Border Town
Disclaimer: Monster Hunter is copyright Capcom. All the characters in this story are mine, unless otherwise noted.
Edited by: Hoenn Master96 and Thomas A. Hawk and DinoJake
"Oy, wake up kiddies. Don't want to miss Gahiji coming over the horizon, do you?"
Bram sniffed and yawned as someone kicked his boot, shaking him awake. Blinking to clear his eyes, he looked up to see the captain of the airship looking down on him, an amused expression on her face.
"Odd place to fall asleep, lad."
Captain Dupree was a taller woman, nearly Bram's height and just as broad. She had dark amber skin, with long brown hair tied down at the base of her neck. Her sharp brown eyes were filled with experience, and though she had a no-nonsense attitude towards work and making sure everything was in top condition aboard her airship, Bram found that she still had a sly sense of humor. He and Sonia had enjoyed talking to her yesterday evening.
As Bram's mind slowly worked out of its sleepy haze, he realized he was on the deck of the airship, leaning against the railing near the helm. The sun was peeking over the horizon, and members of the crew were making their way around the ship, checking the riggings and keeping everything in shape.
"Sorry," Bram muttered, rolling his neck. Several other early risers among the passengers were up top as well, talking amongst each other. A few people looked his way, grinning to themselves and shaking their heads. "Didn't mean to fall asleep on deck."
"It's fine, lad," the captain replied. "Wouldn't be the first time a passenger's fallen asleep admiring the stars. Even happens to me every now and then. Always nice to have company with you when it happens though, isn't it?"
Bram blinked in confusion at the words, before looking to his side and realizing he hadn't slept there alone. Sonia was snoring softly next to him, with her head leaning against his arm. Now he remembered; they had stayed up late into the night talking, their anticipation at arriving in Gahiji overwhelming their weariness. He supposed they must have dozed off where they sat sometime in the night…
"Oh, jeez…" Bram muttered. Captain Dupree chuckled a bit as he reached over and shook his partner a little. "Come on, Sonia, up and at 'em."
The young woman groaned as a ray of morning light struck against her face, and she abruptly turned her head and buried her face into Bram's shoulder.
"No…" she mumbled sourly, her voice muffled by the fabric. "Too early."
Bram sighed in dismay, looking up hopelessly at the captain, who laughed. Shaking his head a bit in embarrassment, he gently rapped his knuckles against her noggin.
"Hey! Time to greet the day, Sonia! We're supposed to be making landfall soon." Sonia continued to grumble incoherently into Bram's shirt, muttering muffled profanities. Bram groaned and rolled his eyes. "Sorry again. We've been traveling a lot the last couple days, and jet lag's catching up with us I suppose."
"I'll take your word for it," the captain replied. "Still not sure exactly what 'jet lag' is, but I can guess well enough. Boss man's used the line once or twice."
Bram nodded, leaning his head against the railing and letting his eyes droop a little while Sonia shifted into a more comfortable position. As much time as he'd spent on airships when he was younger, he'd gotten too used to regular sleep schedules during his apprenticeship and just wasn't used to air travel anymore. It didn't help that their journey had been incredibly roundabout so Logan could visit his mother. Lynn had set up a bar in Orage Dell, which meant they had to fly west to the ocean before heading back east towards the Gahin border on the far other side of the country.
If there was a living example on why Bram didn't want to get involved with politics or the Guild bureaucracy, Lynn was it. Her daily life now consisted of breaking up brawls, dealing with plastered hunters, and physically throwing out troublemakers, but she claimed that sort of lifestyle was less stressful than her time as a councilmember had been. If a life like that was more relaxing than politics, then Bram was happy keeping out of it. Though, it could just have been due to the woman's aggressive personality; Lynn seemed to revel in all the fistfights and throw-downs she got into.
Their visit had been fun, though. Apparently Logan had discussed his 'adventure in Gahiji' plan with her beforehand, because the woman seemed to know the whole idea already, congratulating the two apprentices on having the chance to take such a fun journey. She'd treated them to a meal in the bar, which quickly turned into a bout of storytelling with the rest of the hunters there. The talking and laughing had gone on long into the night, before the bar closed and Lynn had chased the crowd out.
Lynn seemed somewhat worried about their trip, as the other mothers had, taking Logan aside after the bar had closed to talk in private. Logan had brushed it off later though, telling them it was just motherly worry. Lynn had apparently traveled into Gahiji a couple times as a younger woman and had given him some advice about what to look out for while he was there.
They left Orage Dell the next afternoon, after missing the first ship out of town; the trio's night of storytelling with other hunters had left them knackered, and they'd slept in late. The airship carried them halfway across the Great Desert before landing in Loc Lac to stop and refuel, giving them a few hours to explore the country's former hunting hub.
But Bram had to admit that Loc Lac was just… boring, to be honest. It wasn't the city's fault. Bram had always heard stories from his and Sonia's parents about the exciting adventures they had and good friends they'd met during their time there. However, after the Alatreon had devastated Loc Lac, the desert hub had never been able to recover. It was still the core of Theron's Guild bureaucracy and a primary stopping point when crossing the Great Desert, but most hunters found their livelihoods in other hubs these days. Coastal towns like Orage Dell or Port Tanzia were popular, and mountain villages like Yukumo. Even the Compound drew more fresh hunters than the desert city did, paying hunters well to gather the materials researchers needed for their work. Loc Lac had been Logan's hometown, but even he had moved away after only a couple years as a professional hunter. These days it was mostly only occupied by older hunters talking about the golden days of the city, and bureaucrats maintaining the documentation of the Guild.
The only real time hunters flocked to the desert hub was when there were Jhen Mohran problems, and hunters looking to take on an elder dragon appeared to collect the valuable materials from the beast's spine. There had been rumors about ten years ago of a nocturnal Jhen Mohran with brilliant violet ores glowing along its frill, but such stories had been brushed off as a bogus claim created to try and draw hunters to the city. They still had the skull of the Alatreon on display in the center of town, which was an impressive sight, but other than that there just wasn't much to see. So Bram, Sonia, and Logan had landed in the desert city, looked around for a couple hours, then boarded their airship to continue the flight east toward more exciting locales.
It had been a couple more days since then, but Gahiji was nearly here. Bram opened his eyes again and leaned over to Sonia. She'd never forgive him if he didn't wake her up and get her moving before the country came over the horizon. The hunter lifted his hand, flicking her on the nose.
