Chapter 1: A Shocking Beginning

The mall was unnecessarily crowded that day, which was weird since it was what I considered a 'dead day' or basically those times in weekdays where people are less likely to go the mall. There was no occasion nor is it a weekend whatsoever, and yet the amount of people loitering around is simply sickening.

I knew I should have just stayed at home and enjoy the peace and quiet of a simple life.

"But wasn't this your idea?" My sister asked, walking beside me with the most furious looking crease on her forehead. Her eyebrows were so close to each other, I should've known that she'd hate this situation more than I did. It's not that she's Enochlophobic, she simply hates people.

True, it was kind of my idea. My cousins and I have been avid fans of the Monster Hunter videogames, especially when the slightly more user-friendly games where released on the 3DS. We've loved playing together and rarely do any Gathering Hall/Elder Hall missions alone.

Basically we loved to co-op. Thanks to the online features of MH4U, Xavier, Char, and I would've had no problem playing together even though we lived quite far from one another.

Actually, Char and I live just across each other but Xavier's house is quite a whole city away.

No problem, since we could just hop on online and play right?

Wrong. Our internet connections all suck. Let's just leave it at that.

If we were lucky, we'd be able to finish a quest without suddenly disappearing from the fight. On most days, that's a big if.

So what was our compromise? We decided to occasionally meet and do local co-op more often.

Today was one of those days. Usually Xavier would ask his Dad to drive him over to our house so we could play, but today his Dad was unavailable so we decided to use our favorite mall to meet up and play wherever was nearby. Said mall was practically always our meeting place, being close to all of us and worked like some kind of middle-point.

Had I known that the mall was an Enochlophobe's nightmare right now, I'd have chosen a different meeting place.

"Can we get something to eat?" Char asked. We've been waiting for Xavier for a while and I have a tendency to arrive at least a whole hour before the scheduled meeting time. Since both Char and my sister decided to commute with me, they had no choice but to be early as well.

"Why, are you gonna pay for it?" I replied with a grin. In my mind I was already strategizing whether a burger or taco would be a better choice, and then I'll probably accompany either with a milk tea.

"What?!" He snapped with a raised eyebrow. "You're the one with a salary."

Right. Being the eldest at 22, I was the only one who was working out of the three of us. Char, 16, was still in highschool. Xavier's a freshman and I think he's around 13 or something. My sister, Frank(short for Franky but she prefers Frank), was just a year older than Char and currently an art major at a nearby university.

With a sigh, I led them to the closest fast food, opting for a cheeseburger and ice tea instead. Even though I was paying, Char still chose the cheapest option while Frank just ordered the same thing I did.

"Xavier just texted," Char spoke up after finishing his mini burger. Before he can continue I already saw what looked like our youngest cousin from afar. Slightly small for his age, you'd think an eight year old was making his way to us. His outfit though, with his red long sleeved shirt (it has an arc reactor design printed at the chest), jeans, and a gray jacket tied at his waist was more or less age-appropriate (I think). "He says he'll just meet us here."

"There he is," I replied, taking note of Char's outfit as well. He was the most basic out of all of us, wearing a simple black shirt with 'Unite' written in red on the front and black denim pants.

"'Bout time," Frank smirked. She was wearing a white muscle shirt with a negative image of Liberty Leading The People, and denim shorts that reached past her knees (short pants or long shorts?).

"So, where do you wanna chill?" I asked. Slightly proud of my outfit, I took notice of my custom collared shirt; It was basically all gray, but an anime-chibi-version of me was printed by the breastpocket. My cargo pants were the kind with plenty of both real and fake pockets, strategically selected in order to confuse any potential pickpockets. Whereas my cousins and my sister wore your typical trendy sneakers, I managed to find the light-up kind that was tailored for adults. I've wanted one of those since I was 5 years old, and when I found out that I could have one custom made I jumped at the chance.

We all settled for a nearby café, especially since it was right next to a bookstore which my sister can use while the three of us were busy hunting.

