Ned Stark looked at Rooster Cogburn with real anger. "Send Arya to Ark; a dangerous death world full of monsters, dinosaurs and criminals. Is that what you're suggesting?"
Rooster shrugged, "Well, when you put it that way . . ."
"It will be good for her," Volibear interjected, much more confident than Rooster.
Ned Stark glowered at them, trying to muster up some words to shoot them down...but he was too angry to even speak or yell right now. Sending his little girl to such a extreme Death World, where 'Survival of the Fittest' was in full effect here...he did not like that.
"You sent your heir, Robb to Death World Arrakis for a year," said Volibear, "You sent your other son Jon to New Vegas where he returned with nothing but a curable STD from Duke Nukem's whore house."
Rooster laughed at the memory.
The large bear went on, "You have plans to train Rickon on Gourmet World when he's old enough. Sansa might be content as a stateswoman, but Arya will never be content with a political education and nothing more."
Rooster nodded. "Like it or not, kid has a different future, one as a fighter. Training her now would likely be best choice so she can learn fast and grow into a capable fighter."
"Now Rickon likes guns," said Rooster, "What boy doesn't? But first time Arya saw me shooting, she grilled me for firearm discipline, how to maintain a gun and the right way to shoot because holo dramas always lie. Kid has a knack for the nuts and bolts of shooting."
"I want her to defend herself," said Ned, "But sending her to Ark would be a bridge too far. To say nothing of her mother."
Volibear huffed, "Ark is a planet that teaches the value of cooperation; not to mention it's the fief of one of your most trusted allies."
Ned knew that, yes, but still, Windrunner was not one for hand holding. Her task was to see them the World, then let them fend for themselves.
Now that he thought about, wasn't his wife talking to Windrunner now?
"Assuming that I consent to this madness," said Ned, "What makes you think that Catelyn will go along with it?"
Volibear met his lord's eyes, "Sylvanas might have not been a mother, but she has known loss; she once had a family and she knows exactly what concerns and fears haunt your wife and indeed yourself, lord."
Ned flinched, and went silent for a moment. That was indeed correct. The High Elf Windrunner family had been torn apart by madness, death, and war. Hard to say if things could ever be the same again...
Rick Sanchez chose to stroll by, pushing a large cart of spice for sorting, purifying and eventually sale. "I say let her go, Neddy." the man took a long pull on his flask, "If you go as the King's hand, she'll be stuck here with nobody to defend her but Morty; and as much as I love him, the kid is as useless as an asshole with taste buds."
Ned gave Rick a sideways look, Yyou're too drunk to be giving anyone advice,"
"Yeah, but, would ya know it, people listen to me anyways." Rick countered with a smirk.
"For better or worse...or shall I remind you of Silicon Valley?" Volibear deadpanned.
"Aw, geez, is EVERYONE gonna hold that over my head!?" Rick growled. "They didn't listen to me ENOUGH!"
Rooster laughed as he started rolling himself a cigarette on the billiards table. "Sure Rick, just keep telling yourself that. Go do some science, it's what you're good at."
Rick grumbled, but moved on, both to fulfill his duty to Lord Stark and to make sure that Morty had done a good job guarding his moonshine.
"And don't forget, Lord Stark," Said Rooster as he lit his smoke, "Arya is a better shot than Robb was at her age."
All these arguments...it made Ned's head sway. They had some points, yes, but still...for Arya to go out there...
"There's a chance she might not come back," said Ned.
"True," said Volibear, "But would you ever forgive me if I went easy on Robb or Jon during training? Even as a teacher I have my limits. Believe me, my lord; this is universal for all parents."
"And at least she'll have training," Rooster added as he took a sip of stolen moonshine from Rick's distillery. "My old man kicked me out of the house with nothing. You'll give her education and one of them ARK chips what lets a man craft anything."
Ned once again went silent. Deep down, he knew he could not watch over her forever, not the mention that galaxy was a dangerous place...
At the moment, the doors slid open, and Catelyn came in, Windrunner next to her.
The lady of Winterfell was a somber as always. Next to her, Sylvanas had the ease of a predatory snake. "I take it you've heard the same arguments I have," she said to her husband.
Ned nodded, "Mostly likely, Cat, though I wouldn't dare reach a decision without you."
Cat sighed, rubbing her head. "I know it's not easy...but they all made good points. Arya is growing up, and even I can see that the quiet life is...not her."
Ned nodded in grim understanding. "Yes..." He looked up at Windrunner. "Very...well. On the condition Nymeria accompanies her, you have my permission to take Arya to Ark."
Sylvanas bowed, "That is most fair of your, lords. The talent for beast taming will serve Arya well on ARK. There she will learn the most valuable lessons about honor and morality."
"Just see that she has the tools she needs to survive," said Catelyn, not taking her decision lightly.
Sylvanas smiled. "I believe Arya already has that, she just needs to sharpen what she has."
And so...a few minutes, in Arya's quarters...
Arya, resting on her bed with Nymeria, was suddenly brought to attention by a knock on her door.
"Come in." She said as she sat up.
The door slid open, and Rooster walked in. "Pack your bags. You're going places, as is Nymeria."
