After taking the day to bond with her new monster companions, both Crushjaw and Sonic, as well as feeding the Deviljho a number of ingredients that would slow the beast's legendary metabolism so it wouldn't be on a constant rampage for food, Tekko ventured out of her home the following morning with Crushjaw in tow. She then noticed Lilia run up to her. "Tekko! Hey, wait up!" She called, hurrying over to the teenager.
"Oh. Hey, Lilia. What's up?" She asked.
Lilia looked in disbelief at this. "What's up? What's up?! I heard you chased off a Nargacuga! And then you took in a Deviljho for your troubles! You're really keeping yourself busy!" She said.
"Well, I looked into those big eyes of his and saw a big softie past all those razor sharp teeth and osteoderms." Tekko explained, hugging her monster around the neck, to which it let out it's croc-like bellow to signal its happiness.
"Well, you saved the village, so thanks! I'm in charge of cooking today, so I'll make you something special!" Lilia said.
"Aww, you don't have to. But thanks." Tekko said happily.
Suddenly, Navirou then jumped up on Crushjaw's head. "Hey, what about me!? I was coaching her through everything. If it wasn't for me, she'd have been catnip and the village would've been that Nargacuga's litter box!" He said, but Crushjaw then flicked his head back and sent Navirou flying. He quickly ran back, however, panting in exhaustion.
"Aww, don't worry. I'll make you something great, too, Sir Fluffykins." Lilia promised me.
Navirou was horrified at the nickname. "Sir Fluffykins!?" He demanded.
Tekko giggled at this. "I like it. I hereby declare that shall be your name henceforth! Now and forever!" Tekko declared dramatically.
"Hey! I am a right and proper navigator and my name is Navirou!" He insisted.
Tekko rolled her eyes at this. "Anyway, is there anything else you needed, Lilia?" Tekko asked. (I need to hurry and look for clues about the Black Blight if I'm gonna be the next hero of prophecy!) She thought.
"Just to let you know that the villagers have some requests for you. Just try to check them out if you have the time." Lilia explained.
(Oh, great. Side quests.) Tekko thought. "I'm a bit busy right now, I was told I'd have to meet with Dan, but definitely later on, I'll look into those requests." She told the girl, before going to the leader of the Riders.
He happily greeted the new rider as she approached him. "Hey, there, Tekko! Just got to say again, you did a great job on your quest, especially repelling that Nargacuga, We never could have anticipated it showing up again out of nowhere. Well, anyway: I saw you kept your monsters with you in your house. That's fine and all, but pretty soon, your house will be standing room only, so you may want to consider the stables over there." Dan suggested, pointing over to a building with stalls in it, but said stalls only had three sticks to keep the monster in the stalls, two vertical and one horizontal. And those vertical bars were pointed at the top, near where the monsters necks would be. If they looked down real quick for any reason, they'd probably be impaled! And the tips actually looked bloody!
"Um... Thanks, but I'm sure I can manage something. Besides, those stalls look like they'd be a tight squeeze." Tekko said reluctantly.
"Fair enough, but they'll also hold any monster eggs you may acquire on your journey. We've assigned special wingdrakes to wait around monster dens and, should a rider enter a monster den and come out with an egg, they'll fly it back to the nearest stable safe for riders." Dan explained.
"Wow, that's impressive. But wait... monster dens?" Tekko asked. All the tame monsters back on the Blades' islands were bred and raised to be human companions.
"Well, yeah! It's not like we just find these eggs on the side of the road! We have to go and get them from the dens of monsters. In fact, I found one just for you. I'll mark it on your map, but... it's not exactly closeby. But, that will give you a great excuse to ride your monster there." He instructed.
"Alright! Sounds awesome." She said, heading towards the village entrance.
"But before you go, you might want to think about offering a prayer up to the prayer pot for luck." Dan suggested.
Tekko winced at this. "Thanks, anyway, but... I'm not really superstitious like that." She said, circumventing the fact that it was physically impossible for demons to pray, lest the suffer a headache like they were just hit in the head with a sledgehammer.
Tekko and Crushjaw soon arrived at the Pondry Hills, with the young Blade teen hopping on the back of the World Eater, before taking off to their destination. However, after a bit of traveling, they discovered a roadblock in their path. Or rather, a massive gap between one hill and the side of a cliff the den was on. "Whoa. That might be a bit of a stretch." She said.
"No worries! Monsters can do all sorts of things! Sonic could jump across easy!" Navirou said.
