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 11- Heavy Metal

"Hot damn, this is probably the most people I've ever seen in one place before!" Viper said, scanning the massive, slow moving crowd as he, Frost, and Snow made their way to Loc Lac's arena, one of the largest structures in the city aside from the tower.

For the past week, rumors had been circulating around that there would be a arena spectacle featuring members of the Master Corps, which was finally confirmed by both the Guild and Balestra two days prior. What and who would be involved was kept secret from most of them, though Wes had revealed to the archer that he was one of the hunters they had picked. The golden eyed archer had only seen fit to inform Frost and Snow of this, since the masked hunter never actually said anything and his sister was good at keeping secrets.

"I didn't realize just how many people would show up," Snow commented, glancing about excitedly. "I never took part in an arena hunt before, aside from the hunter's exam, and there weren't nearly as many people watching then."

"Ah, so you're new to the crowds?" the archer laughed. "What about you, Frost? Ever shown the world what you can do?"

The long sword user replied with a short grunt and a subtle shrug, which Viper only assumed meant no.

"I guess we never really got the arena scene that much," the short sword wielder said. "I just don't think it's as rewarding to fight something in a set environment, especially when it's been caged up for who knows how long."

"I can respect that, but just think of the crowds cheering you on at every move you make! Every close call, each wound you deal the monster, and they roar in excitement! I can only imagine how much Wes'll enjoy this."

"Speaking of which, where is he? You'd think he'd have wanted to walk to the arena with us at least."

"He's probably just prepping his gear. Who knows, maybe they have a grand entrance planned!"

"Balestra probably has a whole speech planned out for this too. I'll bet he's gonna set a world record for how many people he can put to sleep at one time," the huntress joked.

"Hah, I'll make a bet with you: if everyone around us falls asleep, you owe me fifty gold."

"What? That's not fair, I'm the one who said it!"

"Since when did we have to be fair with our bets?" Viper replied, smirking as the short sword wielder shot him an irritated glare.

"Alright, bow boy, no need to bring that up again. I said I was sorry, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna use that against you all the time now!"

"Oh, well, look who it is!" The three turned to see that the Gem Sisters had joined them as they made their way towards the arena. Emerald was giving Viper an angry glare, crossing her arms as she walked beside him. "And how's the little snake holding up?"

"Better ever since I whooped you in a fair contest, garden head," the golden eyed archer replied, leading the green haired huntress and himself into another heated verbal brawl.

"Hey, where's Wes at?" Sapphire asked, glancing around for the dual sword wielder. "He's usually with you three, right?"

"Saph, we've been over this, he's one of the hunters they picked," Ruby sighed. "Don't you even listen when I say these things?"

"I try to, but then you just go on and on and on, and then I kinda zone out. You really should try to explain things more simply if you want people to hear you."

"Simple's always good..." Amethyst added, causing Ruby to rub her temples in irritation. The purple haired huntress turned her gaze upwards, seeing that she was now walking beside Frost. "What do you look like below that helmet...?"

"Just imagine me as a guy, and there you go!" Snow laughed, drawing a giggle from Sapphire and another sigh from Ruby.

"Sometimes I wonder why I'm friends with you people," the red haired woman stated dryly, walking ahead of the group slightly. "Hopefully this arena quest will be worth it..."

"Wait just a sec," Viper said, turning to the Gem Sisters. "How do you know Wes is in the hunt?"

"You aren't the only ones with inside knowledge, little snake!" Emerald retorted, cutting off whatever response Ruby was about to say. "Besides, does it really matter? It's not like we went and spoiled the surprise to everyone. Unlike a certain somebody."

"Do you really want to start something here?" Ruby asked. "Save it until after the arena, would you?"


"So, the long awaited day has finally come..."

"Sir, we have your escort ready. We should be on our way to the arena now."

Balestra turned away from the window, where he had spent the last few minutes gazing out into the busy streets below as a steady flood of people made their way towards the arena, and faced the two officers standing at attention before his desk.

"What is the status of Gear Rex?"

"We had Sir Lyle and the rest of the Security Department assist the Research team in moving it through the tunnel," Trance replied. "It's in the arena now, though it won't awaken until after we arrive; at least, if we're on time."

"Very good. Mr. Corrin, have the hunters been gathered in the airfields?"

"Yes, Sir," the officer replied. "The ship is going through its last checks now, though I informed them you intended to speak with them before the event."

"Good. Mr. Trance, Mr. Corrin, to me. Let us be on our way."

The Corps Head stepped away from the window and briskly strode to the door, flanked by the two red-uniformed men as they made their way out of the Corps HQ. As they departed the building, the Corps Head turned and began to make his way to the airfields, followed closely by the two Corps officers. It only took them a minute to find the four hunters, seated on crates and barrels outside of the airship and talking amongst themselves. Upon noticing his approach, they ceased their discussion and focused on the Corps Head.

"I see you have all had ample time to prepare for this day," Balestra began, folding his hands behind his back as he always did. "As I'm certain you all understand, in order to display the flexibility between Corps members, we have chosen you specifically, as not one of you has been paired with each other on a previous assignment. None of you have been informed of the creature you will be facing either, which is meant to portray your adaptability to unknown circumstances. You are expected to have used all the time you needed to prepare yourselves physically and materialistically, but now you must steel yourselves mentally. You must show no fear, no uncertainty, no cowardice.

"This event is possibly the most important task you have ever been asked of while under my command. You are examples to the whole of Loc Lac, and you must display exactly what kind of mettle those in the Master Corps are made of. This is as much of a hunt as it is a show for the people of this city, and they will want to see precisely what it is that makes the Corps so significant. Do not disappoint me, do not disappoint the Guild, and do not disappoint the city. There is a standard you are expected to live up to, and I expect complete cooperation among you. Now, I wish you all the best of luck, and I bid you good day."

Trance noted that two of the hunters had practically fallen asleep during the speech, though they shook themselves awake at its conclusion. Balestra didn't seem to notice or care, though, and having said his piece the man departed, followed after by the two Corps officers. They were greeted by an entourage of ten Guild officers near the gates of the Corps grounds, standing at attention and ready to escort them to the arena. Balestra motioned to them to begin moving as he passed, and the Guild members moved into position around them as they left the grounds. The pedestrians in the streets moved out of the way of the escorts as the group made its way towards the arena.

"Certainly are a lot of people coming to watch," Trance remarked, eyeing the masses around them.

"Well, what can you expect?" Corrin replied. "Not only is this a showing of the Master Corps and how it operates, it's the unveiling of an entirely new creature. That'd be more than enough to attract most of the city, if not all of it."