Arya's first instinct was to panic, "Oh no! Is mother sending me to that all girls's school? Am I being locked away in a nunnery? Did Sylvanas reject me?"
Rooster laughed, "Damn girl, you're as jittery as a jackrabbit. And no on all accounts. You're going to Ark; kill some dinosaurs, blow up someone's base camp, maybe make soup out of a giant turtle."
Arya couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Really?"
"Yeah, took some time, but we managed to convince your parents that this would be for the best in the long run. Pack what you need, then meet us at the docks with Nymeria." Rooster took his leave.
"Hey there, trouble," said Robb with a smirk, entering the room. "We finally convinced mother and father to get rid of you and they're just waiting for payment to come through."
"Oh shut up," said Arya playfully,
"And on that topic," said Jon Snow, coming in after his brother, "I've got something for you."
Robb stepped aside for his half-brother, who produced a bundle for Arya. Unwrapping it, Arya saw to her joy it was a sword, a thin, but sharp looking one.
"Keep it with you." Jon said. "And stick them with the pointy end."
"That's an energy rapier," Robb explained. "It's not as heavy as other swords. but the point will get through the chinks in most armor. It's good for duels or sneaky underhanded tactics,"
"Now Ark is beautiful, " said Jon. "But it's still a death world. And Sylvanas is going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at you."
Arya petted her faithful dire wolf. "I understand."
And indeed she did. In fact, she did not even WANT any special treatment just because she was a noble. Thankfully Windrunner knew and understood this, which, of course, made everything go smoother.
"Am I getting a specimen implant?" Arya asked.
"When you arrive," explained Robb. "Implanting will be tough and painful, your first test; not like joe Jon here was just given a Pip boy on New Vegas."
Jon just glared silently.
"Well, perhaps I should start getting ready." Arya noted, already looking over what resources she should bring. Nothing elaborate, just enough to survive.
Arya knew better than to overpack. Ark had a variety of biomes and there was no telling where she'd be thrown.
Besides her sword, a water purifier would be highly valuable in any environment. She paused to consider a tiny hatchet she could use as a weapon or for crafting.
Better take it. And soon, she and Nymeria were on their way to the docking station.
Windrunner was there, as was the rest of her family, wanting to see her off.
Catelyn was the least sentimental but most sincere, "Come back alive, Arya." She pleaded.
"Remember to uphold your honor," said her father as he hugged her.
Bran nodded. "Take care of yourself."
Rickon simply waved with a smile.
That just left Sansa. Both sisters looked at each other for a bit.
"I'm going to miss you," said Sansa. "I wish you weren't going."
Arya struggles to keep her composure, "it won't be forever. I'll come back just so I can make fun of you and be sisters,"
Sansa could not help but smile at that, with both sisters glad they could part with good and playful words instead of harsh words they would regret if Arya never came back. That would be the worst feeling.
After the hug, Arya and Nymeria boarded the vessel to take them to their destination.
Time to rock.
The ship took off and Arya could look forward to a few years of mayhem and adventure.
Aboard Sylvanas' personal ship, Duke Nukem came to congratulate Arya. "Well kid, you're younger than I was the first time I killed somebody. Just aim for the vital organs on a target and wear protection during sex and you'll be fine. Also you can craft stim berries into steroids when you level up enough."
"Riiiight..." Arya gave him dry look as she sat down on a chair, looking out into the stars as they flew past.
It was then Karthus, an undead warlock and scholar, came in, holding a diamond shaped implant. Windrunner was nearby.
Arya looked at them. "So...that goes into my arm, right?"
"Indeed it does." Karthus replied. "And I must warn you that it will not be...comfortable. The device will merge with your nervous system," the undead scholar explained as medical drones started setting up the sick bay around him. "Please sit in this chair."
Arya complied as he went on.
"Thw Implant, as mentioned, will be inserted into your nervous system. It has a subspace pocket inside which can be used to store a variety of objects. More than that, there is a micro molecular assembler which will allow you to craft weapons and armor depending on practice and your own knowledge of chemistry and physics."
Arya nodded. "Sounds very useful." She noted.
"A necessity in fact." Karthus explained as Arya laid her arm on a rest. "Now, do you wish to be put under...or endure it? Personally, we see those who choose to endure it awake have what it takes to survive, showing their willpower.
Arya thought for a moment, as much as she put on a brave face, she really was scared shitless. "No drugs, no anesthetic. I'll take it as is."
"As a warning, child," said the undead mage, "It will activate every pain receptor in your body at full capacity. But because of it, there is a chance you'll understand the implant better and be able to use it more fluidly."
Arya was about to speak when the old man thrust a metal prong into her arm.
Arya grit her teeth as the process began. Nymeria, though alarmed, did not interfere. As a direwolf, she was intelligent, and knew that Arya was doing this own her own violation.
Windrunner watched as the process began. She could feel Arya's fear. That was good. Fear was vital in this galaxy, as it cautioned one. But it was also vital to proceed despite one's fear. To be a great warrior, and not just a brawler or a hired thug, was to be balanced. And balance was the hardest thing in the universe to achieve.
