The trip to Astera had been rough, with Zorah Magdoros nearly cutting their journey short. Sienna was worse for wear after today's adventure; from falling off the ship, to climbing up Zorah Magdoros' massive shell, to her adventure through the Ancient Forest. She could use some good food, a stiff drink, and a long nap. After the grand tour, Sienna was eager to sit down at the canteen, where the smell of food had been driving her nuts since she came through the gates. Her black haired Palico, Tira, rushes towards her handler and Sienna locks eyes with the tall man in chainmail that was next to her Palico.
"Told you I would make it here first, Sis." He takes off his helmet, his skin an olive complexion, with black hair and green eyes and strong features. Sienna takes off her leather helmet, her complexion similair but her hair white and her left eye is red "Yes, well, I was first off the boat. And I recall your exact words, Nikolai, were "First one off the boat in Astera owes the other a drink." or did I mishear you?" Nikolai chuckles "Well. I suppose we both won. So, we will be paying for our own drinks." Sienna giggles "I suppose so, little brother."
Sienna pets Tira and Sasha, Nikolai's Palico, runs over, the two Palico running off together. Sienna sits down at the Canteen, grinning at the Meowscular Chef "Bring on the meat!" He grins and nods "Understood. You two scrawny kids need to bulk up." Sienna folds her arms "Scrawny? Please." The Meowcular chef smirks "Don't worry about that. I'll have you both in the best shape of your lives in no time, just make sure to come to me before you venture out there so you can get your pre-hunt on." The cats set to work preparing two massive trays of meat and sides, with a mug of beer each. Sienna and Nikolai graciously pay for their food before eagerly digging in.
After the meeting with the Commander, Sienna was pumped to get her feet wet, figuratively, and start her first commisioned hunt. After some rest of course. Sienna was awake just before daybreak, suiting up in her armor and grabbing the weapon she had decided on to be her temporary weapon of choice, the iron switchaxe. She picks it up gingery, examining it, before extending it to its full length in axe mode with a pull of a trigger and the flick of the weapon. She examines the axe head, running her hand across it, and test's the phail reload mechanism, pulling it back and hearing a loud, satisfying click. She folds the weapon, sheathing it on her back before walking towards her door. She looks back in her room at her snoozing Palico "Tira! Time to get rolling!" Tira yawns "If you..." Yawn "Insist Meowster." She yawns again "But, would five more minutes hurt?"
Sienna unhooks from the wingdrake, dropping in the middle of the camp with Tira hanging on to her waist. Tira drops next to her, shaking off her utter dread from traveling by air "Meowster, that was terrible!" Sienna frowns "I'm sorry sweetheart, but I really need you. You are the bread to my butter after all. So we had to take the express route together. Lot of people relying on us." Tira nods "Just... can we paw-se to recouperate? Air travel is rough." Sienna nods "It'll give me a chance to stock up on my items. Wanna make sure I take plenty of potions." Sienna notices the Field Team Leader for the first time since she got there "Oh, hey, you came along as well." He nods "I'm here to watch you work. Old man says he's got a good feeling about you, so I want to see it with my own two eyes." Sienna grins "I won't disappoint."
Sienna prepared herself for the hunt. It would be a simple task, hunting Jagras. After her introduction to them yesterday, she was eager to cull a few of them. Being forced to retreat from a hunt was not one of her favorite parts of the day prior, regardless of whether or not she was armed. Were her handler not there, she would of probably started punching them (then subsequently die). Sienna walks behind the Field Team Leader, taking in her surroundings and familiarizing herself with the lay of the land. She saw flowers that she recognized from the Old World, which contained nectar that can heal wounds. Vitality Buds. And they were common in this area, which Sienna then dubbed the Vitality Fields.
Deeper in the forest, through a thicket of vines, Sienna saw her quarry. This pack of Jagras had been giving her friends some trouble. She readies up her switch axe, jumping down a small rise and catching their attention. She swings at them with a wild arc and catches one across the face, the others leaping back to avoid her sweeping strike. They spread out around her, eyeing her cautiously. One leaps on the trunk of a tree and leaps towards Sienna: Sienna does an upward swing of the axe and it's blade sticks into the gut of the Jagras. Sienna turns and slams the Jagras down, driving the weapon into it more. She pulls the axe out of her victim and pulls a trigger, causing the axe to transform into a sword.
Sienna dodges the charge of a Jagras, slashing it across it's side. One leaps on her back and she elbows it off, just as Tira throws her boomarang at it. It hits the Jagras in the head and Sienna manages to shake it free. Sienna dodges out of the way of another charging towards her, her sword making quick work of two of the Jagras. The rest begin to retreat and Sienna chases after them, into a small underground cavern. By the light of the flashflies, Sienna could see at least 7 Jagras. Oh good, a challenge. Tira leaps on one and hits it over the head with her shovel, while Sienna runs over and closes her eyes as she touches the group of flashflies. Unable to see to fight back, Sienna made short work of the Jagras, and set to work skinning them for materials.
