Gawd this re-submitting is hard work! grrr when i get my hands on the person who got my fic removed... I mean C'mon, 26 chapters! what kinda bastard would get that deleted? especially when i might not even have had a back up!
Crimson pushed yet another branch out of his way as he followed Tatsu's mad dash through the trees, Ryzada was also struggling to keep up, suddenly the trees ended and in the middle of a clearing two girls stood encircled by boomas, one of them was Alice, the other, unidentified. Alice spotted the 3 hunters as they stood at the tree-line and yelled over to them
"Could you help us please? We're having a little trouble." Alice nimbly dodged an incoming booma claw and set her attacker howling with a hasty foie technique. The other girl, a force judging by her clothes, was holding her own, wielding a hammer in a masterful blend of attack and defense, blocking a powerful swing from the booma directly in front of her, she then swept low knocking the creature to the ground, then bringing her weapon overhead, crushed its skull with a mighty blow, it was at this point that she dropped her weapon, the hammer skittering across the floor, the girl dropped to her hands and knees, crawling after it, as she grasped the handle she looked up, almost her entire view taken up by the ham like fist of a gobooma, she cowered in fear.
A brief flash of blue later and the fist was replaced by a bloody stump, some expert shooting from Crimson saving her life, within a moment Crimson had switched to a saber and leapt into combat , Tatsu and Ryzada providing their support, the boomas did not last long against the 5 hunters combined strength, Crimson serving quick death to any seeking to harm his friends and Tatsu fighting with berserker strength in Alice's defense, as the last booma fell to the hum of Tatsu's brand, 3 hunters burst through the trees on the other side of the clearing, one of them Crimson recognized as Raven, but he could not put a name to the other two. The girl they had saved got to her feet as Raven walked up to meet her
"Mei Lung, we told you to stay with the group" Ravens tone was brimming with displeasure
"I know" the girl called Mei Lung said, her voice slightly sing song and definitely childish "But I was having so much fun exploring, and there was this butterfly, and its wings were so pretty, even more pretty than that flower I found, do you remember the flower? You must do because I gave it to you"
"Yes I remember, now please shut up, you're giving me a headache" Raven said with a grimace, he then turned to Crimson "Well look who it is, I guess you aren't as much of a coward as I thought"
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" asked Crimson "Because if it was, a simple thank you would have been better"
"Thank you" Raven said, forcing the words out, It was obviously not a phrase he used often "You may consider us even"
"That's more like it" said Crimson smiling at this minor victory "Now what are you doing in this forest anyway?"
"Looking for someone" Raven answered shortly, obviously not wishing to discuss it further
"C'mon Raven" called one of the Hunters still at the edge of the clearing "We have to get going, our client won't pay us if we are late"
"Mery, shut up before you tell them everything we are doing"
"I was just saying, its going to take long enough getting the-" The android identified as Mery didn't finish this sentence, as he was interrupted by a vicious swing from the hunter next to him.
"I don't know why we even took that android with us, he's worse than Mei" Raven muttered under his breath
"What did you say?" Tatsu, intruding on the conversation
"Nothing that you would find to be of importance" Raven dismissed Tatsu completely, instead talking to Crimson "We must go now Crimson, maybe we will meet again? Magus, pick up Mery's head, we will repair him along the way, Mei Lung, leave that butterfly alone, team Valiant is moving out"
Mei Lung looked back regretfully "But this one is really really pretty, its purple and yellow and green, I wish I had a dress that looked like it, don't you think I would look nice in that?"
Raven sighed, what was it with him and rejects? He seemed to be surrounded by them recently. He led his team out of the clearing leaving Crimson and his posse to discuss things
"Are you alright Alice? You aren't hurt at all are you?" Tatsu was genuinely concerned
"I'm fine okay? You guys got here just in time" Alice seemed to have in some measure, forgiven Tatsu for his earlier behavior
Ryzada was looking around, looking troubled "Guys? There is something wrong with this clearing"
Crimson looked surprised "It seems normal to me, the kind of place you might go on a picnic, except for the horrible monsters lurking everywhere "That's just it" Ryzada didn't seem any less troubled
"This clearing isn't natural, something must have removed the trees, roots and everything"
"The boomas?" Crimson suggested "They live underground, so maybe this was some sort of new communal area they decided upon?"
