The sun shone brightly within the Great Desert, the sand-boat they were on swayed gently through the deep, shifting sands; the group on the boat was bustling about, making sure everything was where it was needed.
"Arianna!" a voice called out to a long, black haired girl who jumped.
She turned around, silver eyes locking onto red eyes as a spikey, black-haired boy ran toward her wearing Rathalos armor and wielding his Great Sword. He looked around before pulling her further away from the edge where a few Delex where following beside them. The girl herself was wearing black armor trimmed light blue, something he's always seen her wearing; never taking it off and no one could understand why. Her arms were wrapped up as where her legs though she was hiding something on her arms as a little black peeked around her shoulders.
"Sense anything yet?" The boy asked Arianna, who shrugged.
"I feel him close by, but I don't know where Darian. It's like he's trying to hide himself from my, though why Jhen Mohran would do that I don't have a clue." Arianna explained to the black-haired boy, silver eyes showing confusion.
"Well, he'll show up sooner or later; don't worry." Darian said giving her a smile before going over to a brown haired boy who nodded at him.
Arianna watched as Darian and Tarek, their brown haired friend who laughed at something Darian said. Tarek had joined them a long time ago stating he could probably help them with detecting Jhen Mohran in the ground as he had a knack for it. His Switch-Axe hung at his side as he looked over the sands, still talking to Darian even as a red-haired girl with pigtails came over carrying a gun, talking with them as well. Arianna glared at the red-haired girl before turning away, looking at the wide expanse of sand.
"See anything yet?" a voice asked beside her, making her jump and looking at a man wearing Deviljho armor.
"Hm? Oh, nothing yet." Arianna responded, touching the scars across her left eye.
"Don't worry, once he appear's we'll nab him and you can ask him some question's." the man reassured and Arianna nodded.
As he left they saw the ground start shaking and sand starting to move, and that's when all the bells started ringing and people began shouting. Arianna ran toward the side where a lot of sand was kicking up before Jhen Mohran appeared and Arianna nodded to herself before going over toward a ballista and getting to ready.
"There he is Arianna!" Narlen, the red haired girl shouted; glaring at Arianna.
"I know, I see him!" Arianna shouted back, looking at Jhen Mohran.
Suddenly everything went super speed as they tried to stop or capture Jhen Mohran, anything but kill him by Arianna's order's; she had paid them all to never hurt Jhen Mohran and they planned to do exactly that. Not to mention the Captain seemed to of had a fondness for Arianna, but it was making everything easier. A few more ballista's where shot off and some embedded into his skin but it didn't seem to hurt Jhen Mohran, so they tried reeling him back toward the ship for Arianna to speak with him.
"Okay, nice and steady!" Arianna shouted slowly going toward the end of the ship.
"Careful Arianna!" Darian shouted, keeping his sword ready.
Suddenly Jhen Mohran roared and raised his tail before slamming it back in the ground. Everyone screamed and tried to hold onto something, even as more held onto others trying to keep them from going overboard; others kept shooting off harpoons from the ballista's, holding onto the gun tightly. Arianna growled as she tried to root her feet onto the boat to not slip off even as Jhen Mohran continued to slam his tail into the ground. Arianna took slow steps toward the end again, hoping to reach it and have her voice reach Jhen Mohran; but it went downhill when Jhen Mohran started to turn.
"Watch out!" The Captain shouted, but it was too late.
Jhen Mohran's tucks suddenly rammed into the ship, shaking it harsh and making them all scream. Arianna lost her footing and headed for the side before grabbing it and hanging on; trying to prevent herself from falling into the deep sand.
"Arianna!" Darian shouted, red eyes wide.
Arianna grunted and tried to pull herself back on deck, but she lost her grip when Jhen Mohran rammed his tusks back into the ship. Arianna screamed before the sand covered her completely and Jhen Mohran pulled the bindings out of him and went into the sand.
"Arianna!" Darian shouted heading toward the side of the ship, trying to spot her.
"We have to go back!" The Captain shouted and Darian growled.