Arya screamed, tears streaming from her eyes. Sylvanas watched dispassionately, but not uncaring. This would be one of many ordeals in the child's life. She observed the wolf Nymeria lick her master's hand as she thrashed in the medical chair.
All lifesigns were green.
And soon, the implant would be ready. One would wonder if Arya would feel specifically that, or just huge amount of general pain.
Coming too, Arya felt like she was on her period, had been beaten up by twenty guys, and had thousands of knives driven into her skin. It as the shittiest she'd felt in her life, but there was a joy. The mental congratulation of knowing she'd passed her trial by fire.
"How do I look?" she joked as Sylvanas approached her.
"Like you've already been there." Sylvanas had a wolfish grin on her face.
Arya took a look at her arm. The diamond was now part of her body, and would serve her well in the trials to come...and many would.
A Skink suddenly came into the room for an update on their destination.
Arya cringed at the sight of the slinking, reptilian creature. Though it held no malice, Arya always had a phobia of lizards. Biting back her fear, she listened to the Skink Priest.
The bow legged reptile, bowed until its snout nearly touched the floor. "Lady Windrunner," it hissed, its forged tongue flicking out. "We are approaching Ark. Lord Mazdamundi has foreseen your request and will grant you five legions of Saurus Warriors in the next solar rotation."
Windrunner nodded. "Extend my thanks to him." She said as Arya stood up wearily, though she quickly composed herself.
"This is where we get off, eh?" She asked as Nymeria took her place at her side.
"Indeed." The Undead elf nodded as she gestured. "You will take a pod to the drop off point. Once there, you two will be on your own...unless you find a tribe willing to take you in." She gave a mysterious little smirk. "Remember that Ark is about more than killing. You're going to have to learn who to trust and who not to. Because that's life," Sylvanas explained, "If everyone were untrustworthy it would be too easy."
Arya nodded, still not fully comfortable with the idea of teaming up with strangers and putting her life in their hands.
And yet...if she must, she would. She stepped into a pod with Nymeria, letting the doors close in on them as Karthus began the launch procedure.
"Arya...good luck." Windrunner said with a salute, which Arya returned.
The next she knew, the pod left the ship and was heading downwards.
Officially the point of no return.
Her wolf Nymeria whined as the drop pod shook, battered by powerful electrical storms and strong winds in the atmosphere. Arya wasn't feeling much better herself, but she held her direwolf for comfort. Then there was a crash as the pod landed.
The sturdy design, or course, kept them all safe, if a bit shaken...then the pod opened up...
…To show the Island, a section of the Ark. It WAS beautiful to look at. They had landed on a shoreline, and a thick jungle lay ahead of them. Behind them a vast, pristine ocean lay.
Arya had never seen anything like it. It looked like a paradise. Her wolf ran out to stretch her legs. She allowed it, just taking in the ambiance.
That was when Nymeria started growling. Arya looked to her companion, "What is it, girl?"
Thar was when the starving velociraptor came charging out of the underbrush. No, wait...too large for that kind. It was more of a Utahraptor...and it looked hungry.
The huge avian predator made a straight line for Arya, ignoring the wolf. It probably reasoned in its lizard brain that she was the easier meal.
Not that easy, the point of her rapier, needle thrust out. By some luck, the point thrust into the thing's eye and tore it right out. The monster screeched in pain, but Arya knew better than to allow it to use its large claws. Quickly, she used her sword to stab right into its chest, slicing thorough the vitals, just as Nymeria leapt up and tore at the throat of the raptor, blood flowing rapidly.
She had no room to breathe as a giant Megalodon splashed out of the nearby ocean and snapped the Utahraptor in half. Pulling back to the sea, the giant shark vanished as quickly as it arrived; like an orca snapping up seals on the beach.
Arya's heart pounded as Nymeria started to gnaw on the half raptor carcass left over.
click
"Turn around," said a gruff voice as a person cocked a gun behind Arya.
Nymeria growled as Arya's eyes narrowed. She just landed here, and if she was NOT going to die just now. Slowly, she turned around to see who was here.
A man stood there in metal armour. It wasn't very advanced but it was lightweight and could stop anything smaller than a T-rex. He aimed a single action revolver with the longest barrel Arya had ever seen. But his most striking feature was behind a curtain of ginger hair, half of his face was covered in horrific burn scars.
"Drop your sword, cunt; I need your gear more than you do," he barked at her.
Arya glared but moved slowly to drop her sword in the sand. "Get him," she said softly, and her wolf attacked like a coiled viper.
The man had dropped his revolver, but it was within reach. One of his armored gauntlets was wrapped around Nymeria's throat. If he so desired, he could strangle her lifelong friend to death.
He didn't flinch at the sword tip inches away from his face. If anything ,he looked like he was daring Arya to kill him.
"You have to apologize," she growled. "That's my friend you've got there and if you don't want to die, you'll apologize to me and her."
The man on the ground exploded into laughter, unable to believe what was being asked of him.
Arya glared harder as the man caught his breath. "Really now, you dumb cunt! You think you are in any position to-"
"Hey, hey, both of you play nice." A young man with blond hair emerged from the trees, wearing a tank top and shorts.
