Disclaimer: Written by Rime. Translated by Arcana. Approved by Rime to transfer from pixiv. The characters were not owned by the writer nor the translator. Characters were borrowed from the players of MHD. To members of MHD, if there are any problems, there would be no problem in removing.
Chapter Notes: The Genealogy of Hunters 5: Case Sakura
Theme: Written as Heart, Read as Reason
Characters: Sakura, Ash, SEVEN, Billy, Riku
Chapter Summary:
One year after Ash left, a Pink Rathian was being captured in the town. Sakura did not understand why must people do something like this to monsters. Feeling the pain of the Rathian and the sudden increase in marriage proposals, Sakura cried for help from her childhood friend.
When a pair of fire wyverns settled their residence on the ground, a pair of twins were born. A pair of red haired twins.
According to the folklore of the land, between a pair of twins, the child born later was said to have vicious personalities, as he or she defeated the child who was born first, in order to divine the warmth of the mother's stomach. For that reason even if the child was born safely, he or she would only become a cunning people that pursued for his or her benefits and held no sympathy towards others.
On the contrary, the child that was born first, knew the pain of being defeated, thus would become a considerate person with a gentle heart. It was always the child that was born first being called as the Child of God that could perform miracles.
The chief had imprisoned the girl that was born later as the sister, in a tall tower. The chief had an idea. The pair of fire wyverns would one day give birth to eggs, and would start to prey on humans in order to feed their children. When that time came, they would give this ominous child as a sacrifice, the wyverns might be calmed to a certain degree.
The boy that was born first as the brother, with the existence of his sister being covered at all cost from him, he approached his fifteen year. A strong criminal that wasn't able to be killed by the people was imprisoned in the tall tower, he was taught not to go anywhere near it.
The boy lived in luxury and received plentiful of educations, different types of martial arts needed to become the chief was taught to him. There was nothing not given to him.
The day he approached fifteen, he climbed the tower due to his uncontainable curiosity. He walked on and on until the prison seemed to be in sight, ahead of the tall spiral staircases which continued up the tower, was a lamp of moonlight.
The last room was locked with fifty locks. He released all of them with his sword.
Inside was a girl with beauty that could appeal to everyone, singing a song as she swayed her red hair.
He was shocked. There, in front of him, was a face same as him.
He knew she was his sister. Seeing the burnt mark of offering forced onto her body, he hated his father. He hated the people. On the day he tried to let his sister descend from the tower, the spawning of the wyverns ended, the sound of them flapping their wings could be heard in the night.
He bought his sister along and went to where the wyverns were. The wyverns accepted the red-haired twins gently.
The wyverns burned the people. With the girl on the female wyvern and the boy on the male wyvern, they only rode as their red hair sparkled.
The people prostrated for mercy. The red-haired boy released the wyverns, he landed on the ground, and there they built a castle. The king was the brother, the queen was the sister, the beginning of the eccentric king system was two thousands years from the legend.
Taking over other countries, even though half of the land was unified by the royals, the family remained strongly. The family with the ancestors of the red twins accompanied by the fire wyverns, was respected for their courage, strength, and honesty, a righteous crest was given to them by the royal as the mirror of knights.
Till now, the two head families remained.
"No!"
"My lady! At least have a meeting first,"
"No! You can continue to stand there if you want? What's with that! I still doesn't have a single intention yet!"
Raising her rough voice, Sakura was determined to continue to shut the door of her room. Mixing with the knocking sounds on the door, a howling roar could be heard faraway. She hit the door in irritation.
"I don't get the meaning of this! Tying up somebody's life with things like fate and necessity, what is father and mother thinking of! There's nothing more idiotic than this!"
"My lady, please consider the hearts of Senhors too! How old do you think you are!"
"I'm still sixteen!"
What with this. Her voice seemed became vanish. Still Sakura slightly hanged the corner of the eye up, and stared towards the other side of the door as she wanted.
"Please, if he thinks he can get a girl by stuffs like presents and gifts, then he's just a fool! After all that wyvern tear also, was taken by forcing the captured Rathian to cry! Stop making fun of it! I'm definitely not going out today!"
"My lady, what about my situation,"
"Just tell them what I said! I am definitely, not going out, today!"
For a while, the maid mumbled something with hesitants, replying her with complete silence, finally giving up, she could feel her departing. Sakura sighed slowly from her stomach. Tears finally oozed out as she thought.
(Why?)
It was an incident one week before, that a Rathian appeared in the town.
The Chivalric Order along with a few hunters faced that sudden attack. The wyvern flew to the center of the town, a ring of conflagration was formed from there. With the immediate orders from the knights, the citizens were able to save their lives, but many houses were burnt and many livelihoods were lost. The battle was violent, even the mansion of Sakura which was built faraway from the streets could feel the quakes.
Still, the humans won. Though many weapons were broken, many armors were fallen, the tools of human civilization were conspicuous.
The wyvern known as the queen of the land was now, with its stomach rubbing against the land, captured.
A shock trap was set by chance in the middle of the square, the Rathian landed there and before it could break into exclamation, a shallow pitfall trap was set. A few flash bombs were threw into the air, during the period when the area was surrounded with white light, a hunter had pierced its wing with a great sword. Onto the ground, it was stabbed.
It ate deeply into the ground, making it unable to be pulled out. One of the knights who happened to see this, nailed his sword deeply onto the other wing. Then, with dozens of swords belonging to the people who joined the battle, the Rathian was secured to the ground. People shouted in joy.
(Rathian...)
It's body was in a cute pink.
Subspecies. Sakura had seen a Rathian known as subspecies once, in the far-off foreign ground before. Like a broom of flowers resembling a star, it flew into the sky, the ground bloomed greatly. Yet it was now awkwardly in the town, rubbing its body against the ground stickily.
It was in a miserable state. Swords went through its scales and bones, letting it bleed. The fluently flowing blood was sold at a high price in the town without permission by merchants led by hunters. In order to prevent it from flouncing into the sky with her rarely wounded body, shock traps were set. Almost each time, a big big drop of tear would fall from it.
(It must hurt)
Why do they have to do something like this, she almost ran out without knowing. However, with the severe caution spreading on the outskirts, normal citizens wouldn't be allow to approach, Sakura could only remain standing in front of the moaning Rathian. At that time, it had surely seen her, with its golden eyes.
One day, without any knowing of shock, someone knocked on the door of the mansion.
A man, had proposed to Sakura with a wyvern sobs.
At first, she was befuddled. Then, she felt an incomprehensible anger. While Sakura was confused with everything, her parents had rubbed the jewel given by the man against their cheeks. It made her further angry.
Without knowing the reason of her anger, she slapped the high-pitched man.
This is destiny. The man said. Her parents took advantage of it, and said also. This is fate. And, it is necessity. The Pink Rathian had appeared before you. Surely, this must be a blessing to you.
(What's with the meaning!)
Surely, she was the only one left now to protect the family. She understood it. Her eldest sister had sacrificed herself to religion. Her second sister was engaged to the second son of the Rathalos family. The third sister was already married to another territory. Certainly, it was surely so.
(But, it's too early)
She understood she would become so one day, she waited with feelings of half giving up. Till then at least, she wanted to see things she liked, do things she wanted to do, and to find many important things.
The noble society was small. As long as one was female, she must accept every regulations. Beginning with behaviors and languages, way of contacting with males, ways of running, and ways of laughing, even standing befell with every other duties.
Still Sakura accept her destiny easily, merely for the family. It was natural to do so, and she only waited for that time to come.
At least, marrying a person that she might be able to come to like, was a matter of course to be born as a female. Not the person she loved. Sakura was able to understand that, it couldn't be help in its own right to marry a husband that 'she may get used to like'. This was the responsibility of being born as a noble.
But.
(This is wrong,)
From the captured wyvern which only death awaited, everything was took, took and taken away from it, and letting that be an identification of engagement was too much of a joke. It didn't worth any sincere.
