Chapter One – Heated Introductions…
The heat of the desert sun was harsh and all consuming. Rays of fire beat down upon the dunes as Cephalos swam beneath the scorching sands, land sharks at play in an ocean of dry heat. Near the few craggy rock structures that defiantly stood baking in the sun, Zeshin sat in solace in the shade of the boulders shadow, slowly sipping his Cool Drink as his Tigrex Longsword with Custom Scabbard rest across his legs. Craggy stone structures were spread thin on the terrain, allowing the heat to spread unchecked over any unlucky travelers. A solitary figure sat in the shade of one of these scarce shadows, slowly sipping a Cool Drink as his Custom Scabbard laid across his legs, Tigrex Longsword waiting patiently inside.
Having ventured into the desert on his lonesome, Zeshin had found the spot relatively quickly, knowing any hesitation resulted in sun burned skin, fatigue, dehydration and finally death. The beasts who dwelt here took no pity on disoriented Hunters or ill equipped travelers, seeing both fair game and ample prey. He could have waited at the base camp for his party, but the camp, with all its amenities and comforts made him restless. The base camp was a place for Hunters supported by the Guild, and in Zeshin's mind, he was too far gone to accept the guilds handouts and live by its restrictions.
Replacing the cap on his drink, he remained there motionless afterward, his mind adrift. The ambiguity of his appearance afforded to him by his Terra Ceanatuar Armor, his removed helmet betrayed his camouflage by revealing his Cerulean hair and boyish features. All he could think about were the arguments between himself and his trainer and mentor. His thoughts focused on how he left his home village filled with so much anger and bitterness, his contempt doubling as the greatest source of his power as well as his deepest shame.
The arid breeze blew across his face, causing his hair to waft ever so slightly, and as bead of sweat moved to slide down his forehead. The drop continued the descent down his nose, and fell upon the desert ground, the heat even in the shade sufficient to evaporate the moisture within seconds of its collision, Zeshin lowering his head with his eyes back on the sand. Soon it was not the lack of a slight sizzle of his perspiration that made the hunter lift his head over toward the horizon, it was the clacks and clangs of various suits of armor. It would appear his party had finally managed to track him down, and despite the looks and possible groans he faced from the approaching three hunters, Zeshin remained motionless.
"Earlier start or jerkish idleness Zesh, it's getting harder and harder to tell with you these days…" the lanky young man joked, brown hair showing from his Nargacuga Helm, covering his eyes. He stood with his hands on his hips, his Medium Bowgun dangling from his side. Before Zeshin could form a response, one of the Narga-donned Hunter's companions stepped forward in an intimidating fashion.
"You take too long as usual Sanzuin… that and I don't need the Guild on my trail, again…" Zeshin said, a bit of venom in his otherwise monotone voice as he looked toward the Narga-armored man's face.
"Bit of a way to greet an old friend wouldn't you say? Tsk, tsk, manners seem to be disappearing as fast as jobs around here." Sanzuin replied to Zeshin's criticism. Before he could reply again, one of the hunters stepped forward to address Zeshin.
"We walked all this way to find you lounging, wasting time and supplies. What's to stop me from smashing you into slag boy?" a larger man said in a brutish fashion, his large hand covered by Gravios Greaves as he unsteadily held onto a gourd filled with what smelled to be a Cool Drink altered with added spirits. His immense presence towering over Zeshin, his shadow darkening the shaded spot further as Zeshin fingered through the sand for a small stone. "Well? Are you gonna answer me or are you just gonna sit there with that smug look on-"
The shattering of the gourd by a well-placed flick on the part of Zeshin startled the large man stopped as his speech was silenced. With a flash belying his girth the man immediately went for his Juggernaut Hammer in an attempt to pulverize Zeshin-who remained stationary-only to be stopped by the remaining hunter, a woman clad in Hermituar Armor. Zeshin was given a closeup of the Red Stripe Greatsword strapped across her back, and it explained her ability to hold back the thuggish Brute.
"Kill the monster and then I don't give a damn what you do to him." She said firmly as she grounded her feet, the increased advantage allowing her to push the larger man back with little difficulty.
"Get the hell outta my way Jiisha, no one disrespects me or wastes my Sake." The man responded angrily, smashing his weapon into the ground top down to gain his balance as he threw his helmet off to the side.
"You're drunk off your ass as it is, and I'm not hauling your carcass anywhere Ryoma. Sober up and shut the Hell up already." Jiisha said firmly, crossing her arms as she watched Ryoma stumble and lurch forward until he caught a glimpse of her scowl.
"I don't take orders from you little girl, huff up your chest at me again and I'll open your skull…" Ryoma said, spitting at the ground at Zeshin's feet.
"Sanzuin, feel free to stop this madness at anytime…" Zeshin said, looking on at the exchange with growing apathy.
"Okay, okay enough. If you children are done making introductions, we can begin. Zeshin if you weren't already listening to these two bicker they are Ryoma and Jiisha, associates of mine from way back in the day." The smooth man in the Narga Armor said to Zeshin, walking over to Jiisha and placing his hand on her shoulder. "I vouch for them so no worries, but the day is getting short and I wanna bag and tag this bastard before the guild shows up so whenever you're ready."