"Alright." Tekko said, getting off of Crushjaw's back and hugging his face. "Sorry, buddy. But I'll be back real soon." She said, before waving to the sky. Then, a rather large hot air balloon descended, the basket opening up and allowing Sonic to run out while the Deviljho lumbered into the basket. "Good thing I had enough to pay that balloon guy to follow me around for a few weeks. It helps that my allowance is enough to cover a home's food expenses for a year." She said, climbing on Sonic's back, before the raptor easily leapt across the clearing.
The Two of them made their way through the cave, taking on a number of Bullfango along the way, until they finally reached the nesting area at the back of the cave, with a nest full of eggs in the center of the room, no parent to speak of guarding the eggs. "Wow. That was pretty easy. It feels a little messed up to take an egg from an unsuspecting parent, but I guess it happens in nature often enough." Tekko said, looking through the eggs, before she found one that particularly caught her eyes: a yellowish-orange one with red tiger-like stripes on it. "The last egg with crazy stripes on it gave me a Deviljho, so I bet whatever is in this one is gonna be just as good!" She said excitedly, picking it up. "It's got a pretty good weight to it. And a really strong smell. Whatever hatches from this one ought to be good." She decided.
"Wow! That's amazing, Tekko! Your nose might be as good as mine! Well, ALMOST, anyway. My nose is one of a kind!" Navirou declared proudly.
"Do you ALWAYS have to make things about yourself?" She asked in annoyance, carrying the egg out of the den. The trek out of the cave was difficult, as she now had her hands full with a precious egg, but Sonic went above and beyond the call of duty in order to protect his rider. And soon, enough, the group made it back outside. And once they had done so, a Wingdrake spotted Tekko with the egg, squawking and flying down to her. "Oh, you're the guy who takes my egg back to the town, right?" She asked. The Wingdrake squawked in confirmation, to which Tekko nodded. "Alright. Just be sure to be careful with the little angel." She said, placing the egg in the sac the creature had, before it flew off in the direction of the village. "Well, I might as well do some of those quests for people on my way back." She decided.
"So you did grab some! I knew you were a softie after all!" Navirou said happily.
And so, Tekko took a bit of time before heading back to the village to make good on the requests she'd taken, stopping a nasty pack of rogue Velociprey, then going to a nearby stream and collecting a number of sushifish for meals back at the village. And after this, she also took the opportunity to gather up some resources and materials that could be useful for upgrading her equipment. "Nice. This should be plenty of stuff. And the egg should have definitely gotten back to town by now. Let's go!" She said, getting back on Sonic and returning to the village.
Upon entering the village, she was soon met by Dan. "Wow, you're back already! That was pretty fast!" He praised.
"Well, you know, didn't want to keep the egg waiting." She explained.
"Right. Let's head over to the stables." Dan said.
The three of them went to the stables and stepped up to a Felyne watching over the egg. "It's all yours, nya!" The Felyne declared.
"Alright, then. All you have to do is present your kinship stone to the egg and your bond will be cemented and call the creature forth." Dan told the young demon.
"Got it." Seri did so, raising her arm and presenting her kinship stone, which flashed, causing the egg to glow and cracks to appear in it until the monster inside burst forth.
The creature was a bipedal wyvern covered in lustrous gold scales. Its face featured red markings around the eyes which continued along its body, its head being topped with a single, backwards-curving horn. Its feet were zygodactyl in nature, with two toes facing forward and two toes facing backward. This was the first aerial invader, the Thousand Blade Wyvern, Seregios.
"You're kidding me! First a Deviljho, now a Seregios! You've got the best luck of any rider I've ever met, Tekko!" The Riders' leader said excitedly.
"You're the one who pointed out the nest, Dan. So it's all thanks to you!" Tekko said, looking at him with a smile, before turning back to and loving on the newly hatched Flying Wyvern, which had grown to her height in the time she smiled at Dan. She had to be a bit more careful navigating the blade-like spikes, but she still gave the creature the affection it deserved. "I think I'll call you Dagger!" She declared, the creature letting out a squawk of approval.
"Well, with that settled, the Chief wanted to see you as well." Dan explained.
"Right. I'll go see him right away." The demon girl declared. (I wonder what he has to say. It must be important. Maybe even what I'm looking for.) She thought.
And soon enough, she stood in front of the chief with her new Monstie. "Well, well! A Seregios. Few riders have managed to tame one of them! You're certainly adjusting to the life of a Rider well, young Tekko." He praised.
"Well, it's pretty easy when monsters are this amazing." She said, snuggling with the Seregios, who cooed at the attention.