"Come on, Sonia. We're going to land soon."
The huntress grumbled again, rubbing her face against his arm. However, soon the mumbling cut away to silence, and Bram could practically see the cogs turning in his partner's head.
"We're landing soon?" she asked unevenly.
"Aye, lass," the captain replied behind her. "We're to be crossing into Gahiji within a couple hours, I'd say, and landing in the border town Val Habar before you know it. Thought the pair of you might want to be awake for that, the way you've been prattling on."
It took another couple moments for the words to really register in Sonia's mind. Finally, she looked up, and her eyes opened wide, glittering in excitement.
"We're almost there!" she squealed, leaping to her feet. Bram chuckled as he pushed himself up as well, stretching to work the kinks out of his back. Already, Sonia was at the railing, leaning over the side and staring intently off into the distance, as though Gahiji would come over the horizon any second.
"Calm yourself, lass," the captain told her. "I did say it would be a couple hours yet. Our ship may be quick, but there's still time 'fore we can see anything but sand."
"Aw, pecker…"
"Cheer up, Sonia," Bram said, patting her shoulder. "I'm sure there's something you can do to amuse yourself for a couple hours."
Sonia pouted for a moment, before her eyes lit up with a devious gleam. "You know, captain, I can't help but notice that there hasn't been a single fist-fight on the deck of this ship the whole trip. My friend Bram here was just dying to take on your toughest crew member, and I'd hate to see him disappointed."
"What? Now hold on, Sonia," Bram snapped, glowering at his smug-looking partner. "You are not suckering me into another fight. I have not been-"
"Looks like your boy here ain't too fond of that idea as you seem to think he is, lass," Captain Dupree chuckled. She focused back on Sonia, and a predatory gleam lit up in her eyes. "Besides, you want the toughest sailor aboard this ship? That'd be me. Instead of trying to shove your boy here into the ring, why not step up yourself? 'Less you think I'll mop the deck with you."
Sonia blanched a little at the captain's challenge, but proceeding to puff out her chest confidently. "Alright, I'll take you on! We can show string bean here what a real fight looks like!"
"Sonia, you couldn't fight your way out of a wet paper bag," Bram sighed. The captain laughed as Sonia turned and scowled at him.
"I beat you in the last fight we had."
"We had our last fight when we were nine, and I hadn't hit my growth spurt yet," Bram noted, pointedly straightening his back to look down on her. Sonia continued to scowl, but the archer grinned a little as the huntress tried to subtly lift herself up onto her toes.
"Probably for the best that we call this bout off then," Captain Dupree cut in, earning an insulted look from Sonia.
"What, not feeling up for a fight?" the huntress taunted, playfully jabbing the woman's shoulder a couple times. Dupree laughed, but shook her head.
"Oh, you know us airmen, always up for a tussle. However… thinking now's not exactly a great time for a fight, anyway."
Dupree glanced nervously to the far side of the ship. Over near the bow were two people gazing towards the east, a man and woman standing next to each other. Both were wearing finery, dark blue undershirts with black vests embroidered with silver wings.
The woman was closest, and appeared to be a good half-foot shorter than Bram. Her hair was surprisingly bright though, a strawberry blonde which stood out in stark contrast against her dark clothing, tied up into a small bun on the back of her head. The man was quite a bit taller than the woman, the same height as Bram, with a square jaw and jet black hair which hung down to his shoulder blades in an unruly mane. Both of them were standing tall and firm however, as though under military stance, with the woman holding her arms crossed in front of her and the man's locked behind his back. Both had very off-putting expressions on their faces as well: the woman's amber eyes stared out into the distance with a judgmental, aloof sort of face, and though Bram couldn't see the man's eyes, he could tell he was scowling.
"Who're they?" Sonia asked.
"Fox and Julia Lockhart," Bram replied, earning a surprised look from Sonia. The airwoman nodded at the words, and Bram shrugged uncomfortably. "They live in Nastre, so… we've met."
"They're Silas' kids," Dupree explained.
Sonia blinked in surprise. "Didn't know that old guy had kids…"
"Adopted, far as folks can tell. People aren't really sure where they came from. But they're a lot like him: Lost supremacists, I mean. They help their father with his company. He… has them do a lot of the work that he couldn't just do himself, so…"
"They're his flunkies," Bram said bluntly, getting another surprised look from both Sonia. "Sorry, but it's pretty much true. My mom and dad told me about them. One day he came back to Nastre with the both of them, and he's been raising them as Supremacists ever since. He has them doing a lot of work around the country to make Rising Dawn Airship Company more powerful… Word has it he's even trained them to act as his bodyguards, and they report everything they see and hear to him."
Dupree looked uncomfortable about the words, but nodded. "Pretty much. You don't want to say anything bad about Silas, or get into fights while they're around. You'd lose your job in a heartbeat. So no fighting on this trip, lass, or any trip where those two are aboard."
"No, that's fine," Sonia replied. "So… why are they going to Gahiji?"
"Who knows? They never tell us, and I'm not going to ask. Whatever they're doing is their business, and I'm fine with keeping it that way." As the captain finished speaking, Julia suddenly turned to stare in their direction, her amber eyes boring into them. Dupree cleared her throat nervously. "Eh, sorry, kids, but I better get back to work. Can't spend too long chatting with passengers with them around."
"That's understandable. Thanks for talking with us," Bram said, and the captain nodded before striding back towards the helm and barking a few orders to crewmen as she passed. Sonia's eyes were still on the dark-clothed individuals, and Bram shook his head. "Just forget about them for now, Sonia. There are other things we can do to pass the time besides you roping me into another fight."
"Like what?" Sonia sighed. "I don't feel like another game of chess or checkers. You keep beating me."
"Wanna see if we the crew will let us climb the rigging?" Bram suggested, and Sonia's eyes sparkled in interest. "Maybe they'll let us head up to the crow's nest for a better view when Gahiji comes over the horizon."
Unfortunately, in the end the crew hadn't let them climb up onto the blimp. Turns out the rest of the sailors were just as fidgety having Silas' children aboard, and letting a couple passengers climb the rigging wasn't about to happen. Sonia still managed to find someone to talk to when the hunters met one of the shipwrights aboard and got to asking about how they built the ships. Logan came up on deck not long after, still drowsy but apparently just as eager to see Gahiji come into view as Bram and Sonia were.
Just over an hour and a half later, there was a call from up the crow's nest. "Landfall!"