Bring it back with your own strength. At the beginning, Sakura shouted at that man. A weak man who can't obtain with his own ability, isn't suitable for the family of Rathian.
After that, with best regards from the far-off east country, many men bringing various gifts came to the mansion.
"...Don't make fun of it..."
Many were brought with the money by selling the carves from the captured Pink Rathian. Sakura was tenacious towards this point, and examined every item brought in. Among them, surely were things brought to with one's abilities, but Sakura would just smile slowly at them and apologized. With this level, you may not be able to get along in this family, she said.
Things like these continued for approximately five days.
"..."
She hold onto her knees. Tears fell like rain, entrusting them to fall on their own. When there were people she needed to bear with around, by blinking several times looking downward, tears would not be seen immediately. Being unable to see that moment, was same as had not cry at all.
In that way, it was just a matter of time every proposal of marriage were kept away. Before long, her parents became impatient, she had hurt them herself. Sakura thought of her family very important.
Without rearranging her heart, trying to soothe her heart in confusion, if the environment allowed, she would bubble immediately. Wait. Please wait. The implied weep sounded through no one. Wait. I, still do not know yet. I don't understand.
"...Ash..."
She called in a small voice.
"Help me..."
Surely towards her trifle complains, he would definitely scold her she thought.
She couldn't help being deplorable from herself from remembering the laughter of her only childhood friend who she hadn't seen for one year.
"I don't, want this..."
Like the captured poor Rathian, she would be tied to this family until she ceased breathing.
No matter how many times she blinked, tears wouldn't stop.
With a startle, his back shivered. The indescribable sense was a mixture of irritation and anger. It was a really unpleasant touch. He stopped without thinking and looked up at the sky. It was a disagreeable fine weather.
"A-–––––––––sh! Behind! Behind!"
"Ah?"
As soon as he looked back, he saw a Velociprey opening its mouth greatly.
Oh, damn, as soon as he thought, his body flew in the sky. A dull pain. It was a clean hit to the waist. That just now must certainly be Billy. It isn't the penetrating pain, when SEVEN charged at me.
With a thud, a cloud of dust blew up and he kissed the earth with ardor. Face drop.
"Ah. Sorry. I never think the face will"
"Fail––––"
"Shhhhhhuuut up! ...Sorry Billy thanks."
"Nah"
"How come your manner is so–– different from my times?"
"I can only feel painful evil thoughts from you"
Shoving off the dust, he stood up. He trembled, feeling the unpleasant chill down his back again. It was not anger this time, but a deep aftertaste of badness. Something, he felt as if he had forgotten about something terrible.
Lying in front of them was a big giant crab.
"It's decided, a luxury dinner tonight."
"It's stew."
"Stew––. It's okay to second boiling it alone with salt though––. Boiling with sea water! That's good also"
"Then both."
"Billy... Are you saying it knowing who is the one to cook?"
"SEVEN's cooking is tasty."
"... Aren't • they––! Oh I'm so glad for you to say that I'm gonna work hard and show my skills! Hey Ash, find your own food yourself. If you continue to space out, we're going get all the good stuffs."
The voice was far. He could hear something from the other side of the sky. Ash stared silently. There's something, in that direction.
"...Ash?"
A low voice called to him slowly. He closed his eyes as the wind blown, and he listened carefully. I heard something. DId I really hear something? Whose voice was he trying to listen to.
"...Sakura, she's crying..."
"...What?"
"...Eh, wait Ash,"
"I'm, going back!"
"Hey––! Wait Ash! What is it with you, no acting alone!"
You aren't in the right position to say that, thinking of retorting him, he turned his body to shake off the hand holding onto him. Towards the expression of Ash without any smile, SEVEN's joking eyes changed. With his loosen hand, he punched the back that wanted to run with all he got.
"...What is that for!"
"Calm down"
Towards the words in a lower tone than normal, Ash gulped. Billy who was standing a little away looking at their exchange of conversation, slowly tilted his head.
"Who's Sakura"
"Her girlfriend"
"Wrong–––! How many times have I told you! Sakura is my cousin! ...No wait, it should be a little farer than cousin, mm, yeah, relatives..."
His end of words were not firm. He could hear. She was still crying. Bit by bit, his hand started to sweat.
It had been long since he felt this way.
It was a frequent sense during the days of childhood. It was the main reason they were mistaken as twins. They could feel naturally when something happened to each other. It was something too nature when they were young. During times when she cried, no matter it's night or day, he would run directly to where she was. When she was angry, he could find out where she hid. When he felt painful, she would be by his side. When he felt regretful, she would sit back to back with him. That, at some times... It really disappeared all too soon. Surely because we have grown up, in those days he idly believed in it with overconfidence.
(She's crying,)
Sakura, is crying.
That's right. Both of us did become an adult. Both of us are convinced incidentally. Therefore, the times we became too emotional decreased, the transmitting sense became less also.
But one year after bidding farewell to her... ... At that time, did she not work with all her efforts as my companion.
(It's wrong. It's not that it has disappeared, it must be really close, that even I failed to notice)
We are just, acting under the influence of each other, unconsciously.
(Because we are separated far away, it sounded so much)
"I'm going back, to the town"
"...You are, people from the town"
"Even though you said you're going back, will it be okay. ...One year passed already...it should be the right time?"
"Hey, SEVEN. Tell me briefly. You know about it roughly, right"
"Yeah. Your brother was selling drugs. And, he seemed to have done something and was being targeted by the people of the route. He wanted to force the responsibility of selling the drugs onto you, and he tried to murder you."
He is saying it really too brief.
Billy unusually opened his eyes widely behind.
"Somehow, everything worked fine. Your older brothers knew about the truth, they gave me such an impression. I don't know what happen after that. I don't hold, too much information of the town."
Oh, so that's why. Ash accepted strangely. Basically, SEVEN avoided all the quests of that town if allowed. He could tell by the atmosphere and he made used of it, therefore Ash had not returned to his hometown, during this one year, even through quests.
SEVEN also kept information away from Ash as much as possible. Surely, he himself avoided collecting the information on purpose. It was his nature to want o convey him if he knew something.
(...Seriously, this guy...)
He is really tender in his heart, that I cannot come to dislike him.
...There is never once, I think so.
"...Thanks"
"It's nothing?"
The answer was words, muttered strangely fast. He knew it. Whenever SEVEN started to talk fast, whenever he feigned in a brusque manner, whenever he pretended to look normal, he was generally blushing.
At the moment he thought of questioning and making fun of him.
"I don't really understand, but are we going back to, Ash's home"
"...Yup. Seems like so."
Towards the remarks the two people whose minds were thinking of following, Ash waved his hands in a hurry.
"...No, it's okay. I'll go by myself. ... I'll take care of it, properly"
"It's fine. We'll go."
"We don't know, what will be there anyway"
"Something like, just as it is reassuring to have companions when traveling, it is important for us to care for each other as we pass through our lives."
"It seems interesting by the way"
Really self-centered.
(No, really,)
What kind of free guys are they.
Towards the welled up feelings, he smiled honestly.
"...Thanks."
"... ...You, only that part of you just won't change..."
Being unable to be himself, he rummaged his hair with a scratch, SEVEN exclaimed and began to head back to the base camp briskly. What, Ash looked puzzled, and in a voice with laughter, Billy said. Just as Ash thought, though he could feel some poorness in his expression, Billy seemed to be enjoying in his own way.
"...About you, the impressions of your thanks and passions are surely honest and unaffected ever since we met."
SEVEN was aware that he himself was considerably naive, severals moths after he left the desert, he went to the forests, visited different towns, and continued his trip. He was considerably that, but his companion Ash was also. Both of them knew nothing towards the unknown world, were at the bottom of the bottom of ignorant.