Omna nodded at this, before his smile faded. "I have to share with you some rather bleak news. The insidious power of the Black Blight, a darkness nearly unrivaled throughout the land, even deadlier than the Frenzy Virus." He told her.
(I knew it!) Tekko said in her mind, but was still shocked the chief came directly out and told her what she wanted to know.
Navirou was shocked as well, but for a different reason. "I know what that is! It was the black stuff all over the Nargacuga, right?" He questioned.
"You're correct, young Felyne. Unfortunately, it's been around since ancient times. It wishes to spread among monsters and infest them with its evil." Omna explained.
"It wishes?" Tekko wondered.
"Yes. It is a natural phenomenon, as much as I wish it was gone. It comes and goes every couple of centuries. We thought it was gone for good after the last time, but we were wrong. We were Very wrong. And this time, I'm particularly worried. The Black Blight's spread is relentless this time, happening far faster than ever before. If this keeps up, the world may even meet its doom." Omna told her.
"What?! No way! You've got to be kidding, right?!" Navirou asked.
(I know Xenthas said this was serious, but I didn't think it could have been quite this bad.) Tekko said in shock.
Omna soon gained a smile again. "But don't worry, we still have some reason to hope. The Kinship stones have the power to nullify the Black Blight. But you will have to fill up your stone with power. Great amounts of power that comes from bonding deeply with your monsters. Only together can the power of true bonds stop this threat. But while you gain that power, I shall watch over the Blight. I'll let you know of any further developments. But for now, continue to train and grow not only your bonds, but also your monsters and yourselves." He told them.
"Yes, sir!" They both said.
"Excellent. Your next test will be given to you by Dan." Omna added.
Tekko sighed at this. "I think I'm gonna get whiplash from all this back and forth." She said, but complied with the orders she was given and went to the second-in-command of the village.
And soon, she was back with her "mentor". "Okay then, Tekko! This is gonna be one of your most important lessons as a Rider! You'll have to get 5 potions!" Dan declared.
Navirou laughed. "What? That's an easy one! We can just go to that shop over there!" Navirou said.
It was Dan's turn to laugh now. "That's rich, Navirou! As if it would be that easy!" He laughed, before becoming serious. "No! Riders are often out in the wilderness, in the heart of danger where there are no stores! Thus, we must be resourceful and gather... Well, resources! You'll have to collect herbs and blue mushrooms, then you must learn how to combine them into proper potions!" He told them.
As he was going on, Tekko grabbed a nearby bowl, placing the mushroom and herb in it and crushing them down with a mortar and pestle, then mixing it together at a rate that would put an electric whisk to shame, turning the ingredients into a liquid and pouring the mixture into glass bottles. "Done." She said.
Dan wasn't even done with his rant before he heard her voice and looked down to see she had the five potions in her possession, plus the mortar and pestle to prove she made them. "Uh... Well, then. Excellent work! You're one step closer to being a Rider as good as me! There's just one more test now and it will be from the Chief. And once it's done, you'll be a genuine Rider on equal footing with the rest of us." Dan explained.
"The Chief again? I just came from him! He could've told me this while I was with him!" Tekko complained.
"Well, to be honest... we kind of expected you to have to go out and gather the materials. We didn't think you'd already have them." Dan admitted, embarrassed.
"I like to be prepared." Tekko explained. It was a lesson her uncle Nightshade drilled into her head very well and never allowed her to forget.
"And that's a good mindset to have. Now off with you!" He declared.
And so she returned to the Chief. "Hey, Chief. I was told you had the last test." She explained.
"Ah, yes! But before that, I must tell you one of the most important things about our way of life: The Rider's Code. I know you didn't come from this village, but now that you are a rider, you are not allowed to leave as a Rider. If you wish to return home, you would have to surrender your Kinship Stone and your Monsties." Omna explained.
"What?!" Tekko said in disbelief.
"What?! But why?! There's so much fun stuff outside!" Navirou argued.
"Yeah! And a lot of other monsters you'd never see around here!" Tekko added.
"It may seem unfair, but everywhere else besides us considers Kinship with monsters to be a joke." Omna explained.
"Well, not everywhere. I've heard of some places that accept monsters." Tekko said, thinking of her own home. However, she also heard from her cousins in Kamura that the chief of the village rides on the back of a baby Tetsucabra.
Omna honestly looked surprised at this. "Well, that's quite the news. Still, it doesn't sound like nearly enough, especially with how much of the world Hunters and the Guild control. They would likely fear our ways. And fear breeds conflict. So to avoid this conflict, we live far apart from them, letting them have their lifestyle while living our own in peace." He told her.