Bram was nearly pulled off his feet as Sonia squealed in excitement, grabbing him and Logan by the arms and yanking them towards the bow of the ship. She wasn't the only one, though; most of the others aboard seemed just as eager to see their final destination come over the horizon.
It took a few moments, but soon there was a vibrant flash of green, standing out in stark contrast to the bland golden-white of the sandy desert. Lush green grass seemed to erupt from over the horizon as they reached the end of the desert. It really was as though as line had been cut in the earth, a sharp contrast between shifting sands and ripe green grass.
For a couple miles past the sand there was nothing but grasslands, wide open space full of rolling hills, sporadic trees, and small creeks which weaved through the terrain. Beyond that, however, the slopes of the terrain grew tall and uneven, creating countless plateaus and high ridges which stretched as far as the eye could see. The vibrant green was broken up by the bright red and dark orange soil, and there were even tall pillars of reddish stone protruding from the earth. It seemed Gahiji really was a different country; where Theron was relatively flat and level save for the mountainous regions, Gahiji was a realm of geological chaos.
As the grasslands grew closer, Bram began to scan the coastline uncertainly. They were supposed to be landing at the border town called Val Habar, but Bram didn't see any towns at the edge of sandsea.
There was some shouting though, and several crewmen began motioning towards the shoreline. A few moments later the ship turned southward, curving low to follow the coast. Bram glanced down towards the grasslands, and realized that there was something out of place: right near the edge of the sandsea was a wide semicircle of flattened and dried grass at least a mile and a half wide. A few free-standing lumber structures were near the edge, and seemed to be well-maintained, but there was nobody near them. Near the top of one of the structures, a bright red wooden arrow had been constructed, pointing towards the south.
The airship continued flying for another half an hour or so along the coastline. Most of the passengers kept to the port side, eyeing the lush, hilly land beyond with fascination. Soon enough though, there were more calls from crew, and the airship began to descend. Looking forward, Bram finally caught sight of their intended destination: Val Habar.
"Well that's a relief." Bram turned as Captain Dupree strode up next to him and Sonia. "It's lucky we found the city as quickly as we did."
"What do you mean, 'lucky'?" Bram asked. "It's a town. How can you be lucky to find a town?"
"Considering the town moves to a different location every other month or so, I'd say we were pretty damn lucky to have found it as quick as we did."
"It moves?" Sonia gasped. "The entire town moves?"
"That's right, lass," Dupree chuckled. "Ain't every desert town so lucky as Loc Lac to have those nice tall walls defending it from Jhen Mohran, or the Dah'ren Mohran they have in these sands. Big walls like that ain't so easy to build, so Val Habar just moves about instead, relocating to a new place when those big beasties start getting a little too close for comfort."
"That's… insane," Bram muttered.
"Better than being wiped out by a moving mountain some call an elder dragon, lad. They've gotten right good at moving though. Whole town's on wheels, and can up and move in a couple hours if they need to. Even the Guild Hall can haul out."
"How they do that?" Logan asked, before glancing at Sonia. "Didn't you papa say something 'bout the hall being shaped funny?"
Dupree grinned at him. "Well, I could tell ya how they do it, lad… but it's better if you see it yourself. It's quite the sight."
Bram tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Is that what those arrows were for? To point us in the right direction?"
"Just so. Used to be they didn't do even that. Finding Val Habar was a game of chance for airships and sandships alike. You got to the edge of the sandsea, and picked north or south, and if you picked wrong, you'd go a long way a'fore you'd figure you'd done wrong and had to head back."
"That's kind of poor thinking…"
"Ha! Folks in these parts treat it like an adventure! Finding Val Habar's just half the fun! The rest is blowing all your hard-earned Zenni on the shops you find once you get there."
Sonia grinned. "I'm liking this country more and more!"
"And I hope you'll have fun there, all of ya," Dupree laughed. "If you'll excuse me, I need to land this tub. Enjoy your stay, hunters."
With that, Captain Dupree returned to the helm, and the airship slowly began to descend towards the town. Though Sonia wanted to stay up top, Bram and Logan both encouraged her to head below deck with them to collect their hunting boxes. She pouted a bit, but eventually agreed, and the three of them dragged their boxes onto deck just as the airship was settling onto the landing pad outside the city. Several workers rushed out, throwing out ropes and tying the ship down as the engines slowly rumbled to a halt. A gangplank was raised, and the passengers began to work their way off the ship.
Logan was double checking that his great sword was properly strapped to his box as the deck began to empty, and soon enough Sonia began to fidget eagerly. "Come on, come on, come on! Hurry up, you slowpokes! We're finally here!"
"Calm down, Sonia," Bram called back. "Gahiji is still gonna be there when we get off the ship."
"It won't be at the rate you two are crawling along!" Sonia shouted back. "Forget this, I'll meet you weenies on land."
Bram chuckled as Sonia disappeared down the gangplank, her item box clattering behind her. But as Bram grabbed hold of his own item box, there was a loud crash below and Bram glanced over the railing with a curse. Sonia had lost control of her item chest and had ended up slamming into Fox, knocking both of them to the ground. Julia was scowling at the huntress nearby. Bram pushed fearfully through the remainder of the passengers, muttering apologies to those he bumped. He knew what type of man Silas was, and if his children were anything like him…
But he was surprised upon reaching the bottom of the gangplank to find Fox helping Sonia back to her feet, waving off her apologies. As Bram approached, Fox looked his way, and the archer flinched slightly at the sight; the black-garbed man had different-colored eyes. The left eye was a very dark brown, nearly black, but the right was a pale white. There was a moment of recognition in the man's eyes, and he nodded his head slightly.
"Our apologies for the disruption," he said simply in a low baritone. He didn't say anything more, grabbing his bags and striding away towards where Julia waited. As he caught up with her, the woman turned, matching his stride as the pair made their way into the town, not sparing a glance back.
"You okay?" Bram asked Sonia. Behind him, Logan had caught up with them, his item chest clattering along and giving the pair of them a worried look.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Sonia replied, grinning sheepishly. "Guess I was a little too eager to get off the ship after all."
"Just a bit," Bram sighed, though he noted that Sonia had a concerned expression on her face. "What's wrong?"
"His eyes were different colors…" she muttered in confusion, shooting another look at the backs of the two black-garbed people.
"Yeah, it's something strange about him," Bram nodded. "Don't worry about it."