Regardless of all the people around us, we all walked with enthusiasm, hoping to make the most of this day.

If only we didn't end up fighting for our lives later on.

"So there was this guy I onlined with," Xavier spoke up as we sat down. Frank was already browsing at the bookstore. "He looked like a noob at first glance, with a simple username as 'Oscar C'. Turns out, he was complete bad-ass with an SnS."

"Don't judge a book, am I right?" Char chuckled. "Besides, not everyone wants to name their character using awesome-sounding words like Saber."

"Heck, my name in Freedom Unite was Mamasita," I smirked.

After a couple of bickering and laughing at one another's crappy jokes, we finally managed to make a room and settle down. For reference's sake, I decided to take note of our characters and stats.

Char's Character:

Name: Relena

Gender in-game: Female

Weapon: Charge Blade (Rathflame Ubernova)

Armor Set: Rathian X

Preferred Role : Tank

Xavier's Character:

Name : Saber

Gender in-game: Male

Weapon: Dual Blades (The Wrackful Gemini)

Armor Set: Regios X

Preferred Role: Speedy Berserker

Indigo's Character (dat me):

Name: Dirge

Gender in-game: Male

Weapon: Hunting Horn (Hunter Master)

Armor Set: Tigrex Z

Preferred Role: Support/Self-proclaimed Leader

"You guys ready?" Xavier asked, holding his 2DS. Speaking of which, I just find it quite adorable that the youngest of us has a 2DS, Char has a 3DSXL, while I had the New 3DSXL. It was quite fitting in my opinion. "Ready, Indi-bro, Charmander?"

"Don't call us that." Char and I said in unison.

"Or at least call me Charizard." Char follow-ed up before we started our quest.

The guild's horn sounded and we charged into the fray to hunt some lesser gods.

At least, that's what we would've done, had all the lights and electronics around us not shut down in an instant. The interior of the mall was bathed in darkness, with only a little sunlight to illuminate the area. It seemed like an EMP wave at first glance, since even cellular phones and our DS are all blacked-out.

I told my cousins to stay put while I checked on Frank. I felt my way through and hoped I don't hit any other person as I stumbled through the barely-lit area around me.

"Franky?!" I called out, worried she had left the library without telling me.

"I told you, I prefer Frank, Indie." I heard a voice beside me. It seems she had the same idea of checking on me when all the electronics went out. Her rebuttal was well received, as I also hated being called Indie. I'm not an archeologist and I don't have a whip.

Before we could even make it back to the café, the lights all went back on. My 3DS turned back on, the startup screen flickering like a disturbing glitch. I hoped the EMP wave didn't mess with my gadgets as I checked if my little baby was completely okay.

Char and Xavier were doing the same with their DS. Thankfully besides the weird glitching at the start-up screen there doesn't seem to be any internal damage.

"Well that was weird," was all I could say, and sat down to play.

And then the screams began.

Before Indigo could even bother sitting down to play again, screams started coming from the skating rink area near us. The three boys I was with stood up with a snap, and without even talking we all ran towards the source of the noise.

People were running away from something by the skating rink. Before we even got swallowed by the chaos Indigo managed to lead us to a nearby empty store so we wouldn't get hit by the rushing, panicking, crowd. When only a brave few was left to check what exactly is going on, we cautiously walked out of the store and looked with heavy breathing as to what caused the pandemonium.

On the ice skating rink itself was…something. I couldn't quite describe it yet but it was repulsive.

It looked like a huge skinless chicken, but instead of the usual chicken-y parts…well. Let's just say that its head looked kind of like a penis, but with teeth. It's skin looks incredibly pale and leathery.

"Dudes, is that A FUCKING KHEZU?!" Xavier shouted with hands on his head like it just got blown.

Figures, that kid's been playing those Monster Hunter games too much they see it in everything. You have no idea how much they talk about that game when they're together, if things haven't gone to shit like they just did, I'd still be in the bookstore.

"It kinda does look like a Khezu…" Seriously Indigo? You too?

