The Master Corps
Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The game belongs entirely to Capcom. All characters that appear in this story belong to me, unless otherwise stated.
Edited by: dashboardgecko
Chapter 2- Introductions
Wes awoke in the middle of the night, hearing the creaking of the planks on the deck above him. He slowly pushed himself up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and getting to his feet. It's still early… The others probably aren't up yet. Might as well take a walk…
He strode over to the table and picked up his black leather bracers, strapping them to his arms and flicking his wrists; the sharp blades sprang out with hardly a sound, their edges gleaming in the dim light. He smirked to himself as he retracted the blades. It wasn't exactly necessary to wear them now, but he couldn't deny how much he liked having them on.
Wes quietly opened the door of his room, stepping into the dimly lit hallway. All the other doors were shut tight; everyone else was still sleeping. The hunter silently crept down the hall, being careful not to make any noise. Once he was clear of the hall, Wes ascended a couple flights of stairs, and felt the cool sea breeze as soon as he opened the door to the deck. It was a clear night, with the moon hanging high in the sky and the stars shining brightly. The ocean was calm, and the only sound that could be heard from below was the light splashing of small waves against the hull of the ship. Only a few sailors were up as well, going about making sure everything was running smoothly on the deck.
Nice night… Maybe I'll get a better view. Wes jogged over to the center mast, passing up the pole and grabbing a rope that was tightly wound around the mast. Using it as a handhold, he pulled himself up the mast quickly; his climbing ability was almost unmatched, and practically any surface with even the slightest handhold might as well be a ladder for him. Wes eventually climbed up to a square platform, hoisting himself up and sitting with his back against the mast. The view was amazing, with the moon reflecting off the ocean's surface like a giant pale coin. He could see for miles, and he could hear everything from the deck below. Wes listened in on some of the sailors, interested in hearing what they were talking about.
"…so you think this ship is actually able to do what the captain says it can? It's kinda hard to believe."
"Hey, he says it works, it works. There's been plenty of work that's gone into this thing. Why would the Guild send it on an assignment this important if they thought it wouldn't work?"
"Still, I'm surprised just how much technology has developed these past years. You see those new airships? Twice as fast and about twice as easy to fly, from what I hear. With all those researchers they've hired recently, I tell you, I think we're in good hands here."
"Aren't one of those egg heads on the ship now? I heard him talking with some hunters a few hours ago; who were they, those girls with the weird hair? I dunno what they were talking about, but it seemed like they were getting some info on some new species. Some kinda dragon or something."
"Ah, leave it to them. The hunters'll kill one and bring it in, the scientists will find out what it is."
Wes heard a door open, and heavy boots walking on the deck. "Oi, what're you doing just standing around? We'll hit land within six hours, so everything needs to be set up perfectly, got it? Go over everything twice. If you already did, do it again. We can't have any mistakes."
"Aye, aye, captain." The sailors began to disperse about the deck, and the captain headed up to the wheel. It had been locked in place by a bar-like device, but the man quickly removed it and gripped the wheel. He wore a long navy blue coat and hat; from that height, his face was obscured, but Wes could make out a short blond beard. I feel like I've met him… Where've I seen him before?
Wes noticed the sky beginning to brighten after a while, and decided to head back before the other hunters awoke. Glancing over the edge of the platform, he noticed a bundle of cloth stored in a large rectangular crate. With a dare-devilish grin, he leapt over the edge, flipping in midair as he plummeted towards his intended cushion! He landed back first into the crate, flinching a bit as the cloth enveloped him. There had been enough to soften the impact, so Wes climbed out of the crate with no injuries and a short chuckle. Pa'd be pissed if he saw me do that.
Wes briskly strode over to the doors and entered the hold, descending back to the cabins, entering his room quietly and getting his armor back on. After another few minutes, he began to hear other doors in the hallway opening, along with stifled yawns and shuffling feet. Following suit, Wes left his room and joined the hunters heading towards the mess hall. They were all suited up as well, and each carried their unique weapon with them.
The dual blade user quickly got a plate of food before going to join Viper, who was busy stuffing his face at a nearby table. He was dressed in a suit of Green Nargacuga materials, and had a bow made from the same creature on his back. The helm of the suit rested on the seat next to him; Viper noticed him after a moment and waved him over.
"Mornin', Wes," the archer said. "Apparently we're getting to Loc Lac this afternoon. Everyone else decided to get suited up early."
"Won't it take a while to move everything from this ship to a sandship?" Wes asked, seating himself and beginning to eat.
"Probably. Still, that's the rumor, so why not get ready?"
"Hey guys, thanks for saving us seats," Snow said, walking over to them with Frost. The long sword user still had his helmet on, something that Wes found puzzling for someone at meal time.
"Does he always have his helmet on?" the dual sword wielder asked, taking a bite out of his meal. "Like, even when he eats?"
"Not always, but usually. It's kinda his thing. He actually ate already, so don't worry about him." Wes and Viper exchanged a quick glance and a shrug before returning to their meals.
"Any idea how long it'll take to get to Loc Lac?" Wes asked, pushing his empty plate away.
"No clue, I just heard it would be sometime this afternoon. I'm guessing they're gonna tell us now, though," Viper replied, stacking his plate on top of Wes'. "See up there, on that stage lookin' thing? There are a couple Guild officers there. Probably have the news right now. Hey, Snow, you gonna finish those Kut-ku nuggets?"
"Everyone, may we have your attention please!"
"Told you."
The hunters turned to face the officers, who stood beside each other uniformly on the platform. There were five total, four wearing dull red colored uniforms with gold trimming and one behind them wearing a similar uniform, but was all black with silver trimming.
"We'd like to begin by thanking all of you for accepting the invitation to join the Master Corps. It's a true privilege to have such highly regarded hunters in this new detachment. All of you have been selected for the variety of skills you have presented. Be it strength, intelligence, endurance, drive… all of you have qualities that put you above the others, which is why we have chosen you to become the first of hopefully many generations of this organization. We would like to personally introduce the Corps Head, the one who envisioned this entire endeavor, Sir Balestra."
