Sorry this took so long to get to. Gosh, I haven't even updated my other fics or started the ones I plan to. But oh well. I need to do this.
Before I start this chapter, a few announcements:
1. I am taking requests for fics. So if you want me to do any fic, come to me and I'll get it done.
2. I am willing to do a co-fic if anyone is interested. Lol
3. This fic will be a little different than what people are used to if you play Monster Hunter Tri Online. So just be open minded. =p
Anyways, let's start, shall we?
Last Chapter:
Jared gets ready for the day he becomes a hunter.
Thrill of the Hunt
Chapter Two: Day 1
Jared - Age 16
Jared waved to Wade, the Guest House Honcho, and his pig, Tiny, as he strode down towards the exit of Lodge Street and to the City Center. There, Jared was supposed to meet the "Uppity Instructor" by the docking bay above the Combinator's and Captain Tool's shop.
The sixteen-year-old smiled to Monique, the Trading Post Lady, as most called her. She was, as usual, making deals with hunters on goods. This time, she was talking with a man in Rathalos armor. Jared knew the armor well... His father's old favorite armor.
Jared kept walking past the shop tunnel and onto the stairs. He heard several voices as he came nearer to the top. One was a woman's, delicate yet she spoke fiercely to man who had a deep, strong voice. Jared also heard two more additional voices. A man with a Jamaican accent and an older man's voice.
All chattering stopped as Jared stepped onto the last stair. He looked upon the four people who stood before him. Just as Jared expected, one was the instructor who had a stern look on his face.
"You're late," Gerald, the instructor, said to Jared. "Take a seat."
"Sir, I'm sorry, it was just fiv-"
Jared was cut off. "Make sure you're not late in helping an ally in a quest. A whole five minutes could cause a death." Gerald motioned to the bench beside him. "Now take a seat."
Jared decided speaking again could get him in major trouble. As he walked to the table, he quickly studied who would be joining him there. As he heard before, one was a muscular black man in his late teens, another being a girl with dark brown hair that fell to her shoulder blades, and the last being an old man with white hair that fell to his shoulders and his face being worn and aged.
"Jared, isn't it?" the elderly man stood and offered a hand to Jared. "Name's Ben."
Jared nodded and gladly shook the hand, smiling. At least he had some form of kindness given to him now. Ben sat down again, leaving Jared to fill the seat next to him.
"Now then," Gerald spoke again. "I'm here to teach you all how to use your weapon of choice today. Your overall training will take you a week."
"Yes sir!" Jared, the Jamaican, and the young woman spoke. Jared took a mental note that Ben didn't say a word. He just sat there, watching, his arms crossed.
"First off, Ben," Gerald motioned to the old man. "Explain to these three who you are."
Ben stood up and looked at the three young hunters. "I'm here to evaluate your skills and give advice on what weapon is best for you. Then I'll be finding your fourth and final companion for your team. They'll be joining your training tomorrow."
'Explains why he was so nice to me... He isn't going to be in the team...' Jared thought out in his head.
"Now then," the instructor spoke up again, bringing Jared's and everyone else's attention towards him. "Follow me to the Workshop and we'll be testing out your skills with every weapon."
The five stood from their benches and made their way to the melding fires of the Workshop. Jared began his descent down the stairs but was caught by the two other hunters from his future team.
"I'm Ellen and this is Milo. And you're Jared Ryder, if I'm correct on the last name," Ellen said with a smile.
Jared smiled back as they kept walking. "Yeah, you're right. How do you know my name, though? Just curious."
Milo quickly answered. "Your father was one of the best hunters out there, mon! His favorite thing to do was capture Rathalos."
Ellen laughed. "Milo, I think Jared would know what his father was best at and what made him well known here..."
Jared noticed Milo's happiness fade away a little. "Ellen, it's alright. I'm used to it. Anyways," he decided to change the subject. "What are you two hoping to use for your weapon?"
"I'm going to try and be a Gunner. I've used my mom's bowgun once or twice when she's out running errands so I have a little experience with one," Ellen answered. "What about you, Milo?"
"Hammer is where it's at, mon... Nothing like it."
"Ha ha ha well, we'll be sure to let you smash whatever you want as long as it's not us," Jared said.
"Wait," Ellen said. "What will you be using, Ryder?"
"Sword and Shield, Longsword, Switch Axe, Great Sword, who knows," Jared felt the wave of heat from the Workshop hit him as he turned the corner. "I just can't use a Lance or Hammer. Bowgun I haven't tried yet."
"Impressive," Milo said, raising an eyebrow.
"What do you think of the new recruits?" Gerald said to Ben.
"They have much potential. However, time will reveal what they are capable of. We just have to be patient."
"Jared has great expectations upon him. I'm sure he knows that, too," Gerald said with a serious face.
"Well I guess we'll find out his abilities today, won't we?"
"Indeed..."
The five Loc Loc civilians walked to the back of the workshop and stepped through a large doorway with light pouring through it.