"But still... Never leaving the village. And surrendering your stone and Monsties if you want to? That's way too strict! No fair!" Navirou complained.
Omna laughed at this. "You certainly have no trouble speaking your mind, young Navirou. Still, rules are rules and you're expected to follow them. That being said, if you can see it from the village entrance, you can go there. Like the forest, for example." He explained.
"Why do I feel like that was intentionally specific?" Tekko asked.
"Ah, sharp as a whip, you are. Yes, your final test is to go to the forest and clear out the Arzuros that has thrown off the balance with the creatures that normally live there." Omna instructed.
"Yes, sir! On my way!" Tekko agreed, running off to the village entrance and hopping on Dagger, who soon took off, flying towards the forest, Navirou just barely managing to catch onto Dagger's tail to go with them. However, as they soared over the hills to get to the forest, they noticed Lilia, who was jumping and waving to them. "Looks like she wants something. I'm sure the Arzuros can wait a bit." Tekko said, before getting Dagger to land in front of the girl. "Hey, Lilia! What's up?" She asked.
"Hey, Tekko! Well... I've been wanting to ask you this since you got to the village, but... What's it like outside of the village, out there in the world? I've always wanted to go see it myself. There's gotta be something I can do out there." The village girl explained.
"Well, there's a lot of different things. It all depends on where you go. The world's full of wonders. But it's not without its fair share of problems. But who knows? You might be just the person to help fix the problem." Tekko told her.
"Maybe you should go to Gildegaran! There's lots of stuff to do there! And tons of hunters! They use huuuge weapons! And they're super buff!" Navirou explained.
"That sounds amazing!" Lilia said in wonder. "I wish you could go, too, Tekko. But as a Rider, you can't leave without giving up your Kinship Stone and Monsties." She said sadly,
"Oh, come on! I bet even Chief Omna hates that rule." Navirou said.
"It's fine. Not really something I have to worry about." Tekko assured them.
"Well, then! Just let me know when you want to go and I'll be your expert navigator!" Navirou assured Lilia, who looked unsure about that.
"Hopefully it's sooner rather than later. Maybe she can finally take you off my hands!" Tekko teased the Felyne, who let out an indignant "Hey!" before they took off.
Soon enough, they found themselves above the forest, slowly lowering themselves into it through the leaves and coming upon an Arzuros, who was chasing a group of herbivores away from a stream. It then struck up a fish, sending it to shore. It chased after the aquatic creature and began tearing into it. "Hey! That stream isn't just for you, teddy bear! Quit being a glutton before we beat the stuffing out of you!" Tekko demanded.
However, the beast simply roared at her at this.
"Alright, then. Let's see what you can do for your first fight, Dagger!" Tekko declared, the Seregios beside her roaring in excitement for the upcoming fight.
Background Music: "Animal" by Disturbed
Dagger immediately took off and flew at the Arzuros, attempting to quickly sink its talons into the other creature's head, but the Blue Bear Beast ducked under it, turning around as the Seregios continued to fly past it, before turning around and coming back for more. The ursine enemy swung its claws at the flying assailant, who managed to weave out of the way before it was slashed by the big, meaty claws. Dagger then began to slash at the bear monsters with its claws, while the Arzuros itself tried to block the strikes with its thick, bracer-like forearms. Of course, having turned to face the monster meant that its back was now open and facing Tekko.
The young Saiyan-Demon hybrid took full advantage of this opening, rushing in and slamming her shoulder in the monsters back causing it to stagger forward, its guard breaking and allowing Dagger to finally hit it with a backflip, slamming its menacing tail into the bear beast's face, causing it to reel backwards from the hit and face Tekko once again as she swung her sword upwards, knocking the Arzuros back several steps. However, the beast recovered and attempted to grab the young girl before it, but Dagger flew back in and Tekko jumped, the Thousand Blade Wyvern catching her wrist and flying back to a safe distance, before turning in mid-air and flinging some of its scales at the Arzuros, staggering the beast once again.
Finally, the Arzuros became enraged, leaping into the air with great speed, grabbing Dagger and crashing down on the ground, causing Tekko to fall back into the river behind her. The Blue Bear Beast then wasted no time in biting and slashing at the Seregios with its claws as the fledgling monster struggled to fight off the larger predator. "Hang on, Dagger! I'm right here!" Tekko declared, rushing in and slashing the Arzuros' face with her greatsword, causing the beast to tumble off her Monstie. "You're gonna be alright, buddy. I've got some hers for you. This will fix you up real quick." She assured the Flying Wyvern.