The man in the black uniform stepped forward, allowing himself to be seen more clearly. He had a thin black goatee around a firm mouth. There were a few barely noticeable wrinkles on his face, and a very noticeable scar on the right side of his face, extending from his jaw to the middle of his cheek. He stood tall and proud, with his hands folded behind his back in a very formal manner, and gazed across the room with a pair of stern, deep red eyes, as if he was judging all of them with an almost supernatural accuracy. It seemed as though he'd met every kind of person there was, and would already know what to expect when he eventually spoke with them.
"Good day, all of you," Balestra began. He had a very flat, stoic voice that betrayed no emotion, yet still held a great, commanding tone. "As I'm sure you all are aware, I formed the Master Corps in order to accomplish several goals that would be far too difficult or time consuming for ordinary hunters to achieve. As such, it is important that I make you all aware that this is more than just a group dedicated to hunting. Ancient ruins dot this land, filled with artifacts of great importance to the research and development of new technologies. There are vital towns and villages that need defending from sudden Elder Dragon attacks. Key figures of importance to politics and the Guild itself need escorts in dangerous lands. These are only some of the assignments we have for you. I do hope you all understand this well; these contracts we will assign to you are far more dangerous than anything you've ever experienced before in all of your careers. This, I can assure you.
"In order to have you all effectively carry these out, we've come up with a system to determine which of you would be the best suited for each specific task. Do not expect to be on the same team every time. You all must learn to adapt, not only to the situation, but with each other, in order to properly complete these tasks, and absolute perfection in team dynamics will be essential. Now, in regards to rankings…"
Balestra continued speaking for a long while, elaborating on the importance on their positions and what they'd be doing. It got to the point where Wes had to force himself to stifle yawns, along with several other hunters in the room.
"Jeez, this guy could talk for days," Viper mumbled, shifting in his seat a bit. "How long is this gonna go on?"
"It's been about a half hour since he started," Snow said quietly, and somewhat irritably. "When are we just going to get on with it?"
"Not sure. Maybe he's gonna try to make us take notes too…" Wes replied, resting his head in his hand as the Corps Head continued his speech. "Dammit, didn't realize I signed up for a lecture…"
"…such is the reason behind our expeditions. I assure you all, this is a momentous occasion, and you should all be proud to serve within this unit. And with that, I bid you all good day."
Balestra concluded his speech and stepped back behind the other guild officers. The whole energy level in the room seemed to rise as everyone realized he had finished speaking. Some hunters at one of the tables began to rise to their feet, but were stopped as one of the officers raised a hand.
"Before our business here is concluded, we would first like to introduce the captain onboard the Righteous Law. You will all become well acquainted with the other members of the crew over the course of your careers with us, so it is important you meet the captain early. Sir Dustin, if you'please."
At a small table to the left of the platform, the man dressed in the blue coat Wes had seen from the deck of the ship rose from his seat and walked aboard the stage. He seemed somewhat rugged and determined, yet compassionate all the same. He had somewhat long blond hair tied back by a red string and a short, light beard. Beneath his jacket, he wore a suit of what looked to be ordinary hunting armor. He had a commanding presence; it was then that Wes finally recognized him.
"I think that's my pa's old apprentice," Wes whispered to the others. "But I thought he was a hunter; what's he doing piloting a boat?"
"Dunno, maybe he was asked?" Snow replied. "He looks like he'd be pretty good at it anyways. He kinda has that air of a captain about him."
"It's nice to meet you all," Dustin said from the stage, drawing the hunters' attention back to him. "I'd like to assure you that you'll all be in good hands with me at the wheel. I've been doing this my whole life, after all. Just remember, this is my ship, so I got a few rules; don't worry, there's only three. One, you throw up, you clean up. Two, don't get in the crew's way while they're working. Three, for the love of god, don't light anything on fire." The congregation of hunters laughed as the captain returned to his seat. Two others were there as well, one of whom gave the man a pat on the back.
"Thank you for that, Captain. The Head Liaison, Miss Sally, is awaiting us in Loc Lac, but her duty is to help you all manage assignments and distribute work effectively. This job is going to be a difficult one, so she will no doubt be helpful to all of you. So, since she is not here, we'd instead like to introduce the Chief of the medical staff, Doctor Connor."
This time, a darker skinned man rose from the table, taking his place at the stage. He looked almost too strong to be a doctor, having very broad shoulders and sharp features. He had long black hair he kept slicked back, and wore a white uniform.
"It is good for you all to have come," Connor began, talking slowly yet confidently. "Hunting is the most dangerous profession in the world, and as such, I have learned as many ways of treatment possible for every kind of injury. I do not originally come from this country, but I would like to ease all doubts now by saying I have lived in these lands for more than two decades, and have saved exactly three hundred eighty-seven lives from the brink of death. You have nothing to fear if you are injured." The doctor then returned to his seat as well, sharing a few words with the others assembled there. They all seemed familiar to Wes; it was as if he'd seen all of them before.
"Next is the Head of Defense, Order, Suppression, Labor, and… General Ass-Kicking in General…? Sir Lyle..." The guild officers seemed a bit confused by the line, but made no mention of it as a man wearing heavy armor made from Deviljho parts stomped up the steps, removing his helmet as he did. He was incredibly muscular, and had a large hammer strapped to his back that looked to be made from the same beast as his armor. His face was incredibly angular, as if it had been a stone cut to the shape. He had a full head of spiky brown hair and a five-o'clock shadow covering most of the lower half of his face. Various scars covered his face as well, the most prominent of which was extending from above his left eye to the left side of his jaw. He had a stern expression, but seemed like he was trying a bit hard too intimidate everyone.
"Alright, listen up! I'm Lyle, and all you need to know is that if any of you try to cause trouble, go against orders, cause disturbances, or piss me off, it's my job to set you straight. If you want a more direct explanation, here it is: I get to beat the shit out of you. Any questions? Good. Make my job easy, and we'll get along just fine." Some of the hunters seemed legitimately concerned by the threat as Lyle returned to his spot as well, but Wes just chuckled to himself a bit.