"They's some strange folks, hey?" Logan muttered, before waving his hand. "Hoy, but let's forget about that for now, hey? You forget where we are? We in Gahiji! Don't tell me you already forget about our adventure?"
"Right… right!" Sonia agreed, nodded and smiling. "Let's go find the Guild hall and get this show on the road."
With that the hunters slowly headed south towards the tall structure near the center of town, right at the edge of the sandsea. Bram had to admit, he was stunned by Val Habar. For all his life, he'd had a pretty solid idea of what to expect when he entered a town or village, and this border town seemed to go against so much of that.
Dupree had been right: the entire town was almost literally on wheels. None of the structures in Val Habar were permanent, and it felt more like walking through a fairground or bazaar than an actual city, with only worn-down grass instead of roads under their feet. Every structure in the town was a wagon or tent, with men and women living out of them as happily as they would a solid house or hut. There were a few semi-permanent structures near the edge of the sandsea, sturdy platforms which had been built to dock the sandships and airships, but clearly all of Val Habar was capable of packing up and leaving town at the drop of a hat. And in fact, many were doing just that. Between the docks and the Guild hall, several Popo-drawn caravans clattered past them, either making their way out of town or traversing the roads in search of a spot to set up shop for themselves.
The caravans themselves were all interesting in their own unique ways, with bright banners and signs dictating what they sold or had to offer to passerby. The wagons came in countless shapes and sizes too, from only a few feet wide to a few that were as large as a sandship, needing several Popo to haul it. Each caravan had their own names and specialties as well: some sold armor and weapons, others sold jewelry and gemstones, others alchemy and herbalism, and a large number sold sundries and day-to-day goods. There were even those that seemed to sell 'entertainment', the wagons unfolding into stages to present shows for passersby to watch. Many of the larger caravans had even constructed wooden walkways for their customers to walk along, rather than the grass and dirt that lay everywhere else.
Some establishments even tried their best to create something of a 'brand name'. Some appeared more popular with the locals, filled to the brim with shoppers: Rosen Queen, Rin's Goods, and Malo Mart were some of the busier ones, just to name a few. Bram wondered if he'd seen the caravan he, Sonia, and Logan were supposed to be joining.
Bram gave an impressed whistle as they approached the Guild hall. Sonia had read him her father's letter describing the place, but Bram had to admit that the hall really did look like a beached sandship. He'd thought the shape was just a design aesthetic, but with Dupree's explanation, Bram supposed that the Guild hall must actually be a true sandship, and when the city up and moved, it was simply shoved back into the sandsea to sail to the town's next destination.
The way it had been described made it sound rather ridiculous, but looking upon it now, Bram had to admit it was rather impressive. To call it just a sandship wasn't fair: the Guild hall had to be a veritable battleship on the sandsea. It was over one hundred yards long, at least three times bigger than any ship Bram had ever seen. The hull was made of sturdy wood with solid metal plating, and a tall bronze dragon's head had been molded at the bow, massive in its own right. Bram could see the covered holes in the hull where cannons and ballistae could be fired from, and another in the bow which no doubt held a dragonator. Finally, at the very top of the building was a massive hunter's gong, so large that a single strike of the metal plate could probably be heard miles from Val Habar. The whole ship had been given a vibrant paintjob, colored a forest green with bright yellows and oranges along the dragon head, but despite this structure's welcoming design, Bram could tell this ship was a force to be reckoned with on the sandsea.
There was a massive rectangular hatch which opened up on the side of the ship, providing a long ramp leading into the Guild Hall. The three hunters looked around in fascination as they marched up the slope; all around them were hundreds of hunters, wearing countless different armor sets and weapons made from materials that he'd never seen before. Bram couldn't help but wonder how many of those armor sets or weapons he'd be able to make with only six months here.
As they entered the Guild hall itself, it was much more spacious inside than Bram had imagined. The entry area was even included a grill, an item shop, and a long booth with several dozen Guild workers signing hunters onto quests. And there were a lot of hunters around too, talking and laughing as they scoured the boards for hunts to take part in. It was just like any hunter's inn in Theron, but this one could slide into the sandsea and sail away if it needed to.
"So… what do we do now?" Sonia asked, looking around.
"Guess we gotta find the immigration folks… get the last of our papers filled out, hey?" Logan muttered, looking around uncertainly. "Steward said he got a lot of the stuff cleaned up already, but I is not sure what to do now exactly…"
"Oh, ho. So y'all are the hunters ol' Steward went and called in, are ya?"
The three hunters turned at the voice, but Bram frowned in confusion. He didn't see anybody behind them…
"Down here, pardner. We ain't all so vertically gifted as you are."
Looking down, the trio were collectively surprised to find an elder Wyverian standing before them. He had leathery skin, worn from perhaps more than a century of age considering how long-lived Wyverians could be. His ears were drooping low, and he'd grown a thick white beard covering his chin and cheeks.
He was dressed… oddly. The first thing that came to Bram's mind upon looking at him was 'cowboy'. The Wyverian looked like he'd come straight out of one of the 'western' stage shows they put on in Perir. Or it looked like he'd tried, at least. He wore a tall ten-gallon hat, a bright red bandana, a pair of brown leather boots complete with spurs, and carried a long corn-cob pipe between his teeth. Everything in the middle was a bit off though. He wore loose white robes over everything, held in place with a brown sash around his waist, topped off with an ornately-decorated blue cloak.
"Welcome, y'all!" the Wyverian said with a wide smile. "The name's Treno, Guildmaster of this fine town, and it's a pleasure to meetcha."
As hard as the Wyverian seemed to be trying to emulate a western drawl, he still had the Gahin accent in his voice. Bram had caught some of the local tongue as he'd made his way through Val Habar, and it was a far smoother, more musical-sounding accent. The locals tended to slur their S's a bit, and seemed to catch on hard consonants.
"Ho, there. Is nice to be here, hey?" Logan replied, reaching down to shake the man's hand. The Wyverian's eyebrows rose curiously for a moment, but he grinned quickly and shook the great sword user's hand before moving on the apprentices.
"And these young'ns are the apprentices, eh?" he asked, looking the two over.
"That's right," Bram nodded.
"Mmhmm… yep, Steward said y'all were coming for pre-exam training. He always was a kind feller to the younger folk."
"You friends with Steward, then?" Logan asked. "Always thought he must've had friends in high places, but I didn't think that included a Guildmaster."