"but they shouldn't do that, they aren't smart enough, last time we checked boomas were practically mindless"
Alice was behaving strangely, glancing around apprehensively, somehow her ears were perked up and she looked scared "we're in trouble, we should have moved" she said laughing nervously
"What do you mean?" asked Tatsu, "We aren't in any trouble, the boomas are dead" he still looked around checking for any signs of danger "we're all clear" he announced
With that a mighty crash was heard and the trees parted, a huge shape leapt into the sky and landed with a thunderous crash
"HILDEBEAR!" Yelled Crimson and Tatsu simultaneously, Ryzada stood silent, but she was shaking, her arms were limp at her sides and her daggers had fallen to the floor
"I told you we were in trouble" Alice said quietly
The great beast turned to face Ryzada, as she still stood numb with fear, it opened its mouth and spat a globe of pure fire, which hurtled in her direction.
Crimsons body burned with pain, even through his armour, the natural napalm seared his skin, but at least Ryzada was safe, the beast roared once more, determined to crush the fool who stood between him and his intended victim, the monster drew one fist back to strike, as Crimson prepared himself for the blow. The gigantic fist hammered straight into Madhu as the faithful mag positioned itself to protect its master, despite his mags protection being added to his defenses the force of the blow still knocked Crimson clean off his feet, propelling him backwards into Ryzada who was only just regaining her senses. The hildebear raised its fist yet again, to deliver a final crushing blow, but was interrupted as a blast of energy glanced off of its upraised arm
"Take that you thrice accursed whoreson" Tatsu yelled spinning his slicer in one hand
The huge creature turned its attention to the new attacker, a poor idea it turned out as it allowed Crimson and Ryzada to regain their footing, Crimson took a running leap at the monster, executing a downwards slash in midair, the blow scorched a furrow into the flesh of the bears back, roaring in pain the animal spun round slamming its entire arm into Crimson in a monstrous clothesline, Crimson once again sailed through the air bouncing twice when he hit the floor, he moved a little, but didn't get back up.
The bear advanced upon its fallen foe, intent upon making the kill this time, as before it was halted by an fierce attack from one of the hunters comrades, Ryzada had gathered her wits and her daggers, in a dangerous move she had jumped up onto the creatures back, stabbing one of her daggers deeply into the meat of the bears shoulder, she was flung to the floor violently as the beast grabbed her with one hand and hurled her as if she were a rag doll, Tatsu gripped the hilt of his brand firmly and made a frontal assault on the wounded animal, he was met with a punishing uppercut from the uninjured hand, and he too was sent sprawling across the floor.
The beast roared its triumph and made ready to finish its victims once and for all, but there was somebody it had forgotten, Alice silent and still through out the fight, stepped calmly up to the beast, leveling her staff at it "Is it cold in here? Or is it just me?" she said with a smile, the line was cliché, but she had always wanted to say it, the hildebear bellowed its defiance of the small girl before it, then its movements halted, Alice's rabarta had frozen it solid, she twirled her staff dexterously before swinging it into the huge ice sculpture that used to be a hildebear. The ice cracked, and then shattered.
Turning her attention to her friends Alice administered monomate to each of them Crimson was the first to speak
"In the name of all things good, why does monomate burn so much!"
"Oh be quiet" Alice chided "no-one else is complaining, and besides the burning means its working"
"Alice?" Tatsu said weakly
"Yes what is it Tatsu?"
"That was really fantastic, you're an A class hunter if I ever saw one"
"Thank you Tatsu" Alice smiled "And for your information, I almost failed boot camp"
The monomate had its desired effect and apart from some minor aches everybody was feeling okay
"Alice?" asked Tatsu again "How did you know that hildebear was coming?"