"Yea, it really does, huh…" Cher mumbled.

"Seriously, guys," I grimaced, "We have a weird creature on the skating rink and all you can think about is that stupid game?"

UAAAAAAAAAAUUUGHHHH!

The scream was so piercing we had to cover our ears and honestly cower in fear. The sound was so high-pitched it was practically a banshee's wail. Indigo tried to cover me as the glasses in the nearby stores all shattered around us.

Thankfully, none of us seem to have gotten hurt.

"Yep," Indigo spoke up again after the painful scream ended. Some of the leftover people a while ago had already started running away as well. "That's definitely a Khezu."

" .FUCK." was all Cher could say. Xavier was unusually speechless for once.

The three of them were busy staring at the creature, as big as a bus. It was smelling the air around, possibly looking for prey. It turned around in the rink and what we saw made our bloods run cold. Or should I say, colder.

There was a little girl stuck inside the rink, struggling her best to stand up while holding on to the railings. The "khezu" creature was blocking her way to the exit unknowingly. We were all thinking the same thing.

It was only a matter of time before the big penis-chicken notices the kid. Whatever it does next is something we wouldn't want to think about yet.

The kid's family was nowhere to be found, unless she went to the mall on her own she was either abandoned or forgotten. Both ideas were not nice.

"Should we call the police or some-" I started but was cut off short as Indigo rushed towards the rink.

Great, now my big brother wants to be a hero.

He seems to forget that heroes tend to get killed.

"Get back here! You don't even know how to skate!" I heard Frank shouting at me from afar. I could approximately give zero fucks as I rushed in and felt the slippery ice my feet were on.

I immediately regret this decision.

Nonetheless, I couldn't let a little girl get eaten by a Khezu right now. Why there's a real life Khezu is a question I plan on worrying about once we get out of here alive.

I felt my pockets up for something I can use, and found some loose change. Khezus are, if I'm not mistaken, sensitive to sound since they have no eyes. I threw my coins away from me in hopes to distract the large monster.

It raised its elongated head as it heard the clink sound my coins made. It started lumbering towards the coins and away from the girl.

Keeping myself steady, which requires 110% of my effort, I held on the rails and started 'sliding' towards the kid. She saw me and started sliding my way, too, and as much as I want to gloat and smile at the idea that I was her hero…

The kid's eyes widened as I looked back to see the Khezu turning back towards us. With a thousand prayers in my head I put a finger on my lips and reached my other hand out.

She reached for my hand and-

UAAAAAAAAAAUUUGHHHH!

We both covered our ears and I realized that the Khezu must've noticed us somehow. Out of panic my feet lost control and I felt myself falling down on my butt.

I managed to stand up and hold on the railings, but I heard the crackle of electricity and saw that the Khezu was preparing for an electric wave. Its mouth was bursting with electricity and I knew that we only have a second or two before it fires a wave of electricity on the ground.

If that doesn't kill us, it will definitely paralyze us. I couldn't let that happen.

I reached for the girl…

And felt a painful surge of shock.

The whole world felt like it was in slow motion, and it was as if my feet were on live wires. The shock wave rippling through my legs and towards my torso. I must have been shaking, but I couldn't feel it exactly.

I lost control on my whole body, with nothing else to do but watch the horror on the little girl's face as I fell down on the ice.

Ugh, I hope I didn't accidentally crush my 3DS in my pocket.

"Fuck!" I ran towards the rink, Xavier and Char in tow. I looked at both of them and saw the fear in their eyes. Now that the only adult in our group is the one that needs help, we felt like helpless children.

I had to take control, I was the second eldest after all. These boys won't stand a chance without me.

"Xavier," I pulled him closer, "You've been skating since you were 5 right?"

He nodded.

"Keep that thing distracted," I continued, trying to keep a cool head. "Char…"

"I just learned how to skate last month," he replied, "But I can do it, I think."

"Alright, you get the kid," I said to him, "I'll drag my worthless brother out of there."