"Yup, the ol' dog certainly has his connections, don't he?" Treno chuckled. "I owe him a few favors, though I reckoned I'd find myself in the grave 'fore he tried callin' them in. 'Magine my surprise when the ol' dog actually turns 'em in. Pretty ironic if you ask me, though: first he's askin' me to get some hunters out of the country without trouble, next he's asking me get some in easy as you please."
"Err… yeah…" Logan muttered, scratching his head. "Sorry 'bout that…"
"Aw, don't worry, pardner. Weren't your fault you passed the border like you did, and you pulled ol' Steward's hide out of the fire… well, ice, I reckon, when you saved him from that thing… Whatcha call that nasty thing?"
"Gigginox."
"Ugh. Fittin' name, considerin' the way Steward described it," Treno sighed, shaking his head. "Well, y'all came back at a good time anyway. Ol' Steward's been stuck in town for near a month now, and I can see that he's itchin' to travel again. Ain't no point of a caravan if it ain't movin'."
"He just been sitting around?" Logan asked guiltily. "He wasn't waiting for us, was he? Didn't mean to keep him waiting…"
"Don't worry, pardner. Fellers like him ain't the like to just stick around and wait. Ol' Steward coulda visited a half-dozen villages in a month and been back in town a'fore y'all stepped foot on Gahin soil. Reason he ain't movin' is 'cause his caravan's hunter had to retire, and there ain't no caravan out there can survive on the road without a hunter guarding it."
"Didn't hear 'bout that."
"Eh, happened not long ago. Good woman, fine hunter, but got crippled during a hunt, poor lass. Happens to the best of us, I reckon."
"Hmm… Sounds like we gonna be trying to fill some big boots, hey?"
"Aw, don't worry yourself, pardner. Ain't nobody expectin' you and your apprentices to try and fill the space that old girl left behind," Treno assured him. "You and your little buckaroos here just try and have fun while you're here. Ain't no need for worries like that for a couple apprentices. Now, I reckon that we've kept that ol' dog waitin' long enough. Let's getcher papers cleared, and y'all can-"
"Sir?" Treno paused, glancing over as a Guild worker approached with a large folder, handing it to the aged Wyverian. "We've got more reports of possible subspecies coming in."
"Again?" the Wyverian grumbled, glancing into the files. "Hold on now, 'reports' you said? As in more than one?"
"So it would seem sir," the woman replied. "A Kecha Wacha in the eastern forests and a Tetsucabra by the western volcano. Both are displaying strange appearances and behaviors for their species, and all descriptions seem to label them as such."
"Damn, that's four this month… The hell are they coming from, out of the woodwork?"
"Shall we send more researchers to look into it?"
"Reckon we'd better…" The Guild worker nodded as Treno signed the papers, and scurried away as the Wyverian sighed in frustration. "Y'all came at a very hectic time for the Guild, I can tell ya that…"
"Sounds like you've got a lot of problems to deal with," Bram noted.
"Oh, pardner, there's always problems," Treno harrumphed. "I've got problems left and right. I've got these daggum factions bickering between each other, I've gotta send a buncha materials to Dondruma to repair damage from a Kushala Daora that attacked… Hell, I've got issues with elder dragons in general making a fuss over by Dondruma. I can't remember the last time that city went longer than a year without getting attacked by one!"
"Wow… you really do have problems," Sonia muttered.
"Ain't nothin' Gahiji ain't dealt with before," Treno replied. "It's a mite worse than usual these last few years, but we'll get by. We always have before. But that ain't the kinda thing y'all need to worry 'bout. Doubt a couple rookies'll find themselves wranglin' with an elder dragon anytime soon. But that's enough serious talk; let's get y'all going so you apprentices can have your trip through Gahiji."
With a short bark, Treno called over one of the Felynes working behind the desks, sending it off to gather the hunters' paperwork. The Felyne returned a minute later with a small stack of papers, passing them out to the hunters and letting them fill in the blanks. Bram noted that a lot of it was already filled out in someone else's handwriting, likely the work of Logan's friend Steward. The hunters filled out the rest of the papers as quickly as they could before sending off the Felyne with the completed documents.
"Just need to make sure everything's spick 'n' span," Treno told them. "One of them'll check that everything's well and good. Ah, speak of the devil… or, speak of the Felyne, rather."
From the sea of desks and paperwork, the Felyne scurried out from the mayhem again and quickly made its way towards them, carrying the collection of paperwork in its arms. Bram could see a bright red stamp of approval on the top paper.
"That was lickety-split. Everything lookin' dandy?" Treno asked, and the Felyne nodded.
"Yes, of course, nya. All their pawsports and papers are in purrfect order and they're good to go."
"Well, ain't that fine news," Treno said with a smile. "Looks like everything's in order, pardners. Reckon you're free to hit the trail. Y'all just promise me you'll keep that caravan safe. Steward's a good friend, y'hear? Don't want to hear that y'all met with disaster."
"Don't worry," Logan replied confidently. "We keep the caravan safe, hey?"
"I certainly hope so. Good luck to y'all either way."
"Thank you for your help," Bram said, before the three of them began making their way towards the exit of the Guild hall.
"Good luck!" the Felyne next to Treno called out. "Stay safe, little apprentices!"
"Thanks! We will!" Sonia called back as the three hunters stepped back out into the sunlight.
Once the trio were down the ramp and back among the caravans, Bram turned towards Logan. "So, now we just need to find this caravan, right? Where is it?"
"I is… not too sure where exactly we supposed to go, hey? They's a lot more caravans here than I thought there'd be. Guess we just gotta keep looking until we find the one we looking for, hey? Give us time to see the sights."
"Didn't that Steward guy tell you where to find him?" Bram asked.
"You looking at the same bazaar I am?" Logan asked. "Seems like you be in one spot one day and on the other side of the town the next, hey? He did tell me the name of his caravan though."
"Alright, what is it?" Logan chuckled sheepishly at the question though, and Bram groaned. "You don't remember?"
"Hoy, is a weird name. I remember when I see it."
With that, the trio began walking around the bazaar in search of their caravan. Every once in a while Logan would stare at one of the caravan signs, before shaking his head and pressing on. After about an hour of wandering and poking through the stalls, Logan finally spotted one and his eyes lit up.
"Aha! That's the one!"
The apprentices followed his gaze to a wide circle of wagons. A tall wooden sign hung as an entry into the circle, painted a curious aquamarine hue and decorated with thirteen silvery circles inscribed with strange symbols. In the center, written in a light purple, were the words 'Caravan Stellazzio'.