"Someone's awfully full of themselves," Viper whispered with a smirk. "He does look like he could snap almost anyone in here like a twig though."
"Still, I don't think he's the brightest one at that table," Wes replied. "Seriously, the Head of General Ass-Kicking in General? You honestly think the Guild would have put that in themselves?"
"Fair enough. Still, you get busted up, I hope that doctor can find the pieces."
"The remainder of the lieutenants are not here now," the guild representatives stated. "They will join you on only the most difficult of assignments, and for good reason: they all far outclass any other hunters available. And with that, we'd like to welcome you all to the Master Corps, and we hope you will faithfully carry out your duties. You may go about your business for now; we will be arriving in Loc Lac in about three hours."
"Finally! Dammit, I thought that would never end!" Viper said, stretching and groaning tiredly. "They didn't even give us assignments yet... Bah, whatever, I'm gonna hit the top deck. The sailors set up targets for us to practice on earlier. Wanna check out how good I am with a bow?"
"Yeah, sure, I'll check it out in a bit. I'm going to talk with the captain real quick; I'd like to see if it's really the same guy. What about you two?" Wes said, directing the question at the twins.
"I'm alright with the deck. What about you, Frost?" Snow asked. The long sword user nodded in confirmation, signifying he was okay with it as well. "I guess we'll see you there then!"
"Alright, I'll see you in a bit." The three departed for the upper deck while Wes strode over to the table Dustin, Connor, and Lyle were seated at. The three were laughing and drinking like old friends, which they were from the looks of it. The captain noticed him approaching, and the other two turned around to face the dual-sword user.
"Huh, there's something a bit familiar about you…" Dustin said, scratching his beard. "Ah, you're York's kid, aren't you? The outfit was a dead giveaway! Come sit with us!"
"So, what's your name, kid?" Lyle asked as Wes took a seat opposite the three.
"Wes," he replied, eager to converse with the older men. "So, you were my pa's old apprentice? Are you still hunting?"
"Aye, I was. York was definitely a good hunter; the best I've ever seen, actually. I'm glad to have learned under him, even if it was only for a couple months. As for me hunting, well, I moved on to work with sailing. Had a bit of an… injury a few years back that kept me from tangling with the tougher monsters, so I decided to follow in my own father's footsteps and become a sandship captain. I probably would've gotten killed back then if it wasn't for the armor I got from York. Next time you see him, tell him I've been taking good care of it, will ya?"
"Yeah, no problem. And you two?" Wes asked. "You all seem to know each other pretty well; weren't you two hunters too?"
"I was, but I found more use in pursuit of new medicines," Connor replied. "There have been many new advances in all the different forms of treatments for the past few years, and I would like to say I had some part in that. I was even looking into possible prosthetic replacements for hunters who have lost limbs in battle. Admittedly, I have had… mixed successes, shall we say. Aside from that, though, I have made alterations to the potions used in everyday hunting, increasing their effectiveness. I made a few other improvements as well, but you can learn about those when you need to."
"As for me, these lugs just asked me t' go along with it all," Lyle said, taking a large gulp from a tankard of ale. "Balestra scouted them since they had 'high honors' or some shit. I was hired since he needed security detail, and I was the best choice. Personally, I just like t' smash things. Sure, I won't be going after monsters as much, but if I get to bust some heads on the ship, I'll be satisfied."
"Seems like great reasoning," Wes said sarcastically.
"Hey, I get free booze with the job! Couldn't ask for a better payment!"
The captain let out a short laugh, clearly amused at the short exchange.
"You're more like your father than you'd realize, Wes," he stated. "Well, I'd better get back and get the wheel from the old man. We'll be hitting the sand sea in an hour or so, so I gotta be ready to shift gears."
"Yeah, about that: didn't you say you were a sandship captain? Why's this thing on the ocean then?" Wes asked curiously, leaning forward a bit.
"You'll see," the captain replied rather cryptically. "The Guild's put plenty of resources into this ship. Let's just leave it at that for now. Don't worry; you'll find out before too long." He then got up from the table, departing the room with a confident stride.
"Oh, and before you go, I feel obligated to share something with you," the doctor stated, also getting to his feet. "Some of your father's old hunting partners are members of the Master Corps as well. They will be serving only when they are needed though. It is a bit… costly to give them direct orders, I have heard."
"Huh, guess I'll have to keep an eye out for 'em. Thanks for the heads up," Wes replied, standing up. "I'm gonna see what the others are up to. I'll catch you guys later, alright?"
"Yeah, yeah… Don't be that informal, kid," Lyle said, setting down his tankard. "Balestra wants us to have some sorta 'Rank-and-File' shit, so you gotta refer to us by title. Personally, I don't give a damn, but apparently that's part of my job."
"I'll try to remember that, Lyle." Wes turned and walked across the room towards the stairs, making his way up towards the deck. Upon exiting the ship, he was greeted by the bright midday sun.
"Oi, Wes! Check this out!" Viper called from across the deck. The dual sword user jogged over to where his friends stood, noting that Viper currently had his bow drawn and several arrows notched. Five targets were hung at an irregular pattern on the mast opposite him. "How much do you want to bet that I can hit all of them with one shot?"
"I still think it's impossible," Snow remarked. "I mean, honestly, how could you hit them at a placement like that? I'll betcha five hundred gold at the most."
"Same here," Wes added, pulling a small bag of coins out. "You miss, you owe us both five hundred, Viper."
"Not a problem, bud! I wasn't kidding when I said I was the best archer on this ship!" The bow user drew the string back and adjusted the arrows with a quick flick of his ring finger before letting them all fly; at first, they all seemed like they would completely miss, but they suddenly veered towards the targets closest to them and struck the bulls-eyes dead center. Viper merely grinned as Wes and Snow stood dumb-struck at the show of archery they had just witnessed.
"There is no way that was real. You had to have cheated!" Snow said disbelievingly.
