hehe…. heeeey everyone ... sorry for the long wait…. ill be honest, im not a very bright person, intellectually, and I hit writer's block often. when that happens, I tend to drop stories as seen on my account, as its hard for me to actually get them back up and moving. to be honest, this is the first of my stories I really getting reviews and likes on, though admittedly only a few words each. it's actually really inspiring, and if not for those i probably would have let this story die with my others! so consider this next chapter a thank you. With that, Enjoy the show!
(Pagebreak because screw my doc manager)
Once again during this trip, the ship was in danger. Only this time, instead of being some raging dragon they just happened to cross paths with, it was internal. Specifically, Katsuki was getting cabin fever.
"I don't get it!" she yelled, ranting as she walked around the deck in a huff, the other riders just staying silent as they kept on their jobs. Cheval was playing lookout, the red haired teen casually ignoring her rants with the ease of a long time friend, following Lillia's trend. The researcher herself was currently heading the ship, keeping them in the right currents and on the right path even as she ranted and raved. "You guys told me almost a month ago now we were two weeks out! I put away all of my partners for that exact reason! it is now coming onto day 30 since you said that!"
"To be fair," Daabi said, casually going over their cargo manifest. "it probably has something to do with wanting to arrive after the fifth fleet and whatever elder their tailing. We're about half a day out behind them so we don't get involved with whatever happens when it hits landfall."
"I know that but its still sooo haaaaard!" Katsuki whined, falling to her back on the deck to skywatch as she did so. "I mean we're almost there! I can see it on the horizon even without Cheval's fancy spyglass! Why can't we just hurry uuuup?!" she whined.
"Because if we arrive before the Fifth," Lillia started, before everyone else, including atsuki, replied.
"Then we have to risk the monster's health while we try to explain." everyone else groaned, Avinia looking up from the Logbook she had been keeping.
"Honestly Kat, you could stand to act your age." she said, earning a snort from Cheval she ignored. "Just another day or two, probably not even that! We're almost there so just take it easy and don't try to rush it. Maybe go play Exploding Blackjack with the monsters." Avina said, making everyone wince as a perfectly timed blast went off, followed by a roar of outrage and several laughs from below, showing that the latest round of the odd card game had ended.
Somehow, Hammer the Uuraggan had managed to convince nearly every monster with some kind of workable hand to join in on a game of his own creation. It was normal blackjack, for the most part, but if you lost 3 rounds in a row you got one of his bomb orbs for a consolation prize, toned down by his lack of explosive materials in his diet it normally only made hair blow back and black soot to cover your face.
"I'm banned from that." Katsuki said tiredly. "I kept winning and they got tired of being blasted."
"Luck of a Kirin." Cheval mused, looking through the spyglass at the darkening sky, frowning as he saw the waters starting to get rougher around the Fifth ship. "Hey guys? did we ever get told what kind of Elder their tracking?"
"Come to think of it, it's not in the notes." Lillia mused, looking next to her to the equally confused Avinia. "Anything in the notes?"
"Not even a size mentioned. just that they were tracking an elder dragon." Avinia said, looking to Cheval. "What do you see?"
"Looks like rough seas. Could be nothing. Could be a- SHIT!" he finished, diving under the crowsnest as everyone stared in awe and horror, watching the sea erupt into a moving MOUNTAIN of a dragon. "That's a Zhora Magdaros! they were following that?!" he yelled, looking back over the lip of the nest.
"Everyone!" Katsuki parked, making everyone look at her. "no time for holding back, get that steam engine running at full speed NOW. we're going in to help look for injured and lost."
"Yes Ma'am!" Lillia responded first, moving to a nearby phonograph-like horn. "Attention all monsters, Attention all monsters. The Fifth Fleet have encountered catastrophic damage, we are moving in to assist."
(ohs*it a pagebreak)
"all available swimmers to the cannon ports to dive when ready," her voice rang out to the suddenly scrambling monsters down below, each of them moving to different areas as Inferno roused himself from his drowsing. "this is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill! human and felyne lives on the line here guys and girls, get moving! Inferno! Full speed!" the voice commanded, the Teostra chuffing before inhaling deeply, his wings flaring behind him as he let out a bellow of flame into the steam pipes, watching them actually glow as the heat forced the steam to the engines, making them move as fast as they could without breaking an axle as he settled back, readying another breath as Eye Eye, the Ketcha Wetcha, ran into the rome to start filling the water trough, more and more water producers following it so he had a constant steam line even as the Lagicurus and Royal Ludroth began making their way up. all four leviathans were in business mode, Moby and Levi both curling around their holes to keep eyes out as Noble and Toxica both prepared to dive at a moments notice. of the four of them the ludroth were better surface swimmers, leaving the Lagi to the depths.