With bitter smiles, with new discoveries, with the joy of success, they cleared many quests without pausing. When he noticed, their hunter ranks had rose quickly. At last they saw the right to challenge G rank, incidentally, the time for them to look back came. In other words, now was the time for them to look back.
Ash said he would return to the town.
He knew he would say that one day, but he had completely forgotten about it was his real motive. He hadn't directly thought of the past and future. Just a little, as a result of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow being too interesting, he couldn't think how or what he would become one year later, three years later, five years later, or ten years later.
Ash said he would return to the town. He suddenly understood that one year had passed. Even though he had said that it should be the right time, SEVEN didn't understand what on earth the right time was.
By his remarks, he suddenly reconsidered this one year, recalling himself one year ago, he understood instantly how worthy this one year had been. He knew it was still not enough. The cells inside his body also, his consciousness also, wanted more.
(The large world, did you ever think of seeing it)
Isn't it too early to return yet. Instead of return to the place we originally are in, shan't we go ahead to new places first. Though he wanted to say so, he endured it. It was merely his own selfishness.
"SEVEN. You're not sleeping"
"Yeah, Billy-han. What are those in your hands"
"Fish."
"Brilliant"
"I'm going to smoke them... By the look of Ash, this is going to be quite a rush trip."
He was completely in his dreams. He may not possibly be watching a dream either. After crossing two mountains, he had finally consented to take a rest. Billy hit him and persuaded by questioning him what he would be able to do once he reached the town in a state of tiredness, Ash finally promised. He must be getting considerably worried.
She is calling. She is crying. I must go. Like a complain, like an illusion, Ash repeated his mutters. As if he was being possessed by something, he was with undivided attention. Sakura. SEVEN had once seen the girl with vaguely dreadful long red hair.
She was having a pair of extremely stern eyes, he thought.
Completely opposite with Ash, whose eyes were intensively clear.
"What is... Ash"
"...What is...what? What do you mean?"
"... No, I don't really know, how to ask..."
Ah, SEVEN looked up. In short, Billy wanted to know why was Ash so worried. There were many parts that didn't make sense. It was certain. Only around three months had passed since they encountered Billy. Since they noticed each other hunting a lot in the nearby area, they invited each other out together frequently, still the time they spent together wasn't long.
In addition, both SEVEN and Ash, and Billy also, were not people that would talk about what kind of lives they had spent till now. Although the interests of the three of them were different, they were all men that lived in the present.
"That guy, he is the son of a rich family."
"...Oh"
"Before, he was working as a royal knight. Just by chance, he knew me when he encountered some troubles... When he was almost murdered indirectly, without knowing it, I saved him."
He talked about it briefly a while ago. Without knowing how should he talk, he limited it rather ambiguous. It's all right if it's about myself, but it's really hard to speak about someone else.
"With that incident, both that fellow and I jumped out of the place we originally were in... In fact, I don't really know much. All I only know is the details of a part of the incident, but that's it. Maybe if I put my information together with what Ash got, the story might sense somehow."
"...?"
"...You face, is asking why didn't we talk about."
"..."
"...I think both of us, have no idea on how to talk about it"
Handling the fish skillfully, staring at Billy as he cut up the two pieces, SEVEN chuckled in bitter subtly.
"Particularly, it's not as if we're in suuuuuper good terms, it might be better to say it's our first meeting. It's only that we got to know each other by chance, we got stuck with each other by chance, and we flew out of our places together by chance. Something like we come but too late? I don't know what kind of fellow that guy is either, and he must been thinking so too... ... Till now, there's still stuffs I don't know about him"
"...You two sure do stay together well for one year."
"Ye-ah... Somehow, I got out too vigorously, there are some parts that I'm slightly afraid of. If I am alone"
"...Afraid, I see"
"Even though both he and I have some knowledge on fighting, we don't know too much about the world outside. We don't know how to become hunters, we're no good with deciding where should we go either... ... I think freedom is something quite fearful"
Covering the cut up fish with little salt quickly, he piled up the bodies, wrapping the removed bowels with small spicy herbs, he fixed them with a thread, wondering how would they be cooked.
"...Actually, I quite dislike stuffs like fear."
"I know"
"...You know?"
"You are stirred up most when you are frightened."
Removing the bottom of a smallish pan, he hooked it on the little rock sticking out inside. Licking off the salt gotten on his hand, he arranged the fish on the thin rock. Billy's hand wouldn't stop. He wouldn't look up either.
"...Because you hated seeing yourself down"
"...Billy-han, you sure watch people well... What are you"
"...Even if you say so"
"This side can't hardly read any expression. Isn't that mean?"
With a clunk, he covered the top with the cover and took some charcoal from the open-air fire. He put the coal in the middle of a circle of stones, and surrounded it with sawdust. On top of it, he put the pan without the bottom quietly.
"Mine, is something like a sickness"
"...Does that kind of sickness exist?"
"When I was still a child, there was an attack from the Kushala Daora, and the back of my head and neck were wounded. Thereafter, the muscle on my face won't move too well."
"..."
"But, it's recovering"
"...Sorry"
"It doesn't matter"
Because they were said fluently, along with a sigh, the tensed strain and irritation were relaxed at a stretch. He dropped his shoulders, and listened to the popping sounds of the start of smoking.
"...Well, anyway. Therefore, having Ash along, is very convenient"
"..."
"... Actually... I think that he might want to ask about it all those times..."
What do you know, why am I almost killed, why did my brothers let me go, why can't I go back home. Leaving everything, leaving behind all the people, SEVEN himself was anxious about him and he also didn't return home much often, too. SEVEN may sometimes received letters through the guild. A contact was left behind, but still there was no letter to Ash. One year without knowing the condition of his family and important people, SEVEN wondered how he, who loved his family, felt as he spent the time.
What SEVEN could do was to smash all those moments he suddenly thought about it. Being absorbed in a certain thing now in front of his eyes, there was no time given for him to think whether or not to drag him in.
"... That's why, I can't say nothing like don't go back, or don't rush yourself"
"..."
"I am also...tired of, remaining silent... In that way, continuing to be in a daze, and times that he felt like dangling in the air also, happened before"
Running straight forward without thinking about the consequences, was surprising scary. I am going back to the town. When Ash said, when he recalled his past, he suddenly noticed that he had nothing.
Where shall I go. When shall I go. What will I do if I went. What do I want to do. Where do I want to go, what do I want to do, what do I want to see, what do I want to do?
"It might not be bad, to go back, to the starting point."
Though going back to the town, won't be of any benefits to me.
"If Ash doesn't do so, I might, think of myself being boring... By taking part in it, there will also be indebtedness. Even if I bear it in mind... For the time being, I'm accompanying him, and he is accompanying me, we're hunting together."
"..."
"...The world is, wide. Still very wide. It's too wide."
It is already so wide by meeting one person, it becomes wider when I met Billy. His two hands couldn't reach. To the full.
Still.
"...Is it fun"
It was a soft voice, with laughter.
This person really is.
SEVEN didn't understand why would he who was on G rank, go along with them. However, Billy was probably, enjoying himself when spending time together with them.
Because he has caught my characters so precisely.
"Ah. It's really too fun, that it is scary."
Regardless of day and night, at least ten people must watch guard beside the Rathian, many sightseers watched the huge female wyvern on the other side of the rope. One must be followed by a hunter in order to watch it near. Provided a fee would be charged. Even such things were about money, money and money. Under the cover of the night, Sakura ran secretly down the street.
Guarding, of course, continued in the night, still it was only the level of a several people. Rathian rose its head. People concentrated there basically. Therefore, by approaching from the back, it was not often for her to be noticed by other people. Time after time, Sakura healed the cut tail of Rathian quietly in that way. The stocks of potion she bought secretly, decreased slowly night after night. She could feel a strange sense of uneasiness.
(Rathain, hurry, and become able to fly)
Don't stay in this small place, but fly in the sky.
