Monster Hunter Pie

by BronyArmitage

Chapter 20 - Under the Cea

Pinkie rolled herself out of bed the next morning, yawning. She still wasn't a morning person, but today was different. Once again, Wookie's bed was empty and he was nowhere in sight. Picking up her Chainslaughter, she made her way out the front door. Her eyes scanned the village as thunder rolled from the clouds overhead. The pink-haired Huntress looked up as lightning streaked across the sky. She stepped up to Lyra's counter, the ever vigilant liaison was sitting there, despite the coming storm.

"Good morning, Pinkie." Lyra said, her tone cheerful. "You here for the big one, too?"

"Too?" Pinkie tilted her head as she asked. "Did Wookie go after the Ceadeus?!" her eyes grew wide as realization dawned on her. "He didn't say anything to me! Why would he do this alone?! I'm never gonna' see him again!"

"Pinkie, relax! He left not too long ago. I'm sure he hasn't gotten there, yet. You'll have to go around the island to reach the access to the underwater ruins." the liaison explained. She handed Pinkie a piece of paper with the details of the Hunt. The Huntress handed over the fee and took off at a sprint. Her feet kicked up dust as she ran along the cliff on the outside edge of the island. Her armor made a racket as she sprinted. It didn't take her long to reach the drop off into the ocean. She took a moment to catch her breath, looking out over the stormy sea. Waves crashed against the island and she watched the Ceadeus breach the water. The white Elder Dragon rose almost completely out of the water, a portion of its tail remaining beneath the waves. It roared at the sky, its single horn curling toward the clouds before it fell sideways into the ocean, sending up a wave large enough to reach the Huntress up on the rock. It threw Pinkie off balance, and she lost her footing, falling headfirst into the ocean.

After a few minutes of struggling to right herself, she managed to regain some form of balance. She swam forward quickly, her eyes scanning left and right. She was surrounded by blackness, the occasional flash of lightning slightly illuminating her underwater surroundings, but not deep enough. She swam to the surface, gulping in air as he head broke through the waves. She had enough time to look around and get her bearings before she dove back down. The Huntress found her directionality and swam towards where she'd seen the Ceadeus breach the surface. As she got closer, a faint glow shone through the water. She started swimming faster towards it, noticing that it was moving. She was catching up to it, and something else came into view. It was Wookie, his Hammer was drawn and the glow was coming from the Ceadeus. There were orbs lining its underbelly that illuminated the area around the Elder Dragon. The Huntress's eyes narrowed and she started swimming as hard as she could. She caught up with her Hunting partner and glared at him. He caught her eye and had a slightly guilty look, but there wasn't really an easy way to communicate underwater. She shook her head and swam past him, catching up with the head of the Ceadeus. One of the monster's slit pupils turned on the Huntress. It shook its head to try and get Pinkie away, but she managed to avoid the attempt. Drawing her Longsword, she held down on he throttle and swung the rotating blade at the lone horn. Sparks flew as the teeth chewed into the horn and the monster let out a roar. It threw the Huntress off and opened its mouth. There was a vortex of energy gathering around its open mouth. Pinkie started to panic, trying to swim away from the monster, but she was too late. A jet of water hit her and sent her careening through the water. It smashed her into the wall and broke two of her ribs. She opened her mouth on impact, and the jet of water let up. She felt her lungs starting to fill, and she panicked more. Her eyes darted from side to side, and she saw a crack in the ground that had bubbles surging up through it. She made a b-line for it, the Chainslaughter still clutched tightly in her right hand.

Wookie swam up to cover his partner's escape. He swung the Hammer down, smashing it hard into the Elder Dragon's horn. The impact changed the monster's trajectory, and it swam down for a minute, roaring in pain. The Hunter didn't let up, and swam up on the Ceadeus before it could recover, smashing the Numbingbird onto the tip of the horn. Combined with the other hit and the groove that Pinkie had cut into it, the horn broke, the snap resonated through the underwater cavern and it caught Pinkie's attention. She looked up to see the Ceadeus flailing around, roaring at the loss of its horn. She breathed in some more of the bubbles, filling her lungs with oxygen before she took off upwards, swimming towards the monster. Pulling the throttle, she took a swing at the Ceadeus's chin. The Longsword shaved away at the hairs under its face. The Elder Dragon roared and coiled up. Pinkie's eyes widened and she swam down to the bottom of the cavern, Wookie following close behind. The Ceadeus lunged forward into the cavern, and it looked like it was trying to run. The Hunter's gritted their teeth and gave chase. When they caught up to the Elder Dragon, they watched it drawing in the vortex of energy before blasting a wall of the cavern to nothing. Once the broken rocks and dust settled, they saw the ruins that the Elder Dragon had called home for so long. It swam through the hole, the Hunters on its tail. Pinkie's eyes scanned the runs and she noticed a Dragonator built into the wall of the largest building. The structure was falling apart, but the machine itself looked to be in workable condition. The Huntress got her partner's attention and she motioned towards the Dragonator. Wookie looked up and nodded to her. He started to swim towards it, and Pinkie moved towards the Elder Dragon. She was going to get its attention and draw it towards the Dragonator. She got close to the Ceadeus and took a swing at the monster's tail, the rotating teeth of her Longsword digging through the soft flesh, blood filling the water around the wound. The monster retaliated and whipped the Huntress with its tail, sending her spiraling through the water. Pinkie flailed her arms and caught her balance again. She noticed that Wookie had reached the trigger for the Dragonator, and she swam towards it. The Ceadeus roared and fired another jet of water at her, barely missing the Huntress. The Elder Dragon gave chase, roaring as it drew closer to the pair. Pinkie signaled Wookie, holding up three fingers. She lowered them, one at a time, then pointed at her partner. Wookie drew his Hammer high over his head and slammed it onto the button. The machine roared to life, large harpoons crawling out of the three holes in the building below them. With one final roar, the massive harpoons fired out and rammed into the Ceadeus. The monster let out a roar, flailing as blood filled the water. One of the harpoons had caught its eye, blinding the creature and the Elder Dragon swam upwards, fleeing from the ruins. Pinkie started to chase after it, but Wookie grabbed onto her, shaking his head. They watched the Ceadeus swim away, roaring in pain.