"…If you can do that again, then you win," Wes added, just as skeptical.
A couple moments later, Viper was laughing, having struck the targets three more times just as flawlessly as before. "Alright, pony up them coins," he remarked, holding his hand out victoriously. The two hunters were forced to accept that the bow user was just as good as he said and reluctantly dropped the money into the archer's open hand.
"Betcha can't beat me up the center mast though," Wes challenged, pointing towards the large pillar. "I'll make you another bet: you beat me, I give you one thousand gold, and if I beat you, we get our money back."
"Seriously? I've lived climbing trees and rocks all my life! If you want, I can keep getting some pocket change from all of you! Should we begin with a running start?"
"Yeah, of course. We'll go one at a time, and a ref will judge the time. That good for you?"
"Yeah. I'll go first. Stand back, bud, and prepare to lose!" The two left their weapons with the twins before Viper took his place, positioning himself a short distance from the mast.
"Snow, you mind saying go to kick this off? I'd ask Frost, but… well, you know."
"Yeah, no problem! You ready then? Three… Two… One… GO!"
No sooner had she begun the race than the hunter began sprinting at a swift pace towards the mast! Viper ran as fast as he could before passing up the pillar with a kick and beginning to climb. Viper had an impressive jump, but his actual climbing was rather slow, as if he had to look harder for handholds. Still, it wasn't long before he made it to the crow's nest high above the deck. He descended to the deck using a hook and rope nearby the platform.
"How'd I do?"
"About fifty seconds," Snow answered, somewhat impressed. "The same as one of the sailors, even."
"Hah! Top that, bud!"
"You aren't the only one who can climb, you know!" Wes immediately took his place, his stance exuding pure confidence in himself. At Snow's signal, he sprinted at the column and passed up effortlessly, gripping the rope tied around the pole and not wasting any time in ascending the mast. Despite not keeping track of time, he was pretty sure it only took him about half as long as Viper to make it to the top. He grabbed the hook and dropped down to where the others were. "So, how about that gold?" he snidely remarked.
"Okay, I'll admit, I really didn't think you were that good of a climber," he replied, putting the coins in Wes' hand.
"Snow, here's your share," Wes said, tossing the coins to her.
"Thanks! Gotta admit, I've never seen anyone climb that fast before. Think you might be able to do that to a monster?" she replied, smiling warmly.
"Least I could do, eh?" he replied with a grin. "And who knows, maybe I can! But hey, has anyone been keeping an eye on the horizon?"
"Not really, no. Why?" Snow answered.
"Dustin said there'd be a surprise when we neared the desert; I don't want to miss it. Want to go to the front of the ship?"
"Sure, why not?" Viper said, slinging his bow across his back. The four walked across the deck to the bow. The desert was in sight, and several other hunters were watching eagerly as the sands rapidly approached.
"Look, there's the Great Desert!" Snow said, pointing towards the nearing desert.
"Well, no duh, genius," someone nearby replied. Wes turned and saw that the Gem Sisters were standing close by, laughing amongst themselves as Snow's face flushed red. Frost stepped between his sister and the group of huntresses protectively, immediately causing them to quiet down and look away; his presence seemed more than enough to shut anyone up, more so now than any time before.
"…Anyways, what's this surprise? If we don't slow down, this ship's gonna crash!" Viper said, a bit concerned. "And I don't feel like walking across the Great Desert to Loc Lac!"
A loud groaning sound suddenly reverberated from the deck behind them. All the hunters waiting on the bow of the ship turned in surprise as several large wooden structures began to slide out from the ship's deck! Wes watched in surprise as the thick boards slowly extended out and shook the entire ship as they locked into place. More extensions lowered from the edges of the additions, slightly skimming the water as they neared the liquid's surface. By now, the ship was about to beach, and everyone on board braced themselves for a rough crash!
But it never came. The ship seamlessly transferred from ocean to sand with little more than a slight jolt. The support structures on the sides of the ship kept it from rolling over and crashing, making it run as smoothly as the finest sandship ever created. Wes let out a short, surprised laugh, being the first to recover. "Well, how about that! This thing's a flippin showboat too!"
"And can you see how fast it's going?!" Viper replied, joining him. "I'd never have thought there'd be a ship this big that could move so quickly!"
"The city's already in sight, too!" Snow added. It was true: the hunting capital was just rising over the horizon, still barely a speck, but it was growing larger by the second. "At this rate, we'll be there in no time!"
"You got that right! Man, I haven't been there in years!" Wes remarked enthusiastically. Frost stood beside him and grunted a bit, as if in agreement. "You haven't been there either?"
"Not since we were a bit younger, no," Snow answered quickly. "We've mostly just lived in the Tundra."
"Guess that means you both must be pretty good at giving the cold shoulder!" Viper joked. The others gave him irritated sighs in reply. "What, no takers?"
"Just give it a rest, alright?" Wes said, giving him a bemused smile.
"Hey, blondie!" Wes turned to face his addresser with an irritated expression.
That nickname is really getting on my nerves… "I thought I told you not to call me that, Ruby."
"We'll call you what we want," Emerald remarked, joining the red haired girl. "But listen, we've got a bit of a bet for you."
"And that is?"
"None of us really believe you're as good as you say you are. So, we want you to prove it," Amethyst elaborated.
"They tried the same thing on me, Wes," Viper whispered. "Course, I won then, so you should be fine."
"…Alright, what's your game?" the dual sword user answered. The girls looked between themselves, quietly discussing a plan.
"Alright, here's what we've decided," Ruby said after moment. "You told us that you single handedly brought down two Raths in a bit under ten minutes, right? Well, we have a similar idea in mind."
Wes hesitated for a moment, thinking the girls were going to sic actual monsters on him. Where would this ship even be able to hold two monsters of that size?
"Oh, don't worry; it's not actual monsters, Wes," Sapphire said. "Just listen to us, and we'll tell you." He glanced back and saw Viper and Snow give him confident, approving gestures before turning back to face the group.
"Alright, fine. Show me whatcha got."