Unfortunately, this gave the ursine assailant enough time to recover and charge in, catching Tekko with a few claw attacks, before it grabbed her and began to shake her violently, attempting to shake loose any edibles as well as disorient the young Rider. Thankfully, Dagger finally got back up thanks to the herbs Tekko had given him and rushed to the aide of his Rider, jumping into the air and slashing the enemy monster's back with his claws, before twisting in the air and giving much deeper cuts with his horn and tail, causing the monster to release Tekko before collapsing to all fours as Tekko was sent flying and tumbling away.
Dagger quickly flew over to his Rider as she got back up with a bit of effort. She then climbed onto Dagger's back and glared at the Arzuros as it got back to its feet. "Alright, Dagger! It's time we put an end to this! Let's go, buddy!" She declared, raising her arm and flashing her kinship stone, which shined with the power of their bond.
Dagger let out a screech of determination before taking to the sky, performing an aileron roll as it soared upwards, before bringing its wings in at the apex of its ascent, then spreading its wings out wide to release an immeasurable number its knife-like scales all around it, hanging in the air, awaiting Dagger's order to attack. The Seregios then let out a roar of fury, sending the scales raining down on the Arzuros, following closely behind them with a dive kick. The scales cascaded down, pelting the Blue Bear Beast with an onslaught of razor-sharp projectiles, leaving it exhausted from tanking the barrage, before looking up to see Dagger crash down on it, ending the Fanged Beast's reign of terror over the forest.
End Music
After the Arzuros was defeated, the group discovered a number of slightly wilted herbs surrounded by a black energy. "Hey, what's this? It looks like it's withered or moldy or something." Navirou said, reaching out for it.
Tekko picked Navirou up by his tail to pull him away from the herbs. "Navirou! Did you already forget what Omna told us about the Black Blight?!" She questioned.
As if to second Tekko's outburst, someone else suddenly called out to them. "Don't touch that!" A feminine voice shouted. They turned to see a woman with pink hair in a uniform consisting of a large white bow on a blue coat over a purple girdle, crystal earrings, white tight pants and purple fingerless gloves and boots.
Tekko jumped a bit at this, causing her to drop Navirou, who fell flat on his face, while Dagger prepared to fight. "Whoa! I didn't sense you until just now! You surprised me." She said in shock.
Navirou quickly leapt right up. "Well, I totally wasn't surprised at all! who are you?" He asked.
The woman didn't answer, instead looking to the herbs on the ground. " It would indeed appear that the Blackgrass has made it this far... And there is an evil on the wind. I can only infer that the darkness draws near." She said, before returning her focus to Tekko and Navirou. "You there! Stay clear of the forest until we conclude our investigation." She instructed.
"Investigation? We? Just who are you?" Tekko asked.
"My name is Simone and I'm the captain of the Scriveners. We investigate problems for the Guild and look for solutions." The woman explained.
"Whoa, the Guild. This must be super important, then." Tekko said.
"Precisely. So now that you know how important this is, I'd appreciate it if you vacated the area so I could investigate." Simone requested.
"Oh, right. Sorry. Best of luck with your investigations." Tekko said with a bow, before hopping on Dagger with Navirou and flying back to the village.
After a good night of rest, Tekko woke up the next morning and left her home, deciding to have Crushjaw come along with her for whatever she had to do for the day. Shortly after leaving the house, Lilia ran up to her, Cheval slowly walking up after her. "Hey, Tekko! Great work taking care of that Arzuros! I doubt we'll see him again for a while!" Lilia said.
"Thanks. Just doing what I can." The older girl said.
"Did you see that pink-haired girl there?" Cheval asked.
"Oh, yeah! The Red Swan [1]! I met her just outside the forest! Who is she, anyway?" Lilia wondered.
"She's not from the village, that's for sure! She said she was some weird group called the scriveners. And she was talking about some Blackgrass. Something about it spreading." Navirou explained.
Cheval quickly realized what this was. "She was talking about the Black Blight! So that must mean monsters around here are being infected as well... I swear, I'll hunt down and destroy all the infected monsters!" Cheval declared.
Lilia was up in arms at this. "No, don't! You can't do that! That's not what Riders do! They bond with their monsters, just like Chief Omna said! Just like Tekko's doing! She already has three monsters that are super loyal!" She cried.
Tekko nodded. "Exactly. You don't know if it can wear off or if there's a cure. It's not like the monsters asked to be infected." She added.
"You don't get it! You've never lost someone to a monster! To the Black Blight!" Cheval snapped.