/) (\

The pair of Hunters walked along the cliff, water dripping off their armor. The storm had subsided, and the skies were starting to clear. They returned to Lyra's counter, neither of them having spoken during the entire walk back.

"I thought you guys were done for." the mint-haired liaison smirked. "You were gone for a really long time. It was almost two hours. How'd you manage to stay down there that long."

"Guild provided Airweed." Wookie said, turning in the few pieces he hadn't used.

"What?!" Pinkie shouted.

"Yeah, it was in the Guild chest on the cliff where we jumped in the water."

"What?!"

"I'm guessing you didn't see it." Wookie raised an eyebrow.

"No! I didn't even know this was going to happen today! I just got up this morning and you were gone!" the Huntress flailed her arms. "Why didn't you wake me?! Or at least leave a note?! I thought you went to die in a watery grave! Guildmaster Luna said we should go together!"

"Did she? Guildmaster Celestia told me to go alone. She said that you were showing signs of backing out." Wookie explained, and Pinkie's expression turned downcast. "Sorry. When the word came down from on high, I figured it was the truth. I'm sorry I didn't ask you, Pinkie, but I didn't want to make you feel self-conscious if it was true..." he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I doubted you." this did nothing to alleviate the Huntress's mood, however. Celestia didn't think she had what it took. Luna didn't seem to think that, so she wondered why the older of the two would assume it. Pinkie turned and walked away from the pair of them, making her way to the overgrown farm again.

/) (\

Pinkie had sat in defeated silence at the farm, staring at the small waterfall as insects chirped into the night. Her pity party was interrupted by the sound of clinking armor, and she turned to see Luna's midnight-blue hair shining in the moonlight as she approached.

"Thou hath done well, Pinkamena." Luna's voice carried across the farm, but she wasn't shouting. "The Elder Dragon has fled the ruins, and hath gone into hiding. Thou should be proud."

"Normally, I would be." Pinkie said, her gaze dropping to the ground at her feet. "But Wookie told me that Guildmaster Celestia thinks I'm a coward."

"Yes. Yes she does." Luna spoke, and Pinkie's head snapped up to look at her.

"You knew?!" the Huntress shouted, and Luna held up a hand to deter her from continuing.

"Of course We knew. T'was not a secret. But, where my sister is blind to your talent, We are not. That is why We came to you personally, to avoid any hearsay deterring you from attempting the Hunt. We had faith in you, Pinkamena, and We were right." a smile spread across Luna's face, and Pinkie couldn't help but smile, too. "Now, We trust that you will be wanting to get some rest, so We will leave you now. Farewell, Huntress." with that, the Guildmaster vanished in a flash of light. Pinkie looked up at the moon, which shone brightly in the sky, a smile still on her face. She had never let someone's negativity change her, and she wasn't going to start now. In time, she would prove Celestia and all the other naysayers wrong, but she would have to do it one step at a time.

Author's Note:

Sorry about the massive gap of silence, folks. I'm back, now, and will try to get back on a regular schedule of updates.

Comments

[Grif_Bladefeather]

if only pinkie could find some legendary mask that gave her unlimited breath underwater.

[Dragonis999]

Gah I'mstuck on the bear trap quest thiugh the switch axe is a good weapon

[Chrome Masquerade]

One of the monster's slit pupils turned on the Huntress. It shook its head to try and get Pinkie away, but she managed to avoid the attempt. Drawing her Longsword, she held down on he throttle and swung the rotating blade at the lone horn. Sparks flew as the teeth chewed into the horn and the monster let out a roar. It threw the Huntress off and opened its mouth. There was a vortex of energy gathering around its open mouth.

And now...