Still don't own Monster Rancher. Sorry.
Now on with the story. This would be part THREE of Hare's Secret. You might want to read parts one and two first, or else risk being totally lost while reading this. Oh, and please post your thoughts on it later; as I've said before, I enjoy getting feedback on my stories, even if it's negative. Thank you.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"AAAAAIIIIIEEEEEeeeeeiiiiiaaaaa..."
THUD.
"Nice catch, Golem."
"Did you see Hare, Suezo?" Genki asked, peering into the hole that the eyeball monster had made upon hitting the ground.
"Nope. No sign of him anywhere," Suezo replied as a very apologetic Golem helped him up. He groaned, both from the pain of his fall and from the knowledge of what the likely response of the others would be.
"This doesn't seem to be working," Holly observed. "Maybe because the forest's too thick?"
"Yeah, yeah!" Suezo hastily agreed. "All I keep seeing are trees and more trees. I can't see him anywhere!"
"Maybe we should try one more time?" Genki asked, either not seeing or ignoring how pale Suezo suddenly became at hearing his words.
"Maybe not," Holly told him, seeing Suezo's expression. "We'll just have to search on foot."
"All right then," Genki said, pulling on his skates again. The movement caused the gash in his arm to ache for a moment, and he carefully hid his wince from Holly and the others. They didn't need to be worrying about that right now. Thankfully, Suezo was too happy with the fact that he wouldn't have to do an aerial search again to notice Genki's expression, and the others were getting ready to get moving again.
Mocchi had just noticed something else, too. The little monster tugged on Genki's sleeve and looked up at him with worried eyes. "Where's Tiger-chi?" he asked.
Genki stared down at the little monster, then quickly looked around. Sure enough, there was no sign of the wolf monster anywhere.
"Tiger?" he called. No answer.
"Oh, just great," Suezo groaned. "Now we have two monsters to look for."
"Never mind about Tiger," Genki told him. "He didn't want to help anyway. Give him some time to cool down."
Holly stared at Genki, surprised by his words. "Why, Genki..." she started.
"Come on," the boy said, waving for the others to hurry as he turned and skated deeper into the woods. Holly and the others could only follow, keeping their eyes open.
* * *
Tiger of the Wind watched the others leave from his cover in the shadows. As they walked away, he turned his back on them and went in another direction.
If we split up like this, we'll have a better chance of finding that stupid rabbit, he thought, moving quietly to avoid alerting anyone to his presence. A grim look fell over his face like a shadow.
And if I find that rabbit first, the others will have to drag me off of his lost disc!
* * *
"Hare!"
Hare turned at the sound of his name being called, frozen with shock. How had Genki and the others managed to find him? It didn't seem possible.
And yet, there they were, running toward him. Genki was out in front, as usual, and had obviously spotted him, waving and shouting his name. The rabbit hesitated, desperately trying to figure a way out of this. He wanted to run, but his feet refused to move, keeping him rooted to the spot.
Genki called out his name again, and Hare swallowed hard. He didn't want to get the others involved in this; it was his problem to deal with. As the others drew closer, he raised one paw in a futile gesture to keep them away and yelled, "Stop!"
Something flared white-hot under his kerchief, and Hare watched in silent horror as red energy shot out from his outstretched paw and struck Genki full in the chest. The explosion ripped through the boy's body and erupted out of his back, enveloping the others. Genki screamed, his cry mingling with the other's shrieks as their felt their lives slip away.
"No...NOOOOO!!!" Hare heard himself screaming in helpless sympathy for his friends, and he collapsed to his knees, clawing at his ears to try and drown out their cries.
And Genki screamed...and screamed...
* * *
Hare awoke with a start, still clinging to his perch in the tree. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, and he shivered with the memory of his dream. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, and that had been one of the reasons why. Nightmares like that had haunted the rabbit's nights with a terrible regularity lately.