"Stop it, Cheval! What would your mother say?! She wouldn't want this! Lute wouldn't want this, either!" Lilia argued.
Cheval glared at her. "Don't talk about my mother! Or Lute! I became a Rider to avenge them! To destroy any monster that would hurt me or my family! Monsters are not our partners... They're our enemies!" Cheval said.
Tekko rolled her eyes at this. "Okay, Mr. Edgelord. Then why are you even a Rider? Why do you have monsters that follow you?" Tekko questioned.
Cheval growled at this. "You need a monster to destroy a monster." He snapped, turning and leaving.
"Okay, tell that to hunters and their giant swords. Or us and our giant swords." Tekko said, pulling out her greatsword.
"You mock me, but I'll make those monsters pay. I can't forget... I WON'T forget. We're very different people, Tekko. I don't care if you all think I'm wrong! I know that I'm right!" He snapped, running away to the forest.
"Cheval, wait!" Lilia cried out, running after him.
"Lilia, wait!" Navirou called after her, but it was too late. "Oh, son of a Baggi! What do we do now?" He asked.
"We don't know if this Black Blight can effect humans. Even if it can't, Lilia doesn't have a monstie to protect her! We have to make sure she's safe." Tekko told him, hopping on Crushjaw and having him follow Lilia's scent. [2]
Lilia ran through the forest, looking desperately for her dear friend, but she was quickly finding herself tired out, huffing a few times before he spoke. "Ha... Ha... Where is he? Phew... Where's he gone? Whatever happened to 'Cheval the scaredy Gargwa'? He must be as bold as a Zinogre to come all the way out here! Cheval! Come back! Cheval!" She called out for him, pressing deeper into the forest.
She soon came to a stream, looking all around for any sign of her friend, but found none. "Cheval..." She said in concern. However, she heard a noise behind her, turning around. Her face then turned to shock as an Iodrome approached her, letting out low screeching noises, clearly preparing to make a meal out of the small girl before him. "No... Stay away!" She yelled at the beast, taking a few steps back, before tripping and falling back on her butt.
This was a sign for the Iodrome to go for the kill, but before it could, Tekko rode in on Crushjaw with Navirou quickly scurrying after them. "Lilia! We're here to help!" Navirou told her.
"Back off, Frog face!" Tekko warned as Crushjaw roared at the largest of the Drome raptor. Ordinarily, a Deviljho would be enough to send a weaker monster like this running, but seeing as this was a juvenile Jho, the beast was ready to fight, leaping towards the rider and her monster in an attempt to pounce on them and bring them down for an easy kill.
Background Music: "Down With the Sickness" by Disturbed
The heroes jumped back to a safe distance before the Iodrome crashed to the ground where they once stood. Crushjaw rushed in to chomp down on the Iodrome, but the venomous Drome coughed up a ball of poison, infecting the juvenile World Eater, causing it to back up from the fumes overwhelming it, slouching a bit and panting heavily as the poison was quick to set in. "Crushjaw!" Tekko said worriedly, before glaring at the Iodrome. "Oh, you're dead, you raptor freak!" She snapped, rushing in and swinging her sword, but the Iodrome managed to jump back to avoid the attack, before pouncing at her.
Tekko held her greatsword in front of her, blocking the attack from the monster, but it used its small claws to lower the blade enough for it to peer over, snapping at Tekko a few times, before managing to cut her with its poisonous axe-like head. Tekko yelled in pain front the attack, but still managed to punch the beast in the face, causing it to reel a bit, before it was knocked back by a swing from Crushjaw's powerful and heavy tail, sending it flying back and crashing to the ground. However, the Iodrome was quick to recover. It was a strong hit, but still from a juvenile Deviljho, weakened by poison. Now, both targets before the Drome were poisoned, making them weaker and slower.
Or so it thought. But thankfully, as a demon, Tekko had an immunity to poisons and fed Crushjaw an antidote. "Okay, Crushjaw... We have to be careful now. But I know we can still win. Let's play this smart and stick close together, then we're sure to win this." She told him.
The Iodrome roared and rushed in, sidestepping Crushjaw's bite attack and attempting to bit the Deviljho, but Tekko jumped over her Monstie and blocked the attack, ramming her shoulder into the monster and staggering it, allowing Crushjaw to charge forward and slam his side into the monster, knocking it down again. The Drome got up this time, clearly enraged as it roared, calling a small handful of Ioprey to fight alongside it. The Iodrome pounced at Tekko, snapping at her and spitting globs of venom. It couldn't poison her, but the venom still burned if it touched her. Meanwhile, a couple of Ioprey kept the pressure on Crushjaw, who stepped back to avoid their bites, before stomping on the ground to take them off balance, breathing a stream of dragon energy that threw them back.