"You are correct in that regard, Mr. Corrin," Balestra said, keeping his gaze fixated on the path ahead of them. "The prospect of an arena hunt attracts many people by itself, and the added factors only pique the curiosity of the masses more. Though this is not entirely meant to entertain the people, either."

"What do you mean by that, Sir?"

"What I mean, Mr. Corrin, is that if and when the hunters I assigned to partake in this endeavor succeed, it will prove once and for all to the Guild that the Corps is everything I predicted it would be. It will cement our status as an elite organization dedicated to the betterment of the hunting world, and eliminate any lingering suspicions of our work.

"As of now, the Corps is already known throughout the city as the spearhead of new hunting tactics, as well as the driving force in scientific development. Mr. Joshua and his research team have made tremendous progress with studies relating to the past civilizations of this country, the development of new weapons and armors, and, most recently, the secrets held within the magma rubies.

"Our hunters have also verified the existences of four monsters previously known only in legend: the Lucent Nargacuga, the Goldbeard Ceadeus, the Hallowed Jhen Mohran, and the Abyssal Lagiacrus. Of these, one of them was slain by Master Corps hunters alone, and the other three were successfully repelled or killed by Corps members and an additional Guild hunter. In these regards, we've gained the acknowledgement of the Guild hierarchy, the research departments of the city, and the hunters across the country."

"So, basically, this is the Corps' final exam?" Trance asked.

"In short, yes. The success of today will act as the 'coming of age' for the Corps. All that is left to do now is watch as the pieces fall together..."


"Geez, I thought he'd never shut up," Wes yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. After having to hear so many of the Corp Head's speeches, he'd trained himself to be able to sleep with his eyes open.

The dual blade wielder had found those he was paired with to be easy enough to get along with, so he was fairly certain that no matter what they had to face, they could make short work of it.

To his far left sat a hunting horn user named Jerome. Wes had seen him around several times before, but the hunter had been paired with Frost and Snow more often than anything, so the dual blade wielder had failed to acquaint himself with the ancient armor clad hunter. Now that they were actually conversing, Wes could tell that he was probably the one best suited to the 'straight man' role, being relatively calm about everything, but not above cracking a joke or two.

Between Wes and Jerome stood a bowgunner by the name of Grant. His weapon of choice was a large, yet lightweight Azure Rathalos gun, and he saw fit to garb himself in a full set of Brachydios armor. He was a rather cynical person as well, flatly telling the others off if they ever made a remotely nonsensical remark. If anyone could find a mistake in a perfect plan, it would be him.

And lastly, sitting uncomfortably close to Wes' right was the long sword wielding huntress Katrina. She hadn't originally lived in this country, instead hailing from Minegarde far to the northwest. As such, she was armed with equipment native to that region: a (rather revealing) suit of armor crafted from a beast known as a Kirin, and an iron sword she called the 'Devil Slicer'. The best way Wes could describe her was bubbly, considering how excitable her personality was, as almost everything made her giggle or laugh to some degree, a trait which some might consider rather cute.

Normally, these factors would have left the blue- and green-eyed hunter as a stammering mess, but after his 'date' with Snow, the white haired huntress had agreed to offer Wes some tips on how to interact with women, something he had graciously accepted. That was certainly paying off well now, considering Katrina's blatant attraction to him.

"I hear you. I'm almost wondering if Balestra plans those speeches before he gives them," Jerome stated, shifting the large flute weapon on his back into a more comfortable position. "They seem too long to not have been practiced."

"Doesn't really matter if he does or not, considering he gives them anyways," Grant said bluntly.

"They are pretty repetitive, sure, but personally I can't wait to see what we're gonna hunt!" Katrina laughed eagerly. "Just think: we're tackling something that no one has ever seen! How could that not be exciting?"

"Kinda brings up the question of how they got this mystery monster into the city though," Wes pointed out. "Someone had to have brought it here, right?"

"Maybe it was one of those confidential missions everyone whispers about," the hunting horn wielder replied. "I heard from my buddy Harlin that every so often a group of hunters goes out without telling anyone why, and that when they come back they don't say a word about it."

"Hmm... Like secret agents!" the long sword wielder said excitedly.

"No. Not like that," Grant sighed irately; Katrina's personality seemed to clash with his the most. "It doesn't really matter to us, since all we gotta do is kill whatever they send our way."

"True that. This is gonna be awesome!" Wes grinned, eagerly anticipating the hunt ahead.

"Y'know Wes, you're kinda cute when you get excited," Katrina giggled, inching a little closer to him.

Okay, what was it that Snow said to respond to that with... "Uh, thanks, Kat. You too...?" His response, though awkward, practically made the huntress squeal in joy, and with an unexpected bear hug she tackled Wes off the crate he was seated on. Jerome burst out laughing at the sight, and even Grant cracked a smile as Wes yelped in surprise.

"Okay, okay, that's enough," the dual blade wielder said, managing to free himself from the long sword wielder's grasp. I think that was good... Right?

"Oi, hunters! It's time for take-off!" the airship pilot yelled from the deck, catching the group's attention. "Get on board, we've got a schedule to stick with!"

Wes got to his feet and brushed the sand off of himself as the four made their way to the airship. The motors on its sides hummed loudly and steadily, but as they climbed into the cabin and the doors shut behind them, the noise was reduced to a slight drone. They each strapped a parachute to their backs and took seats on top of painted red "X" marks.

"Guess they want a flashy drop," Grant mumbled, eyeing the mark before sitting on it. "Seems like way too much effort just to show off what the Corps is. Why not just have us, I dunno, walk into the arena like regular people?"

"'Cuz we aren't regular people; we're the best goddamn hunters in the city!" the blue- and green-eyed hunter replied with a confident grin.

"Alright, prepare for lift off! We'll be going slower than average, so you don't have to tense up too much. The plan is that we're gonna loop around three times, and then drop you once Sir Balestra's speech is over. Relax until then, and be ready for a real hunt!"

The familiar pressure of the airship leaving the ground filled the cabin, though with far less intensity than usual. Wes looked out the window behind him, seeing the massive number of spectators heading through the streets towards the arena.

This'll be the greatest fight of my life... And I'm gonna make it a good one!


Balestra ascended a long, wide flight of stairs leading up to the announcer's booth at the top of the arena. Two high ranking Guild officers noticed as he drew near and moved aside to allow the man to pass.