"And how am I to trust these two? One seems competent enough, but the other can't even seem to care enough to show up uninebriated, in the desert of all places." Zeshin asked Sanzuin as he stood to his feet, ignoring Ryoma's slow advance as he gathered his helmet and sword.
"You got something else to say to me you little pile of piss?" Ryoma said, drunkenly moving closer, stopped easily by Sanzuin's outstretched arm.
"Well that's an easy one. You both trust my word, which holds up to a decent standard. Help us kill this Diablos and take our transport back. Or you take your chances with the Guild who are on their way to rescue the defeated party and explain to them why a Hunter with a revoked license is in the desert poaching." Sanzuin said with a cavalier smile spread across his face, the same one responsible for a fair share of much of the trouble that Zeshin had found himself in over the last few years. He knew it was a risk calling on Sanzuin after their last outing-an Azure Rathalos that left an associate hunter dead and abandoned-something that still did not sit right with Zeshin. Months had passed since then, and Zeshin's cash reserves had grown slim as his disillusionment with hunting had caused him to remain idle, going on less and less hunts.
Such were the risks of Poaching, a path Zeshin had been taught to believe was one of shame and dishonor by a teacher he no longer kept in contact with. When the intelligence was good much money was made in illegally hunting nuisance monsters for profit, but those were seldom occurrences. Many of their excursions had been a mix of speculation and deception, only able to function outside of the Guild's oversight, mainly adhering to areas and zones unwatched by the Ballooner's all encompassing eye in the sky. There had often been times where poachers would be so gravely injured the party could not afford to carry them back, lest they all fall prey to the monsters themselves, unable to seek Guild aid themselves. Now, Zeshin once again found himself in the company of the dubious and the distant. The most interaction he had with other hunters was brief and after the booty and zenny were divided, they were no more than strangers to him, very different from the tales of camaraderie and goodwill he had heard so much about as a boy. Sanzuin was a smooth talker, but his dealings with integrity were very akin to his hunting style, distant and shrew-coinciding with his choice of weapon.
"Well Zesh, what's it gonna be? Come on, we're not so bad off are we? This'll be easy, the damn thing's already hurt as is. So what do you say? Drinks are on me afterward…" Sanzuin continued, his arm and posture growing a bit too comfortable for Jiisha's taste as she shoved him away as well. Zeshin took note of the reaction, as it appeared the only serious hunter of the group beside himself appeared to be Jiisha. With a sigh, Zeshin slowly placed his helmet over his head.
"I'm ready under this condition: I lead and Jiisha is my cover. No disagreements or you find yourself a fourth…" Zeshin said, shouldering the strap to his Longsword in its custom sheath.
"Frag this and you boy, I follow no one's orders 'cept my own." Ryoma said with a slur, pointing to himself. Jiisha's face showed a bit of surprise, but she remained motionless.
Sanzuin mulled the proposal over for a minute or so, and with a shrug he conceded. "Ok we follow your command, but we gotta go now, the Ballooner will have to give the Guild the monster's location if we don't hurry. It's out near the Greater Dunes eating cactus according to the Sky Eye so let's move now." Sanzuin said, smiling the entire time as he walked over to fetch Ryoma's helmet. "Catch Big Guy, take a walk and clear your head a bit," he continued as he tossed the head covering, Ryoma's large hand catching the helmet with great dexterity as the large man emptied out the remaining sand.
"Let's go then already…" Ryoma said taking his cues from Sanzuin as he retrieved his hammer, placing it back onto his back as he walked away, taking the same path he had chastised Zeshin for earlier. Soon he was followed by Sanzuin, who had decided to go along with Zeshin's idea with no resistance, his smile never one to have given Zeshin any comfort.
As Zeshin walked past Jiisha, he stopped as she called out to him, keeping his eye on the distance between Ryoma's lurching and Sanzuin's sauntering. "What the Hell is it you are trying to do by playing general?" Jiisha asked with expressed concern.
Zeshin turned his neck toward her while he stood in the same spot and simply replied, "Trying to make sure we all make it out alive. Sanzuin's only in this for himself, we just make it easier, if you want to live you'll listen to me and make sure your drunken friend doesn't kill himself or any of us." Zeshin said with a detached tone.
"Is that why you're making me your point man? You don't trust me?" Jiisha asked, annoyed. She was not accustomed to having her skill judged by an arrogant stranger who had never seen her hunt.
"That's exactly why… that and you seem to be the only one besides myself that seems to want to live to collect his earnings. I need someone competent to watch my back, and I pick you. Now let's do this and be done with it." Zeshin as he walked forward, the scathing sands brushing against his polished Red Armor as the desert winds ominously began to pick up. Soon to follow was Jiisha, who had taken his words to heart and was left with a bit of relief as well as intrigue as to who he was and why did Sanzuin fall in line so easily.