"Go back?! We have to find her!" Darian shouted about to run up to the Captain, but Tarek held him back.
"Calm down Darian, we have to turn around." Tarek reasoned, trying to hold the panicked man back.
"We'll go back and create a search team! If we're lucky she was either washed ashore by the shifting sands or she was pulled into the cave system's underneath the sands." The Captain shouted before turning the ship around to go back to Loc Lac City.
Elsewhere: Arianna groaned as felt tapping on her cheek, and she heard a voice but it seemed so far away despite the close presence of a person. She soon heard the voice clearly, and heard something that sounded like grumbling to her left; as she cracked her eyes open it seemed a purple light came from that direction as well.
"Are you alright?" a mature, male's voice asked again.
"W-where a-am I?" Arianna asked with a groan, bringing a hand to cover her eyes in pain.
"Glad to see you have awaken, as for our whereabouts, don't worry. You were pulled underground below the sand into the cave system's." the man replied as Arianna removed her hand, confused silver eyes looking around.
"Cave system?" Arianna repeated before her eyes landed on the source of the purple light, eye's widening as she noticed it was a Giginox.
"A Giginox?!" She shouted in surprised, almost shooting from the man's arms.
The leech like dragon hiss and growled as it stood up, but the man glared at the dragon through what Arianna noticed was a mask that had little pincer's near the mouth. Noticing her staring the man sighed and took the mask off, revealing black hair and purple eyes that matched the Giginox's glowing stomach.
"The mask scare you?" The guy questioned and Arianna seemed shocked at the question, but shook her head.
"No, though I was surprised; why do you wear a mask?" Arianna questioned but he shrugged, his purple eyes having a slight glow.
"I don't like people seeing my true face, and the sun hurts my eyes. The mask protects my eyes, it was made out of gold bugs." The man replied before standing up and looking at her.
"Anyways, let me introduce myself. My name is Bael Cerberus, been living with Giginox all my life. I raised her from a Giggi." The man, known as Bael, introduced holding a hand out.
"Oh, my name is Arianna, Arianna Blackscale." Arianna as well, introduced herself shaking his hand.
"So Arianna, may I ask what you're doing down here?" Bael questioned, looking around at the cave system they were in.
"Oh! Well, you see-!" Arianna explained what had happened to Bael, explaining her quest on finding out about her past, and questioning Jhen Mohran on if the Elder Dragon knew anything about her.
"We had just gotten our ropes on him when he slammed his tail, but it didn't break the ropes. He seemed to know as he suddenly began turning and slammed into the boat, knocking me off. I guess the sands above took me to the cave system below." Arianna explained and Bael hummed.
"I see, well you're lucky I found you. There are some monster's down here that would've eaten you alive the first chance they got; but with Giginox here, they dare not come near." Bael said as he patted the mixed colored leech-dragon.
"I know why, Giginox dragon's are extremely feared. They feed on the blood on their enemies and can produce multiple Giggi's at once though no one knows how, and despite their glowing bellies they can hide in the darkness as long as the glow is toward the ground or ceiling as they can scale walls." Arianna explained as she also patted the dragon's body.
Bael looked at her in shock, she knew a lot about Giginox's even though he could tell she hadn't lived with them; and he only learned what he knew from living with them. Granted what he told her was knowledge he already knew, but how was it she also knew something like that. He didn't understand how she already knew something like that, but he was about to ask when she looked above them and to the sides, as though she had heard something.
"Did you hear that?" Arianna asked him, confuse him.
"Hear what?" He asked, and strained to hear what she heard.
"Roaring...fast moving sand...long body, tusks...pain..." Arianna stated each slowly and her saw her silver eyes glaze over as if she was sensing something.
"...WE HAVE TO MOVE!" Arianna shouted in panic and that's when he heard it.
He turned around and gasped as he saw the area begin to cave-in and sand quickly fill the system.
"GO!" He shouted and they began running through the tunnel, Giginox with them moving swiftly.