"Ah, well if'n it ain't the head o' the Master Corps!" The crimson eyed man turned his gaze to the short wyvernian perched on a table off to his right. He wore a red and gold trimmed outfit befitting his role as Guildmaster of Loc Lac, with a large metallic brooch depicting the hunter's Guild logo buttoned to the left of his shirt. "Seems you've been makin' quite the splash wit' this ol' organization of yers, Balestra."

"As I had predicted, yes, the Corps has been everything I envisioned," the man replied stoically. "I do believe that will be proven here today, Mr. Calistro."

"Lookin' forward to it," the wyvernian replied, turning to face the arena below. The stadium was rapidly filling with spectators, be it hunters, Guild members, shopkeepers, and pedestrians alike.

"We are not the only ones, it would seem." The Corps Head again turned his gaze, this time to the elderly, stern woman to his left. She had long red robes on, with golden seams and adornments crossing her sleeves at the cuffs. A golden piece of cloth wrapped around her shoulders and upper back as well, upon which the symbol of the city was emblazoned. Balestra knew this woman all too well: she was the head of Loc Lac's city council.

"Ms. Pluvine, I am pleased you could attend," the crimson eyed man said to her, though his monotonous tone belied his sincerity. "I assume the rest of the council will be here as well."

"In the crowds, yes. They will inspect the fight from every angle to ensure you have not orchestrated a simple play for us to watch," the woman explained, slowly making her way to the same large window pane Calistro was gazing out of.

"Such things are below me, Ms. Pluvine. I'm certain you should know this by now, especially after the length of time we've been discussing this event. It has been ten years since we first began to discuss this, was it not?"

"Yes, it has been, and in all this time I still have my doubts of your endeavors," the council head replied, turning to face him. "I do hope that you can earn my trust by the end of today."

"There is nothing to fear about my intentions. I only seek to ensure we as a people can thrive in this changing world."

"And those "changes" have been brought about mostly because of your Master Corps, Sir Balestra. But I digress, perhaps your intentions are sound and your word is true. For now, though, let us watch what your hunters are capable off, hmm?"

Looking out the window, Balestra eyed the black silhouette of the Master Corps airship nearing the stadium. Without another word, he strode past the two and took his place by the announcer's speaker, clearing his throat and taking a small rectangular device out of the announcer's hand. A small wired circle on the front of it could be spoken into when activated, allowing the speaker's voice to be projected through a number of locations around the stadium. He gave one more look at the other two seated in the booth before flipping the switch on the device.

"Good day, citizens of Loc Lac. I am Sir Balestra, founder and Head of the Master Corps. As I am certain you all are aware by now, the Corps has been a driving force in the advancement of both the city's and the entire country's hunting standards. Be it the development of new weapons and armors for hunters to use or the discovery of beasts thought only to exist in legends, we are the ones who lead the march into the future of our nation.

"I sought the foundation of the Corps for ten long years, fervently pursuing a goal others deemed too costly, too difficult, too… unrealistic. Yet, at the end of it all, I achieved what I intended from the start: an organization made up of the finest hunters this country has to offer, able to tackle any task that befalls them.

"Today, the Hunter's Guild, the City Council, and we at the Master Corps have seen fit to demonstrate to you all just exactly what it is that has raised such an uproar in the city as of late. Before your very eyes, an entirely unknown creature will emerge, and a group of four of our finest hunters will descend to challenge it. These hunters have never worked together before today, yet their teamwork will show that time matters little in the face of pure skill and talent. Now… turn your gazes skyward, and watch as these hunters display the mettle of the Master Corps."


"Alright, you four! Get ready! Opening the hatch… NOW!"

The floor of the cabin flipped away, leaving the hunters within suspended in the air for a moment. With an eager grin, Wes grabbed the window frame behind him and flipped himself over so that his feet were positioned on the ceiling. The hunter kicked off immediately, shooting past the other three as they began their descents to the stadium below. The rush of the wind and the roar of the crowd upon seeing them only caused the dual blade wielder's grin to stretch further.

As he neared the arena floor, he rolled in midair to right himself and pulled the string of his chute, unfurling the white cloth sail above him. His descent slowed rapidly, but when he was about ten feet off the ground he unstrapped the chute from his back, falling the remaining distance to the sandy earth below and landing in a crouch with a heavy thud. The crowd roared even louder as the other hunters landed a few moments after, and Wes got to his feet, pulling his hood up as he did.

This… This is exactly what I expected! he thought to himself, gazing around at the cheering spectators around the arena. The stadium was even bigger from the ground within than it had seemed from the skies above, where the hunters could see the entire structure. The others spared a few glances around as well: Jerome had a calm but somewhat anxious expression, while Grant kept a straight face partially hidden behind his helm, and Katrina was clearly enjoying the crowd around them, laughing and smiling at their fans.

Wes' view landed on the bottommost row of the stands before them, where he noticed most of the other Corps members seated, cheering their comrades on even louder than the rest of the spectators. The dual blade wielder thought he could see Viper, Frost, and Snow seated in the front row, though with the distance between them and the sand the hunters had kicked up with their landing, he couldn't be sure. He turned away upon hearing the noise of large gears and chains moving, and the massive door opposite them began to swing open.

"Guess this is it, eh?" Grant asked wryly, pulling his bowgun out and loading a few Flame Shots into it.

"Let's show 'em what we're made of!" Wes said, drawing his two scimitars and brandishing them at his sides. Katrina and Jerome likewise pulled their weapons from their sheaths and took up position in a straight line facing the slowly widening gap between the two large gates.

"Now that we've met our hunters, let's see what this mystery beast they'll be facing is!" a voice seemed to boom around the entire stadium. It was probably the announcer trying to hype the crowd up more, though with the level of enthusiasm the fans were already displaying it seemed he would have an easy job today. "Little to nothing is known about this beast, only that its appearance suggests even the simplest of beasts can become juggernauts of destruction! Completely shrouded in mystery, and never before seen until today! Folks, feast your eyes on the creature known as... GEAR REX!"

The crowd cheered even louder as a large, bipedal creature stomped into the arena, actually making the four gasp. This monster was completely different from anything they had ever seen before. It had a large, flat head that slanted downwards at the front, with powerful jaws ending in a number of spikes. Similar protrusions lined its back and narrow tail, only further adding to its menacing appearance. A single row of jagged teeth lined its mouth, and a pair of hooked horns adorned the sides of its head. A pair of stubby arms were attached to its tan underbelly, while the beast's legs were far larger. Each was a mass of muscle and claw, with each foot having four digits, two larger between two smaller. A long spiked talon extended from the monster's "knee" to help support itself. The most striking feature, though, was a long, red tipped appendage the extended over its right shoulder like a cannon, despite it looking like a very misplaced tail. A strange red liquid dripped onto the sand below from the end of the appendage, hissing as it struck the floor. The beast stood about seven or eight meters off the ground, towering above the hunters below.

