Chapter 6 – Due Departure
-.-.-.-.-.
Keyren, Melody, and Gekula stood wide-eyed in front of the strangest creature they had ever seen – or, well, Keyren and Melody did. But the blind Gekula certainly seemed equally as shocked.
He was clearly a hybrid. Taking the form of a teenage human boy with abnormally monstrous features, there was no way he could be mistaken for anything else. But still, you could usually tell what kind of hybrid someone was simply by giving them a once-over. In this case, though, the new hybrid's identity was a mystery.
First and foremost, he wore a plain grey shirt and pants, the latter of which that dragged through the mud. He had a long, slimy tail that moved in a rippling motion. His arms were outstretched, revealing fingers adorned with blunt, claw-like nails. He had bright red fins sticking out of his hair, a pair over his eyes in place of eyebrows, and another pair on his arms. The eyes were a pair of burning orange lights that were just brimming with hostility. Finally, the hybrid's mouth opened in a snarl, allowing a creepily long tongue to slither out and wave in the air in front of him.
Also, the mysterious hybrid boy's posture was unusual. He stood on two feet, but he was bent over with his arms dangling in front of him, like he still had the urge to crawl on four legs even after his transformation. His frightful orange gaze never wavered from the three in front of him.
"Whoa there, there's no need to be scared of us," said Keyren, recognizing the newcomer's defensive stance. "We're not here to harm you, get it?"
Unfortunately, he didn't. He retracted his tongue and let out a ghostly howl. "HUWAAAAAAAWGH!"
Immediately, Melody jumped backwards in fear.
"What is he?" Gekula wondered aloud. "I've never smelled anything quite like him before."
"You're on to something," Keyren admitted, hesitantly. "I… I don't think a monster like him has ever been seen on the Great Continent."
"Really?" asked Melody. "I saw the tongue and thought he was just another, although really ugly, Chameleos."
The unknown hybrid howled again, various fins pricking up with agitation, and this time ejected a blast of purple poison from his mouth. It flew right over the Qurupeco-girl's head when she ducked, and it struck a random Vespoid instead. The neopteron promptly disintegrated.
"Not a Chameleos," confirmed Keyren. "Nor any monster any of us have heard of. This hybrid… he's something new."
Bending down a little lower, the hybrid's hands brushed the ground as he backed away, going into a more defensive stance. He never took his evil orange eyes off of the trio, and his tongue never entirely retracted, as if it were a sword he was uncomfortable with sheathing.
In truth, the Baruragaru didn't know what to think of these strange newcomers. At first glance, they looked almost exactly like the Two-Legs – stick-thin limbs, squishy-looking faces, ridiculous tufts of fur on their heads. But when he looked closer, he saw wings, scales, claws, tails… all the features that separated monsters from Two-Legs. Features that made monsters powerful, and Two-Legs weak.
So if they weren't monsters, and if they weren't more Two-Legs, what were they? Some new threat that didn't exist in the Baruragaru's homeland, across the Big Water?
And judging by appearance alone, the Baruragaru was now one of them.
No. No, that wasn't right. He was a powerful monster, a horror that lurked in the dark, whose name was a symbol of fear. He was a Baruragaru – not a 'boy', not a 'hybrid', not any of those words that they called him.
But the strange, complex language they spoke… he could understand most of it. Including the insults. He hissed at the Winged Female, daring her to speak ill of him again.
"He doesn't like me," Melody whimpered. She looked heartbroken, like she had never before met another being that didn't like her.
"My guess is that he just transformed," Gekula mused. "He's not used to having human instincts yet. He's confused, and possibly frightened. He doesn't know what we are, or what he is."
Frightened? How dare the Pale One assume he was so cowardly? By pure instinct, the Baruragaru used his elongated limbs to pounce forward, the razor-sharp tip of his tongue aimed at the Pale One's heart.
There was a crackle and a sudden blue light, and the Pale One's fist was clutching his tongue. He screeched with agony as a terrible pain shot down the appendage and throughout the rest of his body.
"That's right," muttered Gekula. "Don't touch a Khezu, freak show."
He let go, and the hybrid collapsed. His body shivered as the electricity died out, and he became still.
"Do we have to bring him back?" Keyren protested. "I'm sure Duruhos will understand, since this thing will probably try to kill him at the drop of a tooth."
Melody let out a very loud gasp, as if the Lagiacrus-girl had suggested something unspeakable. "We can't leave him here for the humans to discover! Everything we've been carefully putting together will be destroyed if they find out about us! We're not ready to make contact with humans yet! You know that!"
"OKAY, OKAY!" shouted Keyren. "Don't get your damn tail in a knot! We'll bring Swamp Boy back."