A hill of shadows could be seen, somebody's guffaw could be heard. She bent her waist, lowering her body, she touched the dried blood gathering on the tip of the tail quietly. At first she was always startled and trembled, but as time passed, Sakura became used to it, and could touch Rathian without any movements. Between the gaps of the scale, she poured the potion. She could tell that it was recovering bits and bits, but it would take her thirty years before it fully recovered. At least, let the wounds on the surface disappeared.
Actually, she wanted to let it drink the potions, but it was impossible. With Sakura almost crying out, the potion were poured down the gaps of the scales.
(If you can't do it, die earlier)
I don't want to see you in this shape. Almost crying out, Sakura saved the potion rolling down the hem of her skirt, she pushed herself against the wounds. The tissue fluid oozing out, dyed her clothes into light yellow.
(Why Ian, why can you, why do you live for such a long time?)
Times of ten days had already passed.
Traps were set up many times, its body was carved right after re-growing, tears were shed, still the the eyes of the Pink Rathian shined strongly, never becoming vacant. It could be seen enduring something stilly. With the stomach sticking to the stone pavement, it would not move. It must be running out of strengths, as even when traps were set, it had stopped lifting its head recently.
Finally, she put her hands onto the wound and prayed. Putting her forehand to the back of her hands, she prayed for it to be cured faster. It might just be a mere soothing. However, with unlimited faith, Sakura only prayed earnestly.
(Rathain, hurry, and become able to fly)
When a pair of fire wyverns settled their residence on the ground, a pair of twins were born. A pair of red haired twins.
Her childhood friend, and she herself, both liked the story so much that they competed with each other to see who liked it more.
They admired the drawings of the two beautiful wyverns dancing, the red-haired twins riding on their backs. The children with the same red hair thought of them and promised to go to meet them someday. Rathian was special to Sakura. The queen of the land. There was no objection for the wyvern to be called as the dragonlady, for its strength and nobleness. It was an existence not supposed to continue lowering its head to humans.
It was the moonlight that let her noticed about the shadow standing behind her without a sound.
"?"
I have been found. The moment she wanted to turn around, like a soft push, she was being kicked up on the flank, without much of a pain, she rolled into the shadow of Rathian's wing. She was lucky as a voice rose before she looked up and said what. Sakura held her breath. Her heart was beating incredibly fast, and her head was hot. However, with the feeling of a keen-edged blade, Sakura bore the welling up.
"Hey, what's the matter"
"Hmm-––, nothing. It was after all, without the tail."
"Yeah, someone cut it off during the first fight... ... What, you wanted it?"
"Hell yes. If there is I'll want anything. It's about my living."
"It'll be good if we can get some wyvern tears"
"There're all taken away by some great people"
The voices went away little by little. At the same time, her breathing became slower too. The shadow stared outside without moving. Appearing suddenly was a light flash of blue. Probably the color of the eyes.
"...On your left side"
"...?"
"It seemed to be born in the evening. It'll be poor if it is found. Bring it along"
The man's voice sounded as if it's nothing, like lines used to stop idle gossips, he said as he pulled himself back and turned his ankles. Tack, tack, tack, the loud increasing footsteps, were probably, trying to let Sakura escape easier.
(...Born?)
She reached her left hand out. With a squeal, a round high-pitched voice was heard. She opened her eyes widely. The searched stomach of Rathian, was heaving gently. She put her hand below it. There was a tepid touch at her finger-tip. With a gulp, she pushed the stomach up and looked. She could tell that the Rathian stirred its body slightly. Turning it's neck, appearing as it toddled, was something small.
(What he meant, by born,)
"It is because, Rathian, is a female...!"
In this set-up, it would be really hard for the Rathian to lay eggs. The reason that it wouldn't raise a head even when traps were set must be this. It was no doubt, premature birth. Occupying the arms of Sakura completely, the small little blue wyvern, looked up at Sakura's face, with a purr, it rose its sweet voice again.
Dragging it out, she carried it in her arms. It lifted its wings slightly. She looked around, right and left quickly. The moonlight was shining at the place, in the direction where the people were. It may took her longer to go back, she picked to return through a darker path. Sakura sighed greatly, hugging the squealing child towards her chest. I know it may be painful, but can you stay silent for a while.
She took off her shoes before standing up. She became bare feet. She was not allowed to make a sound. Holding onto her shoes with one hand, she hugged the small blue child once more.
(Please be quiet,)
The Rathian resting so closed to her that she could feel its temperature, howled slowly. Without overlooking the instant silence, she started running. She held her breath. Bending its body, swinging its cut tail, she ran away from the light without minding about the pebbles that may cut her bare feet. The growl of the mother wyvern continued. She was not noticed. Surely, except that unknown hunter, nobody noticed her.
Rathian, is helping me.
(Ian, I will definitely return you, and your child to the sky)
The groaning sound became far away. Did something scared it. No, it's just that you're scary. Laughters. She could feel her heart almost protruding out from her mouth, her eyes, and her chest.
Trying to stand between the passage the girl ran and the hunters working together, Riku moved crossing his arms. Laughing with his companions as they made fun of a unknown hunter who jumped up and down because of the groan , he sighed secretly deep inside his heart.
(Guess I'm still too naive)
Younger brothers, younger sisters, or children. I'm the weakest towards these phrases.
The reason why this captured Pink Rathian appeared at this town, was probably because of it's hunting ground, the forest and hills, were now flocked with a large amount of Yian Kut-kus. Including subspecies, an innumerable number of bird wyverns crowded. The day before yesterday, he too, was there. Thinking he would be able to rake in, he went and visited, but unexpectedness out of unexpectedness, all the close-distance hunters were staying in the town, and only long-distance hunters gathered there. During the three days fighting in the storm of arrows, there were too many times he was shot at the back by the other arrows, he got browned off and ended everything by retiring from the quest in the name of clearing it earlier. He aimed chiefly at amusement as he went to visit the town. Why were the forest and hills so messed up with arrows and bullets.
So that's why all the close-distance hunters are gathering here. Subspecies of Rathian is very unusual in this area.
With the power it got, Yian Kut-ku shouldn't be a great enemy, but the story would be different if it's a group of them. And Riku was one of the few hunters, that knew the fact that the body of a pregnant Rathian would turn into a beautiful transparent pink. He understood at the first glance. It was at rage. Yet, it behaved. It was one of the excusable choice when the mighty had something ought to protect. Looking carefully, the sharp rising under its chin, was strangely keen. There was no doubt, that it was pregnant.
(If it's carrying children, it will be difficult to bring them up among a big army of Yian Kut-kus... pretty consent that why it ended here without moving)
Actually, just a little, it wanted only food, it targeted human for predation only. It was what called the providence of nature that it was being defeated.
Still, humans, had sympathy.
(It is a mother. Though they were pierced through, the wings were curing. Along with it, this fellow, probably isn't afraid of its own death at all. It will take time for it to fly again, this is just chewing a sword till it recover... ... They are making too light of the vitality of wyverns. Just as expected from the town. It will be dangerous not knowing the terror of monsters... ...)
He patted the cheeks of the wyvern quietly. The eyes larger than his fists scowled at him. Wow, you're fierce. Laughing thinly, he touched its bare teeth. With the mouth being tied up in circles, it was only possible to groan.
"Hey, lady. If you're doing your best, show me some guts."
He whispered, and he pushed a max potion into the gap of its teeth.
What an unskillful way of carving, SEVEN looked puzzled at the dead Aptonoth. They were one step before reaching the town, they approached the area below the forest and hills where rumors said that a large crowd of Yian Kut-kus were flocking there. Passing by many hunters, they learned that few Blue Yian Kut-kus were left. They declined the invitations to join the hunt as they were in a hurry, the hunters would only chuckled in disappointment. Among a bunch of long-distance hunters, the existence of them forming a party with only close-distance hunters, they hoped that they would become stouthearted companions with them. However, they did not have such time.