"Stellazzio?" Sonia asked. "You were right. Weird name…"
"Told you so, hey?" Logan chuckled as they made their way towards the entry. "All we gotta do now is find Steward and we be good, I think."
The caravan had a fair number of customers within as the hunters passed through the entryway. From what Bram could see, Caravan Stellazzio had a wide variety of displays. Just to the side as they entered was a wide food stand, where a heavyset woman wearing a bright pink apron shuffled about, passing food over the counter to a pair of twins who darted between a dozen wooden tables passing out meals. Beyond that, a man with dark red hair was selling items and materials, while another vendor nearby had a collection of mass-produced metal weapons and armor for sale. There were several other small wagons selling things such as clothing and foodstuffs and knick-knacks and toys. Off in the back there was even a large steel wagon which looked like a forge.
Sonia and Logan were still looking around in wonder when Bram's gaze landed on a small wagon off to the side. It was small and painted a dark aquamarine but otherwise undecorated. The side of the wagon unfolded into a small desk, revealing a tall collection of books and notepads behind it. A tackboard had been latched to the side of the wagon as well, covered with dozens of papers which Bram immediately recognized as hunt requests. Sitting behind the desk was a young woman scribbling into a large notebook and flipping through some official-looking documents, a Guild receptionist Bram realized. Getting Sonia and Logan's attention, the three of them began walking over to the wagon.
As they got close, Bram could see that the girl was a few inches shorter than he was, with well-tanned skin and a curvy body. She wore the standard Guild uniform that Bram had seen on numerous Guild reps as they'd passed through the town. A long-sleeved white shirt with a frilled collar lay under a form-fitting tan vest with shining metal buttons, and around her neck was a crimson ascot embroidered with the symbol of the Guild. A loose cloak hung over it all, accompanied by a high-brimmed sailor's cap, though while green seemed to be the most common Guildie color in Val Habar, this woman's was dyed a deep shade of royal blue. It was well-hidden behind her, but Bram could also see a small knife latched onto her belt.
Her face was gentle and smooth, with a small nose and soft hazel eyes behind a pair of oval glasses. Her hair was dirty blonde, and looked as though it would have hung down to her middle back if she had not pinned it into a bun at the base of her skull. It was then that Bram realized that the woman was actually Wyverian; her ears stuck out from her blonde hair, stretching straight outwards and ending in a point about three inches out from her skull. Sure enough, as Bram looked down he saw that her legs hooked back and ended in taloned feet, with leather boots that covered everything except the clawed tips of her toes.
"Oh, hello!" the woman said, smiling brightly at the three of them as they approached. Her voice had the telltale lilt that pegged her as Gahin, catching slightly on hard consonants and slightly slurring the S's. "May I be of any assistance?"
Bram opened his mouth to respond for them, but before he could, Logan grabbed the archer's shoulder and pulled him back, dropping his item box and stepping to the front. The girl blinked in surprise at the motion as the great sword user gave her a wide, wolfish grin.
"I think so, yes, little missy. Couldn't help but notice that you was all by youself, and thought you might want a little company…"
"No, stop," Bram sighed, grabbing Logan's collar and pulling him back. The Guild rep looked confused, giving Logan an odd look as the great sword user cursed sourly, turning to glare at Bram, but the archer ignored him and smiled at the woman. "Sorry about that. We're looking for someone named Steward? We just arrived from Theron, and we-"
"Aha! So you are the hunters that master Steward told me about? It is a pleasure to meet you all!" The Guild rep stood up and curtseyed slightly, beaming at them with a welcoming smile. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Selene tar'Thyone, humble member and Guild representative of Caravan Stellazzio. I look forward to working with you all over the next several months."
The three hunters quickly introduced themselves, Logan looking a little sheepish as he did so, before Selene insisted that she help them find Steward. Leaving their hunting boxes near the Guild wagon, the four of them branched off, heading towards the center of the caravan. As they walked, Bram gave Selene an inquisitive smile. "I didn't know that individual caravans had their own Guild representatives in this country."
"Oh, yes!" Selene replied enthusiastically. "Caravans are much more common and valuable here in Gahiji, where travel across the country is difficult. Many villages and towns are often hidden away between mountains, or deep within the forests, and merchant caravans provide goods and services to those that cannot provide for themselves. Materials, goods, food… some caravans, including our own, even include a smith who can craft with uncommon materials for those that request it. In short, many caravans are essentially traveling shopping districts for secluded villages. It is not uncommon for hunters to sign on for long stints of work as escorts and guardians to caravans as you three have; some hunters even prefer the traveler's life, and have wagons of their own built to live their professions out of.
"As such, it is quite common for Guild reps like myself to be tied to a caravan, rather than a single town or village. It builds a stronger bond between the hunters and representative, rather than forcing the hunter to try and work with individual Guild reps in each town. It's my responsibility to communicate with the local Guild authority in each area and ascertain what hunt requests are available. It's also my responsibility to keep track of monster movements and ecological reports so that the caravan doesn't travel into a dangerous situation."
"Sounds like a tough job," Bram noted.
"Not as much as you'd think," Selene replied with a smile. "Most towns are used to this kind of thing, and have prepared to offer hunts to the caravan hunters and send reports to the representatives. I just try to organize everything."
"That's still pretty impressive, compared to what most Guild reps in Theron do."
"Well, you have to be at the top of your game to be a caravan Guildie!" Selene replied, puffing out her chest proudly, before laughing a little. "But I do enjoy the work, and it's the least I can do for Master Steward… Ah, speaking of which, you were looking for him, weren't you? Hold on, let me see… Ah, there he is! Master Steward! Your guests are here!"
From one of the chairs near the cantina, a man looked up at the call and pushed himself to his feet before striding their way. He was just as tall as Bram, wearing rugged traveling clothes under a long, black leather duster coat. He had a square jaw with a scraggly beard and short grey hair which looked as though it had lost its original color long ago. Despite his age, he appeared to be a strong man, his body toned by a lifetime of hard work and his skin tanned by the sun. There was also a short sword hanging from his belt, and a shield hitched over his back. They weren't made of regular metal either, but some type of metallic-looking monster materials. Bram didn't think the man really carried himself like a hunter though…
Upon recognizing Logan, he gave the three hunters a broad, welcoming smile. Logan returned with a grin of his own as he reached forward to shake the man's hand, but the older man grabbed pulled the hunter into a tight hug, laughing despite Logan's surprised face.
