Year : 771
A little more than 3 years after the Cell Game
"CRAC"
- Alalalala 17, try to be more careful!
- Sorry.
17 had just stepped on some branches, and the very slight noise that had just occurred was enough to alert all the animals around. Birds had just flown away at full speed and around him he could perfectly distinguish the movements of the bushes betraying the great escape of all the local fauna.
- Well, let's take a little break. We'll wait here until everyone calm down, otherwise we won't get anything to eat...
Saying this, Ruri put down her backpack, took out a large tablecloth and laid it on the ground. 17 followed her lead, and the two of them sat in silence, watching the cloudless sky on this beautiful sunny day.
Since the last mission with the elephants, 3 weeks had passed. After repairing Ruri's car, they set off again to their next destination, which was miles away from the previous one. Since they had to practically cross the continent, they had to make many stops on the way to buy a lot of equipment and food supplies. In particular, Ruri had insisted on providing 17 with a cell phone. He had never had one, because he never needed one. But they had agreed that it was safer in the future to have a way to contact each other if they were separated again.
17 had not accompanied Ruri on all her shopping trips since he really hated that, and the young woman had obviously raided the stores, considering the impressive number of bags she had brought back. On the other hand, the more time passed, the more he was enjoying this expedition with her. It was really a trip as he had imagined it, years ago, with 18 and 16, with the difference that Ruri's company was nothing like what he had known. She was very talkative, and much more fun than 18. For example, since she had learned that he could eat, she had absolutely wanted to make him taste absolutely every human food imaginable. 17 wasn't used to eating at all, he didn't have a big appetite, but he was quite willing to do so. The presence of Ruri and the fact that he was always with her had awakened in him the curiosity that he had previously had for everything that had to do with "humanity" in general. The loss of his personal memories had also deprived him of a large part of his knowledge on the objects of the daily life of the earthlings. He had kept some reflexes, however, or intuitive knowledge (for example, knowing how to drive), but for the rest, he really went from discovery to discovery. And he loved it.
Ruri hadn't really asked him any more questions since their last conversation, except for a few details, like the fact that he had to drink regularly, and especially about the infinite energy he had. But he knew that sooner or later she would do it again. Their conversations had instead focused on Ruri's studies and animals. The extent of her knowledge in this area was staggering for someone so young. She was not yet 20 years old, and technically still a student. From what 17 understood, she was a very gifted student. For this reason, she was allowed to continue her studies doing remote learning and thus prepare for her "great expedition", of which she didn't really want to tell him much. She had to take regular breaks to attend classes from her computer or to hand in some homework, which she usually did in the evening. 17 had nothing special to do either, so he naturally began to listen to the lessons and even read some of Ruri's books.
Ruri took her "teaching" of 17 very seriously. So, three days ago, when they were still relatively far from the meeting place for the mission, she suggested that they stop the car trip, fly quickly to get as close as possible to the final destination, and spend a few days immersed in nature so that she could teach 17 the basics of living with wild animals. The timing was ideal, she said, because they had almost run out of food.
So that's what they did. The car served as a camp for the night, and the days were devoted to practical lessons. Moving around, observing, follow tracks... there was a lot to learn. But Ruri was patient and explained very well.
The objective of this day was to hunt for the evening meal, and it was much more difficult than 17 had thought. He had been surprised when she had suggested it to him in the morning.
- I thought you hated hunters," he said.
- Not hunters, poachers, Ruri had replied.
When 17 had asked her the difference between the two, the young woman had given him a long explanation.
- You have to understand, 17, that humans are omnivores, they eat meat. Hunting is natural, other animals hunt too. But poachers kill animals in danger of extinction, and most of them do not kill to eat the animals, but only to sell a part of their body. And as you saw, some of them don't give a damn about making the animals suffer either.
- Ok, I see the difference. But I'm surprised that you eat animals.
- Actually, very little. First, I am the worst cook an earth for sure. And then... let's say that now we can eat without killing animals. So when I'm in "real life", I hardly eat any meat. But if I'm on an expedition, and unlike some people, I can't fly to the next supermarket, then I hunt. I don't let myself starve, you see.
- Ah.
- So I am a vegetarian most of the time. I live thanks to noodle soup and vegetable pizza.
- And cookies.
- Oh yeah, also. Weird, right?
- No, I think I understand.
- I try to have the smallest impact on nature.
- So you want us to hunt.
- Oh but we won't do it any hold how.
- What do you mean?
- Hunting is a battle between predator and prey. And the predator doesn't always win. Humans have developed a whole bunch of tools like guns, binoculars... it's not an equal fight anymore. Personnaly, I don't cheat. We only rely on our tracking skills, not guns. And we'll hunt with a bow.