They would depart from the base camp in the early morning, hoping to enter the town by noon. It would be hard for the gate of the town to open even if they proceeded at a time like this. Sleeping in a big place was better than setting up a small personal camp on an empty space. Without knowing what was ahead of them, they had to be careful with offers. The early morning mentioned by Billy, probably meant the time when the sun raised to the night. Reaching by noon was surprisingly easy. He intended to reach the time when the gate opened.
Their fatigues increased. The trip was supposed to take one weeks time, yet they proceeded in the speed of three days. To experienced hunters, fatigue of lacking concentration was infinity dangerous. Somehow Ash seemed to understand it, nodded in a troubled pain, he obeyed the suggestion of Billy quietly. To start with, SEVEN agreed to that suggestion also.
There might a chance that the town was still dangerous towards Ash. They weren't inexperienced hunters that couldn't guess. They would proceed well-prepared.
Stooping down, he examined the carved part, the stomach of the Aptonoth. There was no traces left by the carving knife provided from the guild to hunters. It looked like as if it was being sliced with a weapon by force. There weren't any traces of it being eaten by beasts also. Now even the meat of Aptonoth was well known for the good flavor of its marbled beef, would decline. Considering the food, the deterioration would start early depending on the cut.
The body was there not for long as warmth remained, the people that hunted the Aptonoth shouldn't be anywhere far. SEVEN looked around. He found a tall tree. With the lance on his back, he climbed up the crooked rough tree. Not allowing himself to fall into the darkness that he couldn't see his hand, he climbed slowly.
He was unable to sleep. Not because of the anxiety, he thought. Falling asleep was originally a better way. As if dry wind continued to blow within his body, he couldn't calm down. And SEVEN was comparatively, used to that feeling.
It was something called as a premonition, or omen and feelings. There were many times since the old days that SEVEN felt something with his cells.
He looked at the direction of the town from the tree. With the surrounding falling into pitch-darkness, the star and moonlight drifted in the outskirts. His eyes concentrated. SEVEN had good sights. He was exceptionally good among the present party members.
He could see a figure riding on a horse. He could see the hair waving in the air. It was moving strangely fast. Even if it arrived at the town, the horse would be wore out.
"...To a commoner without the knowledge of weapons, she must be quite skillful to kill a Aptonoth alone"
SEVEN was convinced that it was Sakura without any second thoughts.
Yet, he couldn't come up a reason for her to look for fresh meat in the midnight. Does she really want to eat meat so much, half-joking as he thought, no way, he denied the possibility. Otherwise, there should be a reason for it to be in the midnight. She wasn't allowed to buy it under publicly.
"I have a bad feeling, about this..."
It felt weird. She must be in a hurry, he thought. There was no reason for her to create such circumspection. After all, it was only a sense.
"Is something the problem?"
A voice called out from below. He looked down unexpectedly. A hunter he did not know, sharing the same base camp, waved his hands to him. The hunter held a calmer demeanor that seemed slightly older than him, but the aspiration was light. It wasn't a height he couldn't get down. SEVEN then threw his body down. Making a thump as he landed. He stood up and looked at him.
"It's really dangerous around this time"
"It's a fine thing to say, I got it"
"I know."
"What about you. What are you doing wandering in here at this time?"
"There's a kind of plants that only blossom in the night. I come to collect them"
I never know there are such plants, he thought as he looked back towards the town once more. Dozing off, he tilted his head, is something wrong? the hunter asked him again.
"...Is something, happening in the town"
"...Why?"
"No...somehow"
"You don't know? There is a Rathian captured in the town now."
A Rathian.
Captured.
He ruminated, repeated, understood, and frowned. What does he mean by captured.
"It flew to the town suddenly, and the hunters gathering there fighted along with the Chivalric Order. With many chances piled up, it was captured alive. It became a study for the researchers, and produces some sightseeing effect also. ...I'm not interested so I come over here. All the close-distance hunters are guarding in that place. For safety, on the other hand, they can earn some money also."
"...Capturing it, that's just too dangerous..."
"The people of the town doesn't understand much about the terrors of monsters... Well, with that amount of hunters gathering there, and the knights seemed to be working properly, I think it won't end in a tragic."
You should better return earlier too. With a gentle childish smile too young for his age, he waved his hand.
"If there's a Rathian, there may also be a Rathalos. Maybe it's already flying around this area."
He stepped onto the grass and walked to the other side towards the caves. Being at a loss, SEVEN trotted back to the base camp. Pulling the cloths, into the dark outside, he shook his friends who were sleeping without a movement. With absentminded eyes, Ash got up slowly. Billy had also woken up without a sound. He told them what he knew.
A Rathian seems to be captured in that town. This might be getting slightly difficult. But it's just a sense. He could tell Ash had completely waken up by the words. Billy started to begin his outfitting, and continued to arrange his baggages. Ash carried his sword on to his shoulder without a word.
The explanation was simple but extreme, it was an answer of that level. However, both Ash and Billy knew.
Whether it was a good thing or bad thing, the senses of SEVEN were always proved right.
"Ash"
He hailed him. Towards him who planned to go outside the camp, SEVEN stood in front of him keeping his cool.
"Don't get impatient. Don't get too confused too. Everything is gonna be fine"
"...?"
"There is a corpse of Aptonoth. The traces of carving left are quite a thing, it's not done by a hunter. It should be around one hour ago. I climbed up a tree, and looked at the paths... ... That, the red hair, I think it is Sakura"
"...?"
"I don't know for what reason she wanted those meat, but-–... The fact that she left the town, means that there's a way in besides from the gate... Do you have any idea"
After taking a deep breath, Ash lowered his eyes. As they waited still for an answer, his red eyes flashed under the moon.
"When we're children, there's a path we used for fun... But I don't know if we can get through it or not, since we've grown quite a lot...If it is there, then probably."
"Really?"
Ah, SEVEN thought casually. The eyes of Ash were always in a sadden color of clear red. Though he had seen only once, but the eyes of Sakura looked as if they were burning flames.
However, they may not be always having the same eyes, he thought casually. Though the tiredness still remained, still Ash looked in front with his eyes seemed to be shockingly burning deeply.
By the time they reached the town, the morning sun dyed the cold thin air in the area, a breeze a little colder than cool touched the gate in front of them. Slightly away from the gate was a wall, with a hole that could be passed through by a child, Billy swatted his hammer against it without stopping. The sound of the stones breaking into pieces must have sounded through the street. But, there were no signs of people being surprised. The people walking by did not pay attention to the sound.
"It's surprising that no one seems to be interested... ... It is such a loud sound"
"It's such a thing."
Billy noted very serene.
As they walked towards the central plaza of the town, the amount of people gradually increased. It was a considerable number. Without stopping even if he tripped, Ash set his foot into the ground where a sad shriek echoed.
Under the sunlight that made its body shone, was a pink beautiful wyvern.
"... ... Subspecies"
"That's...really rare..."
Beside SEVEN who exclaimed in admiration, Ash clutched his fist. With a rope tied around its neck pulling gradually towards the direction of the clock tower, the wyvern shrieked painfully with the tips of its wings twitching. The swords piercing through deeply, shaking its raised head, it whined as if to implore.
Something was dripping from its stomach.
"...The breeding season"
"Aren't they smashed"
"Even if they are laid, they would be smashed under this posture... No, some might stayed"
Among five eggs, three were broken. Only two were left. In comparison with Rathian, they were considerably small eggs. It's premature delivery, Billy muttered.
"It is a miracle that they aren't discovered till now..."
"...Ash. Are you going?"
"...Let's go."
He answered as he bit onto his lip. The Pink Rathian. Sakura must have seen this. He recalled his childhood friend being excited when she saw the wyvern of this color from the country in east. In what kind of thoughts. With what kind of feelings.