The group made their way back across the deck and to the stern, behind the wheel. Dustin tipped his hat at Wes as he passed. Two tall, burly men stood there as well, cracking their knuckles as the dual blade user approached. He recognized both as hunters named Curt and John. Both wielded heavy weapons, making their physiques particularly imposing.
"So, you say you could bring down two monsters easily while on your own? So, let's see if you can do the same with these two in here!" Emerald said. "If you can beat these guys in a fist fight, then we'll believe you."
"This doesn't really seem like such of a substitute for a pair of Raths, y'know…" Viper commented.
"Yeah, I don't see how this'll prove how good of a hunter Wes is," Snow added skeptically. Wes raised a hand to gesture them to be quiet.
"They want to watch me beat the shit out of these punks, then let 'em. Like I said, I learned from the best; this'll take me three minutes, if that. But I think I'd like a bit more than just your collective respect for this, ladies," he said smugly.
"…What do you want from us if you win…?" Amethyst replied uneasily.
Wes took a moment to think about what he could get from a bet before settling on an idea. "Alright, if –and when- I win, all of you have to pony up a thousand gold and kiss my boots. That sound good?"
"Oh… Oh! Well, ehm… I guess…" The purple haired woman seemed a bit flustered for some reason, but Emerald quickly stepped forward.
"I won't kiss your feet, you asshole! Why would we ever agree to that?!"
"Seems like you're worried he'll win, Emmy!" Viper teased, laughing as she began to angrily cuss at him.
"Make it five hundred each, and you've got a deal," Ruby replied with a short sigh. "On the off chance that you actually win this bet, I don't feel like losing that much money to you."
"But… Ruby, shouldn't he have to do something for us if he loses?" Sapphire remarked, giving him a devilish smirk.
"Good point, Saph. Alright blondie, if you lose this bet, then you'll have to do… something for us… Any of you have an idea?"
"Well, we could make him bring us food," Emerald replied.
"Nah, how about we make him have to do whatever we say for a day?" Amethyst said. "That way, we won't have to really think about it now."
"I guess that sounds good," Sapphire agreed. "So, you win, we kiss your feet. We win, you have to do whatever we say for a full day. Deal?"
"Deal. And don't forget, when I win, you also owe me five hundred gold, each." Wes unsheathed his dual blades and handed them to Viper before approaching the two hunters. The designated fighting area was a medium sized square surrounded by railings on all sides to keep the combatants inside. The two hunters grinned and laughed mockingly as he stepped up. Some sailors had joined the hunters watching as well, cheering and making bets with each other on who would win.
"So, you decided that you wanted to get pulverized after all!" Curt mocked. John sneered as well, trying to look more intimidating.
"I dunno, I think the punk wants to get himself killed, man. Either way, I'm happy to oblige!"
"If you two are done threatening each other, can we get on with this? I've got a bet to win," Wes taunted, smirking as the two hunters faces' reddened with anger as they realized he had just insulted them right back.
"Shut your trap, punk! I'll show you a bet!" John threw a slow, strong punch at the hunter, which Wes effortlessly dodged. The dual blade user retaliated with a couple swift jabs to the man's gut and a quick uppercut, causing John to stumble back. Curt took his place, swinging more quickly than his partner, but with less force. Wes blocked a few of his jabs before kicking the man square in the chest, knocking him back slightly before following up with a spinning roundhouse kick to the side of his head that sent the man to the floor. Wes heard some of the spectators gasp in surprise and whistle in amazement at the quick move.
I'll give 'em more to remember than that! John had recovered by then, charging at Wes from across the deck. Wes stood his ground before grabbing the charging man's shoulder, pulling himself over his back and rolling over the other hunter effortlessly. He dealt a swift kick to the still downed Curt, knocking the hunter aside before spinning around and punching John across the face. The hunter was stunned by the swift jab, allowing Wes to grab him by the collar and deal a powerful headbutt to his forehead. John clutched his head in pain as he stumbled back, and the dual blade wielder dropped him with a straight clothesline to the neck, knocking the man into a dazed heap on the floor.
A few footsteps behind him drew his attention away from his incapacitated adversary, and Wes quickly rolled to the side to avoid Curt's lunging punch. The man cursed in frustration before following after the dual blade user. Wes easily deflected a few more punches before striking the man in the gut and across the head in retaliation. Following up quickly, Wes grabbed the man's arm and, twisting his arm over his shoulder, flung the hunter over his back and through the air, landing him right on top of his partner. He soon pushed himself up again, but the weight of his body landing on him had rendered John incapacitated.
Curt grumbled in frustration before again engaging Wes, exchanging a few punches with each other. "Looks like you learned a bit, huh?" Wes remarked smugly after shoving the hunter back again, not showing a hint of exhaustion.
"Shut up, kid… I'm gonna wipe that damn smirk off your face!" He quickly closed the distance with Wes and attempted to strike him with a feint jab; the dual blade user easily saw the move coming though, blocking the strike with his forearm. A slight twinkle appeared in his blue eye, and instinct took over as Wes kneed Curt in the gut. Without breaking stride, Wes punched him across the face once, twice, three times, before finishing the man off with a fourth, more powerful jump punch, knocking him to the ground not far from where John lay across the deck. After several moments, the pair stopped trying to get to their feet and conceded the fight to Wes.
The others stared in amazement as the hunter walked over to them, not a single bead of sweat on his brow. "What? You guys look like you just saw me beat the shit out of those guys... Wait, you did!" Wes joked, laughing a bit as he got his swords back.
"First climbing, now fist fighting? Just where did you learn all this?" Viper asked, amazed. A wide grin crossed his face a moment later. "And when can you teach me some of them moves?"
"Lessons cost fifty gold per hour," the dual blade user replied sarcastically. "Seventy-five with disarming methods."
"Hey, Wes, aren't you forgetting something?" Snow asked, gesturing towards the four women who were quietly trying to creep away from them. Before they got far though, Frost stepped in front of them with his arms crossed, glaring down on them with a cold stare through his rather intimidating helmet. The four groaned a bit, knowing they had been caught and that they had to uphold their end of the bargain.