"Hey," Toxica muttered, looking out her cannon port as the other leviathans looked at her. "are we really ready for this? Doing this off an unknown landmass might not be as easy as doing drills in the open ocean." the Purple Ludroth said, making the others pause and consider.
"Ccordin to the reports," her cousin, as she considered the Royal to be, responded in his typical twang. "Closest thing they got to a leviathan round here is a psciene. your telling me you don't think you could out blast one of the Rangers?"
"not the rangers, there are creatures we don't know about here!" Toxica shot back, shoving her counterpart. "who knows what their strengths and weaknesses are?!"
"Enough, both of you." Moby said calmly, her voice almost a songlike croon. "we'll be careful Toxica, thank you for your input."
"underwater teams look alive! we're pulling up alongside the wreck now! zora is already heading inland and the ship looks like it's being dragged to port with how damaged it is. your job is survivors. now get moving!" Lillia shouted. "engine teams to half steam! we want to rescue these people, not run them over!"
at her words the monsters dived, the Ludroth immediately taking two people by the collar they found on the surface, clinging to the wood with wide, horrified eyes even as their jaws latched on gently and began dragging them back to the boat, and the monster sized rope ladders leading back to their ports they had kicked out upon their dive. the moment they were at the ladders they let go, urging the two confused but alive hunters up the ladders, using those odd little slingers that Katsuki had turned down to get them up faster.
Below, on the other hand, was rougher. The two Lagi were moving as fast as they could through the rip currents something that large leaving the water made as they looked for hunters and helpers, even looking for the odd palico as they moved through the multiple coral reefs that dotted the coast, the massive organic constructs almost like barriers as they moved quickly, snatching up a few heavily armored hunters as well as a few palico and taking them to the surface, starting back towards the child as they moved as fast as they could.
"Their not pulling out many. do you think most made it out?" Katsuki said, looking over the edge with a worried look as she saw the first of the humans get to the cannon port, looking up at her leaning form wide eyed. Her pigtails bobbed as she gestured to get in to him. "HURRY IT UP HUNTER, YOU HAVE OTHERS ON THAT ROPE BEHIND YOU WAITING FOR YOUR HEAVY ASS TO MOVE!" she barked, making the man yelp and climb towards the opening faster."ONCE YOU LOT ARE UP HERE ONE OF YOU REMAIN TO GET THE OTHERS TO THE DECK, THE REST OF YOU UP HERE FOR TREATMENT! Avinia, we good on Hot Drinks?" she asked, making the girl nod.
"We didn't know the climate so we stocked up on ice flowers and hot peppers both." the girl said, looking to Daabi for confirmation.
"Exactly right." Daabi said, looking at the inventory. "And while some have been sacrificed as spices, most are still there, as are our supply of the drinks themselves."
"Good." katuski said, looking to Cheval. "Get on Rathi and help the Ludroth look, a birds eye view cant hurt." she said, the lookout nodding as he began running down the stairs, turning to Lillia. "Lil, phone." she said, earning a look as she turned the flower-like head towards her. "Right. Ratha! coordinate the monsters to get supplies moved, i want hot drinks up here stat! we need to get these people warmed up before frostbite can set in." she said, the sound of startled shouts and swearing even audible up here as Cheval burst from a cannon slot on dragonback, his Rathian partner moving as fast as she could to make sure the Ludroth got as many as possible.
A few moments later Baloo stomped up to the deck, followed by wide eyed hunters, handlers, and even a few felyne as the massive bear set down the box as gentle as he could before getting on all fours and rushing back downstairs even as Katsuki kicked the crate open, revealing the stacks of hot drinks they had come prepared with as she and Daabi began handing them out.
They would save as many as they could from this catastrophe, and hope they hadn't just ruined any sense of explaining with their actions.
(well that was exciting pagebreak)
"So, let me see if i have this strait." an older man, grey in the temple but obviously in charge, said slowly. "you came from a continent written off by the hunter's guild for some kind of madness, riding in the Zhora's child of all things, with a ship full of monsters that not only listen to you teenagers, but willingly rescued hunters, handles, and even felynes." he said slowly, eye twitching as he looked over the five young adults in front of him with disbelief and anger. "and that doesn't even explain anything! who gave you your assignment, who told you that we needed your assistance?!" he ranted, the five sharing very… different reactions. Avinia and Daabi were both looking away, as if annoyed or despondent, as Cheval and Lillia both looked head on in defiance. the oddest was, as per usual, Katsuki. She was playing with the base's Poogi, smiling as she rubbed its tummy and had it all but squealing in joy as the commander's eye twitched, looking dead at her. "and you! who even are you that you act like this?!" he all but demanded, the other four teens sighing in unison as they looked at their impromptu leader with exasperation, knowing what usually came after that.
