"Hey! Wake up, sleepy head!"
It wasn't the first time Neyo slept in and had to be awoken by his friend, Tiankong Jufeng. The young hedgehog yawned as he got up in a sitting position on his bed before rubbing his eyes and looking at his friend.
Tiankong was a female hedgehog around the same age as Neyo. In term of appearance, she was similar to him, but she had smoother fur and...well, feminine traits. Her dress consisted of a red crop top with a blue camouflage jacket and pants, and brown boots. She also wore brown gloobes with a belt of the same color holding her pants. She had beautiful green eyes. She was also the first friend Neyo made, when he arrived at the refuge of the Hedgehog Clan, Nan Quiang.
"Tiankong," Neyo groaned. "I already told you many times to not come in my room to wake me up. I don't like you to see me in my underwears." Indeed, Neyo was currently wearing a pair of panties on.
"Sooory." The hedgehog girl said with rolling her eyes. "Being a Kung Fu apprentice, I though you were used to wake up soon for training, Opposum." 'Opposum' was the affectionate nickname she gave him since their first encounter.
"Gotta believe the Arritochans must get up sooner."
"Did you forgot today is your official graduation day?"
Neyo widened his eyes in horror. It was true: today was the day that Xie Zhen decided to make Neyo pass his trials to become an official member of the Hedgehog Clan. He did work really hard for the last months to become an Arritochan warrior, but it was those trials that would say if he really was worthy of the title.
"For the love of potatoes! I forgot!" Neyo exclaimed, jumping from his bed. "Just give me a moment: I'm gonna change."
Tiankong walked out of his room to give him privacy. A few moments later, he came out with his new attire he got, when he started his training. Grey pants with red pockets on the sides with a brown belt on which were tied his Chi sticks. He had a brown protection tied on his shoulder which he damaged many times by the past as he didn't wanted to expose it to any more risks. His still had his silver glove which could give him his Chi bow on his left hand. Finally, a yellow plaster was applied on his nose and he still had his yellow bandana tied on his arm.
"Alright, let's go!" He said and headed out of his house and into the streets of Nan Quiang with Tiankong.
Nan Quiang was an old city with buildings not as impressive as those in the Valley of Peace, but strong enough to survive the numerous sand storms. The city itself was located on the border of the ocean which allowed them to live without having to leave the huge metal wall that protected the city to g search for water and food. Speaking of which, the huge metal wall has been built generations ago and prevented anything, from marauders to creatures, from entering the city. Anyone who would leave the city would find themselves in the Outlands which was a desertic hell with thousands of danger. Luckily that the Hedgehog Clan built this city.
As they were walking through the streets, Neyo and Tiankong saw many other Arritochan hedgehogs busy doing their stuff - either cleaning their weapons, talking with each other, buying food on the market, or feeding some Arakokras, bird-like creatures that were used to run long distance (a bit like humans does with horses).
The duo made their way to the arena of the city where Tiankong wished good luck to Neyo before he entered. The arena consisted of four very large metal platform on a lake of lava where the contenders were to fight. Neyo stood on one of them as Xie Zhen was looking over him from a big chair on a balcony. By the look on his face, it was clear that he waited that moment for very long.
"Neyo!" He screamed after standing up. "This is a great day for you! After I've taken you as my personal apprentice and trained you for the past six months in the Arritochan's way, the day has finally come to pass our trials and show if you're worth of bearing the title of an Arritochan warrior! The first trial is a dead battle against lava frogs! If you can suceed this trial, you'll make one step toward your place among us and win a reward! Now, let the trial BEGIN!"
Right after he said that, lava frogs jumped out of the laval and onto the platform. As their name indicated, they were frog figures made entirely of lava. Except they were taller than Neyo instead of being small like ordinary frogs. Not that it caused Neyo any problems.
As they started charging forward, he immediately started using what he learned for the last six months by summoning his Chi bow thanks to his glove and shot Chi arrows at all the frogs which killed them instantly. Normally, he would feel bad for killing, but lava frogs were souless monsters, so it was okay. He though.