Tekko managed to shoulder barge the Iodrome and send it flying back with an upward sword swing, making her way back over to Crushjaw. "Alright, buddy. They're trying to divide and conquer. So we just won't let them. We'll unite and conquer instead." She declared, getting on his back. Crushjaw then rushes in, swinging his head back and forth and he attempted to take bites out of the pack of raptors, managing to take two of them out of the equation rather quickly. After the Brute Wyvern finished the sweeping bite attacks, another of the Ioprey thought it would be safe enough to attack, pouncing towards the duo, only to be slashed completely in half by Tekko. The last Ioprey attempted to poison Crushjaw by spitting a glob of poison at him, but Tekko blocked it with her sword, before lifting it to reveal Crushjaw readying his dragon breath and launching it at the Ioprey to finish it. All that was left was the Iodrome. "Okay, we've got something special for you, big boy!" Tekko declared, readying her Kinship stone.
However, as the two prepared for their ultimate move, Navirou decided now would be the best time to eat a Well-done Steak. And while Tekko had been successful in slowing Crushjaw's metabolism, the Deviljho would still never turn down the opportunity for a meal, so when it saw the meat, it began to salivate over it, the drool dripping down onto the bone just past Navirou's hand. The Felyne looked back to see the ravenous Brute Wyvern roar in demands for the meal, causing the cat creature to squeal in fear and take off with the steak, Crushjaw chasing after him despite Tekko's best attempts to control him. As he fled from the Monstie, Navirou quickly ate the meat off the bone and tossed said bone away. Crushjaw quickly left after it and chomped down on it in the air, before realizing they were above the Iodrome and charged himself with Dragon Energy as they came crashing down on the venomous raptor, crushing it beneath them.
End Music
With the threat dealt with, Tekko quickly turned her attention to her new friend. "Lilia! Are you alright?" She asked.
"I am now... Thanks, Tekko." She said, sounding rather weak while holding her head.
"Are you sure? You're not looking so good." Navirou said.
Suddenly, Simone appeared once again. "She must have been poisoned by the Iodrome! There's no time to waste!" She declared, shocking the group with her sudden appearance.
"Nya! I nearly jumped out of my fur!" Navirou cried out.
"Okay, you need to start wearing a freaking bell! And do you have some kind of danger beacon or something?!" Tekko questioned.
She crouched down beside Lilia and offered her an antidote. "Here, drink this down in a single gulp. It will cure what ails you." She instructed.
Lilia drank it and the effects were quick, as she was already looking healthier. "Thank you very much. But... just who are you?" Lilia asked.
However, before she could answer, a boy around Tekko's age in an outfit similar to Simone's appeared with a smile on his face. "Captain! I finally caught up with you! What are you up to over here?" The boy asked.
"Another Scrivener! So there's more than one around here. Just what is going on?!" Navirou questioned.
The next morning, Tekko left her house and whistled for Sonic, before noticed Lilia at the entrance of the village, along with Simone, Chief Omna and Dan. "Hey, guys. What's going on? It looks like something important, if I had to guess." She said.
"We were just discussing why the Scriveners are hear. And is the issue related to the Royal Scriveners?" Dan asked.
"That would be correct. The Scriveners are under my command. As I've told this one, my name is Simone." The captain explained, gesturing to Tekko when she mentioned the young one.
"I've only ever heard rumors of the Scriveners. So, what exactly is happening in our village that you guys had to investigate?" Dan asked.
The boy from yesterday stepped forward. "Oh, I'll explain, Captain!" He said to Simone, before continuing. "We, the scriveners, are investigating changes in the environment. Oh, I'm Pappan, by the way! But you can just call me VC Pappy!" He explained.
Navirou sweat dropped at this. "This guy's one bean short of a paw pad..." Navirou said.
Tekko tilted her head in confusion at this, before she realized he meant toe beans of a paw pad like cats, Felynes... and Nergigante's have. "Oh, I get it. Well, at least it's not MC Pappy. We don't need anyone busting into a rap." Tekko said.
Luckily, no one heard the two, so they continued with their conversation. "Blackgrass. Rampaging monsters. What do you know of this corruption?" Simone asked Chief Omna.
"The Black Blight. It's truly a terrifying force of nature. Things truly must be going haywire if it requires the attention of the scriveners. " Omna explained.
"Indeed. We're hoping we can get to the bottom of it." Simone said.
"You and me both, sister." Tekko agreed.