"Aha! Logan, my friend, it has been far too long!" Steward said excitedly. Like Selene, the man's accent was thick, though his voice was a deep baritone. "I have not seen you since… well, not since we first met, I think! How are you, my friend?"
"Urk… I is doing fine, hey? Don't remember you being this… affectionate when we met, though."
The man laughed again, pulling away from Logan. "Ah, you must forgive me. I suppose I am known for being quite friendly among my contemporaries. I suppose I would act the same to any I consider a friend.
"But, ah, I see you are not alone!" Steward noted, turning to glance curiously at Sonia and Bram. "I had long wondered if you would ever ask for me to return that favor, and almost believed you had forgotten about it, but it would seem you were merely biding your time."
"Heh, well… actually I kind of forgot about the favor, hey?" Logan replied sheepishly. "But they both was looking for the chance to have an adventure, and I thought Gahiji might be the place for it. Wasn't sure you be willing to put up with us, hey, but I'm glad you did. But let me introduce them-"
"We can do that for ourselves, thank you very much," Sonia cut in quickly, and Steward grinned at her. "I'm Sonia Geisel, and this tall guy here my friend Bram."
"Bram Renfield," the archer added. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Steward."
"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you," the man replied, nodding his head respectfully. "You certainly seem like a lively pair, but that is to be expected of eager young hunters-to-be. And to you both, young apprentices, allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Steward ka'Jacob, master of Caravan Stellazzio. I hope your journey here was a pleasant one."
"It went smoothly enough," Bram replied. "However, admittedly it felt a bit longer with all the anticipation of getting here."
"I'm certain it did, young Bram. And have you three already visited the Guild hall? I had informed Treno that you would be arriving…"
"Ja, we done that already," Logan nodded. "Got all the papers and stuff filled out, so we good to go."
"Excellent! It seems that you are well on top of things then." The man glanced down at Selene. "Thank you for bringing them to me, my dear, but I'll finish showing them around. Now that they're here, I believe things are going to be picking up once more."
The Guild rep nodded quickly. "Yes, master Steward, of course. Should I notify the others?"
"That would be best, I think," Steward replied. "Best to put up the signs now, so as not to disappoint too many customers."
Selene nodded again, politely excusing herself before walking quickly over towards the nearest of the stalls, and speaking with the salesperson outside. Bram watched her curiously for a moment before his attention was called back to Steward.
"Now then, I suppose that I must show you around! Or at least, point out those things which will most concern young men and women of your profession. Over there is the wagon of our caravan's smith, Cleyra tar'Oeilvert," Steward noted, pointing to the large steel wagon at the rear of the group. The metal walls were absolutely riddled with smithing tools, and a wide, circular brick forge sat within the core of the wagon, with a tall chimney poking out of the top. The fire inside seemed to be running on cinders at the moment, and the black smoke pouring from the top was a thin trail compared to other caravans around them.
"I'm afraid Cleyra herself is not here at the moment to be properly introduced. She is off gathering supplies for our journey overland, and she often takes her time with such things, as she is quite the picky individual. She will be the one to speak to, should any of you desire a weapon or armor to be made with what you gather during your time with us. She mostly makes pots and pans, shovels, picks, axles, and whatever else the caravan requires, but make no mistake, she is skilled enough to work with a many of the carves and materials you will gather during your time here.
"Now then, over there you'll find our trader, Daguerreo ka'Dali, who will be the one from whom you purchase potions and the like…"
"Um… I'm sorry, Mr. Steward, but… can I ask a question?" Sonia asked.
"Of course," the caravan master replied. "But please, you hunters can simply call me Steward. You are my guests while you are in Gahiji, and you need not refer to me so politely."
"Oh, okay," Sonia giggled. "I was just wondering, what's with people's last names in Gahiji? I, uh, I don't want to be rude, but…"
"Ah, of course," Steward nodded. "I suppose naming conventions are rather different here in Gahiji than they are in your home country. Please allow me to explain as best I can. Here in Gahiji, rather than passing on a surname, a child will rather take on the names of their parent. It is a symbol of our pride in those that made us the men and women we become. If you would allow me to use myself as an example, my name is Steward, and my father's name was Jacob. As such, I refer to myself as Steward ka'Jacob, or Steward, son of Jacob."
"Oh, neat!" Sonia replied, her eyes lighting up in interest.
"So… I would be Bram… ka'Harker?" Bram asked.
"Precisely," Steward replied with a smile. "Normal custom dictates that a man will take on the name of his father, and a woman will take on the name of their mother."
"Them I'd be Sonia ka'Eleanor, right?"
Steward quickly shook his head at the question. "Ah, not exactly, young apprentice. The word 'ka' in Gahin translates to 'son of'. For you, young Sonia, you would use 'tar' instead, as it translates to 'daughter of'. You met our lovely Guild worker earlier, yes? No doubt she introduced herself as Selene tar'Thyone, 'daughter of Thyone'."
"Then… Sonia tar'Eleanor?"
"Yes, exactly!"
Logan, however, was shifting uncomfortably where he stood. "Hoy, Steward… When people take they parents' names… do they gotta… Do a man gotta take they father's name?"
The caravan leader hardly hesitated before replying. "Ah, a good question, my friend. While it is certainly most common for men to take the names of their fathers, and women that of their mothers, what matters the most to the Gahin people is the honor and weight of the name they take. It is up to the child to determine the value of their own parents' names, and if a man should hold his mother's name in high regard, then they are perfectly welcome to carry that name as their badge of honor."
Logan nodded, grinning in relief. "Right then… Logan ka'Lynn, hey?"
"A fine name, my friend," Steward nodded encouragingly. "Of course, there are many other rules that accompany what I've mentioned so far. For example, while most people in the country are content giving their own name and that of their honorable parent, there are those that feel that more is required to… adequately display their importance. As we take the names of our parents who we show pride in, so did they show pride in their own father or mother. For those with great pride in their lineage, they may follow the line of their parentage back many generations. As my own name is Steward ka'Jacob, my father called himself Jacob ka'Nero; if I found my grandfather in great esteem, I might refer to myself as Steward ka'Jacob ka'Nero, or 'Steward, son of Jacob, son of Nero'. However, its use only reserved for those who are proud of their family line or for the most formal occasions. For example, were such a humble caravan master such as myself to find myself amidst the company of the upper echelons, I would introduce myself as Steward ka'Jacob ka'Nero ka'Barton ka'Deryn tar'Sarah, all the way back to great-great-great-grandmother Sarah, who was a noteworthy hunter.