Wiping away his tears, Hare struggled to focus on the here and now. Careful not to reveal his position in case anyone was watching, the rabbit peered out through the branches, trying to see if anything was happening beneath him. His ears strained to pick up any noises that might give away a potential enemy. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, so he finally took a deep breath and leaped to the forest floor.
For a moment, he froze, thinking that he'd heard his name being called. Moving as silently as possible, he surveyed the forest around him, seeing nothing but trees. Forcing himself calm down, the rabbit sighed and started moving again, walking deeper into the woods.
* * *
"What did you just say?"
Night Flyer knelt before her master, folding her wings behind her slender back. The Pixie/Worm hybrid gazed up into her commander's deep yellow eyes and repeated, "The rabbit was discovered by one of my warriors, Marble. He reported the sighting back to me, and I immediately gave him orders to capture him." She lowered her gaze to the stone floor as she reluctantly added, "Unfortunately, he was destroyed."
"That doesn't matter," Naga hissed, waving away her words. "Where was the rabbit seen?"
Night Flyer grinned up at the reptilian monster, her eyes flashing. "Master Naga, you have heard of the seven rebels who turned Pixie into a traitor and killed Gali...?"
Naga's face twisted into a malicious smirk, instantly understanding what the pixie was telling him. "So...he's joined up with them, then?"
"Yes, Lord Naga," Night Flyer replied. Naga's grin grew wider, and the hybrid smiled secretly to herself. She knew that the snake-like warrior preferred the title 'Lord' to simply 'Master', and it always put him into a better mood when she addressed him as such. She gazed reverently up at her leader, admiring his muscular body.
"Night Flyer," Naga said, snapping the hybrid out of her reverie. She instantly brought her gaze back up to his grinning face, hoping that he couldn't see how intensely she was blushing in the dim light.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Where exactly are the rebels located now?"
"Marble's last report placed them somewhere in one of Grey Wolf's forests," Night Flyer informed him. "However, Grey Wolf has not made any attempts to attack them since the defeat of his Beaclon unit. He appears to be waiting for them to come to him..."
"Which means that the rebels are fair game," Naga commented, his yellow eyes quickly narrowing into slits. Night Flyer watched his face, waiting for his orders.
"Go to the lair of the Terror Dogs and tell them I sent you," Naga said after a few moments. "Give them a description of the rabbit and set them loose on the forests. Make absolutely certain that they understand that he is to be captured and brought to me alive."
"Yes, my lord." Night Flyer got to her feet and turned to go, her wings already tensing for flight. Naga suddenly reached out and caught her arm, and the hybrid found herself staring up into his glittering yellow eyes.
"S-sir?" she faltered.
"I don't want you getting directly involved in the fighting, Night Flyer," Naga told her, forcing her to look directly at him. "Once you've directed the Terror Dogs to the forests, leave them to their job and return here. I'll be waiting for your return."
"Y... yes, my lord." Turning away, the hybrid rushed out of the chamber, certain that her face was completely red. Not paying any attention to where she was going, she failed to notice as another monster stepped out of a room and into her path. The two monsters collided, and Night Flyer struggled to maintain her balance.
"Hey, watch where's you're going!"
That noise...oh no, not her. Night Flyer didn't bother to conceal the disgust on her face as she recognized the monster she had run into. As the other got to her feet, she hissed, "Well, Vanity, maybe if you stopped gazing into that damned mirror and paid more attention to everything else, things like this wouldn't happen!"
The Pixie/Suezo hybrid ignored her words completely, choosing instead to gaze into her ever-present mirror and carefully smooth her golden hair. "So, Night, did you finish explaining about Marble's failure to capture the rabbit to our lord?"
Night Flyer didn't bother to ask how the other hybrid had found out about that. The golden-skinned pixie may have never actually fought in her lifetime -she claimed that she found it far too barbaric an activity for one of her beauty- but that didn't keep the canny monster from employing an entire squadron of Suezo-type spies. The eyeball monsters acted as her loyal servants, and gathered tons of information for her, information which she used to her benefit whenever possible. There was a rumor that the golden beauty was trying to blackmail her way into becoming a member of the Big Bad Four, assuming one of the recently vacant spots.