Back at Astera, Sienna found her brother drinking with a group of Fivers. Nikolai raises his mug "Kestadons? Simple hunt. Honestly, I feel insulted my abilities aren't being put to better use. Name one better bowgun marksman in the Fifth Fleet. Go ahead, I'll wait."Sienna pats him on the back as he goes to take a drink from his mug, making him cough and sputter "Oh, perhaps he is just checking to make sure you still know how to aim a bowgun. You wouldn't be any use to us if he sent you after a Rathian and you forgot which one's the trigger and which one is the primer for the Wyvernblast." Nikolai chuckles "You won't be making jokes like that when I'm shooting the thing and you are fumbling with your whetstone."
Sienna sits down next to her brother "Immpeccible comeback as always, dear brother." Nikolai smiles "What do you say we hunt together tomorrow? Commander says when need to take down a Great Jagras. Together I give the monster 5, 8 minutes tops." Sienna smirks "Sounds like a plan." She orders food and drink, and after having her fill of both she settles in for the night. When she awoke in the morning Tira was gone, likely having went ahead to base camp. Flying was not her forte so likely she wanted to go ahead of Sienna to avoid a repeat of yesterday. Sienna sharpens and cleans her switchaxe, smiling at her reflection in the polished blade, before setting out for base camp.
At base camp Sienna was greeted by her brother and his palico, Sasha. Nikolai has his light bowgun, and grins at his sister "About time you got here. I scouted ahead, gathered resources, and tracked down our troublemaker." Sienna grins "Well I would of got here sooner but I knew if I did, you would make me do the tracking." Nikolai grins "Well, are you ready for some exercise? Because I doubt this thing is going down without a fight." Sienna giggles "Born ready." She draws her switch axe and shoulders it, while motioning casually with one hand "Lead the way brother."
Ahead Sienna saw the Great Jagras, forcing its way through a thicket of vines. Wood splinters scatter everywhere and the monster darts past them, towards Area 1. Sienna gave chase and her bother rushes ahead. The Great Jagras stops, eyes one of the Aptonoth, then rushes towards it and tackles it to the ground. Nikolai stands on top of a rocky rise while Sienna closes in on the Jagras, watching it devour the Aptonoth whole. Nikolai fires a round of shots at it's side and face, drawing its attention as Sienna hits it in the side with her switchaxe. The axe barely scratches the deceptively tough hide of the Jagras. It shifts its body and slaps Sienna away with its tail. Nikolai continues to fire rounds into its side, until it turns to him and charges, it's engorged stomach scrapping the ground.
Nikolai rolls to one side and the Jagras charges right past him. Sienna hacks at its side with her axe, rolling back to avoid its sweeping attack. She barely rolls clear of the Jagras as it rolls over and nearly crushes her under its massive body. She transforms her axe into sword mode and takes a hack at it's face, causing it to cry out in anguish as she leaves a bleeding gash on it's face. She recoils from its piercing scream, stumbling as it charges towards her. It rears up, it's massive body looming over Sienna and she scrambles back to her feet. Nikolai springboards off a tree, dropkicking the Jagras in the face and managing to hang on to it's mane, firing rounds into the top of it's head and face. It manages to shake him free and Sienna dashes by it, her sword handle in her right hand and left hand braced behind the blade as she slices a deep gash along the monster's side.
The Jagras cries out in anger, scrambling away in fear towards its nest. Nikolai turns to Sienna "Hey, you need a few seconds to recoup?" Sienna shakes her head "Nah, I got something better." She rushes to one of the Vitality buds, swatting at it. She breathes in the healing nectar she feels rejuvinated, and they chase after the Jagras. Their scoutflies show them the way towards their target, which had taken roost in its nest, in a tunnel deep underneath a large tree. It scratches at the ground, then lays down and passes out. Nikolai grins "I have an idea. I'll set some Wyvernblast, and then we will wake it up and lead it right into my trap. If it survives my little trap, from there finishing it should be a cakewalk." Sienna giggles "Brilliant idea. Small tunnel, big explosions, flammable bark." Nikolai shrugs "Fair enough."
Sienna brings her axe down on it's neck execution stye but the mane absorbs most of the blow, the axe biting into the skinand leaving a deep gash. The Jagras roars and slams into Sienna, knocking her away. Nikolai fires a few rounds at it to draw its attention and the Jagras charges him. Sienna makes it back to her feet, hacking at the Jagras hind leg, before finishing it with a powerful swing of her sword that slices open its stomach. It lets out one last blood curling scream before it goes limp, and Nikolai sets to work skinning the beast.