"As I said, it is mostly a novelty, used only by those who find great value in the names of their ancestors. To those with whom lineage is of great value, their name is merely another to be added to the front of a great long list. I have met some men and women whom, if prompted, could proclaim their full name and not finish speaking until the sun had fallen and risen again."
Sonia scratched her head thoughtfully. "So… I'd be Sonia tar'Eleanor tar'Mary?"
Steward nodded. "And so on and so forth, as far through the branches of your family tree as you are willing to climb. But please, worry yourselves not with thoughts of altering your names to fit in! As we Gahin find strength in the names of our fathers and mothers, so do the Therians find theirs in their surnames. Take pride in your names as they are! They have power within them, and histories of their own. Sturmtrum is a fine and powerful name, Logan."
Then the man turned and gave the two apprentices a knowing look. "And if my knowledge of news and events does not fail me - which I certainly hope it does not considering my occupation - then the names of 'Geisel' and 'Renfield' have their own weight to them as well, do they not?"
Bram and Sonia both glanced at each other uncomfortably, but Logan stepped between the two of them, giving Steward a small smile. "I think that surnames don't need to be considered too hard, hey?"
"Of course not," Steward replied, nodding in understanding. "The weight of surnames may be great, but I suppose every man and woman wishes to give their own names a weight they feel they are worthy of, do they not?"
"That's right," Logan grinned. "Glad you understand."
Bram cleared his throat for a moment, then tried to change the subject. "Out of curiosity, where will we be staying? Are we going to need a tent, or…"
"Nonsense. We have a couple spare wagons which you can claim as your own," Steward replied with a nod. "We have one old residential wagon in living condition, though it hasn't got much in the way of homeliness at the moment. The two gentlemen hunters can bunk within it, though it will be cozy with two of you. As for our young huntress… I am sure she would prefer a wagon of her own, if only to maintain decorum. We have made space within an old storage wagon we've kept clattering around for you to use, though it may be somewhat cramped…"
"Oh, that's fine," Sonia replied.
"Excellent. If you were not staying on for only a short time, I would suggest finding a carpenter in town to construct you a wagon of your own. Such is usually the way of hunters that seek to travel with caravans, to ease the burden in this rugged terrain and to make something more suitable towards their personal tastes. Perhaps if you wish to stay longer, it would be something to consider.
"But such plans can wait for now… Both traveling and paperwork are tiring trials, and I have little doubt you would like time to settle in, yes? Especially since, now that you three are here, we can begin moving again! We leave on the morrow for the southeast, to a small village called Lintukoto Gully. I am friends with the chief there, and his village is always generous in their purchases. Though the terrain is rugged, the monsters we are likely to meet are no great hassle and should be excellent training for your young apprentices, my friend."
"Ha! Looking forward to it!" Logan laughed.
As the three hunters followed Steward over to the wagons he was offering them, Bram turned and grinned at Sonia. "So, is it everything you hoped it would be so far?"
"Even better," Sonia nodded with a wide smile. "It's so colorful and fun… and just hearing about the monsters we're going to get a chance to fight has got me itching for a chance to hunt them myself. I'm going to need to send Mom and Van a letter before we head out, and tell them about everything we've seen." The huntress turned, glancing up at him. "What about you? Having fun yet?"
"Clearly not as much as you, but I'm enjoying myself. There are a few things that have caught my interest…"
"Bleh, there you go again with your clinical talk. 'A few things that have caught my interest'," Sonia intoned, replicating Bram's voice. "Come on, show a little excitement, Bram."
Bram laughed at the impression, though, reaching up to ruffle Sonia's hair and getting his hand swatted away. "You're getting better at those impressions. But you seem to show more than enough enthusiasm for the both of us, so why don't I just…"
Sonia continued to stare intently at him, however, and finally he shook his head and chuckled. "Fine! We're actually traveling through a place that's relatively unknown to almost everyone we know! It's something new and interesting… and I'm eager to see what's in store for us. Happy?"
"Eh, you're getting there," Sonia shrugged. "But you could still afford some pep in your step, string bean."
"You can give me enthusiasm lessons after supper, then. But that can wait until after we've settled in. Speaking of which… last one unpacked has to buy the other dinner!"
"Wha- Hey!" Sonia shouted. "Cheater! This is not the kind of enthusiasm I was talking about! And I have like a hundred more things to unpack than you!"
"Guess I'm getting a free meal then."
"Not if I can help it!" Sonia snapped, darting forward and rushing past Logan and Steward towards her hunting chest. Bram laughed to himself before tailing after her.
Author's Note: Please Review! Thanks for reading this chapter about travelling abroad and meeting new people!
We're going to actually have the main characters hunt something soon! I swear!
I swear this whole story is going to be me playing a game of 'spot the reference' with my readers. I just recently found someone that caught my Freeman's Mind reference during the Malefica arc back in TLC! Anyway, I've decided to use a particular naming convention for the Wyvernians in this story, just like I did with TLC. For those that don't know (and I can't remember if I ever revealed this or not), the Wyvernians in TLC were all named after… video game businesses! Stergo is Abstergo from Assassin's Creed, Silph is from the Pokemon series, Shinra is from Final Fantasy VII, Umbre was Umbrella Corp. from Resident Evil… etc. Who'll be the first to figure out where the Wyvernians here in Gahiji got their names? Don't use Google now! That's cheating.
Selene will probably undergo some… interesting character development as time goes on. The more I play 4U, the more I really like the Guildmarm in the game and her odd quirks. Of course, Selene has her own personality (and a name, which apparently is unheard of in the MH universe), but some of the Guildmarm's more interesting aspects might show up here and there (not the monsterphilia though, 'cause that's a little much). How does Capcom keep making games where the Guildies are much more interesting than you'd initially think? Also, I won't lie, the Guildmarm's character design in 4U is fantastic and I love it.
Playing: MH3U, Pokemon X, GTA5, Pokemon AS, MH4U
Listening: Sabaton, Widespread Panic, Ben Folds Five, Gratitude, Slipknot, Titus Andronicus
Reading: Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari by Aneko Yusagi, How Edea Got Her Groove Back by TheStockholmEffect
Watching: MH4U livestreams