(...It can't be like the fairy tale, Sakura)
He recalled the story of the fire wyverns that would never give in to anything. It was unshapely. Being tied to the ground like this. Being unable to fly. Losing its children. Still, it was the logical sequence of the world.
"The guild first... It's better to decide a center to move around."
"Which direction is Ash's home. It's a quite far from here right"
"Then I'll go. I'll confirm for the three of us... ... I'll go back first. SEVEN, go with him."
"Sorry, Billy."
"Thank you."
"Ahh."
"Here. Isn't that Billy. What are you doing."
Putting up his hand as he saw the two off, what shall I do now, just as he turned around, he saw a recognized face, waving his hand lightly, walking towards here.
"...Riku"
"Why come to the town. Aren't you staying at the jungle for the time being?"
Smirking with a unique smile hanging on his cheeks, Riku tilted his head lightly.
It was convenient. Billy stopped his legs from turning towards the guild.
"I'm having a little trouble. ...What's, with this"
"You haven't heard about it? Somehow, it seemed to be irritated in the breeding season. Many Yian Kut-kus occurred in the forest and hills. With those influences, it wasn't able to build a nest. Though it seemed to turn its prey to human beings, it got defeated... ... The eggs seemed to be early too, and most of them are unripe. What a misfortune."
Shrugging his shoulder, he looked at the Rathian filled with pity, and aimlessly at the rope pulling the Rathian by force. It might be trying to let itself lay down, or it might be trying the chew the rope off. The hunters that were collecting the remaining of the destroyed eggs from the stomach, all raised of voices of entreaties.
"...I only stood on guard for one overnight, and I already earned a very large sum of money."
"The ghost of money as usual."
"Why, because it's me."
A sigh. With his chin, he gestured towards the collected eggs.
"What are they going to do with those things. Eat it?"
"No, aren't they going to present them?"
"Is it, to the king... Then I'll understand."
"What, you don't know about that too? I think it's someone known as the fire wyvern princess."
Fire wyvern princess. It was words he had never heard of at all. Billy pressed for a continuation.
"Even Billy should know about the Clan of Fire Wyverns in this town"
"Yeah"
"That, among the head families divided into two, the youngest daughter of the family succeeding the genealogy of Rathian?"... Her name seems to be, Sakura. Seems like that, she was born when the subspecies were discovered, and she was named after it. The name isn't from this area, but a country in the east... Though I heard that she is still young, there's many men proposing to her."
"...Propose? Why?"
"Who knows. Isn't this a marriage into a wealthy family? I'm not interested in it, but the fact that the subspecies landed in this way on the town, being so seems to be reasonable-––, something like that. Rumors said that, she will marry the guy with the best present... ... Well, it's just rumors, nobody knows about what exactly is happening"
Maybe somewhere and somehow the story end up like this, who knows? Riku narrowed his dazzling eyes, and he gave a slovenly big yawn.
"Ah, I'm sleepy... ...So, something like this, all the fellows carve and take from it, it's to a really to a great extent. The money is great. Everyone is blinded, and they make money in that way even from the bleeding blood."
"...You also, right"
"I don't go 'not coming in (Note1) ' to that extent-–––? There is nothing as scary as getting something without giving any, Billy. If you don't work properly, collateral will be demanded somewhere, there is also retribution."
Yawning widely once again, are you going to the guild?, he said to him.
(Note1: Not coming in is a slang used in Japan signifying that one is carving and will not join in the hunt, which is like I'm not coming into the hunt)
Billy nodded, then let's go, Riku laughed.
"I'm gonna set off as soon as after I take a nap"
"...Immediately?"
"There's a Rathian that laid eggs here. ...Isn't it common sense to hunters that the love of the fire wyverns are deep"
Laughing frivolously, Riku waved as if nothing mattered.
"The guys that doesn't work properly for money, will receive retaliation by all means... The humans that took everything from this wyvern without fighting, will no doubt have a certain retaliation waiting for them. I have no intention to commit double suicide with it at all"
"...?"
"This should be a couple...Rathalos will come. By all means."
Riku knew the voice of her calling out to him, that she tried to fly into the sky desperately.
"...There's no reason for it no to come... One of them, hatched. It should have heard the cry of that fellow... Everyone knows that the bond between wyverns are so deep that human beings cannot understand."
"...What? Hatched, you say?"
Riku only, laughed.
Rathian crunched the preys caught by itself, and fed them to its newborns mouth to mouth. At that time, inside its mouth of sharp teeth, in order to prevent injuring its child, a projection was developed gently under its chin. It was soft but keen, the child ate the liquid of food dripping from there. Trying to make is closely resemble as much as possible, she went out at night with courage, grind the raw meat with hot water together, she soaked it with a cloth. Letting it drip from the top, she fed the small child of Rathalos. Raising a squeal, the child of the blue wyvern, pulled the cloth with a power that couldn't be think of as a child, drank steadily.
Feeling good, as she heaved a sigh of relief, Don, Don, the door of the room was knocked on. She ignored. She had a hard time wiping the dirty mouth of the wyvern child. Despite its a child, a wyvern was a wyvern. She paid scrupulous attention to not cut her finger by the sharp teeth.
"My lady! My, my lady!"
"..."
"My lady! Please, give me an answer!"
"What... I'm tired of pretending to be princess Kaguya (Note2)"
(Note2: Princess Kaguya, a main character in the Taketori Monogatari)
Covering the wyvern child which was looking puzzled under the quilt, she quietly opened the door. The face of the new maid was flushed with red, and in her hands was a big red gem with the size of a fist. Sakura gulped. It was a gem she had never seen.
"The people that came with this, wants to meet my lady"
"...This is"
A Rathalos Ruby.
Oh, finally I can't escape. She nodded as she almost cried. Tiding her hair, straightening her back, she took a deep breath. Still, Sakura had not given up yet.
"Let's go"
"Y, yes!"
Be quiet. Whispering to the child under the quilt, she closed and locked the door. Though it is still unable to breath fire, it might damage the room within a short period.
Wait, in front of the door to the room, she took a deep breath. She lowered her eyes and laid emphasis deep inside her eyes. She would not lose. She would not escape. She would be honest. With her readiness forming calmly, she grasped the handle of the door.
What entered her sight, was red.
"..."
She started running without thinking. She understood that he was turning back with a smile. She jumped towards him without minding. It didn't matter if the surrounding found it dumb. He came home. He came back!
"Welcome back...!"
She understood she had cracked her whisper. Putting strengths into her arms that circled around his neck. With a squeeze, she was touched by the feel of the hug. Ah, he become an adult also. A wider back, taller than herself, he had grew, his hair lengthened also, and the familiar positive smell.
"Welcome back, Ash...!"
"...I'm back."
The voice returned to the ear was low and soft.
With a jerk, a shock ran through her body. She could tell that Ash held his breath.
"It...hurts! How dare you incite our touching reunion!"
"It's creepy to watch! Don't go too far! Seriously, I've been thinking this before but the two of you being together are very embarrassing! Really embarrassing!"
"Who cares just let me indulge myself in this long time reunion!"
"I'm fine with the girls doing that! But, Ash you're like, different!"
"Who cares about that! Don't tell me, you're jealous! Just because Sakura is cute, I'm not giving her to you!"
"I reject with all I've got! It doesn't matter just don't say stuffs like that with a serious face! Ahhhh this is embarrassing embarrassing creepy! What kind of character setting are you aiming for!"
"I don't want to be commented by you!"
What with this, she could tell that the air surrounding was overwhelmed. She let go of her arms. A smell of soil. Oh, he must surely ran straight towards here.
"Sakura, what is the meaning, of this?"
"...What, this?"
"The engagement or proposal of marriages or something incomprehensible, seriously what's-–––– the meaning of this"
His mouth was originally bad, now it was worse. Trying to prevent herself from bursting into laughter, Sakura slowly handed him back the Rathalos Ruby.