"What the hell is this thing?" Jerome muttered, bringing his hunting horn around in front of himself. "A brute wyvern, maybe?"

"I don't know what kinda name 'Gear Rex' is, but I know one thing for sure," the dual blade wielder replied, raising his swords before himself. "We're gonna bring it down! Let's dance!"

As if in response to Wes' shout, the creature reared its head back and let out a loud, resonating roar that sounded like metal screeching against metal. They were far enough away that they didn't have to cover their ears to drown the noise out, but the sheer intensity of the sound still made them all flinch. Wes' grin returned a moment later, and he began a straightforward charge at Gear Rex, followed closely by Katrina and Grant. Jerome stayed back and began playing a series of notes on his hunting horn, stringing them into songs. The conclusion of the first made Wes feel much stronger, as if the properties of the music had seeped into his muscles.

Grant split off from Wes and Kat, making his way off to the right to get a clear shot on the beast with his bowgun. As the two blademasters approached, the creature leveled its 'cannon' at them, and Wes noticed that it was beginning to tense up, almost as if...

"Dodge, now!" Wes immediately leapt to the side, while Katrina mirrored his move and split up from his side. No sooner had they done so than a thin blast of red substance shot out from Gear Rex's appendage, searing the ground between them as the liquid burned into the earth.

"It's acidic! Keep an eye out for that blast!" Kat shouted to the others as she recovered and eyed the hissing red liquid that was seeping into the blackened ground; it had completely incinerated the sand about four inches down, and was still smoking.

Wes had noted that as well, but had recovered much more quickly than the huntress had on account of his lighter weapons. He closed the distance between himself and the beast, but the creature reared its head again, this time lunging its spiked jaw at him. The hunter instinctively twisted to the side, barely avoiding the nearest of Gear Rex's spikes by a hair's breath, and launched himself forward at the beast. Dropping into a slide, Wes slashed wildly at the mutated behemoth's legs and underbelly, scoring four shallow hits on it as he passed before rolling to a stop and darting away.

Kat had caught up by then, swinging her Devil Slicer into Gear Rex's right side. The blade cut through the scaly hide effortlessly, but found resistance in cutting deeply, so she pulled away to swing again, pale bolts of electricity dancing across her sword as she swiftly cut into the creature. Grant had begun firing as well, scoring a few hits with his rapid fire flame shots. The beast screeched as the hunters repeatedly wounded it, but did something none of them were expecting. Tensing up its legs, the monster launched itself through the air, easily sailing several dozen feet above their heads. It almost landed directly on top of the bowgunner, who just barely managed to throw himself out of the way in time to avoid being crushed, or worse, impaled by the massive spikes on the beast's legs.

"Son of a bitch!" Grant cussed as he pushed himself to his feet, turning sharply and firing a trio of flame shots directly into the side of Gear Rex's head. The beast turned, seemingly unfazed, and attempted to crush the man between its massive jaws. He just barely managed to hop away in time, moving away as fast as he could to put more distance between himself and the mutated behemoth. Wes and Katrina were already charging at the creature again, while Jerome was playing the last notes of another buffing song. This one filled Wes and the others with energy; the dual blade wielder felt as though he could run for miles and not show the slightest hint of exhaustion.

As they neared the creature, though, it began to shake its back wildly, dislodging a number of bony spikes and flinging them at the pair! Katrina moved out of the way to avoid getting hit by them, but Wes kept his pace, charging straight towards the incoming projectiles. With the stamina boost the hunting horn player had given them, Wes activated Demon Mode, enveloping himself in a reddish aura of pure energy.

The spikes drew ever nearer, but the hunter was ready for them now, sliding to a halt for a moment to prepare himself. Tightening his focus on the projectiles, time seemed to slow to a crawl for him, the bony spikes slowing in their descent. Lining up his swings perfectly, Wes began slicing the projectiles apart with his scimitars, blows that seemed normal to him but were lightning fast to anyone else watching.

The first spike was heading for his left shoulder, but both halves flew past him harmlessly as his blade rang with the sound of steel against bone. The next half dozen spikes were sliced in a similar manner, heading towards different body parts but all being deflected just as easily. Wes cut the last spike in half with both swords in downward diagonal swings, slicing it in a "X" shape as a few small shards of the projectiles flew past him, the larger chunks sticking in the ground behind him.

Ending Demon Mode and allowing his perception to return to normal, Wes noticed two things: the feeling that both of the musical boosts he had gotten were gone, and that the crowd was going hysterical after witnessing what he had just pulled off. He afforded himself a wide grin before turning his attention back to the mutated behemoth before him.


"Holy shit! Did you see that?!" Viper asked incredulously, laughing in amazement at what Wes had just pulled off.

"I saw it, but I don't think I can believe it!" Snow replied, equally impressed. "He's never done something like that before!"

The pair were seated at the bottom row of the arena, a good twenty meters above the stadium floor. Frost sat idly beside his sister with his arms crossed, staring intently at the battle as it unfolded before them. The Gem Sisters were seated beside them, with Viper sitting between Snow and Sapphire. Most of them were cheering at the fight as well, especially the blue haired huntress.

"That was the fastest I've ever seen anyone move!" the short sword wielder said in awe, her eyes practically sparkling in admiration.

"Only question is if he can keep that up," Emerald remarked, doing her best to hide her own surprise at the dual blade wielder's almost supernatural ability. "There has to be some downside to pulling off a maneuver like that."

"Whatever it is, he doesn't look to be showing it," Ruby stated, not seeming at all excited or pleased at the sight. "It was probably just a fluke, a stroke of good luck."

"That's what you said when he survived the explosion…" Amethyst muttered, her gaze fixated on the hunt against the strange creature. "No one is that lucky…"

I can tell that wasn't luck… Snow thought to herself, returning her attention to the fight as well. She'd seen Wes' moves on hunts enough to know that despite the increasingly impressive feats he could pull off, there was always something else he could surprise you with. Sure, he may act a bit too show offy time and time again, but there was undeniable talent in him gained through years of practice.

Wes had explained his own life in Moga to her after their "date" a week before hand, which only served to further astound Snow. The training he had gone through when he was barely in his teens were things that could've put a veteran hunter in a hospital if they weren't careful. Yet the dual blade wielder simply laughed them off, saying "It wasn't that bad" or something along those lines.