"Oh that" Alice replied "I just have super sensitive hearing, that's all" she shrugged as if it was nothing
"Why? Is this something to do with the umm, you know, newman thing?" Tatsu was cautious around that subject, having viewed its effects earlier
"mm hmm" Alice nodded in the affirmative "Its in my genes"
"If you don't mind me asking Alice, what is your beastial half?" Ryzada asked curiously
Alice blushed, a light pink tinge coming to her cheeks, strangely Tatsu also colored slightly upon seeing this "Promise you won't laugh?" she asked everyone, not just Ryzada
"We won't laugh" Tatsu promised "We're your friends we wouldn't laugh at you"
"Umm okay" said Alice hesitantly "Umm I'm half rabbit"
Crimson and Ryzada tried very hard not to laugh, but eventually neither could help it, it wasn't just the fact that Alice was part rabbit, the way she had said it really didn't help. Tatsu however was not laughing
"What is so funny you two?" his tone demanding "It's not funny" then he looked at Alice "It's really quite cute" he said half to himself. Alice blushed deeper and Crimson and Ryzada doubled up in gales of laughter, cute? That was definitely not a Tatsu word. After the general hilarity that Crimson and Ryzada was experiencing died down, and Alice returned to normal colour, Tatsu was still not impressed "If you think its funny, why don't you tell us what you are Ryz?" he asked
It was Ryada's turn to blush "No no, I couldn't" she said obviously none too willing
"Please?" begged Alice "I told you what I am" The look on Alice's face was so pleading, so begging, so damn cute that Ryzada couldn't deny her.
"Fine I'll tell you" Ryzada said then took a breath "I'm half cat" she then muttered to herself "Damn puppy dog eyes, every time" It was now Alice and Tatsu who were laughing, and Crimson could not for the life of him see the funny side, Ryzada was a cat, so? It just explained why she liked to curl up on warm spots of furniture. Upon thinking this he couldn't help but chuckle, then joining in with the infectious laughter Ryzada was also giggling, What would Raven think of them as hunters if he saw them like this? The thought simply made Crimson laugh harder. The group was unusually mirthful considering they almost met their maker not 10 minutes before.
After they all stopped laughing, for a second time, Crimson decided to lead his team out of the clearing, he scolded himself on his poor leadership, never stay in one place, that was the golden rule of hunting in the forest, keep moving, all that noise could have attracted a whole pack of wolves, hildebears or god alone knows what, they were going to have to take this a lot more seriously if they didn't want to end their career as pet food for the natives of ragol
The next chapter is going to follow Ravens team around, sorry for any fans of the usual 4, but hey its my story, I can do what I want.
Crimson pushed yet another branch out of his way as he followed Tatsu's mad dash through the trees, Ryzada was also struggling to keep up, suddenly the trees ended and in the middle of a clearing two girls stood encircled by boomas, one of them was Alice, the other, unidentified. Alice spotted the 3 hunters as they stood at the tree-line and yelled over to them
"Could you help us please? We're having a little trouble." Alice nimbly dodged an incoming booma claw and set her attacker howling with a hasty foie technique. The other girl, a force judging by her clothes, was holding her own, wielding a hammer in a masterful blend of attack and defense, blocking a powerful swing from the booma directly in front of her, she then swept low knocking the creature to the ground, then bringing her weapon overhead, crushed its skull with a mighty blow, it was at this point that she dropped her weapon, the hammer skittering across the floor, the girl dropped to her hands and knees, crawling after it, as she grasped the handle she looked up, almost her entire view taken up by the ham like fist of a gobooma, she cowered in fear.
A brief flash of blue later and the fist was replaced by a bloody stump, some expert shooting from Crimson saving her life, within a moment Crimson had switched to a saber and leapt into combat , Tatsu and Ryzada providing their support, the boomas did not last long against the 5 hunters combined strength, Crimson serving quick death to any seeking to harm his friends and Tatsu fighting with berserker strength in Alice's defense, as the last booma fell to the hum of Tatsu's brand, 3 hunters burst through the trees on the other side of the clearing, one of them Crimson recognized as Raven, but he could not put a name to the other two. The girl they had saved got to her feet as Raven walked up to meet her
"Mei Lung, we told you to stay with the group" Ravens tone was brimming with displeasure
"I know" the girl called Mei Lung said, her voice slightly sing song and definitely childish "But I was having so much fun exploring, and there was this butterfly, and its wings were so pretty, even more pretty than that flower I found, do you remember the flower? You must do because I gave it to you"
"Yes I remember, now please shut up, you're giving me a headache" Raven said with a grimace, he then turned to Crimson "Well look who it is, I guess you aren't as much of a coward as I thought"
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" asked Crimson "Because if it was, a simple thank you would have been better"
"Thank you" Raven said, forcing the words out, It was obviously not a phrase he used often "You may consider us even"
"That's more like it" said Crimson smiling at this minor victory "Now what are you doing in this forest anyway?"