Knowing that the other pixie hybrid was hoping for some sort of reaction, Night Flyer simply ignored the comment, brushing past her without a word. Vanity glared after her, pretty face twisted into an expression of pure loathing that would have stopped the heart of one of her many admirers, had they been present to see it.
Stepping out onto a balcony, Night Flyer stretched out her wings and tensed for a moment, gazing toward the horizon. Then she sprung out into the sky, letting the wind fill her wings and bear her toward her destination.
* * *
The Terror Dogs were one of the few Tiger-type units who had chosen not to align themselves with Grey Wolf. The dark-furred monsters preferred to hire their services out to any of the Big Bad Four, since they felt that would give them more opportunities to fight. Unfortunately for them, Grey Wolf responded to their refusal to work exclusively for him by refusing to even speak to them of any missions. Pixie had also avoided their kind, preferring to work with her own units, and with Gali's defeat, the Terror Dogs were seeing even less action than before.
Velvet, the leader of their pack, could sense how upset his warriors were becoming. He had become annoyed with the whole situation too, and desperately thirsted for battle. Another member of his pack might have swallowed his pride and requested an assignment, but Velvet absolutely refused to even think of such a thing. It was bad enough that the name his long-dead trainer still stuck with him, despite all of his efforts, but the thought of trying to beg for a job...! That was an indignity he would never bear.
Suddenly the wolf monster's keen ears picked up on the soft rustle of leathery wings brushed by the wind, and he got to his feet, sniffing the air. A faint smell brought him to full alert, and he bounded out of his cave to either greet or tear to shreds his visitor.
"Sir Velvet, I bring you a message from Master Naga!" a pixie hybrid called out as she swept down to land beside him. The dog-like monster calmed down, recognizing her scent.
"Night Flyer," he said simply, keeping a close eye on her, "What news do you bring?"
"I have a mission for your squadron, from Master Naga himself!" Night Flyer grimaced slightly as she said the title; 'Lord' was much more fitting to the reptilian. But she knew that using the other title might bring Moo to believe that Naga was overstepping his bounds...
"What type of mission?" Velvet was asking, keeping his excitement under control.
"A simple retrieval assignment," Night Flyer told him. "A purebred Hare which Master Naga is...interested in was recently spotted in a forest in Grey Wolf's territory. Master Naga wants the rabbit caught and brought to him without serious injuries. You are NOT to kill the rabbit; just take him into custody and bring him to Naga's base unharmed."
"Unharmed?" Velvet spit out the word like a curse. "Why does that matter?"
"Master Naga demands that it be so," Night Flyer replied, glaring at the wolf monster. "You must bring the rabbit to him without killing it. That is all you need to know. You will be able to recognize the one you are searching for by the red kerchief around his neck. Do you accept the assignment?"
"I don't know. The pack wants to go into battle; they may not want to let the rabbit live."
"Your honesty is refreshing," Night Flyer complimented him, truly impressed. "Do not worry. The rabbit travels with the rebels who murdered Gali in his own castle. Master Naga has no need for them: you may kill them instead. Will that satisfy your warriors?"
Velvet didn't reply, but a terrible grin slowly spread across his muzzle. Nodding curtly as an answer, he turned and bounded down the cliffside, leaving Night Flyer alone on the ledge. The hybrid didn't mind his sudden departure; she knew he was eager to begin the mission. If his unit could kill the same rebels who had destroyed Gali and evaded Grey Wolf's minions, then they would prove once and for all how powerful they truly were. Grey Wolf would be humiliated...
From far below, the battle howls of the Terror Dogs drifted up to her on the wind. The hybrid looked up toward the stars, smiling at the sound. She was certain that the Terror Dogs would succeed. Her wings unfurled and bore her up into the sky. She had to return to the base now; Lord Naga was waiting for her.