The man looked friendly enough. Following him was a dark haired man with a huge warhammer over one shoulder. "Listen, girl, you're obviously a decent person; why you're here I don't know. But we kind of need him."
"He's part of our tribe," said the man with the hammer. "He's an asshole and his cooking sucks, but he's good in a fight."
"Yeah, yeah." The scarred man grunted. "Its all I need here in this bloody island." Arya scowled as she backed off, and the scarred man released Nymeria, who growled and shook her body. He stood tall once more, and Arya got a good look on just HOW tall he stood.
For a fleeting second, Arya could have sworn he was familiar. Something about the shape and color of his eyes. But he couldn't remember exactly how the man was familiar. They never took eyes off one another as the man bent down to retrieve his revolver.
The man with the hammer called to them, "You can fight, so you can join us for dinner if you share that raptor."
"I prefer chicken, Gendry," snarled the scarred man. "Not fucking thunder lizard."
Arya looked at what was left of the raptor. She then looked back at the group. She weighed her options. Should she just trust them like that?
...
"Lead the way." She said as last, grabbing the mangled remains.
"Glad to." The blond grinned. "Name's TK is Gendry, and this charmer is the Hound. Or what we call him."
Hound just grumbled. "Don't give me a reason to shoot you." he warned Arya.
"Well, you didn't shoot me," said Arya. "You could have."
"Shut up and help me skin the carcass," Hound snarled as he began to gut the half raptor with a hunting knife.
Arya glared, but decided to help in order to build good rep with this tribe. She could use some help, she knew that much.
Butchering the carcass made her skin crawl, but she hid her feelings from the crew. It also gave her the chance to keep some raptor skin; it could be crafted later into leather, which could then be crafted into useful items.
As tempting as it was to go solo, these guys knew the land, knew the local players; she could benefit from their help. Close to her, Nymeria watched with hard eyes, ready to rip throats out at the slightest provocation.
And so, the group headed back into the thick forest, where they settlement was...small as it was, it was still a place to call home in this dangerous land.
To Arya's surprise, the base camp looked remarkably civilized. A log cabin, large enough for four or more men, a small garden and a tamed dimetrodon standing guard over it all. The mammal like reptile scratched at itself, its sail waving as it did.
"Don't step in the fucking garden," Hound growled as he walked up to the tamed reptile and threw it some kibble.
Arya just took it in, it was all so . . . homely.
"Hey, find someone new?" A voice from the higher areas spoke up. A green Jungle Agori leapt down and examined Arya with curious eyes.
"Oh, yeah, Tarduk." TK explained. "We found her just arrived on the shoreline."
"Did the Hound try to rob you?" asked the Agori. "He does that, but he really wasn't born mean; even if he acts like it."
"Actually he did, and try to kill my wolf," said Arya. "So does your tribe have a name, or are you just going at it?"
"Just going at it now." A blunt female voice caught Arya attention, and tall, large breasted female human stepped out from a small building. She had dark skin and white hair, and she wore revealing clothing and a gauntlet on one of her hands.
"So far, our goals on this planet are to survive," said the woman, "We hunt, we garden, we raid, we avoid being raided and our last base was demolished by someone riding a gigantosaurus with a fortress on its back; so we're planning revenge for that one day."
"I'm sorry," said Arya, "I didn't catch your names. I'm Arry Underfoot to my friends." Arya was not keen on receiving any special treatment right now, so she decided to use an alias for the moment. One day...but not today.
The woman stared at Arya for a moment. "Name's Bullet. I take charge around here. We have a few basic rules around here," said Bullet, crossing her arms. "You pitch in with the chores; that means the boring stuff like chop wood, wash the bed sheets, and scrub the toilet. Two, you get the most dangerous jobs in ambushes at raids at first. Three, you be straight with us and pitch in, and you'll get full membership."
Arya nodded, seeing the crew already get to the daily tasks of life on Ark.
The Green Agori bounced over to her, getting too close for comfort, "We'll be raiding later, but for now, I'm Tarduk, nice to meet you Arry!"
"Nice to meet you as well." Arya said with a small smile.
"Ah, a newcomer!" A blue Water Agori emerged from the house, followed by a brunette woman about TK's age. Revealing clothes adorned the brunette's form, though not as bad as Bullet's.
Arya looked uncomfortable, "I just have to ask, is it mandatory to wear revealing clothes for the women?"
Bullet burst out laughing while the new girl patted Arya on the shoulder, "That's our personal choice. Plenty of the women and men on Ark go nearly nude with big weapons; like Celtic berserkers. Nobody is going to make you go around like Bullet."
"But I'm going to fucking smack you if you don't start chopping firewood," Hound growled, looking up from his crafting of iron ore.
"And to be honest," The brunette continued, ignoring the Hound. "It's just more comfortable due to the warm climate here. Unless we need to go North, where we have to were thick fur clothes."
Arya was relieved that she wouldn't have to dress in beach wear. That was always Sansa's thing. But for now she could test out her implant by borrowing some of Hound's ore and some wood she'd recovered to craft her own axe. Nymeria was growling at the dimetrodon.