"Looking for someone" Raven answered shortly, obviously not wishing to discuss it further
"C'mon Raven" called one of the Hunters still at the edge of the clearing "We have to get going, our client won't pay us if we are late"
"Mery, shut up before you tell them everything we are doing"
"I was just saying, its going to take long enough getting the-" The android identified as Mery didn't finish this sentence, as he was interrupted by a vicious swing from the hunter next to him.
"I don't know why we even took that android with us, he's worse than Mei" Raven muttered under his breath
"What did you say?" Tatsu, intruding on the conversation
"Nothing that you would find to be of importance" Raven dismissed Tatsu completely, instead talking to Crimson "We must go now Crimson, maybe we will meet again? Magus, pick up Mery's head, we will repair him along the way, Mei Lung, leave that butterfly alone, team Valiant is moving out"
Mei Lung looked back regretfully "But this one is really really pretty, its purple and yellow and green, I wish I had a dress that looked like it, don't you think I would look nice in that?"
Raven sighed, what was it with him and rejects? He seemed to be surrounded by them recently. He led his team out of the clearing leaving Crimson and his posse to discuss things
"Are you alright Alice? You aren't hurt at all are you?" Tatsu was genuinely concerned
"I'm fine okay? You guys got here just in time" Alice seemed to have in some measure, forgiven Tatsu for his earlier behavior
Ryzada was looking around, looking troubled "Guys? There is something wrong with this clearing"
Crimson looked surprised "It seems normal to me, the kind of place you might go on a picnic, except for the horrible monsters lurking everywhere "That's just it" Ryzada didn't seem any less troubled
"This clearing isn't natural, something must have removed the trees, roots and everything"
"The boomas?" Crimson suggested "They live underground, so maybe this was some sort of new communal area they decided upon?"
"but they shouldn't do that, they aren't smart enough, last time we checked boomas were practically mindless"
Alice was behaving strangely, glancing around apprehensively, somehow her ears were perked up and she looked scared "we're in trouble, we should have moved" she said laughing nervously
"What do you mean?" asked Tatsu, "We aren't in any trouble, the boomas are dead" he still looked around checking for any signs of danger "we're all clear" he announced
With that a mighty crash was heard and the trees parted, a huge shape leapt into the sky and landed with a thunderous crash
"HILDEBEAR!" Yelled Crimson and Tatsu simultaneously, Ryzada stood silent, but she was shaking, her arms were limp at her sides and her daggers had fallen to the floor
"I told you we were in trouble" Alice said quietly
The great beast turned to face Ryzada, as she still stood numb with fear, it opened its mouth and spat a globe of pure fire, which hurtled in her direction.
Crimsons body burned with pain, even through his armour, the natural napalm seared his skin, but at least Ryzada was safe, the beast roared once more, determined to crush the fool who stood between him and his intended victim, the monster drew one fist back to strike, as Crimson prepared himself for the blow. The gigantic fist hammered straight into Madhu as the faithful mag positioned itself to protect its master, despite his mags protection being added to his defenses the force of the blow still knocked Crimson clean off his feet, propelling him backwards into Ryzada who was only just regaining her senses. The hildebear raised its fist yet again, to deliver a final crushing blow, but was interrupted as a blast of energy glanced off of its upraised arm
"Take that you thrice accursed whoreson" Tatsu yelled spinning his slicer in one hand
The huge creature turned its attention to the new attacker, a poor idea it turned out as it allowed Crimson and Ryzada to regain their footing, Crimson took a running leap at the monster, executing a downwards slash in midair, the blow scorched a furrow into the flesh of the bears back, roaring in pain the animal spun round slamming its entire arm into Crimson in a monstrous clothesline, Crimson once again sailed through the air bouncing twice when he hit the floor, he moved a little, but didn't get back up.