He jumped from platform to platform, shooting Chi arrows and also using his Chi sticks, if the lava frogs would get too close. He got better at shooting and fighting, thanks to his training which also made him more endurant and gave him a better cardio. After around five minutes of fighting, there was no lava frog left, only one hedgehog.
"Congratulations, my apprentice!" Xie Zhen said with clapping his hands as Neyo was panting from all the sport he did. "I see you've learned very fast. Even for the best warrior, reaching this level should take at least one year. Here's your reward." He said with throwing him some kind of blue card. "This will allow you to get in and out of the city as you wish, but be careful: there are no real refuges in the Outlands."
Neyo nodded and bowed as he was ready to leave the arena.
"You may now go to the entrance of the wall: your friend will tell you all the infos for your next trial." Xie Zhen finished before Neyo really left the arena.
As the leader instructed him too, Neyo made his way over to the wall's entrance where Tiankong was waiting for him. The place also worked as an hangar with many different earth vehicules the hedgehogs used to travel the Outlands as it was extremely dangerous and unrecommanded to do it on foot.
"Tian, I did it! Now, we can go out in the Outlands to explore!" He happily said with showing his card.
"I knew you'd do it, Opposum. You're so brave and manly." She remarked with an hand on her hip.
"Aww, c'mon, Tian. You're pretty manly too." At this remark, she widened her eyes and gave him a slightly insulted glare which made him realize his mistake. "Er, I mean girly. I mean I like you! I mean-"
Tiankong simply sighed. "C'mon, Opposum." She said and gave him a friendly nudge. "Xi Zhen said that for your second trial, we must take a vehicule and head to a location indicated by a smoke signal. So let's go!"
The vehicule they took was named "Tacos" because it was their weakest model. While this small vehicle lacked the ability to fire any sort of weaponry, its tight handling, solid construction, and good stability counterbalanced its defensive shortfalls, though because of its lack of raw power, or any substantial offensive advantages, it was mainly only used as a training or initiation vehicle. The composite alloy roll cage provided maximum protection should she take a tumble, but is far too flimsy to withstand much punishment from enemy attacks. Neyo and Tiankong had to put on googles so that the flying sand won't be a problem.
The gatekeeper opened the doors after Neyo showed his card and launched the vehicule to drive out into the desert. Despite the savage heat, Neyo was actually having fun driving a vehicule for the first time. After some minutes, Tiankong saw something and pointed out.
"Hey, Neyo! Look!" There was a red smoke signal at the horizon. "That must be the signal Xie Zhen talked about! Let's follow it!"
Neyo did just that. Although getting to the signal point was a bit hard as there was many obstacles - rocks, deep rivers, cactuses, etc - they eventually made it. The signal was coming from a little rock house located on top of a rock which forced them to leave the Tacos to get up there.
Once they arrived at the house, they were met by an orange bird who had a dark blue mustache, a green vest with wingbands of the same color, and a white loincloth.
"Who are you?" Neyo asked.
"I am Gunta. I live here." He answered.
"Did you just send a smoke signal?"
"Yes: Xie Zhen asked me to do it as part of your trial." He explained.
"What?" Tiankong was surprised. "Knowing Zhen, he'd refuse help from anyone who isn't an hedgehog."
"That's because I'm an old friend of his." He explained before picking up two objects in his wings: a light green glove and some kind of boomrang. "Xie Zhen instructed me to give you this at your arrival. Take it."
Neyo obeyed and putted the glove on his right hand before taking the boomrang. "What's that?"
"This is the Luse Buzhu Glove." Gunta explained. "Every time you'll throw this boomrang, it will automatically come back in the hand that's wearing the glove. If you wish, you are welcome to stay here and learn how to use it."
"That's a good idea!" A voice suddenly said as another intruder landed beside them. This time, it was a bird like Guntan who was like green with a blue kimono and red wingtips. It was a female. "Guntan is better suited to teach you how to master this weapon in a time record. Tiankong, I could also learn you one thing or two, if you wish."
The female hedgehog turned to Neyo. "Y'know, we could use some help to get better, Opposum."
"I agree." Neyo nodded with a smile.
So? Do you think Neyo's story sounds interesting so far? I sure hope so 'cause he's gonna be the character to evolve the most!