"Oh, don't be angry with Potato," said TK. "With luck your wolf and our synapsid will be fast friends."
"Perhaps so," Arya said as she managed to make her own tool. "But it could take some time."
"Ah, I just realized a forgot to give you my name." The brunette suddenly spoke up. "I am Kari Kamiya. TK and I take care of the animals we tame. The Water Agori is Berix. He helps with upkeep and repairs.
Arya turned as Berix waved. "So, it's just you all."
Gendry nodded. "Yeah. We had more...but they all met their ends here. You and Hound are our most recent additions," he went on, "I'm the local blacksmith. That's my main strength."
Hound gave a sardonic grin as he worked to forge new bullets for his gun. "That's sad, but in my time on Ark, I've seen people killing people. in the year before that I saw people killing people. And the year before that and before that as far as I care to remember. As far as I'm concerned, Ark is just like anywhere else."
"True..." Bullet muttered. "But don't forget, the wildlife here, unless properly approached, hates us just as much." She sighed. "A lot of us had lost our lives to wild animals. Sometimes we find their remains, other times...nothing at all. Especially if they go the caves to the sea."
"Big-time danger zones, those places." Berix remarked. "But rich in resources, so sometimes the risk must be taken."
Arya started chopping firewood as soon as her implant finished forging an axe. It wasn't that sharp, but it was sturdy and serviceable and she felt proud. She swung as she observed the group.
"It's all about picking your fights," said Hound. "No matter how big or mean the beast is, if you pick your moment and know when to run, you can take out the throat, the heart or the liver."
"Or we can tame the creatures," said Berix. "We're running low on a few crucial elements and perhaps a raid on a sea cave could be a good initiation for our new recruit. We might not even have to go for the heart, throat or liver."
"I agree with Berix." Bullet noted. "We could use more beasts for use. Taming animals is often the difference between life and death on this world."
"We should look into flyers." Kari said. "It would great us great advantage."
"We've been looking to tame an Argentavis," said Bullet, "Big carrion bird good for cargo hauling. Think you could tame one, short stack?" she asked of Arya.
Arya stared at her for another long time. Bullet found herself impressed by the girl, deep down. Not a meek little thing at all.
"Where do we even find one?" Arya asked.
Bullet, smirking, gestured Arya to follower into the main hut. "Lemme show you the map of the Island." She gestured to the map. "We're here on The Southern Jungle. The bird we're looking for mostly live in the mountains. They're scavengers and very good at finding dead meat. But unlike most scavengers they've got powerful beaks and claws to fight other predators and protect their nests."
"The good thing about them is that unlike most flying dinosaurs," said TK, "Is that they don't usually fly off when they see you. They'll typically try to attack you first."
"And the closest nesting ground for the birds is Red Peak," said Berix, "A dangerous area full of predators."
"So, good chance at death, especially for a newcomer." The Hound said as she strode. His sneer made his face uglier. "Think you and and your pet are up to the job?"
Arya glared at him. "Just give me what I need, and I'll get you your bird."
"You've got your little play sword, you've got your dog," Hound sneered, "We'll get you a crossbow, some kibble and TK can show you how to craft tranquilizer bolts so you don't accidentally kill the oversized chicken."
TK nodded, "You can shoot and dodge it, or you can take advantage of its natural aggression to lead it into a trapping pen."
"Good." Arya said. "So, Red Peak then?"
"Indeed." Bullet said. "Try not to die right now. Taken a liking towards you."
"Hound and I will accompany you," said Berix, "We have some hunting of our own we need to do in that region." He said as he produced his longneck rifle.
"So hurry, girl," said Hound, "You're going to be at the front line, and your worthless life will depend on what you do."
"Then let's get started," said Arya, "I've got the bolts and I can craft the crossbow on the way."
With that in mind, the four headed off towards their destination.
Tarduk, after they were gone, turned towards Bullet. "Something tells me the girl is more that she appears to be."
Bullet considered, sweltering under the tropical sun. "It wouldn't surprise me, there's a lot of criminals, outcasts and social rejects who get dumped on Ark. I got kicked out of my mercenary gig for civilian casualties and it landed me here."
"Yeah," said Tarduk, "But how many criminals have a dire wolf with them?"
"As they only come from the galactic north," said Bullet, "Not many, and even less have a sword of that quality."
"Then...highborn?" Kari asked.
"Could be, but thankfully it was clear she was not looking for any special treatment. She knows as much. This planet doesn't care what rank you are. They want to kill you all the same."
TK sighed as he looked over the hanging Coelacanth meat, preserved for cooking later. "Yeah...Death World for a reason."
"I don't know many highborn who wind up on this world that aren't part of Sylvanas' crew," said Bullet, "Think she could be a knight, or part of a knightly family like Clegane?"
"She just might be," said Tarduk, "But I hope she survives no matter who she is, she's friendly."
"and I have a weakness to fluffy animals like wolves," said Kari.
Bullet just stared out into the horizon. Something told her...things were about to change...
Arya screamed a she thrust her sword through the open mouth of the crocodilian creature. The monster gagged on its own blood, but blindly clawed at her. Nymeria answered by singing her teeth into the monster's scaly throat and ripping it out.