"Oh, right, thanks for reminding me. I think you all owe my boots some lip service, and try not to get any make-up on the leather; these are brand new!"
Not even a half hour later, the hunters began disembarking from the immense sandship that was now docked at a special shipyard inside of Loc Lac's walls, specially built for the Righteous Law. Fortunately, Wes had packed lightly, so there wasn't much he had to take off the ship. He chuckled a bit seeing two of the Gem sisters arguing with a Guild officer about offloading all of their equipment.
"Yo, Wes! Wait up a sec!" Viper said, jogging up to join him. "You weren't plannin' on leavin' me back there, were you? And here I thought we were friends!"
"Yeah, sorry about bailing out like that. I really didn't think it would have been a good idea to stay around for much longer anyways; chances are the Gem sisters are already plotting their revenge!" Wes replied a bit derisively. Viper snickered at the remark.
"Don't I know it. Still, what other surprises do you got? First, you can climb like a champ, next, you're able to beat the crap out of two veteran hunters without even breaking a sweat!"
"Again, like I said, I learned from the best." Wes glanced back, getting an odd feeling that they were being watched. Sure enough, he noticed a head of green hair farther back behind them. "Heads up, I think they're onto us."
"Ah, let it be. I doubt there's much they can do anyways. Not like they're gonna try and kill you over that; we're all on the same side here!"
"Yeah, I guess you're right. So, think we oughtta head inside the building? I think that's supposed to be headquarters," Wes said, motioning towards a large, multi-story tower with a large emblem emblazoned upon the façade. It looked brand new, as if it had been finished only a few days ago. It was actually one of the only buildings nearby the shipyard; it seemed an entire portion of a city district had been set aside for the sole purpose of acting as the Master Corps' base of operations. A high wall had been built around the area, with a large gate leading into the inner city a few hundred yards away from the building. There were several statues of hunters decorating the grounds before the building as well, each in a different pose and holding a different kind of weapon. They were all expertly chiseled; each one was stunningly lifelike, and looked as though they would suddenly walk away to hunt an epic beast. They all had plaques set before them as well, telling about the hunters whose visage they resembled.
"Looks like this has been planned for a really long time…" Viper remarked, gazing at the statues and the building.
"Indeed it has," a voice behind them said. Wes and Viper both spun around to face the man behind them, startled; neither had heard him approach. Wes noticed his black Guild uniform first, then his piercing crimson eyes.
"You're… the Corps Head, right? Balestra?" Viper asked, still somewhat surprised.
"It's Sir Balestra to you, boy. It'd be in both of your best interests to remember that," the man coldly replied. He looked between both of them sternly, as if trying to look inside their very souls, all the while keeping his hands behind his back in a very formal manner. He seemed to take particular interest in Wes, though, resting his gaze on the young hunter. "Ah, so you're the boy with the mismatched eyes… I've read great things about you, and I trust that your skills will be very beneficial in the assignments I have for you."
"…Exactly what kind of work does this refer to?" Wes asked, a bit warily. Now that he was speaking directly to the man, he noted the Balestra was extremely difficult to read. Between his crimson eyes and the scar over his right cheek, he seemed very ominous. The black uniform did little to help.
"Were you not paying attention to my speech? Typical of a child… It would be far easier for you to learn through experience than another lecture. Do realize I noted everyone you've both been associating with recently, so I know who you'll potentially work better with. Conversely, I know who will be the most problematic for you to get along with, so do not test me, boy."
"Doesn't seem like the most motivational speech, if you ask me," Viper remarked.
"I wasn't trying to be motivational; I was informing you both of what you should be prepared for. This will not be anything like your standard hunting jobs; what you experience will change you forever, be it for better or for worse. So, with this, I bid you good day." Without another word, the Corps Head turned and left the pair of hunters, heading towards the tall building before them.
"Well, that was… weird…" Wes remarked, watching the man as he went and noting how his stance remained roughly the same as it was when he had been addressing them.
"Yeah, no kidding. You'd think he'd be a bit, I dunno, nicer to us? Seemed more like a threat to me."
"Same here. Come on, no use just standing outside all day. Let's head inside."
"Right behind ya."
Wes and Viper jogged up to the front of the building and joined the other hunters who were entering. Wes had a hard time seeing over all the hunters congregating at the doors, despite his relatively tall stature, but was still able to spy Frost walk inside due to the long sword user's even taller height. No doubt Snow was with him as well; the two seemed practically inseparable. Still, there were far more hunters now than there had been on the ship. They must have arrived on separate ships or come from the city. It wasn't much longer before the dual blade user and the archer made their way into the structure as well.
Right from the start, Wes could tell that this was going to be like a second home to him. The entrance chamber was decorated with red flags hanging from the walls, displaying the Guild emblem in black print. A red carpet led from the door to the stairs on either end of the back of the room, lying over a light brown, recently polished wooden floor. Just like there would be in a tavern, there was a large board on the wall behind a counter between the two flights of stairs. A women in a blue Guild uniform stood behind the counter and smiled warmly at the hunters as they entered; the front chamber was large enough to accommodate all of them and still have plenty of room left over to spare.
"Welcome to your home away from home, hunters!" the woman said cheerfully. "I'll be your liaison for your employment in the Master Corps; my name's Sally, but you can all call me Sal. Now then, first order of business is room assignments! I'm sure that something you'll all like to hear is that everyone gets a room to themselves. All of you received envelopes containing a pair of keys; one opens your cabin on board the Righteous Law, and one opens your room here. It should be a simple task to find the room you were assigned; it's engraved on the key and the front of the door.
"The building is divided into ten levels, counting the one you're on now; this is level zero, the ground floor. As you can probably guess, each floor is a higher level than the last. Levels one through seven are all set aside for you, and any floor higher is reserved for Guild meetings and officers. Each room is fully furnished, has a bathroom, and is stocked with all the essentials you'll need for your stay here. There are already a multitude of hunters who have settled into their rooms, so all in all, the total number of hunters we have employed in the Master Corps is eighty. I do believe that's about it, so again, welcome to the Master Corps, and thank you all for accepting your invitations!"