After their initial ice breaker though, Snow had found Wes to actually be a pretty good conversationalist when he wasn't flustered. For once she felt she could discuss most anything with someone else aside from Frost, and while she didn't harbor any romantic feelings for him she eventually came to see Wes as something of a younger brother, which she hadn't ever felt for anyone before. Seeing him do so well during the fight brought a small bit of pride to her, even if she didn't really have much to do with his skills in that regard.

Still... He'd better be careful with this thing. Who knows what else it could do to him or the others if they aren't careful...

"Hey, Snow! Don't zone out on us here, the fight's just getting good!" Viper said, poking her with his elbow to gain her attention.

"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about something," she replied, flashing a quick smile. She returned her gaze to the fight below, watching intently as Wes began to rush towards the beast again.


As the dual blade wielder neared the others, he took note of what his teammates were doing. Grant had been keeping up a steady barrage of flame and normal shots on the creature, managing to angle his higher-end ammo in a way that it ricocheted from its initial impact point and into another section of the monster, dealing twice as much damage with each shot. Katrina had also closed the distance between her and Gear Rex, attacking its flank with her long sword. Jerome played one more song, a defensive buff, before beginning to join the fray as well.

Wes joined the huntress in attacking the monster's legs while Jerome neared its head, leveling his weapon to strike the beast's face. Before he could get too close though, the mutated behemoth began stomping its legs madly, knocking both Wes and Kat away from its sides and forcing Jerome back as it charged towards him. The two hunters were mostly unharmed by the unexpected attack, as the shockwaves were what sent them flying. Wes recovered quickly, rolling over backwards to his feet and sheathing one of his swords. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a throwing knife coated in Bindshroom extract, flinging the metal blade at Gear Rex. It found its mark in the side of the mutated creature's head, though there wasn't nearly enough on that one knife to immobilize it. He did succeed in gaining the beast's attention, though; the grey-hided monster turned to face the hunter as he held his arms out in a mocking manner.

"Come on, you giant piece of garbage! I'm right here; try and hit me!"

The taunt seemed to hit home as the beast launched another volley of spikes at him. He dodged past them, allowing instinct to take over completely as he weaved around the bony projectiles and made his way towards the beast. When he was a few steps from Gear Rex, he again activated Demon Mode, slicing one of the projectiles in half and causing one of them to jam into the ground before him, the flattened end facing up. With the superior strength and agility he summoned, the hunter leapt onto the spike and threw his whole body into an upwards jump, bringing himself level to the creature's head as he slowed his perception down again. There was a greater strain on him this time since he didn't have the enhanced stamina Jerome's song provided, but he still forced himself to do so. With the one sword he still held, the blue- and green-eyed hunter dealt a series of seven slashes to Gear Rex's jaw and face, severing a few of the spikes around its chin and breaking some of its teeth. He finished his assault by driving his foot into the surprised monster's head, kicking off and flipping in midair as he fell.

Upon landing, Wes found himself nearly blacking out from the strain Demon Mode had exacted on him, dropping into a crouch supported by his right sword as he clutched his forehead.

Bah... Can't do that again without a dash juice or something... He shook his head a few times and forced himself back to his feet, pulling an energy drink from his pouch and downing the contents of the yellow bottle. He immediately felt his energy return, and he gazed at the scene unfolding before him.

Grant had switched to some higher caliber rounds, firing crag shots at the back of Gear Rex's legs. Wes could tell he intended to break one of the supporting spikes in the mutated behemoth's legs, but was having little success in doing so. Katrina and Jerome had darted between the monster and Wes, attacking its head with their longer reaching weapons. But just as it had done before, the creature leapt away before any serious damage could be done to it. As it jumped away, though, it fired another blast of acid at the hunters, who were forced to split up again to evade the beam.

As it landed, the monster reared its head and let out its horrible metallic roar, causing them all to clutch their ears painfully as the sound reached them. That wasn't all the roar did, though; Wes noticed one of the bone spikes still stuck in the ground begin to vibrate as the creature's call continued. None of the hunters had any time to react as the spikes suddenly burst into pieces, knocking them all flying in a rain of shrapnel! Wes landed hard on his side from the blast, but quickly rolled back up, his armor having stopped most of the shards from wounding him.

"This thing doesn't move or fight the way normal monsters do!" Jerome shouted, forcing himself to his feet. "We don't know if it's got any more tricks up its sleeve, so keep an eye out for any different tells!"

The hunting horn wielder began to charge at Gear Rex again, while Kat trailed a few feet behind him, ready to follow up on his attack. Wes pulled a few more paralysis knives out and made his way to the creature's flank, where he would have an easier time making accurate throws. Grant loaded some high grade normal rounds into his bowgun and, seeing Wes' position, moved to the opposite flank on the behemoth's right side.

The four hunters launched their attacks simultaneously. Jerome slammed his hunting horn down onto the creature's skull while Grant opened fire on its underbelly. Wes threw a pair of knives into its side one after the other, and the hunting horn wielder leapt to the side as Katrina brought her long sword around, intending to slice the beast's neck.

Before she could, though, Gear Rex suddenly opened its jaw wide and clamped down on her blade! With a startled yelp she tried to yank the sword free, but it was fruitless; the monster's powerful jaw easily overpowered the huntress.

With a sickening 'crack' Kat found herself falling onto her back side, and looking up she saw that there was only about a foot of her blade left. The mutated behemoth roared as it flung the remaining length of blade away, the sharpened tip sticking in the ground nearby a crate on the ground. The huntress barely managed to turn her gaze up at the beast as it leveled its acid cannon at her, intending to douse her in the corrosive liquid...

But it never came.

Even before her blade had snapped, Wes had already pulled a rope dart out of his pouch, and flung the sharpened end at the tip of the monster's appendage before it could act! The rope snapped around the appendage twice before digging into the red tinted hide around the tip. The dual blade wielder pulled a fourth paralytic knife from his pouch and threw it just as the confused creature glanced at him, striking it right in the base of its neck. The last knife did the trick, causing Gear Rex to spasm uncontrollably as it lost control of its muscles. With all the strength he could muster up, Wes yanked the appendage to the side with the thick rope, planting the weighted end he held deep into the ground with an accompanying metal spike, stretching the rope tautly.

The hunter didn't stop there, though; using the dart as a tightrope, he ran up the length towards the monster, keeping balance by holding his arms out to his sides. The crowd roared even louder, seeing yet another one of Wes' feats occurring. The hunter planted his foot on the tip of the appendage before flipping off the acid cannon and twisting in midair, drawing both of his scimitars in the process. He dealt a number of slashes to Gear Rex's back as he sailed over it, breaking several of its spikes as he went. The last slash he made cut deeply into its lower back, blood flinging off Wes' sword as it traveled through scale and hide. The hunter landed deftly on all fours, sliding to a stop several feet behind the wounded creature.