"You scare easy, girl," said Hound, hefting a huge two-handed sword. "That's just a Kaprosuchus, he's just small fry compared to the big sarcos; those will bring down a t-rex."
Arya trembled, "I'm not afraid, I just hate lizards."
"Not actually a lizard..." Berix muttered. "But if you are scared of reptiles, better get used to them fast. Place is a haven for them...and this Island is actually one of the SAFER zones of Ark. And don't forget to scan over a carcass for anything useful," said the Agori, "You never know what you can use now or later as you level up."
At that moment, Hound used his giant sword to chop a Dilophosaur in half, He laughed as the bottom half stood for a few seconds before falling. "Kill those ones quickly, they have a poison spit that blinds you."
"Blinding poison?" Arya asked.
"And then they swarm and gut you." The Hound went on. "That's life here of Ark."
"And once we reach the mountains areas, things are gonna get worse." Berix admitted. "I suggest you have your crossbow ready. Attacking most animals at range is preferable to close combat without a proper sword and armor."
Arya nodded, "I'll do that," she felt foolish. Her father had always taught Robb and Jon that a sword was a backup weapon, unless you had either a shield or good armor. And she had neither. As the group moved on, she saw materials for simple stone bolts; not the most advanced, but they're fly true and hit hard.
Quickly mining some up, she utilized her system to craft some projectiles. "Right, this isn't so hard after all."
"Say, question." Berix began. "Did you put yourself under for the transplant, or did you remain awake?"
"Awake." Arya replied. "Hurt like a bitch."
"Same with myself and Bullet," said the Agori, "In the long run it gave us an initial leveling boost. When you have a bit of time try crafting more advanced items; and I don't mean just weapons."
The group walked, the jungle was starting to give way to hilly terrain covered in redwood trees. Dominating the skyline was the great mountain itself, Red Peak
Arya looked about. She could hear the sounds of various wild animals scattered about. This would be a risky endeavor.
Time to see if she had what it took.
The real test came when a gunshot struck a redwood next to Arya's head. Hound brought up his revolver and Berix brought up his long rifle.
From out of the ferns popped a group of camouflaged men with guns, bows and crossbows. The leader, a bald man looked at the group and laughed. "You're the Hound! What brings you up north?"
"Chickens," Hound said dismissively. Around her, Arya noticed that Nymeria was nowhere to be seen, just like a predator should be.
She and her group immediately went the defensive, ducking behind trees, ready to take them on.
Tribal warfare...another danger of the Island.
Arya put a hand to her ear and took it away red. Her ears were ringing where the gunshot had nicked her earlobe. A bloody but superficial wound. It ignited something in her. She raised her crossbow and like swatting a fly, put a stone bolt between a man's eyes. Elsewhere, a man screamed as Nymeria hamstrung a man.
The Hound brutally gunned down anyone he could, firing off round after round, as did Berix. These punks picked a bad time to mess with them...
...and the smell of blood would soon attract predators.
The bandit leader, Polliver, reloaded his rifle and peeked over cover. "I'm going to kill you both and I'll fuck the little boy you're keeping with you."
Polliver heard a twig snap next to him and turned to shoot, but his long rifle worked against him. Arya thrust a recently crafted dagger in the gaps of his armor. She hissed through her teeth and twisted the knife. She wasn't thinking about her mission, predators or other trivialities. She was high on bloodlust.
Polliver gargled in pain, coughing up blood. Arya gazed was fearsome and predatory. She BELONGED here on this World. A apex predator...or one in the making.
One of Polliver's men saw this, and tried to rush Arya...
...and as such, never saw the Thylacoleo in trees until it had leapt down on him, brutally mauling him.
The sight of a carnivorous marsupial devouingr a man while still alive shook Arya out of her bloodlust. Polliver was down, and a sadistic part of her was keen to leave him to the Terror Bird barreling down at them.
While the ten foot tall predator bird ate Polliver's tasty liver, Arya ran as fast as her short legs could take her, following Hound, Nymeria and Berix through the Redwoods and to the mountains. At least she'd managed to steal a simple flintlock pistol from Polliver. This was moving up in the world of Ark.
Arya, once out of range of the bloodshed, took a moment to catch her breath.
"Not bad, I must admit." The Hound said with a odd smirk. "Perhaps you do have what it takes out here." Nymeria soon caught up with them, snout coated in blood. She shook herself.
"You can dispatch predators of the two legged kind," said Berix, "But take care of that wound on your ear. Even a small wound can lead to either infection or a predator coming after you."
Arya glanced around, looking to craft some sort of bandage or balm while the group carried on. Both Hound and Berix seemed to have unlimited stamina and were in no mood to wait for her, so she had to craft and keep up.
Thankfully, some nearby herbs and plants seemed to do the job nicely enough, and she quickly patched herself up. Nymeria was close behind.
Soon, a call of large bird of prey could be heard. They were close.
There on a crag in the lower slopes of the mountain was the carcass of a gigantosaurus, a truly massive sauropod dinosaur. Maybe the creature had passed from sickness or old age, but already the scavangers were on it. Half a dozen Argentavis were feasting on the carcass.