The bear advanced upon its fallen foe, intent upon making the kill this time, as before it was halted by an fierce attack from one of the hunters comrades, Ryzada had gathered her wits and her daggers, in a dangerous move she had jumped up onto the creatures back, stabbing one of her daggers deeply into the meat of the bears shoulder, she was flung to the floor violently as the beast grabbed her with one hand and hurled her as if she were a rag doll, Tatsu gripped the hilt of his brand firmly and made a frontal assault on the wounded animal, he was met with a punishing uppercut from the uninjured hand, and he too was sent sprawling across the floor.
The beast roared its triumph and made ready to finish its victims once and for all, but there was somebody it had forgotten, Alice silent and still through out the fight, stepped calmly up to the beast, leveling her staff at it "Is it cold in here? Or is it just me?" she said with a smile, the line was cliché, but she had always wanted to say it, the hildebear bellowed its defiance of the small girl before it, then its movements halted, Alice's rabarta had frozen it solid, she twirled her staff dexterously before swinging it into the huge ice sculpture that used to be a hildebear. The ice cracked, and then shattered.
Turning her attention to her friends Alice administered monomate to each of them Crimson was the first to speak
"In the name of all things good, why does monomate burn so much!"
"Oh be quiet" Alice chided "no-one else is complaining, and besides the burning means its working"
"Alice?" Tatsu said weakly
"Yes what is it Tatsu?"
"That was really fantastic, you're an A class hunter if I ever saw one"
"Thank you Tatsu" Alice smiled "And for your information, I almost failed boot camp"
The monomate had its desired effect and apart from some minor aches everybody was feeling okay
"Alice?" asked Tatsu again "How did you know that hildebear was coming?"
"Oh that" Alice replied "I just have super sensitive hearing, that's all" she shrugged as if it was nothing
"Why? Is this something to do with the umm, you know, newman thing?" Tatsu was cautious around that subject, having viewed its effects earlier
"mm hmm" Alice nodded in the affirmative "Its in my genes"
"If you don't mind me asking Alice, what is your beastial half?" Ryzada asked curiously
Alice blushed, a light pink tinge coming to her cheeks, strangely Tatsu also colored slightly upon seeing this "Promise you won't laugh?" she asked everyone, not just Ryzada
"We won't laugh" Tatsu promised "We're your friends we wouldn't laugh at you"
"Umm okay" said Alice hesitantly "Umm I'm half rabbit"
Crimson and Ryzada tried very hard not to laugh, but eventually neither could help it, it wasn't just the fact that Alice was part rabbit, the way she had said it really didn't help. Tatsu however was not laughing
"What is so funny you two?" his tone demanding "It's not funny" then he looked at Alice "It's really quite cute" he said half to himself. Alice blushed deeper and Crimson and Ryzada doubled up in gales of laughter, cute? That was definitely not a Tatsu word. After the general hilarity that Crimson and Ryzada was experiencing died down, and Alice returned to normal colour, Tatsu was still not impressed "If you think its funny, why don't you tell us what you are Ryz?" he asked
It was Ryada's turn to blush "No no, I couldn't" she said obviously none too willing
"Please?" begged Alice "I told you what I am" The look on Alice's face was so pleading, so begging, so damn cute that Ryzada couldn't deny her.
"Fine I'll tell you" Ryzada said then took a breath "I'm half cat" she then muttered to herself "Damn puppy dog eyes, every time" It was now Alice and Tatsu who were laughing, and Crimson could not for the life of him see the funny side, Ryzada was a cat, so? It just explained why she liked to curl up on warm spots of furniture. Upon thinking this he couldn't help but chuckle, then joining in with the infectious laughter Ryzada was also giggling, What would Raven think of them as hunters if he saw them like this? The thought simply made Crimson laugh harder. The group was unusually mirthful considering they almost met their maker not 10 minutes before.
After they all stopped laughing, for a second time, Crimson decided to lead his team out of the clearing, he scolded himself on his poor leadership, never stay in one place, that was the golden rule of hunting in the forest, keep moving, all that noise could have attracted a whole pack of wolves, hildebears or god alone knows what, they were going to have to take this a lot more seriously if they didn't want to end their career as pet food for the natives of ragol
The next chapter is going to follow Ravens team around, sorry for any fans of the usual 4, but hey its my story, I can do what I want.