Grant and Jerome likewise had been attacking the mutated behemoth, which seemed to have already overcome its paralysis despite the power of the extract on Wes' throwing knives. Kat retrieved the rest of her long sword, sliding the broken blade into her sheath with a disappointed look. Wes came to a stop nearby her, and the huntress offered him a hand up.

"I think we're in good shape to finish this guy off," Wes said, taking her hand and getting up. "It might take a big hit to put it down though."

"I already have a plan!" Kat replied, a devious smile crossing her face. "You know the stores of barrel bombs they keep in the towers around here?"

"Yeah, what about-" Wes glanced at the nearest one, fully grasping what the huntress was getting at. There were four wooden structures surrounding the arena, each at a different corner. One was used to hold potions, another contained lifepowder, and the third held a number of flash bombs within. The last one, though, was filled with large barrels full of gunpowder. They had sturdy casings, so the bombs wouldn't go off unless they were lit on fire or struck with another explosive, making them perfect traps to set up. However, only two were permitted to be used by a hunter per arena quest, meaning they only had eight total. Still, that would be more than enough to bring Gear Rex down.

"Alright, I'll get it over here! See what you can do about setting up those bombs!" the dual blade wielder shouted, running back to the fray. Jerome and Grant had been doing well enough keeping the mutated behemoth's attention on them, and Jerome had found time between swings of his hunting horn to play another stamina buff, which managed to fully restore all the energy Wes had spent beforehand. He whistled loudly to get the attention of the other two hunters as Jerome backpedaled away from the creature, barely evading another of its unexpected stomping "tantrums".

He motioned for them to move towards the tower Katrina was at while the huntress began to free the explosives from the stand at the base of the structure. The other two seemed to get his message, sheathing their weapons and racing towards the building alongside the dual blade wielder as Gear Rex launched another myriad of spikes at them. All three hunters managed to outrun the projectiles, despite the spikes landing around them as they sprinted away, one of them rebounding off of Grant's left pauldron.

"I'll hold its attention here!" Wes said, sliding to a stop and facing the mutated behemoth. "Grant, Jerome, see if you can't help Kat with the bombs!"

"Yeah, sure. Leave one hunter to fight the giant monster while the others go tug some barrels," Grant scoffed, pulling his bowgun out again. "Nice try, jackass, but we're doing this as a team. Jerome, you help Katrina. Wes, I'll hit it with some poison rounds. With any luck, the toxins and its injuries will daze it enough that we can lure it to the bombs. I'll detonate them with a Cluster round. Try not to get blown up, would you?"

"Bah, fine, just don't shoot me while I'm attacking it!" The dual blade wielder rushed attack the creature again while Grant flanked it, popping a few purple cartridges into his bowgun. Jerome made his way over to the tower to assist Katrina in freeing a few more explosives. When he had showed up, three were already out and ready.


"A rather ingenuitive bunch, no?" the head councilwoman stated, looking down on the fight below. "Despite her weapon being broken, the young lady didn't panic at all, and is instead putting her efforts into a new attack strategy…"

"And that's not even mentionin' the hooded kid," Calistro added. "Some o' the things he's been pullin' off aren't what ya normally see in a hunter… Gotta say, Balestra, you've got quite the collection of hunters here from th' looks of it."

"I did spend many months gathering the information on these hunters. It should not come as a surprise that they are above average," the crimson eyed man replied, keeping his red eyes fixated on the hunters. "Each one is an individual, and as such each has their own abilities that can help or hinder their teammates. This group, despite not having collaborated before, works well together because of this."

"Well, it would certainly seem that way, hmm?" Ms. Pluvine said, glancing over at the Corps Head. "I am thoroughly impressed by their performance so far, but let us see if they can truly bring Gear Rex down."

"Wouldn't that be one for the record books!" the Guildmaster laughed, slapping his knees excitedly as another impressive feat was pulled off by the dual blade wielder. "That kid's definitely got moves! An' that bowgunner's got a great aim; Normal Shot level three is usually only able to rebound twice if yer lucky. That guy's made it ricochet at least three or four times! And he managed to not hit one of his comrades in th' process!"

"It is only a matter of time before the creature falls. Be patient, and you will see the results I promised you."


Wes narrowly ducked below Gear Rex's spiked jaw, one of the jagged points managing to graze his armored shoulder. He struck out at the beast's right leg with his right sword, cutting into its thigh, and turned quickly, slashing its ankle with his left sword. He twisted about then, bringing both scimitars up and slashing deep into the creature's underbelly. The mutated behemoth roared in pain before attempting to stomp the hunter, who barely darted out of the way of the creature's support spikes. The shockwave caused by the impact was enough to send him skidding across the ground, though.

Wes recovered quickly, rolling onto his feet from his back and tightening his grip on his swords. Several violet puffs of gas emitted from Gear Rex's side where Grant had landed a few shots on it, causing it to turn towards the Brachydios-clad gunner with its orange eyes filled with rage. At the same time, though, Wes noticed that its pupils looked somewhat glazed over; the combined blood loss it had sustained along with the high level of poison in its system finally seemed to be having an effect on the creature.

A loud whistle drew the pair's attention to Jerome and Kat, who had finally finished setting up the explosives about thirty feet from the tower. Wes and Grant nodded to each other and began making their way towards the explosives, with Wes hanging back to keep its attention with his taunts and mocking gestures.

"C'mon, I eat monstrosities like you for breakfast!" he shouted, earning the enraged creature's gaze again. He slowly backed his way towards the bombs some twenty feet back as the mutated behemoth continued its slow pace towards him.

About ten feet away from the bombs, Gear Rex tensed its tail up; it was going to fire its acid beam at him! Just as the liquid blasted the ground before him, Wes did a sideways flip out of the way, the spray coming dangerously close to his hand as he did so. He landed unharmed, though, turning to see where the others were. He cussed as he saw where the acid beam was heading, though: right towards the bombs! The others were still working on moving away from the blast zone; if that beam hit them, they'd all be blown to pieces!

But just before the beam hit, Jerome stepped in the way, hefting his hunting horn in front of himself like a shield. He intended to block the spray! He braced himself as the red liquid struck the base of his weapon, searing up the weapon and splitting it straight in half. The blast impacted with his leg as well, traveling up his body and over his right shoulder. The hunting horn wielder let out a scream of agony as the acid tore into his armor, knocking him back. Somehow, though, it didn't seem to break through the protective green mail, and the explosives were completely undamaged from the blast.