To be continued...
Now on with the story. This would be part THREE of Hare's Secret. You might want to read parts one and two first, or else risk being totally lost while reading this. Oh, and please post your thoughts on it later; as I've said before, I enjoy getting feedback on my stories, even if it's negative. Thank you.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"AAAAAIIIIIEEEEEeeeeeiiiiiaaaaa..."
THUD.
"Nice catch, Golem."
"Did you see Hare, Suezo?" Genki asked, peering into the hole that the eyeball monster had made upon hitting the ground.
"Nope. No sign of him anywhere," Suezo replied as a very apologetic Golem helped him up. He groaned, both from the pain of his fall and from the knowledge of what the likely response of the others would be.
"This doesn't seem to be working," Holly observed. "Maybe because the forest's too thick?"
"Yeah, yeah!" Suezo hastily agreed. "All I keep seeing are trees and more trees. I can't see him anywhere!"
"Maybe we should try one more time?" Genki asked, either not seeing or ignoring how pale Suezo suddenly became at hearing his words.
"Maybe not," Holly told him, seeing Suezo's expression. "We'll just have to search on foot."
"All right then," Genki said, pulling on his skates again. The movement caused the gash in his arm to ache for a moment, and he carefully hid his wince from Holly and the others. They didn't need to be worrying about that right now. Thankfully, Suezo was too happy with the fact that he wouldn't have to do an aerial search again to notice Genki's expression, and the others were getting ready to get moving again.
Mocchi had just noticed something else, too. The little monster tugged on Genki's sleeve and looked up at him with worried eyes. "Where's Tiger-chi?" he asked.
Genki stared down at the little monster, then quickly looked around. Sure enough, there was no sign of the wolf monster anywhere.
"Tiger?" he called. No answer.
"Oh, just great," Suezo groaned. "Now we have two monsters to look for."
"Never mind about Tiger," Genki told him. "He didn't want to help anyway. Give him some time to cool down."
Holly stared at Genki, surprised by his words. "Why, Genki..." she started.
"Come on," the boy said, waving for the others to hurry as he turned and skated deeper into the woods. Holly and the others could only follow, keeping their eyes open.
* * *
Tiger of the Wind watched the others leave from his cover in the shadows. As they walked away, he turned his back on them and went in another direction.
If we split up like this, we'll have a better chance of finding that stupid rabbit, he thought, moving quietly to avoid alerting anyone to his presence. A grim look fell over his face like a shadow.
And if I find that rabbit first, the others will have to drag me off of his lost disc!
* * *
"Hare!"
Hare turned at the sound of his name being called, frozen with shock. How had Genki and the others managed to find him? It didn't seem possible.
And yet, there they were, running toward him. Genki was out in front, as usual, and had obviously spotted him, waving and shouting his name. The rabbit hesitated, desperately trying to figure a way out of this. He wanted to run, but his feet refused to move, keeping him rooted to the spot.
Genki called out his name again, and Hare swallowed hard. He didn't want to get the others involved in this; it was his problem to deal with. As the others drew closer, he raised one paw in a futile gesture to keep them away and yelled, "Stop!"
Something flared white-hot under his kerchief, and Hare watched in silent horror as red energy shot out from his outstretched paw and struck Genki full in the chest. The explosion ripped through the boy's body and erupted out of his back, enveloping the others. Genki screamed, his cry mingling with the other's shrieks as their felt their lives slip away.
"No...NOOOOO!!!" Hare heard himself screaming in helpless sympathy for his friends, and he collapsed to his knees, clawing at his ears to try and drown out their cries.
And Genki screamed...and screamed...
* * *
Hare awoke with a start, still clinging to his perch in the tree. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, and he shivered with the memory of his dream. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, and that had been one of the reasons why. Nightmares like that had haunted the rabbit's nights with a terrible regularity lately.