"who am i?" katsuki said, grin wide as she spun in place, her normal everyday hunting leathers vanishing to reveal she was now in a Kimono, a fan in her hand and geta of all things on her feet, standing straight up with the fan unfolded in front of her face. "i am the girl of a thousand faces," she cooed, before twirling again to reveal she was now in very heavy urragan armor, a massive hammer in her hands. "Killer of a thousand Monsters!" another quick change, this time rathian-scale dress that looked almost like a ball gown as she curtsied. "The Belle of a thousand Balls." she purred, before going back to her normal hunter leathers with a proud, heroic pose. "I am the wild child of Pondry Hills! Katsuki Khaos! And you will remember me as the best damn rider in the world!" she said, grinning, as the commander's eye twitched before taking a long, deep breath, fingers firmly clamped on the bridge of his nose.
"I see." he seethed, breathing deep before exhaling, looking at the people gathered for shipwreck treatment she had helped off her temporary home. "i…. suppose I can't fault you for eccentricities, all the best hunters have them, but if you think im not going to put you to work you are severely mistaken. Your going to have to earn your place and trust here, you and your monsters both." the commander said, looking at all of them before nodding out the door. "For now, lets see how you do in an unfamiliar environment. more than a few of the Hunters that were supposed to be here escaped via wingdrake, but we believe their now lost in the ancient forest. find them." he said, making the teens grin at each other as they all moved towards the ship, leaving Lillia behind to smile at the commander.
"Commander, I am Lillia Hills, your new leasion between yourself and the Riders." she said, smiling. "Any question, any task, any request. I will ask it of them toute sweet, or tell you the answer myself if I know." she said, curtsying.
"Good. first question. pigtails." he said, motioning towards the ship."what's her story."
"Ah, the most asked question on our continent." Lillia said, smiling fondly. "Noone really knows where Katsuki came from. she lives alone in the village and wherever she goes, and even when we were young she was found by the elder at our doorstep. All we know is she is the best rider since Redan himself, and has taken on challenges much tougher than the mission you have just given them." he grinned.
"we'll see. underestimate this place at your own peril." the commander said calmly, nodding to her as he turned to start heading towards his map room. "Come now, let's discuss what all your group is able to do, and all of their little quirks, in my Command area, Introduce you to the others while im at it."
(this... will not end well pagebreak)
"Ooooh! im all excited!" Katsuki said, smiling as she hefted her bg of supplies, grinning wide as she started looking over her kinship stone. "New land, new monsters! i wonder what all i can find in this place!" she said, looking over the small map they had of the Ancient Forest. "looks relativly unexplored, but heavily forested. Climbers, Flyers, and general speed is needed." she mused, smiling even as she looked at her kinship stone, accessing a screen only she could see as she looked at its six empty slots. "Lets see…. Ratha for sure, i can't go anywhere without the big lug, Ares for climbing and if i run into anything dangerous…." she mused, moving the two symbols for both her soul bound partner and her Molten Tigrex into the line, looking at the others before frowning. "Im going on an S and R mission, so i need a tracker. Monster Search only coes in a few, and im not bringing out all the big guns for this… Hah! Cloak will do." she mused, moving the Shrouded Nersylla into the list. "After that, somthing to break rocks and scare off anything that gets a bit too close for comfort…" she mused, moving twords her list of mega breakers only to frown. "All high level high rank…. best to underplay for now." she sighed, shaking her head as she looked to her rock breakers."Ah, Balloo! give him some exersize, and find some new honey sources while im at it!" she said, smiling as she moved him in. "Kitten for stealth, and that makes five. last, I should probably get a jumper. Elders know how much i hated Chelion because i couldnt explore unless i brought one." she mused, looking over her list. "hmmmmm…. Bolt could use a run, He needs cheering up after being cooped up on the ship the entire time." She mused, grinning as she locked in her last member, locking her stone as six roars rang through the ship, before fight lights streaked from across the ship and secured themselves in his kinship stone, ratha rlanding behind her with a dragonic grin.
"Lets go, Pawtner!" Navirou called, coming from a nearby door and landing on Ratha's shoulders, getting a look from the annoyed wyvern.
"Where did you come from?" Katsuragi asked, smiling to her companion as she handed him her bag. "Your nose for adventure tingle again?"
"no, just my ear for rumors. heard the riders were coming out to play, so I came to support my pawtner!" navirou replied, grinning as she copied his enthusiasm.
"Well then, lets go! to the new world!" katsuragi replied, grinning as she lept on ratha's shoulders, the third member of their trio roaring and launching himself from the window, earning a pair of excited yells as he flew out over the front gate, into the New World.
Their latest adventure.
Elders help that continent.