"It's against my will too"
"Lady Sakura!"
"Why did you call me?"
"You heard it?"
"I heard it. That's why I came"
Oh, just as I thought. An unknown hot thing yearned inside her, Sakura slowly took a deep breath. Somehow it seemed to become joy.
Surely even though he came back, the situation would not change. Under the condition that the Rathian was caught, the suitors would only continue to increase. However, it doesn't matter. Ash came back. My other half came back. With that alone.
(I, shall be fine.)
I can again look straight forward.
"...Ash. I'm going to incite once more"
"...You really like to destroy the mood..."
"Outside is weird. I can hear screams"
As soon as SEVEN muttered, the ground rumbled. Screams. She staggered involuntarily, the arm in front that became stouter supported her. What is happening. Ash looked towards the entrance.
"Warning! Warning! A wyvern attack from the sky! All citizens please evacuate to the shelter immediately! Warning! Warning!"
Gong gong gong gong, a loud sound rang, somebody shouted in a louder voice.
He heard it and interpreted it, when he understood it Ash started running. He followed SEVEN who started running earlier.
"Ash!"
"You better go to the shelter faster!"
"Ash! No, please don't kill Ian!"
"?"
"Please don't kill Ian!"
I don't understand what you're thinking, he stopped as he thought, with entreating eyes of his childhood friend, she shook her head sadly.
"Please don't, that child has done nothing wrong!"
"Here Ash! Let's go!"
"...,"
"What are you hesitating about! It's one hundred percent that a Rathalos has come! Such a small-structure town will end up in an inferno by one breath!"
"But,"
A tsk towards the hesitated Ash.
"Are you in a position to listen to what she says! You are a hunter! How many fire wyverns do you think you have hunted till now? If you become a hunter with a resolution that can be shook by the words of a woman, then knock off!"
"...The Ian has done nothing wrong! It's you guys, the hunters that take things away from that child for money!"
"That is the principle of the our world! Stop bullshitting me... Are you in a mind of letting the town be destroyed because of a personal reason! How many people do you think will die! We're doing it because there's no way to avoid it, if we do not fight we will only die! Just like that Rathian!"
"...,"
"If you are at a loss then don't come! Ash! You back off to the shelter also! What's with, staying a hunter for the rest of your life! Let alone your arms, even your heart become weaker, there's no no way I can entrust my back to such a guy!"
SEVEN turned back and ran out. Ash couldn't move. As if his legs were stiffen, he could move.
Sakura rushed towards him. He couldn't move. The finger-tip touched his arm. He thought in astonishment.
(I,)
What is a hunter. What is a monster. What is the relationship between a human and a monster.
That child has done nothing wrong. That Rathian, according to the rules of the survival of the fittest, has only try to prey on humans. And what of the people, that captured it, that took from it.
(What is wrong,)
Sakura, even you, killed a Aptonoth which only merely lived, didn't you take the meat from it?
"No-––wait-––troublesome! You come too early! Make it after I go back! Seriously no way-–––!"
"Stop complaining and support"
"Billy-han's scary"
"I'll send you flying"
"I am sorry"
He pulled the bow till it reached the very limit, aiming at the body dyed in a deep blue, was a beautiful big fire wyvern. The King of Skies, Rathalos. Just as he thought they were a pair.
With a whizz, along the orbit of the bow an arc was drew, it took off. The hammer brandished, aiming at the crown of the head, the Rathalos flapped its wings immediately. Staying in the air above the captured Rathian, indiscriminately, it discharged breathes of fire.
"Hey, Riku"
"Hm?"
"What happened to guidance of the people"
"I think it'll be fine somehow. The guards and Chivalric Order in this town are excellent. Few by few other hunters will come too... There, just like that feeling"
He looked towards the course he pointed at. A lance with recognition. Lightly, dodging to the side, looking up at the sky.
"SEVEN!"
"...Billy! I'm not wrong, right!"
"...?"
"I'm not wrong about it, right! Hunters hunt monsters! And things like sympathy aren't needed!"
"...Billy. What's that"
Well, looking puzzled, the presence above Billy's head flew to the front. Riku jumped backwards. Fireballs flew into the place they were a second before. The ground cracked. Smoke was left.
"Where's Ash"
"I ditched him!"
He uttered with anger, SEVEN then took out a flash bomb from his pocket. A shriek, towards the falling shadow, several hunters clustered towards that place. Rudely, he made a sound posing with the lance.
"I never think that he was such a guy...! He hesitated about his way of life by a roar of a woman!"
"..."
"We shouldn't have come! Damn it!"
He was awfully angry.
This is rare, Billy saw off the figure of his back running with a fierce look in his golden eyes. Even if we don't go, it will be enough with that amount of people. When the Rathalos flew to the sky, and dropped to the ground, we can just participate in determining where the spot is.
"...He's keen, that guy. Your friend?"
"That's right."
"What's he angry at?"
"I don't know..."
He looked back. Two figures with red hair were running towards here from a far distance. Raising an eyebrow, Riku looked up. That girl, if I remember properly, was the one from last night.
"Ash. What did you say to you"
"...Eh, that...erm,"
"Please don't kill Ian"
Sliding to the front of the puzzled Ash, was a girl. Billy blinked his eyes once. She resemble Ash closely very much. She must be Sakura.
She is having quite a pair of severe intense eyes.
"Please don't kill Ian! It's you guys that capture it willfully, it's you guys that injured it as you please! That child, has done nothing bad!"
Billy narrowed his eyes. With that alone, he was able to tell what happened roughly. There was no wonder that even SEVEN was angry. He could understand why Ash was at loss. This girl, is still, young.
(Probably, she don't know what a person called hunter is well)
Then, there's only one thing to say.
"...Is Rathalos fine"
"...Eh,"
"That means Rathalos will be fine."
"He asking whether killing the husband will be fine, la-–dy"
A laughing voice sprang from behind.
"Well, if its husband is killed in front of its eyes, the wife will start to destroy the town too without care. No matter how devotedly you tried to cure it, the opponent is after all, a monster, lady"
"...!"
"If you're wishing for a tragedy of your family being killed in front of your eyes and the town being destroyed, I won't stop you though. It will feel good to become the heroine of a tragedy."
Towards the shrugging Riku, Ash raised his eyes. An explosion. The morning sun. The sky becoming blue. Cloud of dust.
"You, what happen to a better way of speaking"
"It's because we're thinking that such a thing will be impossible, that's why we can make such a remark."
Returned with a keen sentence, Ash looked at Billy in surprise. With a smile floating on his lips, Riku looked at Ash with a cold stare.
"Try imagining. Inside your arms, your family with limbs tore off by a monster, crying it hurts it hurts, the scene of them losing their temperatures little by little."
"...,"
"...Why, did you, help me"
Riku laughed. He laughed a lot.
"I, hated then. Such battles"
"...I don't like it very much, too"
Towards Billy uttering in unison, Ash cocked his head. For an instant, he looked backwards at the captured Rathian. The eggs by its legs, were all collected by hunters.
"...If you can't do it, then shall I drive you into the a situation forcing you to do it?"
He looked brightly at the next development, he tried to stop it but he wasn't in time. Riku took out his bow quickly, drawing an arrow to the full extent, straightly, it shot through the rope tying around the neck of Rathian.
The anger of Rathian for killing the things it was supposed to protect, was so strong that it might affect the god. It didn't mind about being pierced, it waved its released neck and flapped its wings, freeing itself from the many swords. The wings being torn up and not able to fly, were cut down by the hunters.
It ran on the ground, destroying houses, breathing fire, creating a hell. The anger was linked to the Rathalos, he spitted out fireballs indiscriminately. He could hear the screams of people running away. In the central covered in dust and heat, Ash wielded his sword. In the whirling up heat, he was confused inside his head.
If we do not fight we will only die. The words of SEVEN echoed deep inside his ears.