Lilia then piped up. "Um... Miss Simone? Thank you again for saving me!" She said.
"Didn't you thank her yesterday? Like, right after you drank the antidote?" Navirou asked.
"No thanks necessary. I'm just glad to see you back at full health. Now I can be at ease before I leave." Simone assured her.
"Then... Could you take me with you?" Lilia asked.
Everyone was shocked at this. "What!? Why!?" Navirou asked.
"I want to know about the Black Blight! Please let me join your investigation!" Lilia said determinedly.
Tekko smiled at this. "Well, it's good you've found something your passionate about. If that's your goal, I think you should go for it. And you should let her." She said supportively, before looking to Simone at the end.
"First Cheval leaves and now you two, Lilia?! Oi, our little village just keeps smaller!" Dan cried.
Simone shook her head, however. "I'm sorry, but I must refuse. We do not accept those who do not truly have the heart for it." She stated.
Lilia was shocked at this, but stepped forward, ready to fight for this chance. "But I DO have the heart for it! I want to know more. About the world outside our village. I've been waiting my whole life for this. I want to help my friends... Everyone!" Lilia insisted.
"Cut it out, Lilia! You're talking crazy-talk now! It's not cool! Unbecoming of a young lady like you!" Dan snapped.
"Dude, she's pouring her heart out to convince her to let her join, don't be a jerk." Tekko said, elbowing him.
Simone took in everything she heard from Lilia, as well as Tekko's words of how passionate Lilia was for this chance and made her decision. "I'll allow it." she stated.
"WHAT?! WHY?!" Dan screamed.
Tekko groaned in annoyance, covering her ears as Sonic cringed as well, growling at the head Rider. "Do you have ANY other volume besides loud?!" She said, irritation quickly rising.
"It feels like this was preordained. Like I was meant to meet you and take you on as a Scrivener. But you will start off as an apprentice. Understood?" Simone asked.
"Yes, ma'am!" Lilia answered after a bit of stammering.
"Good for you, Lilia!" Tekko cheered.
"Everyone just chill out for a second! Chief Omna, you gotta stop them!" Dan said as Tekko resisted the urge to sic Sonic on him.
Omna, however, had no intentions of doing so. "Come now, Dan. She has chosen not to be a Rider, so she is free to do what she pleases and go wherever her heart desires. And it clearly desires this. It is fate! We should not try to stop her from going on the path she wishes to take. We should be happy for her and send her on her way with a smile and the best of wishes!" Omna told his second-in-command, who began to bawl that things did not go his way.
"Thank you, Chief Omna!" Lilia said happily, before turning to Tekko. "Well, this is goodbye for now, Tekko. We haven't known each other for very long, but I consider us true friends. You almost remind me of Lute in a way. So I know you'll become a great Rider, just like he would've been." She said, pulling out and handing Tekko a large book with symbols of monsters on the front. "So, I want you to have my Monsterpedia. I used to leaf through it all the time with Lute and Cheval, because they both really loved monsters, so I know it will be in good hands with you, because I can tell you love monsters just as much as they did." She said.
Tekko looked at the book in her hand and smiled, looking up to Lilia. "Thanks, Lilia. This is very nice. I'll take good care of it. And good luck to you, too. I bet you'll be Simone's right-hand woman in no time at the top of the Scriveners." She said.
"Yeah! And I'll find Cheval, too! I'll bring him home. It's a promise." Lilia added.
"Oh, yeah, Cheval. That's important, too, right..." Tekko mumbled quickly and quietly, not particularly caring for the rogue Rider.
Navirou was in tears at this. "Ohhh... Goodbyes are always so sudden! But we'll remember you always, Lilia!" He sobbed.
"I'll miss all of you, too. Bye, now!" She said as she hurried after Simone, who was starting to cross the bridge without her at this point.
Meanwhile...
Deeper in the mountains, Cheval passed by a massive crystal overflowing with the Black Blight, all the while he carried a green egg with black stripes as he walked down the path he'd chosen, a path away from the village and the ways of a Rider, towards the much darker path he planned to dedicate himself to.
[1] Lilia calls Simone "The Red Swan" in the anime. And yes, there is an anime of Monster Hunter Stories. There's 2 seasons, but only the first one is subbed and dubbed. And Navirou is WAY more annoying: he's an arrogant glutton who never listens to the others and is given Congalala fart powers through the Rite of Channeling.
[2] Wait a minute... We only leave a little bit after Lilia and Cheval, a minute at most! How do they get to the forest way before us?! Especially Lilia! She doesn't even have a monster to ride!