Jared took a look around and noticed they were in a large dome area. The walls and ceiling made of carefully carved stone while the ground was a grassy terrain. In the middle, Jared noticed, were seven different weapons on a wooden rack.
Gerald and Ben led the three young hunters to the rack of weapons with Ben quickly turning and taking the Sword and Shield.
"Alright, greenies, listen up!" Gerald said with a major emphasis on authority. "If one of you gets cut while playing with these TOYS, I don't want to hear any whining! See it as a taste for what's gonna come," he finished with a devious laugh.
Gerald stepped back and let Ben take over. "First, what is everyone's skill? Speed? Strength?"
"I'm not very strong, but I'm fast with my hands," Ellen said.
Jared and Milo both looked at each other and burst out laughing. Gerald and Ellen gave them a glare which made them stop immediately. "I didn't mean it like that, you horndogs!"
"Miss Midori, please calm down," Ben said calmly.
"Sorry, sir," Ellen apologized.
"Are you fast with your arms as well as you claim to be with your hands?" Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not as fast, but I can try."
"Well then, try this on for size," Ben said as he handed over the Hunter's Knife.
"Oh wow, it's so light..." Ellen said as she put the equipment on.
"That's because it's a Sword and Shield, one of the simpler weapons out there," Gerald told her. "Give it a go."
Ellen took a few steps away from the group and got into a fighting stance, as if an invisible monster had just appeared before her.
Without warning, she lunged forward and let out a small fury of stabs and slashes. It all ended just as fast as it began, however, due to the young woman losing her footing and falling backwards onto her butt.
"Well, well," Ben said as he turned towards Gerald.
"Haven't seen someone pick up Sword and Shield thats fast and have it's technique that good in a very long time. Just get that footwork down and you'll have it mastered in no time," the impressed instructor said.
Ellen smiled happily at the four men and set the Sword and Shield back down on the rack.
"Jared, you're up next. What weapon do you think will work with you?" Ben asked kindly. He was just as curious as anyone else to see what the young hunter would pick.
Jared silently walked over to the wooden shelves and took the Great Sword and Longsword down at the same time, one blade in each hand.
Gerald looked up and hid a smile behind his worn face.
Jared wasn't finished yet, however. He first placed the two weapons on the ground at his feet before standing up again and taking a Medium Bowgun, tossing that into the newly formed pile.
Ellen and Milo exchanged disbelieving looks before turning back to their new friend to see if he would make another move.
He did.
Jared finally took his last two weapon choices and laid them with the rest of the weaponry.
Ben quietly chuckled to himself. "So... You have a wide array of weapon choice..."
"Indeed," Gerald said, coming next to Jared. "Bowgun, Sword and Shield, Great Sword, Long Sword, and the Switch Axe..."
"Time to see if you're eyes are bigger than your muscles, however," Ben said.
"Pick up that axe, boy," Gerald said.
Jared did what he was told and picked up the heavy weapon. The boy took several steps back and started swinging it's blade. He used the momentum to propel his new attacks, making them even more powerful.
After a small combo of attacks, Jared pressed a switch on the hilt, quickly switching the blade to it's Great Sword form and performed another combo before finishing up with a charge blast.
Gerald smiled as Jared folded the axe up again. "Alright," he said. "You've got speed and strength. No need to see your talent with the other blades."
Jared nodded and stood by Ellen and Milo again. Milo was still gawking at the pile of weapons on the ground.
"Milo!" Ben yelled, snapping Milo out of his trance.
"Oh! Sorry sir..." the boy apologized.
"It's quite fine," the old man sighed. "Get enough sleep last night?"
"Yes, just a little caught up in thought," Milo nodded.
"Well, what are your weapons of choice?" Gerald stepped into the conversation.
"Hammer, mon."
Ben nodded, taking the giant iron hammer from the weapon rack and handed the massive weapon to Milo.
"Every team should try to have a hammer wielder," Gerald informed as Milo stepped away from the group, rocketing the weapon into the ground with little to no warning.
Ben raised an eyebrow as the boy began to unless a spinning attack, using the momentum to keep the fury of the blunt edge continuing.
Milo finally quit spinning and crashed the hammer's head into the earth once more, finishing his demonstration.
"Alright," Ben said. "I'm impressed."
"Not many people have as much skill as you do when they start off," Gerald told Milo as he put the weapon back.
"Thanks, both of you," Milo said with a bow.
"Well, pick your weapons again," Gerald said to the three young adults. "You're practicing for another two hours."
"Time to correct any mistakes you have with a blade!" Ben laughed a little.
Ellen and Milo sighed and went to retrieve their weapons.
Jared was silent ad he picked up the Ananta Boneblade and began learning how to use the paralysis longsword.
'Looks like this week will be interesting...' Jared thought to himself.
Yayyyyyy! Finally got around to posting this!
So I got a review a long time ago on this... Thanks for the push. I needed to continue this. And I will for a long time. I have began publishing my works to a DSi application called Flipnote Hatena. So yeah, extra reviews and readers. Tons of positive feedback. 0_0
Anyways, please review! ^_^ Bye!