Pitter…Patter…Pitter…Patter…Pitter…Patter
A slight drizzle filled the flooded forest, wetting everything on the land except for two hunters safely sheltered under a mountain side where the camp site was located. There, the two hunters were on a fishing marathon hoping to catch the rare Gold Fish or at least; that is what one of the hunters thought they were on.
Lucia was fidgeting next to her best friend, Kiyoran. She didn't bring her friend just to fish, she had something big she wanted to say, but could not find the right moment to tell her.
Kiyoran had noticed Lucia's fidgeting and was about to ask her what was wrong when Lucia blurted out…
"I want to be a cook!", Lucia said out loud to her best friend.
"you…cook?", was all Kiyoran could reply before she burst out laughing. It was an outrageous occupation Kiyoran thought, imagining her best friend Lucia being a chief other than a hunter was something she had never pictured her being.
"What's wrong with me trying to pursue a different job other than being a hunter?", Lucia retorted, trying to stand her ground.
"Your cooking is terrible.", Kiyoran said flat out.
"I, I will admit that in the past my cooking wasn't up to par with that of Felyne's chiefs, but I was still learning back then.", Lucia truthfully told Kiyoran.
"That was last week.", Kiyoran replied, dispelling Lucia's truth with an actual fact.
"…", Lucia could not reply to Kiyoran's statement for she knew all too well what had happened on that particular day.
***
She had surprised her best friend by preparing a five course meal with no help from the felyne's chiefs. Lucia had insisted that she prepare everything by her own hands, naturally Kiyoran looked nervous but did not say anything. With one bite, Kiyoran had turned from her natural pinkish color, all the way to green in a matter of seconds but she did not complain and cleaned her entire plate. it didn't help the situation that Lucia, ignorant to Kiyoran obvious pain, had prepared a second five course meal where after Kiyoran also cleared that plate, thanked her for the meal and in a matter of moments was on the floor clutching her stomach. She was last seen being taken away by two Felynes to the nearest medical facility.
***
Silenced filled the space between these two hunters as the only sound could only be heard was the sound of rain drops and the bobbing of a fishing lure trending through the pond full of fish.
"I want to be a Felyne trainer.", It was Kiyoran's turn to dissipate the silenced that filled the space.
"EH?", Was all that Lucia could respond before she burst out laughing.
"YOU! BE A FELYNE TRAINER!", Lucia clutched over holding her sides as she started to laugh even harder.
"And what's wrong with me being a trainer?", It was now Kiyoran turn to defend herself.
"you suck at training people much less felines.", Lucia stopped laughing to state the obvious.
"That's your opinion.", Kiyoran not caring for Lucia's statement.
"Oh really now, do you remember back when…"
***
Lucia and Kiyoran were climbing higher and higher on top the mountain side on D. Island. This was Lucia's first hunt ever so she didn't know what to expect; her friend had lent her a leather set and Sword & Shield weapon. There mission; poach some eggs. There was only one location where they could find these eggs but at the time, Lucia didn't know what kind of eggs she would be poaching but would soon regret it later on. As they reached there destination, it was riddled with bones and dead carcasses making Lucia wonder what kind of monster lives up here. Lucia's attention was diverted towards Kiyoran, signaling to the location of the eggs. As Lucia began to pick up the egg, Kiyoran was in front of her with her back turned crossed armed.
"Lucia, in order to become a great hunter you must first learn the basics. That is why your first lesson will be…"
Just then, a large shadow covered both hunters and in seconds as if the heavens spat out a great evil, the beast landed right behind Kiyoran and with a loud roar, Rathian has made its appearance.
"Evasion!", Kiyoran finished her sentence, unfazed by Rathians entrance.
Lucia on the other hand was frantic by the sudden monster in front of her. Her legs were shaking and her body refused to move from that spot.
"LUCIA, RUN!", was all it took from Kiyoran to run back towards the exit as fast as possible.
So through out that experience, Lucia ran and ran, all the while Rathian chasing after her occasionally firing a fireball missing her by a hairs length. Kiyoran didn't help at all who kept shouting out to Lucia to evade to the left or right, usually there being a fireball coming in that particular direction.
Finally, Lucia made it to the camp site, dropping off the egg in the red box and collapsing on the floor. Kiyoran walked in, not as tired as Lucia and patted her on the shoulder giving Lucia just enough energy to punch Kiyoran at her face, "Two more eggs to go.".
***
"…And your point being?", Kiyoran giving Lucia a look that said, 'So What'.