"Get to it, girl," said hound, "It won't be long before the body attracts creatures we don't have the weapons to fight."
Arya nodded numbly, then began to descent towards the birds. She began to take a deep breath...and then something came to her. An old phrase about fear. How did it go again? Oh, yes.
"I must not fear." She murmured to herself. "Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration." She got closer.
The first bolt in her crossbow was a stone one and it struck one of the giant vulture birds in the head. The creature squawked and opened its wings wide. The ones next to it kept ripping into the carcass, Arya stood up and waved her crossbow at the Argentavis, "Hey!" she shouted as the bird made eye contact with her.
The bird flew in close, aggressively, before landing in front of her. The wings were spread and talons sharp, and it screeched in her face.
Arya simply stood her ground, prompting the Argentavis to do the same.
The two killers simply stared at each other...
The bird snapped at her with its long neck, Arya dodged and thrust a tranquilizer bolt into its neck like a dagger. The bird shrieked and flew back a dozen paces.
The crashing of the underbrush signaled the charging of a Direbear.
Arya's eyes glanced towards it, but Nyemria was on top of the bear already, biting savagely at the beast. Arya turned back to the bird, staring it down once again. The two killers just...stared.
Nymeria was ferocious, but she was at a huge size and strength disadvantage to the large bear. She had to break contact, throwing fresh, harvested deer meat at the vulture like bird as she charged the bear.
She screamed as she drew her rapier and made for the heart.
The bear bellowed, before it stumbled back and collapsed in a heap. Arya whirled back around...only to see the bird had not left.
There would be more predators and scavengers looking to get their cut. But with the bird's keen eyes bearing down on her, she had the idea to slice off a slab of bear meat with her dagger and throw it to the bird. Though if she needed, her flintlock pistol was within easy reach.
The Argentavis now was more wary, instead of aggressive. Testing if Arya was worth of its time.
The bird snapped up the slice of bear meat. Arya knew that this was her best chance, and that the raptor skin saddle she crafted earlier would be coming in handy just now.
She approached the birds and this time, it did not react aggressively. She managed to put the saddle on, and mount it.
The Argentavis turned to look at her, and she stared back...and a sense of 'understanding' could be reached.
Stepping onto the back of the beast and taking the reins wasn't like Robb teaching her to drive a speeder or Jon showing her how to ride a cybernetic horse. She was riding a giant carnivorous bird and she had to make it trust her more than it trusted its own instincts.
"Hop on!" she shouted to her companions, "before the new and old carcasses attracted more trouble."
The stupified Hound and Berix did as they were told, while Nymeria remained on the ground, able to follow perfectly. And soon, they were off.
The bird's giant wings took a beat, then another and then they were off in the blue skies of Ark.
Arya's fear of heights kicked in, only to be replaced by a sense of accomplishment and exhilaration. Even hound's curse filled warnings could hardly shake her from the sense of joy as they climbed higher and higher.
Letting instinct take over, she stir the bird with a grace and precision, while making their way back to base.
Arya grinned ear to ear as the Hound slammed a fist on her shoulder, "Head due south forty five degrees!" he ordered. "That's where our fucking home is!"
"Yes sir!" she said.
A gunshot from the redwood canopy shook her out of her glee and she banked the bird hard right.
"Beware of ground threats!" shouted Berix over the wind.
Arya gritted her teeth. Just how many of these fucking hostile tribes where there? No matter, better keep moving.
Nymeria kept pace easily, her sense of smell keeping her on track.
At home base, Bullet was tending the garden while Tarduk collected fruit growing from the trees. TK reacted with a bow and arrow when he heard the sound of wings beating, an explosive tipped arrow in his notch. His face split into a grin when he saw the missing group members riding the giant bird.
"Well, would you look at that." He mused as they soon landed by the village. Bullet turned, and stared with a smirk at the sight.
The bird landed and the party disembarked, Hound growled, "The short one gibbed some cunts out there."
Bullet laughed, "That's the nicest I've ever heard you talk about someone, Hound."
"So, you mean Polliver?" Tarduk asked.
"Yeah, he's dead." Berix replied. "Torn apart by the Terror Bird that came into our fighting area."
Hound shrugged, "It spared me the effort of snuffing him out with my own hands." From the tone of his voice you'd think he was talking about pulling weeds.
"That was a good raid," said Arya, "When's the next one?"
Bullet grinned. "Eager to get things done. That's good. But for now, take a moment to breathe, look at the maps, not to the mention the dossiers we have, and learn a bit."
The dossiers were a series of documents pertaining to the various life forms of the world. A bit old, but still useful at times.
"Take some time to plant seeds, weed the garden and water it," said Bullet. "Before sundown, read over the documents. Long term, knowledge will keep you alive just as well as guns and bombs."
"For years, biologists and planetolgists have been cataloging the wildlife of this world," said Berix, "Those dossiers hold the various animals habitats, habits, food, mating and migration patterns. Read it like your life depends on it."
"And it will." Kari assured. "Trust us, it will."