Wiping away his tears, Hare struggled to focus on the here and now. Careful not to reveal his position in case anyone was watching, the rabbit peered out through the branches, trying to see if anything was happening beneath him. His ears strained to pick up any noises that might give away a potential enemy. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, so he finally took a deep breath and leaped to the forest floor.
For a moment, he froze, thinking that he'd heard his name being called. Moving as silently as possible, he surveyed the forest around him, seeing nothing but trees. Forcing himself calm down, the rabbit sighed and started moving again, walking deeper into the woods.
* * *
"What did you just say?"
Night Flyer knelt before her master, folding her wings behind her slender back. The Pixie/Worm hybrid gazed up into her commander's deep yellow eyes and repeated, "The rabbit was discovered by one of my warriors, Marble. He reported the sighting back to me, and I immediately gave him orders to capture him." She lowered her gaze to the stone floor as she reluctantly added, "Unfortunately, he was destroyed."
"That doesn't matter," Naga hissed, waving away her words. "Where was the rabbit seen?"
Night Flyer grinned up at the reptilian monster, her eyes flashing. "Master Naga, you have heard of the seven rebels who turned Pixie into a traitor and killed Gali...?"
Naga's face twisted into a malicious smirk, instantly understanding what the pixie was telling him. "So...he's joined up with them, then?"
"Yes, Lord Naga," Night Flyer replied. Naga's grin grew wider, and the hybrid smiled secretly to herself. She knew that the snake-like warrior preferred the title 'Lord' to simply 'Master', and it always put him into a better mood when she addressed him as such. She gazed reverently up at her leader, admiring his muscular body.
"Night Flyer," Naga said, snapping the hybrid out of her reverie. She instantly brought her gaze back up to his grinning face, hoping that he couldn't see how intensely she was blushing in the dim light.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Where exactly are the rebels located now?"
"Marble's last report placed them somewhere in one of Grey Wolf's forests," Night Flyer informed him. "However, Grey Wolf has not made any attempts to attack them since the defeat of his Beaclon unit. He appears to be waiting for them to come to him..."
"Which means that the rebels are fair game," Naga commented, his yellow eyes quickly narrowing into slits. Night Flyer watched his face, waiting for his orders.
"Go to the lair of the Terror Dogs and tell them I sent you," Naga said after a few moments. "Give them a description of the rabbit and set them loose on the forests. Make absolutely certain that they understand that he is to be captured and brought to me alive."
"Yes, my lord." Night Flyer got to her feet and turned to go, her wings already tensing for flight. Naga suddenly reached out and caught her arm, and the hybrid found herself staring up into his glittering yellow eyes.
"S-sir?" she faltered.
"I don't want you getting directly involved in the fighting, Night Flyer," Naga told her, forcing her to look directly at him. "Once you've directed the Terror Dogs to the forests, leave them to their job and return here. I'll be waiting for your return."
"Y... yes, my lord." Turning away, the hybrid rushed out of the chamber, certain that her face was completely red. Not paying any attention to where she was going, she failed to notice as another monster stepped out of a room and into her path. The two monsters collided, and Night Flyer struggled to maintain her balance.
"Hey, watch where's you're going!"
That noise...oh no, not her. Night Flyer didn't bother to conceal the disgust on her face as she recognized the monster she had run into. As the other got to her feet, she hissed, "Well, Vanity, maybe if you stopped gazing into that damned mirror and paid more attention to everything else, things like this wouldn't happen!"
The Pixie/Suezo hybrid ignored her words completely, choosing instead to gaze into her ever-present mirror and carefully smooth her golden hair. "So, Night, did you finish explaining about Marble's failure to capture the rabbit to our lord?"
Night Flyer didn't bother to ask how the other hybrid had found out about that. The golden-skinned pixie may have never actually fought in her lifetime -she claimed that she found it far too barbaric an activity for one of her beauty- but that didn't keep the canny monster from employing an entire squadron of Suezo-type spies. The eyeball monsters acted as her loyal servants, and gathered tons of information for her, information which she used to her benefit whenever possible. There was a rumor that the golden beauty was trying to blackmail her way into becoming a member of the Big Bad Four, assuming one of the recently vacant spots.