"MY POINT BEING THAT YOU SUCK AS A TRAINER! I MEAN, WHO SENDS A BEGINNER TO POACH RATHIAN EGS AS THERE FIRST TIME WEARING A LEATHER SET AND ARMED WITH A SWORD & SHIELD WEAPON; THREE TIMES!" Lucia was breathing heavily after shouting all of that to Kiyoran.
Kiyoran on the other hand, "Yeah, you're right…"
It looked to Lucia that she had finally gone through to her.
"I should have lent you the Lic Loc set instead."
Exasperated, Lucia was just about to sit down but thought against it because of the muddy ground.
Lucia recomposed herself, "Then what about that supposedly ferocious Barioth that you said you 'tamed'.", emphasizing on the word tamed.
"I did 'tamed' that Barioth", Kiyoran also emphasizing tamed as well.
"She tried to maul me.", Lucia said coldly to Kiyoran.
"It wasn't Amber's fault, she was only a cub.", giving Lucia a reason why Amber attacked her.
"SHE WAS 2, 113 CM TALL.", counteracting Kiyoran's definition on the word 'cub'.
"But…but she was so cute.", Kiyoran said giving off a loving gaze, while Lucia reliving a traumatic one.
It only goes to show you that all hunters experience different things in life, case point; Lucia & Kiyoran and the lovable-deadly Barioth.
Silence once again fell between these two hunters only this time, a ferocious sound replaced the Flooded Forest background noise, Kiyoran's Stomach.
"Lucia, I'm hungry.", Kiyoran reconfirming her stomach's growling.
Lucia turned away from Kiyoran, mumbling something inaudible
"What's that Lucia, I couldn't hear you over the sound of my stomach rumbling", Kiyoran patted her stomach trying to settle it down.
"I…", Lucia mumbled something inaudible again.
Kiyoran closed the distance, getting closer and closer when…
"I FORGOT MY BBQ SPIT OKAY!", Lucia practically shouting to Kiyoran's ear.
Kiyoran backed away all of a sudden, placing her pinky inside her ear to check if she had gone deaf because of Lucia's sudden shout.
"Lucia.", Kiyoran again started moving towards Lucia.
"We been hunting for three days straight and you have the nerve of mentioning that you want to be a cook when YOU FORGOT YOUR BBQ SPIT!", Kiyoran yelled right back.
"I'm sorry.", was all Lucia could say as she crouched down and covered both her ears, hoping to not be blame anymore for her incompetence.
Both hunters were exhausted from shouting at each other, not to mention tired and hungry from the 3 day fishing marathon with no luck on finding even ONE elusive Gold Fish.
Kiyoran was about to suggest they just pack up and go home when, suddenly, Lucia had a revelation, she remembered that she did have one more well done steak in her pack and left it right next to her bed.
"AH!"
Kiyoran was startled by Lucia's outburst.
"Y-y-you know what, I-I'm kind of tired so, um, I-I'll, uh, be going to bed now.", Lucia stammered away all the while slowly and not very conspicuous; walked towards her destination
"Lucia."
Lucia stops in her tracks.
"You're…acting strange", Kiyoran said all the while giving Lucia a look that said, 'you're hiding something, aren't you'.
Lucia turns quickly to face Kiyoran and begins to fidget and babble on trying to erase any suspicious surrounding her.
"What me? Of Course not, what would make you think that, ha ha ha", Lucia answers unsuccessfully.
"Lucia. You only laugh when you are lying", Kiyoran stating a fact whenever Lucia lies, something she was never good at.
"…", Unable to withstand Kiyoran's gaze, Lucia betrays her secret.
Lucia looks towards her pack located next to her bed for a brief second, but that was all it took for Kiyoran noticed the hesitate split second and looks at her destination, there she notices Lucia's pack.
"Your pack. You have food in…" Was all Kiyoran could say before Lucia turned from her and makes a straight run towards her pack; no longer able to contain her secret.
"Its mine Kiyoran, MINE!", Yelled Lucia.
"Why you little.", also going after Lucia's pack.
Lucia managed to grab her bag and begun to run in a circle around the campfire all the while trying to open her bag as well as play keep away from Kiyoran.
They chased each other for a full minute before Kiyoran tackled Lucia's legs.
As if time slowed down, the following events happened. Lucia while still holding onto her pack, had finally manage to unlatch her bag and just when Kiyoran tackled her legs. The contents, a well done steak, flew out of her pack. There it flew a few good meters away from them towards the pond that was full of fish and in moments, fully submerge where there by was eaten by fish in a matter of seconds.
"!", Both hunters screamed out in unison and lamented soon after.
"Lucia, I'm hungry", Kiyoran told Lucia, her stomach growling in protest with all that running.
"Don't remind me" Lucia said trying to stop her own stomach from growl as well.