"Hot damn, this sounds way better than my old hut!" Viper whistled, impressed at the description. "Let's see here… I'm up on level six. What about you, Wes?"
"Looks like I'm on level seven, lucky me," he replied, holding up a key engraved with a seventy-seven. "Think they built an elevator too?"
"Actually, I think there's something here that works like that," the archer pointed out gesturing at an open door that led to a small chamber filling up with hunters. "…But chances are, we won't make it on this time."
"Ah, whatever, not like a flight of stairs ever killed anyone. C'mon, let's check out these rooms of ours, eh?" The pair began to make their way up the stairs, ascending higher and higher up the tall building. Viper stopped the floor below Wes, his room being on that level, while the dual blade user made it up the final flight of stairs and walked towards his room. Before he opened the door though, he noticed he was being watched. "Y'know, if you're gonna hide, at least do it right."
He watched as Sapphire stepped out from behind a large potted plant, smiling a little bit. "Wow, you've got a pretty sharp eye, don'tcha?"
"I've been told that, yeah. What's up? You're not here to try and get back at me for earlier, are you? Cause I won that bet fair and square."
"No, no, nothing like that; my room's on this floor," she explained, pointing at a door with a seventy-two engraved on it. "I just heard you say you were on this floor too, so I waited for you up here."
"…What, you're stalking me now? Jeez, we met one day ago!" he snarked, chuckling as her face flushed red.
"No, I- What?! Do you seriously think that?!"
"It's called sarcasm, cobalt head. Are the others on this floor too? I don't want to have to wake up every morning to them trying to get kill me."
"No, they're all on the floors below this one. But who're you calling cobalt head, blondie?!" she retorted, though it didn't seem as angry as it did playful.
"Well, what did I say about calling me that?" Wes shot back. "Last I checked, blonde actually made sense on someone's head. Blue, not so much."
"…Not like I had much choice in the matter, but whatever," she replied with a short sigh. "Alright, I'm going to check out my room. I'll see ya later, Wes!"
"Uh, yeah, sure." He watched as she quickly entered her room and shut the door. Seems someone's trying to hide something… Ah, whatever, not like it matters much to me anyways. The dual blade user entered his room and gasped a bit upon seeing just how nice it was. A large white bed canopy bed lay in the center of the room, pushed back against the wooden walls of the room. A fine darkwood desk was pushed into the corner next to the bed, and there was a nightstand on the opposite side of the mattress. Upon checking the desk, Wes found several sheets of paper and some writing utensils. A large window with a red curtain revealed an amazing view of the whole of Loc Lac City, including the massive tusk protruding from the oasis in the center of the city. A door nearby the room's entrance led into a well-stocked bathroom, with a functioning shower, sink, and toilet.
Wow… if every room's like this, how much did it cost to put this all together? This is stuff they'd normally save for nobles, for crying out loud! Still, Wes enjoyed his good fortune of having a nice room to relax in, so he didn't complain about it. He got settled in relatively quickly before going to the desk and getting a sheet of paper out and seating himself, beginning to write a letter back home to Moga.
Dear Ma and Pa,
It's hardly been two days and we've already arrived in Loc Lac. I'll tell you, the trip went faster than anything either of you have probably seen. Here's something that'll really surprise you, pa: your old apprentice, Dustin, turned out to be the captain of the ship! Imagine that, eh?
So far, it's been better than awesome over here. I just wish I could show you the room I got; it's frickin' huge compared to my old one back there. Don't expect me to move back anytime soon!
I've made plenty of fast friends on board as well. There's a bow user named Viper I got to know almost as soon as I boarded, and he seems like a great guy. There are some twins I met from the Tundra named Frost and Snow as well; Frost doesn't say much, but Snow can really talk up a storm! Course, I guess you were kinda right about my eye, too; the ladies love the color. Hell, I already got four kisses!
Oh, and one other thing; turns out all those hand to hand fighting lessons paid off, pa. I got to wipe the floor with a pair of thugs earlier, and I made a pretty good sum of money off a bet too. I'll send some home to you two so you'll be able to feed yourselves at night.
I'll be sure to send more letters with updates on how things are going over here. I imagine my first assignment ought to be coming up soon, so I'll definitely have a lot more to write about next time. Until then, stay sharp, and good hunting!
Wes
No sooner had he written the last line when he heard a knock on his door, and got up to see who it was. "Yo, Wes, it's me!" Viper called from the other side of the door. "Frost, Snow and I were gonna take a walk around the city. You want to come along?"
"Yeah, sure, just a sec," he answered, sealing the letter in an envelope and addressing it. He carried the note out along with a small pouch full of coins that was to be sent with it.
"Writin' letters already? Don't tell me you're homesick!" Viper laughed jokingly.
"Not at all; the room I got here is about five times bigger than the one back home. I just promised I'd send letters every now and then. But dude, get this; one of the Gem sisters is right across from me," Wes said, motioning towards Sapphire's door. "Think she might try and kill me?"
"Nah, I think the blue haired one is pretty safe, actually," the archer replied as they walked down the stairs. "It's Emerald you've got to watch out for; she really likes to hold grudges. Amethyst is kinda iffy, and Ruby doesn't seem too bad, but still, you're lucky you've got Sapphire instead of one of them."
"I take it you got one of them on your floor?"
"Two, actually. Amethyst and Emerald. Just my luck, eh?"
"Hey, cheer up; you got a choice between 'em, don'tcha?"
"Ah, shut it."
The two finally made it to the ground floor where the twins were waiting for them; both were still armored and carried their weapons, like Wes and Viper did. "Hey guys! What floors did they put you on?" Snow asked, greeting them.
"I'm on seven, and Viper's on six," Wes replied. "What about you two?"
"We're both on level four. Unfortunately, we ran into Ruby on our way up. Turns out she's on our floor too."