They noticed a turn up ahead and Bael pushed her in before she saw a path leading upwards and upon reaching it Giginox slammed the barrier above it open before they escaped. A pillar on sand shot up from behind them before it settled down; the sand slowly sinking back into the opening underground and Bael sighed.
'There goes that underground system, how did it get covered up so quickly?' Bael thought and turned to Arianna who was trying to catch her breath back.
"How did you notice that?" Bael asked putting his mask back on, trying to avoid the sunlight hurting his eyes, and Arianna shrugged.
"I-I don't know, I've always had this odd connection to monster's and nature, able to tell what's going on and I'm able to tame monster's. It's one reason I'm outcasted by many villager's; but some see my ability useful." Arianna explained and Bael smiled.
"I see, well that would explain why Giginox has taken a liking to you." Bael responded as Giginox gently nudged Arianna's head.
"I guess." Arianna replied before looking around, realizing they were in Diablos territory.
"We need to find Loc Lac City before it gets dark, this is Diablos territory; he doesn't take kindly to trespasser's." Arianna realized and Bael nodded as they headed back through the shifting sands, Giginox following them.
Later: At Loc Lac City, Darian was pacing back and forth at the entrance to the desert, waiting for the others to arrive; his patience wearing thin. After they got back and told the patrol's and guard's what had happened they agreed to get and search-and-rescue team ready, and Tarek along with Narlen offered to help. As much as he loafed at the thought of Narlen helping, he knew her eyesight would be a great use in finding Arianna.
'What's taking them so long? Night's closed in, Jhen Mohran is on a rampage and who knows where Arianna is; why can't they hurry up?!' Darian shouted in his mind, thoughts running rampant.
"Darian!" A voice called out, grabbing his attention.
He looked toward the desert, having heard his name that way and saw a sight that made his heart soar with joy and relief fill his body. Arianna was there, looking fine, alive and in one piece and though it looked like she was riding something with someone else he was happy to see her alive.
"Arianna!" Darian shouted running toward them even as the team arrived with Narlen and Tarek, shocking them as they saw her in the distance.
Arianna got off the creature she was riding, which looked to be a Giginox and it's rider but Darian didn't worry about that as Arianna reached him and jumped toward him, both wrapping their arms around one another.
"Thank the Elder's you're okay, I'm so glad you're alive." Darian stated as he hugged her tighter to him, letting her feet touch the sand.
"I'm sorry I worried you, all of you." Arianna said as the team, along with Tarek and Narlen ran toward them.
"Glad to see you okay." Tarek said, rubbing her head.
"You had us worried sick you idiot, be more careful next time!" Narlen stated with anger, but she did seem worried for once.
"I have Bael to thank for that." Arianna said looking at Bael and his Giginox that now stood directly behind her.
"Thank you, really." Darian said looking at the man that took his mask off as to not frighten them; and the sun was down so no harmful sunlight.
"No problem, she looked like she needed help. Giginox here helped us through the deep and shifting sands; so it was no big deal to get her back home." Bael responded and Arianna smiled at him.
"Thank you Bael, I mean it." Arianna said and he just smiled at her.
"Heh, don't worry about it; you looked like you needed the help." Bael responded before looking around and sighing.
"Well, I'm gonna head on out of here. Giginox doesn't feel well, and truthfully neither do I; besides we both need sleep." Bael said and Arianna nodded.
"Alright then, take care Bael." Arianna said and Bael nodded giving a smirk.
"Will do." He said donning the mask again before Giginox began digging and they disappeared under the sand.
"Hope they'll be okay." Darian said and Arianna smiled at him.
"They will be, the cave system underneath the sand; despite all the monsters and danger's it possess leads all over the world. We could even reach Moga village through the cave system; though it would depend if the system leading to Moga hasn't caved-in." Arianna said and they nodded, walking back in Loc Lac City.
Upon the fight with Jhen Mohran has lead to Arianna meeting someone similar to her and that person has a ability with monsters, though it may only be one. Despite that fact Arianna knew they would meet again, it was only a matter of when, where and how they would reunite.