Knowing that the other pixie hybrid was hoping for some sort of reaction, Night Flyer simply ignored the comment, brushing past her without a word. Vanity glared after her, pretty face twisted into an expression of pure loathing that would have stopped the heart of one of her many admirers, had they been present to see it.
Stepping out onto a balcony, Night Flyer stretched out her wings and tensed for a moment, gazing toward the horizon. Then she sprung out into the sky, letting the wind fill her wings and bear her toward her destination.
* * *
The Terror Dogs were one of the few Tiger-type units who had chosen not to align themselves with Grey Wolf. The dark-furred monsters preferred to hire their services out to any of the Big Bad Four, since they felt that would give them more opportunities to fight. Unfortunately for them, Grey Wolf responded to their refusal to work exclusively for him by refusing to even speak to them of any missions. Pixie had also avoided their kind, preferring to work with her own units, and with Gali's defeat, the Terror Dogs were seeing even less action than before.
Velvet, the leader of their pack, could sense how upset his warriors were becoming. He had become annoyed with the whole situation too, and desperately thirsted for battle. Another member of his pack might have swallowed his pride and requested an assignment, but Velvet absolutely refused to even think of such a thing. It was bad enough that the name his long-dead trainer still stuck with him, despite all of his efforts, but the thought of trying to beg for a job...! That was an indignity he would never bear.
Suddenly the wolf monster's keen ears picked up on the soft rustle of leathery wings brushed by the wind, and he got to his feet, sniffing the air. A faint smell brought him to full alert, and he bounded out of his cave to either greet or tear to shreds his visitor.
"Sir Velvet, I bring you a message from Master Naga!" a pixie hybrid called out as she swept down to land beside him. The dog-like monster calmed down, recognizing her scent.
"Night Flyer," he said simply, keeping a close eye on her, "What news do you bring?"
"I have a mission for your squadron, from Master Naga himself!" Night Flyer grimaced slightly as she said the title; 'Lord' was much more fitting to the reptilian. But she knew that using the other title might bring Moo to believe that Naga was overstepping his bounds...
"What type of mission?" Velvet was asking, keeping his excitement under control.
"A simple retrieval assignment," Night Flyer told him. "A purebred Hare which Master Naga is...interested in was recently spotted in a forest in Grey Wolf's territory. Master Naga wants the rabbit caught and brought to him without serious injuries. You are NOT to kill the rabbit; just take him into custody and bring him to Naga's base unharmed."
"Unharmed?" Velvet spit out the word like a curse. "Why does that matter?"
"Master Naga demands that it be so," Night Flyer replied, glaring at the wolf monster. "You must bring the rabbit to him without killing it. That is all you need to know. You will be able to recognize the one you are searching for by the red kerchief around his neck. Do you accept the assignment?"
"I don't know. The pack wants to go into battle; they may not want to let the rabbit live."
"Your honesty is refreshing," Night Flyer complimented him, truly impressed. "Do not worry. The rabbit travels with the rebels who murdered Gali in his own castle. Master Naga has no need for them: you may kill them instead. Will that satisfy your warriors?"
Velvet didn't reply, but a terrible grin slowly spread across his muzzle. Nodding curtly as an answer, he turned and bounded down the cliffside, leaving Night Flyer alone on the ledge. The hybrid didn't mind his sudden departure; she knew he was eager to begin the mission. If his unit could kill the same rebels who had destroyed Gali and evaded Grey Wolf's minions, then they would prove once and for all how powerful they truly were. Grey Wolf would be humiliated...
From far below, the battle howls of the Terror Dogs drifted up to her on the wind. The hybrid looked up toward the stars, smiling at the sound. She was certain that the Terror Dogs would succeed. Her wings unfurled and bore her up into the sky. She had to return to the base now; Lord Naga was waiting for her.
To be continued...