Katrina quickly ducked over and pulled the badly wounded hunting horn wielder away as Wes lured the creature into position, dodging away just as Gear Rex attempted to strike him with the tip of its acid cannon. He raced away and slid to a stop just as Grant fired a massive round at the beast's head, causing it to flinch and stumble forwards as multiple smaller objects fell from the impact spot. Each one detonated as it hit the ground, causing an immense eruption of gunpowder to explode beneath Gear Rex as the smaller cluster shells set off the larger explosives, shaking the entire arena with the massive blast. The explosion tore into the mutated behemoth's underside and chin, causing it to roar in agony as the blasts incinerated the whole of its underside. Once the explosion ended, the beast stumbled about a bit, trying keep itself upright before finally collapsing to the ground, motionless.

"Now that's what I call having a blast," Wes muttered to himself, sheathing his swords as the spectators in the arena began to cheer louder than they ever had before. At once he looked up, gazing about the arena at all those seated in the stands cheering for the hunters; cheering for him. He pulled his hood down and went over to the other hunters; Grant was checking to make sure the beast had truly fallen while Kat was busy trying to help Jerome.

"Why did you do that?!" she shouted, tearing off his chestplate to get a look at the injury below. The acid had burned even the strong metal undermail he wore, no doubt searing the man's chest, abdomen, waist, and leg similarly. The hunting horn wielder merely let out a short, pained chuckle.

"I really hate it when bombs I set up get destroyed too soon…"

"We could have found another way to bring it down, Jerome!"

"I liked this way better…"

A short yelp drew their attention back to Grant, who had barely leapt back to evade the grounded creature's jaws. Gear Rex was still alive! It was struggling to return to its feet, glaring angrily at the hunters as several ragged growls escaped its mouth. Thinking quickly, Wes drew his scimitars and rushed at the mutated behemoths before it could fully push itself up. It still had complete control over its acid cannon, though, which it leveled at the fast approaching hunter. The appendage began to tense as the liquid pulsed through it, but it wasn't nearly as fast this time.

Before the blast could come, the blue- and green-eyed hunter dodged around it to the left and slashed both swords down as fast as he could, the wide blades cutting clean through the acid cannon at its halfway mark. The beast roared as the severed half of its appendage fell to the ground, pulling its cannon away from the hunter and above itself in agony. The mutated behemoth couldn't stop the flow of acid, though; from the remains of the cannon above its head, the red substance flowed out directly on top of the creature! The latter half of the appendage must have been what concentrated the acid into a beam, since it now flowed like a waterfall on top of Gear Rex's back, dousing itself in its own deadly substance.

The mutated beast let out an agonized roar as the acid burned through its scales and into its hide, and through the skin into its internal systems. Wes leapt away to evade a large amount of the red liquid as it flowed over the creature, sheathing his blades as the mutated behemoth's greatest weapon was now destroying it completely. The beast fell to the ground as the substance incinerated the entire upper portion of its body, turning the once ferocious Gear Rex into a lifeless husk.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you just got burned. Now stay down this time!" the dual blade wielder shouted, kicking the beast's somehow untouched head for good measure. The crowd had gone silent when the mutated behemoth lashed out for the last time, but seeing that it was dead now, they erupted into another loud roar, cheering for Wes and the others as the announcer congratulated them on a fine hunt.

A few doctors ran out onto the field, checking over each of the hunters before going to help Jerome onto a stretcher. Wes had only suffered a few small cuts and bruises, and far more close calls. A small piece from one of the spikes he had cut must have managed to strike him, since there was a thin cut running down his cheek he hadn't noticed until Gear Rex had fallen. Katrina had only a few bruises, and Grant was the least wounded among them, only suffering one minor blow to the shoulder. The three watched as two of the doctors wheeled Jerome out of the stadium.

He lead the way out of the stadium, making sure to keep a proud, experienced posture the whole way to the large gate leading into the waiting area as he enjoyed his moment in the spotlight. He let himself relax as the large doors closed behind them, leaving the three alone in the chamber, the crowd's roar still audible through the thick metal.

"That was one hell of a fight!" the dual blade wielder laughed, still feeling the adrenaline from the event. "Did you see how the crowd just roared when I sliced those spikes?! Priceless!"

"Yeah, yeah, you were absolutely incredible," Grant said wryly. "No need to flaunt, Wes. They already think we're cool enough as is. God knows how many autographs we'll have to sign on our way out…"

"What, not a fan of center stage?" Wes joked, walking over to the door leading to the arena's interior.

"It was great and all, but I'm really hoping I can find a smith who can fix my Devil Slicer," Kat sighed. "This was my favorite sword! And I hope Jerome is alright too..."

"Don't worry about it too much. There's got to be at least one Minegardian smith in Loc Lac, probably more," the bowgunner replied. "And no, Wes, it's not that I hate center stage, it's that I don't feel the need to try and show off at every opportunity. Seriously, you really gotta watch that shit. Jerome and I almost got creamed when you were doing your rope stunt."

"Ah, whatever," the blue- and green-eyed hunter scoffed, making his way out into the hall. Two familiar Corps officers were waiting for them outside.

"Nice job on the hunt!" Trance greeted, approaching them with his partner Corrin. "Sir Balestra said he wished to speak to you all personally before you departed. Please, come with us."

Wes shrugged at the other two before the hunters followed the officers through the long hallway and up a tall flight of stairs, eventually arriving in the announcer's booth. There were three people within, only two of whom Wes recognized: Balestra, the Guildmaster Calistro, and an elderly woman who seemed like an important city official.

"And here they are now!" the Wyvernian said, noticing them as they entered. "So, Balestra, looks like you were right about 'em after all! Go figure."

"As I predicted. Excellent work, hunters," the Corps Head stated, turning to face Wes and the others. "You all exceeded what was expected of you in defeating Gear Rex as you did. You all showed great strength, skill, determination, and teamwork. You should be proud."

Wes smirked at the praise, though he found the older woman's scrutinizing gaze to be rather unsettling. She stepped forward past the Corps Head, as if to inspect them all more closely.

"You three are mostly unharmed… Your companion's attempt to prevent the bombs from detonating prematurely, as foolhardy as it seemed, was a brave act considering the power of Gear Rex's acid. And you, young man... Your performance was nothing short of impressive. You certainly gave the people a show, if anything. Perhaps there is more to this Master Corps than I initially thought… Sir Balestra, for now you have my trust. But do not make me regret my generosity."