The Baruragaru stirred, no longer feeling any pain. There was no way he'd be antagonizing the Pale One anytime in the near future. So instead, he slipped closer to the Blue Female. She was loud and acted aggressively, so she was probably strong and would offer him protection. For some odd reason, the Baruragaru also found her appealing to look at – the way her figure curved around the chest and hips, in particular, was a trait he found alluring.
At this point, Keyren caught him looking up in fascination at her, and she chuckled. "Between Melody's comments and Gekula's… shocking personality, I think I'm the only one he likes right now."
"Give it an hour," the Khezu-boy snickered. "The more he gets to know you, the less he'll like you."
She swatted him for the insensitive remark. He just grinned that snaggletooth grin of his.
"Come on, guys, stop messing around," Melody said, her voice serious for once. "We're scouts, and it's our job to bring hybrids back to our community so that they can have a home. We've traveled all over the Great Continent for several years now, and now we've found a hybrid who's nothing like anyone has ever seen!"
Nobody noticed, but the Baruragaru cocked his head and regarded the Winged Female curiously. The passion with which she spoke was nothing short of fascinating…
"Someday, when we're ready," continued Melody, "we'll make peace with the humans and finally find a place in this world to call our own. And the only way we can do that is if we scout out the Great Continent and bring all the hybrids back to our community, so we can be ready! It's our job to help prepare for the great destiny we share!"
With a snort, Keyren muttered, "Drama queen."
"Duruhos sent us out on this mission because he thinks we can't do anything else," Gekula added, losing his signature smirk. "The fact that he sent an Elite with us only proves that. He can't trust us enough to do something without supervision."
Slowly, the Baruragaru started to settle down. It didn't really seem like the three in front of him had any intention of harming him… but still, he'd keep his guard up in case they suddenly remembered he was there…
Being trusting got you nowhere in this world, and the Baruragaru wasn't about to start.
"No, no!" the Qurupeco-girl exclaimed. "You've got it all wrong! Our leader sees great potential in us! Our mission is super-important! I mean, if we don't get to the hybrids before the humans do…"
She trailed off, and noticed that everyone else – including the mystery hybrid – was merely staring at her blankly. Their disbelief in her words was crystal-clear.
Melody sighed, and slowly began to walk away from them, only to stop when she was a fair distance from the group. Her back to them, she bowed her head as if in reverence.
"She's going to sing again, isn't she…" muttered Keyren.
Putting a hand over her heart, Melody indeed began to sing. Her voice rang out, solemn and pure, and the words flowed together harmoniously. Despite themselves, Keyren and Gekula were enraptured by the Qurupeco-girl's song…
"Yes, we're very important monsters,
Deceptively brave and strong!
Just watch as we do something right,
When the two of you think we're wrong.
We'll go make Duruhos proud, yes.
He did give us a chance to see
That the ones who will bring us harmony
Are the very important we!"
Melody spread her wings and took flight to the tip of a stalagmite that stretched almost to the ceiling, facing away from the group with her arms and wings spread in a dramatic posture. With a deep breath, she continued her song with even more passion than before…
"We're fabulous, fearsome monsters
That handle life with finesse!
How do they know what we can't do?
They've just put us to the test.
We were born to unite the peoples!
That is our destiny!
Why do they hesitate, not congratulate
The very important we?"
Gliding down from her perch, Melody spun around and smoothly slid over to her friends.
"It's obvious we're made for this!
Our unity's essential!"
Keyren snorted and crossed her arms, looking skeptical.
"If only she'd stop saying that,
She's getting far too much credential."
Melody took her by the hands and looked her in the eyes.
"Look at our skills! We're not that weak!"
Gekula chimed in next.
"In fact, you could say we're quite unique!"
Tearing her hands away from Melody's, Keyren added a few grumpy words.
"If you don't stop singing, I'm going to freak."
Deciding to ignore her friend's skepticism, the Qurupeco-girl spread her wings again and took off once again, soaring in an elegant circle around the group. She noticed the unknown hybrid staring at her with curiosity, and she let a smile cross her face as she sang the next verse.
"We have a very important mission,
A truly impressive quest!
We can't possibly do them any harm,
Because we want what's best!
And when we finally prove ourselves,
Then at last they'll see…"
Gekula:
"How lucky they are to know…"
Keyren:
"Those who brought them from down below…"
Melody:
"Oh, respect they'll finally show…
The very important,
Very important,
Very important we!"
Altogether, the trio finished with a rousing finish of…
"The very important we!"
-.-.-.-.-.
It certainly hadn't been long since Phisto had left the Swamp with the memory of the terrifying leviathan fresh in his mind. And now, he was already returning to find it again, for the benefit of the Guild.