Arya nodded as Nymeria took her place at her side. Looks like there were things to be done.
It wasn't long before the sun began to set on Ark and Arya's hands were blistered from labor, her clothes were bloody and her mind was eager for new knowledge. She could hardly believe how much had happened in just a single day.
Outside, Hound stood with a large rifle on his back, scanning the woods for danger with the tribe's new pet.
Nighttime, the time when Bullet made sure no one went on into the lands, unless a dire emergency had occurred. The night was dark and full of terrors...
"Lord, cast your light upon us," is how the chant would go. Hound had no time for gods or goddesses. He hated fire, and the only light he needed was the muzzle flare from his gun.
Like the animal of his namesake, he sniffed and scanned the darkness.
All around was there was the sound of wildlife, chipping, hissing, roaring, calling, and more.
Amongst the most dreaded nocturnal predators was the Megalosaurus. Sluggish by day, at night they became swift and dangerous creatures.
The therapod moved silently, scanning the campground with its keen vision; better than an owl. Its sense of smell gave it perfect stock of the surrounding area, prey and predator. Its powerful jaws would have no problem chewing through even metal armor.
The Hound expected such a monster, but he did not expect Arya to sneak up behind him.
"So, night brings a lot of things out, eh?"
The Hound jumped a little, then turned. "Aye, that it does. After a while, you just come to expect it," he said, reaching into his implant. "You figure out when and where certain predators come; and they always come." he drew an enormous compound bow, notching it with an arrow tipped with a brutal, barbed point.
"We're being hunted," said Arya, cradling her crossbow.
"You catch on quick," said Hound
Arya soon saw it to: A large theropod stalking the outskirts, looking for a easy opening to get in and devour all those within.
"Thinks we're an easy meal." She growled.
Hound drew back his bow, the arrowhead gleaming in the moonlight. "That's his weakness, he thinks we're weak. I never take an enemy for granted,"
Arya brought up her own crossbow, scanning the woods for more predators; here on Ark, there was rarely just one of anything, whether it was edible plants, deadly predators or environmental hazards.
The sounds of the night echoed in her head. It be quote overwhelming at times, listening to it all. Nymeria soon took her place at Ayra's side, fur on end in battle ready.
Hound looked straight ahead at the megalosaurus. His arrow was a special design that was designed to spread out once it had penetrated armor and hide of a target; slashing wider and cutting through the organs of a large animal. Perfect dinosaur killer.
Arya didn't see it, but when Nymeria turned her head, she followed and brought up her crossbow to compensate. There she saw a Troodon about to bite through the lock on the meat-smoking hut.
"I'll handle this." She told the Hound, who nodded as he kept his eye on the Megalosaurus.
Arya and Nymeria approached the Troodon, who turned and hissed at her. It's glowing eyes showed signs of intelligence.
Troodon, one of the most intelligent dinosaurs on record. In another timeline, it could have formed the basis for intelligent life on Earth that was. As it stood now, they were among the most intelligent creatures on Ark, surpassing most mammals.
Lowering her crossbow, Arya raised her hand, keeping eye contact with the bulbous eyed dinosaur. A bit of kibble could go far. If this thing didn't have a pack of its own, then maybe her group could fill that role.
...Would that work on such a intelligent creature, though? Or was something more needed?
"Crafty, isn't it?" Kari up next to Arya suddenly. "Would make a good tame. I've been looking for one for a while. A lot of people tame them by letting them kill a previous tame, but also one of their preferred foods is Direbear. I think you ran into one earlier."
"Um, I did cut some of the meat out..." Arya admitted, wondering if it would be enough.
"Find out," said Kari, "If its pack was killed or it was driven off, it'll be much easier to tame."
Behind them, Hound let loose his arrow with the satisfying sound of a Megalosaurus howling in pain. He expected it to attack in fury...but it turned out he must have made a bigger mark than he thought, because he then heard it stomp away from the area, until he could no longer hear it.
He could follow the blood trail in the morning, no point in rushing into the woods after a wounded animal and getting killed. The group wasn't that desperate for food. Though as it stood, Hound was prepared to fire another arrow at the damn Troodon that Arya was making eyes with.
He never liked those things, though its hunting and tracking skills could make it useful.
The two killers were looking at each other, trying to see some sort of advantage over the others. Hound had noticed, it was impossible not to. Arya seemed to stare down things she wished to tame, as if trying to assert herself over them by battles of will.
It was simple animal rules. The Troodon was a pack hunter, it would punish submission but also reward a pack leader who could locate food and keep the group safe. Unblinkingly, she met its giant, nearly glowing eyes. Next to her, Nameria stepped away, as though reading her master's intentions.
A moment of dead silence... just silence...
Then, the Troodon bowed to Arya, sensing her superior sense and killing intent. She would make a good pack leader.
Hound was disappointed that he would have to wait to kill something, but he couldn't deny the usefulness of the beast. He turned away back to the forest, full of terrors . . . and he was one of them.
Over the skies of Ark, more drop pods fell like meteors to the ground. The world was dangerous, dark, full of terrors, but also inexorably alive and thriving.
It would be interesting to watch where this would go...