The woman walked past them, sparing Wes one last look before leaving the booth. The hunters followed after her with their eyes before turning back to face Balestra as he cleared his throat.

"In recognition of your exceptional performance here today, I am giving you all a full week's reprieve from assignments. You've earned it. Now, I'm certain your comrades are waiting for you down below, so I will refrain from keeping you any longer. Good day to you all."


"There's our champ!" Viper laughed, seeing Wes and Kat depart the arena along with a number of Corps officers acting as escorts. A massive crowd of spectators had formed around the entrance, which the officials were trying to keep back as they made their way through the city. Fortunately, the officers recognized the other Corps members and allowed them inside the perimeter they were maintaining. The archer fist bumped Wes as they neared each other.

"Where's that other guy who was with you?" Snow asked, noting the bowgunner's absence. She and Frost had trailed just behind Viper, with the Gem Sisters being just behind them.

"Grant stayed back at the arena," Kat replied, walking alongside Wes rather closely. "He said he didn't want to bother with the crowds. Mercy knows it'll take a while for all of these people to clear out."

"Wes!" Sapphire darted past the others and took her place right by his side, not seeming to give the others a moments thought. "You were amazing out there! Like, super awesome! Where did you learn to Demon Dance like that?!"

"I was meaning to ask you the same thing," Viper asked, chuckling as the dual blade wielder glanced awkwardly between the blue haired huntress and Kat. "Seriously, I didn't think anyone could pull off stunts like you were doing!"

"It came with a lot of practice," Wes answered smugly, though he chuckled nervously afterwards. "Eh... can I have some space...? Please...?"

"Aww, and here I thought we were getting to know each other better!" Kat laughed. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me back there, Wes!"

"Can you thank me by... I dunno, not invading my personal space...?"

"Lighten up, bud; most guys would kill to be in the position you're in!" Viper joked, bursting into a fit of laughter at his friend's predicament. "You should really learn to share, y'know?"

The dual blade wielder shot a look over to Snow that basically told her he had no idea what to do. The huntress giggled to herself before making a reply. "Change the subject," she mouthed to him, which he fortunately seemed to get.

"So, Viper, have you and Emerald been kicking it off well lately?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" the green haired archer shouted. "You think I like this guy?!"

"Bud, we wouldn't hit it off even if we were paid to do it!" Viper scoffed. "Like I'd be interested in her."

"Oh, what, you're insulting my looks now, shithead?"

"No, I was insulting your hideous personality!"

Wes breathed a sigh of relief as the archers' argument drew the attention of those present, including Sapphire and Kat. He shot a grateful smile over to Snow, who winked at him knowingly. The hunter gazed around at the group assembled within the perimeter of Corps officers, chuckling to himself as he did so.

"Is something funny, Wes?" He glanced over to his side, where Sapphire was looking up at him curiously.

"Nah, it's just... Well, it's great having friends like this," he replied, shaking his head as they continued on, keeping his voice low enough for only her to hear. "People who really have my back, and who know I've got theirs. Hell, if it weren't for Viper and Snow, I probably wouldn't have recovered from the incident at the ruins like I did. Don't tell 'em I said that, though. They'll never let me live it down."

"Your secret's safe with me!" the blue haired huntress assured with a short giggle. "To be honest, I didn't really have as many friends when I was younger as I do now, even if I always wanted to make more. Having you all here is like a dream come true."

"Where exactly are you from? I actually don't think I caught that before."

"Same as you, actually! I lived in Moga for a few years, but then my... well, my step dad had us moving around a lot, so I could never really get settled in anywhere. Once I was old enough, I became a hunter so that I could go off and be on my own, and live on my own terms!"

"Well, on your own with your other colored companions, right?"

"Oh, well... Yeah, I guess you're right about that one," Sapphire chuckled. "I've known them all since I was... about ten, I think. They're all really nice once you get to know them, trust me."

"I'd say I do, but with all the death glares Ruby's been giving me I don't feel inclined to agree," Wes commented. "She have a problem with me or something?"

"Nothing she's ever told me about, no."

"Huh... Mind trying to find out for me?"

"I can try! But on one condition."

"Sure, what is it?"

"You have to take me out on a date!"

Wes felt his face pale as the words left her lips, realizing he'd dropped his guard and gotten too casual with his speech.

Dammit, not again...


Author Notes: Whew, finally, the Gear Rex fight has arrived! I was planning this one for a couple weeks, actually. Played quite a bit of Metal Gear Rising to try and get into the mood for the chapter, as well as watching a few of the Gear Rex battle videos on youtube to get an idea for its attacks. To those of you who don't know, Gear Rex is originally from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, acting as a crossover boss with Monster Hunter Portable 3rd on the PSP. You could fight a Tigrex and a Rathalos along with Gear Rex in that game, but I decided to use the lesser known creature for this fight, considering the fact that it's not something I've seen in another fanfic before.

An interesting topic that came up during the editing process of this chapter was the use of music in my writing. While I mentioned before in chapter 5 that I had a song used as a "theme" for the battle, I actually took things a step farther by giving pretty much all of my characters their own specific theme song, while several fights use other tracks as a sort of tempo to keep the pace of the fight going. Like I said, this chapter was heavily inspired by Metal Gear, to the point where I envisioned this fight's song being "Rules of Nature" from the Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance soundtrack. As for my characters, I feel I may begin to reveal a few of them every couple chapters, though some songs would completely spoil some later plot points and such so those'll wait until more is revealed about the characters themselves. For now, though, I'll reveal two: the first is Wes' theme, The Meaning of Life by The Offspring, while the second is Viper's, Joker and the Thief by Wolfmother. I did reveal the second one earlier, but I decided it fit more with Viper than it did with both Viper and Wes, thus the change. Ah, the wonders of music!

I must say, the whole "biweekly release" thing is already looking to be a great idea. I've already got notes put together for the next four chapters, and the first of them is well underway. At this rate I'll be caught up in no time! I may still stick with biweekly releases though, if only because it'll give me and dashboardgecko more time to work with. I tell you, you can never be too certain what life will throw at you to try and screw with you. Well, that about does it for this week's notes, so until next time, don't forget to review and keep following, and I'll see you next time!

Playing:MH3U, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Listening to: The Offspring, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance soundtrack

Watching:The Lego Movie (which somehow completely killed my inspiration for writing at one point, ironically.)

Reading:The Lost Civilization: DLC by dashboardgecko, In Monsters We Hate by Connor D. Atwell, some old issues of Shonen Jump that were collecting dust in my closet