"Oh wait, I have a sushi fish with me…", Kiyoran clasped her mouth but the damage was already done for just then, instinct took over as Kiyoran somersaulted to the left just in a nick of time for where she previously was; a Great Sword was now there instead.
"LUCIA!", shock registered on Kiyoran's face on her best friend sudden assault.
There, as if Lucia was an unholy undead, she began to lift her Great Sword and was about to swing it again.
"Lucia! Calm down, let's talk about this like rationale friends", Kiyoran said, trying to calm down Lucia.
"Kiyoran, I'm…hun-gry. Give…Me…Your…FISH!", her base instincts taking over as Lucia once again slammed her great sword on Kiyoran making her dodge Lucia's attacks.
Kiyoran got a good distance away managing to continue evading Lucia erratic attacks, she knew what she had to there. Right in front of Lucia's face, Kiyoran took out the Sushi Fish and with a wicked smile, began to gobble it up.
"NNNOOOOO!", was all that Lucia could say before she collapsed on the ground with her great sword right next to her.
"Lucia, I'm still hungry", Kiyoran spending whatever energy she had walking, collapsed right next to her as well.
"You want to go back home Kiyoran", Lucia barely manage to say.
"Yeah…", Kiyoran replied.
"I could go for some Gold Rice…", Lucia thinking of the mouth watering rice, making her stomach growl even more.
"Some juicy Dragon Heard…", Kiyoran imagining tender dragon meat.
"Crimson Seabream…", even some disgusting fish sounded delicious Lucia thought.
"and ale.", Kiyoran responded back.
"Lots and lots of ale", Lucia concurred.
And with that, both hunters passed out from hunger.
***
"I'M ALIVE AGAIN!", Lucia exclaimed taking another swig from her pint of ale.
Kiyoran was too busy to respond as she was grabbing food left and right not caring that her mouth was already preoccupied with food already.
Not long ago, a couple of Felynes came to the Flooded Forest and noticed the two passed hunters, by guild rules, they could not help these two hunters unless they had a pass and was located in the red box, but they made an exception in this situation so they brought them back to the tavern where they woke up moments ago and began to order ridiculous amounts of food.
While the two hunters were feasting, their good friend, the female scholar noticed the two of them and took a seat across from them.
"Hey guys.", Anya said to the two hunters. "How was the search for your elusive Gold Fish?"
Both hunters looked away not stopping one bit from enjoying there meal.
"That bad huh? This is most peculiar, I could have sworn that the Gold Fish Bait would have worked."
Both hunters stopped midway from drinking & eating.
"Goal phish (Gold Fish)," Kiyoran swallowing whatever leftover she had in her mouth, "bait?".
"Yeah, Lucia told me that you were going on a fishing marathon to catch some Gold Fish so I told her the best way to catch some." Anya told them as a matter of fact.
"Did she now?" Kiyoran faced Lucia, her left eye brow twitching and giving her a 'WTF' look.
Lucia pretended not to see all this and continued her drinking.
"Uh-huh." Confirming her own statement, "Oh look at the time, I need to be somewhere in a few minutes, nice talking to you guys.", and with that, Anya left leaving a very angry hunter behind.
Lucia noticed that Kiyoran was shaking, she was going to get it now.
"ANOTHER PINT OF ALE HERE! AND KEEP IT COMING!" was all that came out of Kiyoran's mouth.
Several pints later, Lucia was passed out on the table while Kiyoran was still drinking away.
"hic…stupid Lucia, wasting my time on something that should have taken less than a day to complete." Kiyoran was still irritated about Anya's comment.
She smacked Lucia's back, "huh, you got, hic…something to say L-U-C-I-A!"
She heard Lucia mumble but couldn't hear her cause it was so low. Kiyoran tried getting closer but ended up falling off the bench. Stumbling, she attempted again to stand up but her whole world was spinning and ending up on the floor again. Holding onto the bench, she was able to stabilize her movement and ended up embracing Lucia from behind. Just when she was going to drunkenly yell inside Lucia's ear…
"I want to cook for you…always, Kiyoran" she heard Lucia's mumbling loud and clear.
Kiyoran's anger dissipated, replaced by a drunken smile on her face. Kiyoran remember on that day that Lucia had said that she wanted to be a cook but never knew why, till now. she gave Lucia a hug from behind, acknowledging her dream on being a cook before finally passing out on top of her.
…
[Insert Vomit Sound]
To Be Continued...
***
Author's note
Hi, this was my first fan fiction ever...well I'm actually working with another author on this site so this is more of a co-production so there may be some mistakes here and there. I hope all of ya'll enjoyed this chapter.