- ... why?
- It's way more difficult to hunt with a bow. You have to get very close to the target, much closer than with a rifle. And the slightest mistake, the slightest noise... it's lost, you don't eat. I think it's much fairer. And it will be a great way for you to learn how to behave in front of an animal. So, no spotting from the air, no camera in your eyes. Are you up for the challenge?
- ... ok.
So, equipped with a bow and arrows that Ruri had in her expedition gear, they had been out since dawn in search of food. Their current location was somewhere at the western end of the world. The landscape was made up of large expanses of grassy plains dotted with small forests. They were in one of them when, after hours of walking, 17 had inadvertently crushed some branches.
Now lying on the blanket, they were both looking at the sky in silence, when suddenly Ruri aslked :
- When you say that with your infinite energy generator you never get tired, does that mean that you feel the fatigue, but it disappears immediately, or do you not feel the fatigue at all?
- I don't feel it.
- ... It's really convenient.
17 did not answer and only nodded. Ruri was used to the long silences that punctuated their conversations, so she didn't take offense. After a few minutes, the calm had returned around them, and it was time to leave anyway.
- Good, she said while rising, change of tactics. You still make too much noise when you walk, at this rate, tonight, I will just have air to eat.
- ... sorry.
- Don't worry, you have time to learn, and since yesterday you have already made a lot of progress.
17 got up and continued:
- So, what's your tactic now?
- Ear.
- ... what ?
Ruri came closer to him, and slowly put her hands in 17's hair, which she then put behind his ears.
- What the .. ?
- Shhhhh, she murmured, trust me. To find food, now, you will have to use your hearing. Listen. What do you hear?
- ... nothing. Nothing at all.
- Nature is never silent. If there is no sound, it means that a threat is around, or that a disaster has occurred. Listen more carefully. Close your eyes if that helps.
17 was not convinced, but closed his eyes and tried to concentrate more. At first, he heard nothing in particular. Then he began to distinguish very distant sounds.
- ... insects?
- Yes, but what else?" said Ruri, encouragingly.
- ... water.
- Exactly! You can open your eyes. We've been hearing water for a while now. And water means food. Either animals that will come to drink, or fish. We go to the water point.
It was really an interesting experience for 17. He was always impressed by Ruri's expertise, and he definitely did not regret accompanying her. As she had promised him, he was never bored with her.
Both of them started to walk, until they reached a clearing in which a river was flowing. After inspecting it, Ruri smiled, looking satisfied.
- Great, there are lots of fish in it.
17 walked towards the river and started to roll up his sleeves, when Ruri interrupted him:
- ...you want to take a bath?
- No.
- Why do you roll up your sleeves?
- ...you don't want me to catch fish? I'm fast, I'll be quick. You have nothing on you to fish.
- Thank you 17, but I have everything I need, Ruri answered with a mischievous look.
She then grabbed her bow, put an arrow in it, and pulled the string tight. She then stood upright at the water's edge, right in front of him.
- If you want to participate," she said, "can you shoot a little ball of light in the middle of the river?
17 hesitated for only a few seconds, then launched a light wave of energy into the water.
"TCHAC"
Everything went very fast. A few fish jumped out of the water and Ruri immediately shot her arrow in their direction. The arrow grazed 17's face, and it was now stuck in a tree just behind him.
By reflex he turned around and saw that two fish were attached to the tip of the arrow, dead.
He remained at first silent, then addressed a big smile to Ruri, with a whistle of admiration.
- Nice shot, little human.
- Thank you. Say that I amaze you, answered Ruri by smiling in return.
- I am... impressed.
- I'm a very good bow shooter.
- Yes, you are.
- And congratulations, you didn't move.
- Did you shoot in my direction on purpose?
- Hahaha yes... anyway, you don't risk anything, do you?
- Nothing at all.
- That's what I thought. Well, shall we eat? I mean, do I eat?
- ...I'm preparing everything.
- Great!
17 started to collect wood and to set up a fire as he had seen Ruri do several times, while the young woman went to get the two fish she had just hunted. Suddenly, he stood up and began:
- ... oh and ...
- Yes, Ruri interrupted him, I can teach you how to shoot with a bow, that's the purpose of the few days we'll spend here. And once you've mastered the basics, we'll join the team that contacted us.
- How do you...
- How do I know what you're going to ask? That's easy. My instinct. I told you, that's the basis for a zoologist.
- ... and...
Ruri moved closer to 17 and, anticipating his question once again, she answered with malice:
- Yes, that too, I'll teach you.