The sword bounced off. The tusk gouged at his body. Pain. The smell of blood. Being unable to transfer the prostrating hunters to a safer place, he could only wield his sword.
They were breathing. Sakura. She was the person he wanted to protect.
(Please don't kill Ian)
Why did Sakura, say something like that.
The sword with hesitation was weak. It bounced off. His movements were dull. Still, his field of vision cultivated in battles for a long time, allowed him to see the Rathalos gliding far away. He turned his body and dashed out in exchange. What he saw in front was the back of a figure he recognized.
Ash blew off that shadow with all his power. The shadow flying to the other side where a cloud of dust was stirred, the body went into the gap between the Rathalos trying to land as it flapped its wings. It was a reflexive action.
"SEVEN,"
Hey, if it's you.
"What will you do if it is you"
"What!"
"If a Diablos was captured and was forced to taste the hell on earth, what will you do?"
He liked them. He longed for the strengths, he pursued their shadows, and repeated loving them. Under an open situation, the moment of exchanging blade with a fire wyvern, Ash liked it most. He exchanged his sword as if he was communicating with something he loved. Respecting their lives, and he slaughtered them again.
If someone else, captured them, without being able to fly as they lived, under the situation that they were tied to the ground, he wouldn't accept it as valid. Surely Sakura must be so too. The two wyverns that flew in the sky, filled with pride were loved by the two of them.
Like the fairy tale, brave and daring.
"It's sick!"
"...Then, why!"
"But, still I, am a human being!"
The words were told as barks, his body became stiff.
"I'm different from Dia! Even though we might be able to coexist, still I am a human being, Dia is a wyvern! They live on things they can eat. Seriously, it's sick, you will surely think why. But this is reality. This is a hunter!"
"..."
"I don't like it not being a fair fight, but that's just playing house! The Rathian was captured... and that's it!"
"But, I, think it's wrong!"
No. Such wyverns, aren't wyverns. Fire wyverns that doesn't fly in the sky, aren't fire wyverns. Such weak wyvern doesn't deserve to be hunted. It is unworthy to be killed. It is the human beings that take their dignities they originally have away, and look down on them, and they continue to take everything away from them.
Caring about their own interests, are humans.
"Still both you and me, are human beings!"
They were delicate and small, the things they owned were few, therefore they were greedy, and cared only about their own interests.
Remaining small, as if they were taking care of big things, as if their misunderstandings were serious, their heads only became bigger, caring only about useless things.
"Fight!"
If it's now you surely would be able to.
Because, both Rathalos, and Rathian too, are free.
"You and those fellows, are different creatures!"
He grasped, onto his sword.
(...Fight,)
Because they are different creatures, the exchanges of lives can be made.
He wondered who were the twins of red hair in the fairy tale. At least, probably, they wouldn't be themselves anymore.
Just like the Rathalos gliding in the sky, I was born and brought up, protecting the town where my important peoples are, is no doubt more important.
(I was blinded,)
Surely, I, wasn't looking.
Ash looked at the front.
He looked at the front with awfully severs intense eyes.
The people, staring in a distant circle, whispered about Sakura, who was weeping bitterly in front of the body of Rathian. That is the nature of the child born later.
The child born later was said to have vicious personalities as he or she defeated the child who was born first in order to divine the warmth of the mother's belly. For that reason even if the child was born safely, he or she would only become a cunning people that pursued for own benefits and held no sympathy towards others.
Sakura was born after Ash. Ash, as one of the hunters that protected the town, received looks of respect from people.
"...This is strange."
"...?"
"Sakura has... done nothing wrong"
She, only didn't know about the world. She is only lacked of consideration.
"She has the same feeling as you had one year ago"
"...Really?"
"Yeah"
"I see..."
They stood in the rear quietly. Tempted by the shadow, the face full of tears raised. She repeated sobbing, and with hiccups, Sakura did not blink.
"...Sakura. I, became a hunter"
"...Uu, uue, uu,"
"I understand that the story of that picture book, is just a dreamlike story."
"Nn, uu"
"...I'm sorry."
He didn't know what the mutters of apology conflicted with. With a squeeze, she jumped towards his waist and waah-waah, Sakura cried. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. The repeated words, themselves were said to for whom.
In the town, the range a little from the center, was awfully stained with soot and crumbled. Under the accurate lead of the Chivalric Order, there were limitlessly few dead people, still the damages weren't no match for the battle with the Rathian the other day.
"...Hey, Ash. Why are the people born afterwards said as an unpleasant people. I mean, you two aren't twins?"
He must have heard the whispers from the surrounding. SEVEN said. Ash patting the back of Sakura, answered.
"The child that came out first is defeated by the child that came out later. ...Surely, we aren't twins. But the story of the red-haired twins remained in the Clan of Fire Wyverns."
"Hmm"
"There are many people repeating it. It's a famous story and,..."
"You can go first"
Unexpectedly, towards the fluently-said words, he looked up. SEVEN seemed to be joyless, he narrowed his eyes and continued.
"You can go first. That side of the world is probably waiting for you too. You want to go to that side of the world earlier, you can go first...This is common in the desert."
"...?"
"The story that the child born later pushed the child born earlier out. ...How a person sees the living world, depends on the sense of values."
You're first. One year ago, Sakura had said to Ash as she handed him the sword.
Within this one year, she was locked up, without knowing anything.
"You're right, if it is captured in that way, and is being carved continuously, tasting the living hell, even I will feel sick. I will agree on that. I think of the guys that did it, a shame to the hunters."
"..."
"I'm sorry...that I shouted at you"
SEVEN then, turned his back. Ash, looked at Sakura who was in his arms.
"...What are you apologizing for"
I'm sorry. He knew about the repeating sights of her, between the place where kneed beside the Rathian, and the places turned to miserable. The hunters that groaned in pain. The people that lost their houses, were at a loss. She might possibly been aware of one end which brought about the terrible sights.
His shoulder was tapped. Billy looked towards them as if he was trying to peek.
"You seemed to be taking care of, the child of Rathian."
"..."
"What are you going to do with, that kid"
The blue child wyvern probably took advantaged of the uproar, and came out of the mansion. The loving figure that was squealing in the arms of Riku, floated outstanding among the people with looks of fear. Riku dandled the child easily, and sat down beside Sakura.
"...What are you going to do, young lady"
This child will grow big soon one day, it will prey on humans, murder people, and become a harm. Sakura understood what was said. She turned to the eyes of question. Riku laughed.
"I'm fine with it. When this child become big, I might be dead already, even if I'm still alive, hunting this child when its big will be worth a rewards... I think I'll feel sorry for killing it as a child. Well but that's my personal opinion."
"..."
"One day... it will breath fire, and create an existence known as hell for people. Even though I did tell you to bring it along out of vagary. That again, is in a condition unable to say."
"You, your personality is really bad..."
"Well, because it's me."
He was not shaken even by the words of Billy. Sakura quietly, reached her hand out to Ash. Her fingers were shaking.
Ash put the handle of his loved sword onto the small fair hand. The wyvern child was lowered to the ground and it looked at Sakura with an innocent look.
She hugged it once more with a squeeze, and she let go quietly. Ash could tell that she tried to prevent her mind from crying. She stood up.
With eyes sad and clear, Sakura looked at the wyvern child.
Towards the head of the wyvern child that cried suddenly, Sakura swung straight down Ash's sword.
Author's Note:
OMG, the percentage of fictionalization can't be measured! If you ask me who is the hardest to write, that will be SEVEN. When I write about Ash, I'll always be listening to songs from Tales. There's no need to hide my love for Riku anymore, right? We need more girls! Hunters should be like this, I tried to arrange it according to my sense of values. The sudden development as usual.
Translator's Note:
The fifth chapter is done! I think I might be able to finish translating one chapter every week. Some familiar faces appeared in this chapter. If there's any mistakes and suggestion, feel free to tell me. Thanks for reading!