I looked towards the rink and saw that the Khezu-thingy was gone. I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but…

Something's not right.

I finally felt all my nerves start working again. I started getting up as I saw Char, Xavier, and Frank heading my way. Char took the little girl's hand while Frank and Xavier helped me up.

"You ok, dude?" Xavier asked, it was the first time I saw him look genuinely terrified. Heck, even I'm surprised I didn't shit my pants.

"It's gone, but we should still get out of here," Frank whispered. "I've got a bad feeling."

So did I. I rummaged through my thoughts and decided to look up.

I was right. The Khezu was crawling around on the ceiling, waiting for the perfect moment to prey on us.

"When I say go," I whispered, "Get out of here as fast as you can."

"We can't leave you," Frank answered, "We all know you can't do jack-squat on ice."

"I'll figure something out."

But we were too late, before we could even move the Khezu dive bombed right down on us. The blow from of its fall blew us apart from one another, sending us sliding towards different directions in the rink.

I felt another surge of pain as I collided with the wall, knocking the breath out my lungs. Gasping for air, I struggled to stand up and felt a strange warmth in my pockets.

I put my hands on my 3DS, convinced that it's probably broken by now. Out of habit, I took it out and flipped it open.

Not only was it intact, it's upper screen was displaying my character, the dark brown scales of my Tigrex armor shimmering to what looks like a glitch. I looked at my character again, Dirge.

Dirge, named after the kind of songs that were meant for laments and funerals, the idea being that everytime I played a hunting horn recital I was playing music for a monster's future death. I couldn't help but smile as I touched the screen, almost feeling my character inside it.

This is it, I thought. I was going to die with a game console on my hands and it felt fitting.

Meanwhile, Dirge just stared at me, and it looked like he was-no, the whole 3DS was glowing.

Huh, maybe I'm already dead.

I stood up with an aching body and tried to shield my eyes from a sudden flash of light. I saw that Xavier was unconscious while Char was helping the little girl up again. The Khezu-thingy was walking towards someone else…

Where's Indigo?

The flash of light would've been blinding, but I was wearing a…helmet? The clothes I had on a while ago felt different and the weight I carry seems to have changed. I looked at my arms and saw that I was wearing gauntlets, looking awfully familiar with…

Wait,what?

I felt the strange and heavy object on my back. The steel handle felt like a rod but on top of it was…

A drum with a smiling face on it. I held the heavy weapon in both hands, finally understanding what it was.

I unsheathed my Hunter Master hunting horn as properly as I could, and swung at the Khezu in front of me.

The blow connected with a satisfying thud, accompanied by that sudden cymbal-like sound when you hit a monster's face with an impact weapon.

The Khezu flinched and took a step back. At the corner of my eye I saw what looked like my note staff, with a single blue note adorning it.

I walked closer to the Khezu, noting how unbearably heavy my weapon was. If I could just…

I slammed downwards with my hunting horn. I managed to hit a part of it's body with a THWACK and I couldn't help but smile. A violet note now floated next to the blue one in my staff.

I have no idea what the fuck is going on, but here I am swinging my hunting horn around like my body knows how to use it properly. I prepared to swing another violet-note attack, knowing that I'll need them to apply the Movement Speed increase boost. Provided that this hunting horn works the same way in real life.

I failed to notice that the Khezu had been preparing for a shock attack, and was blown away by a strong jolt of electricity before I could even move my horn. It hurt a lot, but still far less than I expected, which was probably because of my armor.

I managed to land on my feet and stand up easily, unsheathing my weapon to run closer to my enemy. An unsheathe attack followed by a recital should give me the boost I need to stay alive.

I sprinted towards the Khezu and prepared to attack.

It's neck stretched and its mouth went straight for me, an attack I failed to avoid.

It barely hurt, but the attack was so sudden that my vision started getting unsteady. It was a dizzying feeling, I couldn't even move.

I was stunned.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" I shouted at no one in particular, absolutely confused. Why were there tiny stars circling around Indigo's head?

