PSO Fanfic Ch4 By Kitsune D'gon

Disclaimer: They won't answer my calls... sigh no rights yet...

Disclaimer #2: No Rag Rappys were hurt in the previous chapter.

Cooking Tip: Take Rag Rappy meat (already cooked for 10 minutes over a fire) and place inside a Booma carcass. Take Booma carcass and cook for 30 minutes over a blazing fire. Remove Rag Rappy meat from the Booma carcass. Enjoy with a side dish of Monest salad.

Disclaimer #3: A Rag Rappy MAY have been hurt during the previous episode.

Author's note: It won't DIE! (continues to wack the story with a Rag Rappy)

Kitsune found himself once again in the Hunter's guild. The secretary STILL didn't recognize him. He went through the monotonous registration procedures. This had better be worth it, he muttered darkly to himself. His eyes slowly unfocussed as the lists of the missions scrolled down the screen. One, labeled Gran Squall, finally attracted his attention. Apparently, some greedy travel agency sent a ship down to Ragol before the council made contact with Pioneer 1. The travel agency was paying for the rescue of any survivors, at least one was expected, or any information leading to the rescue of a survivor. Kitsune found this a little strange, but with people like Racton out there... anything was possible...

Still, one of the survivors might have an idea what had happened to the crew of Pioneer 1. Kitsune hoisted his partisan and headed toward the teleporter. He showed the military personnel stationed there his access card. He prepared himself mentally for the strain of teleportation.

He regained full consciousness much quicker this time. His body must have been getting used to the strain of long distance teleportation. He brought his partisan up in a guard position before slowly letting it drop. He quickly brought it up again when a voice spoke up from behind him.

"Not used to the teleportation yet, huh?"

He let his guard slowly drop as he realized whoever the voice belonged to wasn't going to hurt him. The person the voice belonged to stepped out and gave Kitsune a jaunty salute. The man was dressed in blue, with blonde hair. He was carrying a... gun Kitsune supposed, that was disproportionate to his body. The man seemed to consider something for a moment, and then spoke.

"Say... you're here looking for a lost pleasure boat aren't you?"

Kitsune nodded in assent.

"Do you actually believe the story about the lost pleasure boat?"

"Yeah."

The man stared at Kitsune for a moment. The silence became deafening. Then the man bursted out laughing. He eventually regained control of himself to ask Kitsune a question.

"Do you want to join up? I've got some good information."

Kitsune stared at the man. His last partner had betrayed him, almost getting Kitsune killed. He knew that he didn't want to have someone he didn't know watch his back. Still, the man seemed nice enough... and he probably wouldn't find anything about the pleasure boat by himself...

"Alright."

"Great. I have some leads that point towards the central dome. Let's head over that way."

The man took off without a backwards glance, forcing Kitsune to jog after him. He moved surprisingly fast for how heavy his weapon and pack were. When Kitsune finally caught up with him, the man finally apologized.

"Sorry about my manners. My name is Bernie. I don't work with people normally and my social skills as a result are... less than average."

Kitsune nodded in acceptance. He appreciated the man's straightforward manner, especially considering who he had dealt with recently. He didn't really mind that the man had ridiculed him for believing the story. As long as the objective was completed, Kitsune didn't mind.

His thoughts were interrupted by Bernie's voice.

"Oh yeah! The information. Can you keep a secret? Do you swear on it?"

"On my blade."

"That'll do. Don't you find it strange that a pleasure boat would leave for Ragol before the council made contact?"

"I've thought of it."

"Well, the Gran Squall did leave before the council made contact, but it wasn't a pleasure boat. It was a military ship. The travel agency's quest is really just a coverup for mine."

Kitsune absorbed this information and a silence fell over them. They continued to walk towards the central dome. The trees began to thin the closer they got to their destination. Kitsune didn't know why, but he felt like he was being watched. Kitsune was barely able to stop himself from jumping when something started beeping.

"We're almost there. About fifty yards... looks like we have a welcoming party."

Kitsune looked up to see that he was right. Boomas and Savage wolves were everywhere. He didn't know why but this just wasn't right. Why would the animals hover around a man made structure? Well, he was going to have to fight his way through to find out.

"Bernie, you take the left. I've got the right."

"Roger. Good hunting."

Kitsune charged towards the first wave of boomas, partisan out and cutting deadly paths into the enemy. Several boomas fell to the ground, blood spurting from amputated limbs. Their comrades could smell the blood and became enraged. Kitsune slashed his way into the center. Two boomas came at him from his left and right, both eager for the kill. He dropped to the ground just as they both struck. The boomas, shocked and further enraged that their own kind would attack them, began to strike at one another.

Kitsune began to retrieve his partisan when he heard a growl. He was barely able to bring his barrier up in time. A salvage wolf pounced on top of him, tearing parts of his frame and threatening to break the barrier with its weight. Kitsune lashed out with one foot, hitting one of the wolf's legs. The wolf, unbalanced, halted its attack for a split second while it tried to regain its balance. Kitsune grabbed his knife and viciously cut across the animal's jugular. Hot blood hissed down onto Kitsune's face, some of it entering his mouth. The blood covered his blade as well.

He quickly grabbed his partisan and checked to see how Bernie was doing. A booma was attempting to cut him off, although Kitsune noticed a large number of boomas on the ground, burnt black. The booma was about to bring its claw down and end Bernie's life when a large stream of fire came out of Bernie's weapon. The booma shrieked in pain as its fur went up in flame. A smile crept on Bernie's face as he surveyed his surroundings. He began to head over to Kitsune.

"Well, looks like that takes care of..."

Kitsune flung himself forward, tackling Bernie to the ground. A split second later a hildabear fist punched through the air above them. Kitsune began to roll away from the Hildabear, knowing, and fearing for good reason, its strength. Bernie managed to get to his feet and retrieve his flamethrower. He began to fire upon the hildabear.

"You lousy scum!"

The hildabear fought through the blaze, coming closer to Bernie. Bernie attempted to back up, but the hildabear's fist caught him a terrifying blow to the chest. Bernie was flung backwards, rolling head over heels several times. The hildabear appeared to consider going after its prey, before fastening its eyes on Kitsune.

"WRRAAAAOOOOO!"

Kitsune brought his partisan up into a guard position, hoping to deflect most of the hildabear's attack. It's fist crashed down on the partisan, bending it in the middle. Kitsune threw himself backwards to avoid another attack. He had to figure out someway to kill it quickly. He began to examine the hildabear... There. Part of the hildabear's protective fur had been burnt off, revealing flesh.

Kitsune charged forward, partisan aimed for the weak spot. The hildabears hand crashed down just as Kitsune's partisan hit. Kitsune felt his world explode, and then darkness came...

Author's note: Haha. That should be enough for all of you.