enraged.

"Okay, those claws need to go, already broke the carapace on its back," Nodding to myself, I felt my vision blur as my body took off like a rocket, zipping around the forest as the Arzuros swung frantically in an effort to catch my blurring form. When it swung, I slashed down across the arm left waiting to strike, then doubled back, creating a silver cyclone of slants across the bulky forearms until cracks began to form across them and the claws. Spinning around to land with a bow, I tipped my cap to the beast with my back to a boulder. "Toro, Toro!" I teased, seeing it paw at the dirt before charging toward me.

As it picked up speed, I fired out my right arm's clutch claw, sinking the teeth around Arzuros' right shoulder before retracting, dragging me up and over its wide grab, hearing its head slam into the boulder, splitting it in two. Dazed, I grappled onto its back, forcing the monster to thrash and roar in an attempt to throw me off, diving and slashing the air as I maintained my balance with my wings extended. Gotta love being a bat pony in these situations.

"Sorry - yah - but you're - ngh - going down!" Reeling back, the wire dug around Arzuros' throat, tugging it toward the centermost tree in the forest before I released the clutch claw, sending it flying into the tree with a resounding crash. Several scales shattered before it fell over, the claws reduced to fractured stubs. My legs buckled but my wings were strong, pulling me off the ground to charge another dark edge around my sword as I fired my clutch claw to the low-hanging branches of the tree, sliding on my flank until I was underneath the drooling maw of the beast.

With a powerful yell, I carved through the mud and across the bark of the tree, doubling back with a twirl, decoupling my claw in time to widen my swing, tearing a deep gash through the side of Arzuros' nape, bringing the wailing beast down with a heavy thud, amethyst particles dissipating around me. Its aura slowly trickled and faded away into embers.

When the dust and rumble through the ground settled, I gave a silly salute to Argo's cautious approach, eyes forever stuck in that bored stare but his expression was a contrast to such. "You know..." He glanced at the dead fanged beast, then to me. "...you could've lured it away."

"Yeeeeah, but then I'd pass on some handy materials," I half admitted, I may or may not have heard one was wandering around the area, hence my observations while Argo gathered the materials for our assignment. "All's well that ends well!"

He sighed slowly, brow flat. "We haven't obtained the correct amount of - huh?" His face perked up as I set a few honeycombs before him. Five to be precise, bringing our combined total to fourteen. "When did you...?"

"Oh, the honey?" I was already back by the Arzuros, picking away at the good stuff first after setting a flare down to alert the local Palicoes that I had a monster to cart off, they were really sweet things. "Eh, this guy had been stripping a few bare beehives before we got here, I just grabbed the scraps he left, and low and behold, he eventually came right to us," I smiled sweetly, licking some honey off my lips. "Well? Is that all you needed?"

"Uh, yes... this will do," He seemed surprised, guess he's never actually seen me working before we joined the Guild. Sure, we hung out when I was in Canterlot or he was in Ponyville, but that was just us being kids dreaming of the future, but I... never took this half-heartedly. "Thank you... for helping I mean." He was bashful as I giggled behind my wing.

"I love ya, brothers in arms and all that," His scarlet-orange orbs crossed with my amethyst stare. "Even if it's small, I'll stick my neck out for you -- even for a really, really annoying quest," I shivered, throwing my head back. "Three Hours we've been at this! Three!!"

In a rare moment of blissful thinking, Argo snorted softly, cracking a tiny smile. "I'll be sure to pay for dinner then,"

"Thank you, I treasure our friendship!" I yelled back.

<><><>Quest Complete!<><><>

To Be Continued...

Author's Note:

There will be shorter chapters here and there to expand upon Akira's adventures since I don't want to skip everything she does, all part of the journey, plus some fun along the way. Arzuros is a fun beginner fight, I like him. Argo may also be Akira's childhood friend but actively understanding how serious she takes her job is something new to him compared to her recklessness during the trials.

Anywho, no more in-depth talk, I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Hunters!

Chp. 7 - Dazed and Confused
A late-night expedition leads Akira to fend for herself going back to camp against a nocturnal hunter...

Comments

[Veo Skride]

Turning a honey gathering quest into a fun adventure is a achievement!

The more I see of this duo, the more I wanna see!

Argo is the son of... mmm my memory is fading, the human woman if I'm remembering something right. I'm really curious about that~

[Slendy]

11290390
Bear likes it’s honey. And yeah, Argo’s Ren’s son, gotta love magic.