I mean, I have no proof that it was my brother, but still it was the most likely conclusion.

I looked over to where Char was, but saw only the kid. The little girl was looking at something, and I followed her gaze.

There was a woman in a beautifully jade-ish battle armor, like a steel dress made from a dragon of sorts. She was running towards my brother with a large dark-silver, spiky shield on her back. This doesn't seem to limit her whatsoever as she easily managed to get to Indigo and kicked him back to sanity, the stars disappearing instantly.

Side-by-side, they both unsheathed their weapons. Indigo's looks like a huge festival drum shaped into a mace-like weapon. While the woman had her gigantic shield and an equally large sword.

I have no idea what was going on at all, but I at least know that we have a chance at surviving this predicament now, provided those two don't get themselves killed.

They rushed towards the monster, and then split up around in what seemed like a pincer-formation attack. The monster faced towards the woman, who started attacking its face with her sword. Indigo slammed his mace drum on the Khezu-thingy's large body, which made it turn around towards him.

The two started circling the enemy again, before attacking alternatively, mostly targeting the monster's face.

Looking almost pissed off, the dick-chicken started pivoting forcefully, sending Indigo flying backwards while warrior princess managed to block it with her shield.

During all that time I was able to get the kid and we slowly made our way towards the exit, hoping the monster was busy enough with those two to notice us.

The exit itself was on a slightly elevated platform, and as the kid and I got out we saw another person in armor waiting for us by the exit.

His armor was practically golden, seemingly made of smooth but steel-like scales smoothly outlining the outfit. In his hands he held two circular black blades, considerably tiny compared to the ones being used by the two a while ago. His helmet was very medieval knight in design, and he just nodded at me as the kid and I ran towards a considerably safer area.

We just got farther from the rink when I saw that the Khezu had inched closer to the exit, while knight-guy was sprinting towards him. As he got close, he stopped and raised his blades in the air, generating what looked like some kind of aura around him.

He then jumped off the elevation and spun inhumanly fast in the air towards the Khezu. It was like watching the blades of a helicopter in flight spinning to cut the enemy.

The monster fell down, but managed to get back up almost instantly. To my surprise, it was just standing, drooling. Knight-guy was sitting on top of it, stabbing furiously.

The security personnel finally arrived as the monster fell down again, writhing helplessly on the ground as the three armored individuals started attacking it like there was no tomorrow.

Warrior-princess somehow combined her sword and shield to transform it into a huge blade, summoning a powerful lightning-like strike on the Khezu.

After an attack, Indigo started swinging his weapon strangely, like he was playing with it. The smiley drum started blinking then all three of them suddenly had a burst of aura emanating from their bodies.

Knight-guy was just spinning and attacking in a flurry of strikes. My eyes could hardly keep up with the speed of his slashes.

The kid's parents finally arrived, and I honestly wanted to ask them why they would leave their kid alone in the first place. Apparently they allowed to skate by herself while they were shopping, I doubt they'd let her do that again, though.

The security personnel were all dumbstruck by what they were seeing, none of them were moving.

And then, just as soon as it had arrived, the Khezu collapsed on the cold icy floor of the rink. It was finally dead, and the three armored individuals were crouching next to it, their tiny knives cutting into its dead flesh.

Were they taking souvenirs from its body parts or something?

"Dude, we can actually carve it, what the fuck," Saber exclaimed, it was Xavier's character but it was clearly him inside that body somehow.

"I wonder if we could sell this for real money," Relena grinned, with a female voice and a female body but it was Char and we all knew it.

I stood up and saw all the security guards slowly making their way towards us.

I looked at the confused and worried look at my sister's face, and I tried to wrap my head around what just happened.

We just fought a real Khezu, with real Monster Hunter weapons and armors. Heck, we were in the body of our MH4U characters.

And as the three of us went out of the rink, with some of the people around clapping, while others just looked at us suspiciously, I only had one thing on my mind.

What now?