"You think that's bad?!" Viper replied. "I got two of 'em, for the love of-!"
"Alright, alright, calm down, bow-boy. Let's get going," Wes laughed, heading towards the door. Viper gave him a slightly irritated look, but followed after the dual blade user along with Snow and Frost. The four stepped out into the courtyard below the desert sun and made their way toward the gate leading into the city. Some other hunters had the same idea as they did and were going out into the city as well.
"Wow, it's really hot here," the huntress remarked, wiping her brow. "I guess I'm too used to the Tundra." Frost grunted to signify his agreement with the statement. Still, it didn't seem like even the heat would make him take his helmet off.
"Eh, it could be worse. It's a bit dry for me," Viper commented. "How 'bout you, blondie?"
"Don't you start with that too!" the dual blade user snapped. "What the hell's wrong with having blonde hair anyways? It's not like I'm the only one here with that color hair."
"Well, until we get more to go off of, that's your nickname," Snow laughed. Viper chuckled a bit while Wes sighed in response.
"We could just leave it at Wes, y'know."
"But where's the fun in that?"
The four continued to make their way through the city, browsing nearby shops and taverns while exploring the district a bit. Throughout the area, The Master Corps building was always in sight, being the tallest structure in the surrounding area, which mostly consisted of one to two story houses and shops. Wes dropped the letter off at a post office nearby the armory; there were plenty of Felyne couriers he could've asked, but his father was allergic to Felyne fur, and that was one of the negative traits the dual sword user had inherited from him. Before too long, the sun began to sink lower over the horizon, and the four decided to head back.
"Well, I think this is already turning out to be a great idea," Snow said, clearly very pleased with all she had seen. "The shops are all well stocked, the smith is a master artisan, there's plenty of good restaurants nearby… I couldn't ask for anything better!" Frost nodded in agreement with his sister's statement.
"Not to mention the area seems to be pretty nice," Wes said, looking around. "Everything's clean, no one seems too worried about crime-" No sooner had the last word left his lips than a man dressed in dark clothes with a face covering ran between the hunters, snatching the dual blade user's wallet as he went!
"You were saying?" Viper said quickly. Almost immediately, Wes took off after the thief.
"Hey, get the hell back here!" The hunter chased the man through the streets, shoving his way past the people who inadvertently got in the way as he pursued the thief. Wes chased him for several minutes, following doggedly despite the thief's attempts to lose him. Wes noticed the man turn a corner sharply, and thinking fast, Wes jumped and caught a sign above a shop door at the same corner, using the sign to swing around the turn quickly before letting go and landing with a roll. Wes immediately broke into a full out sprint down the alley he had chased the man to, quickly catching up to the tiring thief and tackling him to the ground.
"No, no! Please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't want to steal, but I had to!" the thief begged, almost hysterically. "You have to understand, my family lives in this district; we have almost nothing…" Wes stood up, picking his wallet up as well before glancing off to the side. Two small children were hiding in the shadows not ten feet from where he stood. Looking around more, the hunter noted that the chase had taken him much farther than he thought; he was well into the eastern district of Loc Lac, which was widely known as the poorest section of the city. "Please, they're all I have…"
The hunter looked down on the man groveling at his feet before extending a hand out to him. "…C'mon, get up. No one deserves to live like this." The thief looked up at him gratefully and took his hand, and Wes helped the man to his feet. The dual blade user opened the wallet before handing the man a decent sum of coins. "Here, it's not exactly a fortune, but it's still something. Use it to try and get a better life for your family, alright?"
"Th… Thank you sir! Oh, thank you! You don't understand how much this means to us!"
"Hey, don't mention it. But like I said, it's only a start. Don't live your life getting handouts; try to improve your life enough so that you can give 'em instead."
"I promise you, sir, I will. Might I ask for your name though? I'd like to repay you one day, if at all possible."
"You don't have to, but I appreciate it. And I'm Wes, good to meet you," he replied, shaking the man's hand.
"My name is Adrian, and I am forever in your debt, Sir Wes," the man said, bowing slightly in gratitude.
"Alright, you don't have to go that far with it. I've gotta head back now, but remember what I told you, alright?"
"I will, sir, I will! Oh, thank you for everything!" Wes smiled before turning and walking away, giving Adrian a thumbs up as he went. After rounding the corner at the shop he had turned at, Wes realized just how lost he was; the chase had spanned at least two districts.
Great… good thing HQ is big enough to be seen from any of the nearby areas… Wes turned towards the shop and, taking a running start, propelled himself up the wall of the stone building, grabbing onto a wooden post used to support the roof before pulling himself onto the dry stone roof. He looked far into the distance at the Master Corps HQ building as the sun sank below the wall behind it, painting the city in a dull yellowish-red glow. The hunter looked about the city, taking in all that he could, amazed by just how large the whole world seemed now that he was on his own. With a look of determination, he leapt from the roof he stood on to the building adjacent to it and began sprinting across the buildings towards HQ, making it back before the sun fully set.
"Ah, there he is!" Viper said upon seeing him return. "You get your wallet back? Give that thief the old what-for?"
"I guess you could say I gave him something alright," Wes answered with a short laugh.
"Well, at least you got it back; you were gone for a while," Snow remarked.
"Well, I'm back now. What more is there to say? C'mon, I'd say it's late enough, and I'd like to get some shut eye in these new beds we got. I get the feeling the real job's gonna start soon…"
Author Notes: Whew, so far this is the longest chapter to anything I've ever written! More than 10,000 words this time around, but I expect some of my later chapters are going to be even more lengthy. Like I said, I'm going all out with this one! I do hope you all can see some noticeable differences between the new main characters and the old ones, though. Speaking of, as I'm sure you already guessed, the old characters are still very much involved in the story, but you won't hear too much about them... yet.
Playing: MH3U, AC4, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Listening to: The Offspring, Wolfmother, Avenged Sevenfold
Watching: Red vs Blue, RWBY, The Walking Dead
Reading: YOUR MIND!