Via Burukku-drawn cart, the journey to the edge of the Swamp had been much faster than his previous travel on foot. The expedition included him, Catry, Caela, Mircon, Zald, and Dozer, and of course the Guild-Master himself. They had enough supplies for several days in the field, including things like Mega Potions and Hot Drinks in case of emergencies. All of them except the Guild-Master and Caela carried weapons.
"How much farther to the caves?" Catry asked, casually sharpening the edge of his Great Sword. "My backside is starting to get sore from this bumpy ride."
Phisto silently winced when he saw what his friend was doing. Watching the Bones boy taking care of his old weapon like that was enough to remind him of his old weapon. Back in Loc Lac, he had owned a pair of Dual Blades made from Gigginox hide. A couple of months after he had been banished, he had lost them in a dreadful battle with a wild monster. Sure, his new Carmine Blade was an awesome weapon in and of itself, but it still wasn't as comfortable as the light, sharp swords that he had once wielded with great skill.
"It won't be long now," he replied, pushing the memories away. "It took me maybe a day and a half to walk from the cavern to Mezeporta Square, so we should be getting close at the speed we're traveling."
"Thank goodness," said Mircon, shuddering. "I never liked the Swamp. I've explored every inch of the Frontier, from the freezing Polar Sea to the barren Solitude Island, but no sub-region gives me the willies quite like this one."
Zald added, "And now, according to Phisto, we've got an unpleasant new neighbor on the loose."
The Guild-Master cleared his throat. "Speaking of which, my boy," he coughed huskily, "but I have been meaning to tell you something."
The Docks boy blinked, and uncertainly replied, "Well, um… tell away, sir."
"I've discussed this with the other officials," the Guild-Master continued, "and they all agreed to go along with it. To state it plainly, Mr. Docks… I would like to invite you on the next expedition to the Sky Corridor."
His mouth fell open.
"Shocked, I see," chuckled Dozer.
To put it mildly! Phisto thought.
This was far too shocking – no, world-shattering. Him, a mere teenager that had never made an important discovery in his short researching career (apart from the new monster, of course), journey to the Sky Corridor?! The mysterious tower that rose from the uncharted mists in the middle of the ocean, said to be packed with ancient treasure and artifacts? The legendary obelisk that was said to be the key to understanding the lost civilization that had died out with the rise of humankind thousands of years ago?
And most shocking of all, it wasn't only the Guild-Master and Dozer. Caela and the other officials were nodding amiably along, wholeheartedly agreeing with the invitation!
"M-Me?" he finally uttered.
"Him?" agreed Catry.
"Yes, you," Zald confirmed. "I'm not entirely sure why, but I trust the Guild-Master's judgement. If he thinks you're worthy, then you are."
"You have great potential, young one," the elderly Wyverian rasped. "Truthfully, I've been watching you since you arrived in Mezeporta. I know where you've come from, and what you've been through. Surviving in a war-ridden world for a whole year with no protection from a Hunter's Guild – not everyone would have made it."
Flush with embarrassment, Phisto explained, "Well, most of that time was spent in the Central World… you know, where the Hero first stopped the fighting… and by the time I got to the Frontier, the war was over."
"Still, my grandfather has made his choice," Caela said, "and I support it entirely. Like he said, you have great… great potential. You're more important than you realize."
Hearing such praise from the woman he'd had a crush on ever since he became a researcher pleased Phisto beyond anything he could have asked for. He was so preoccupied on what she had just said, and concentrating so hard on trying to quell his pounding heart, he didn't notice the worried glance that Caela exchanged with the Guild-Master – like they knew something that no-one else did.
"You seem rather overcome," Mircon noted, pointing out Phisto's crimson cheeks and speechlessness.
He fought with his own tongue to come up with a response without stumbling over his words. "Th-This is such a big honor. Of course I'm overcome. B-But… I'll try to make you all proud. Yes, I'm going to do my best to live up to your expectations by helping you study the Sky Corridor."
He would never have the courage to admit it to anyone but Athena and Catry, but Phisto was really enjoying his time with such high-ranking researchers. Here they were now, sitting around him in the same cart and talking with him, listening to his voice as if they actually thought his words were worth considering. They were here because he – the humble Phisto Docks – had made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. And they said he had potential in him. Maybe he was something special, and he simply hadn't realized it yet.
And the way Caela smiled at him lit up his entire world.
The rest of the trip flew by for Phisto, who hadn't been keeping track of time ever since the Guild-Master had made that big proposal. Before he knew it, the Burukku-drawn cart was approaching an area that he was quite familiar with.
"We're here," he said.
Coming to a stop, the researchers disembarked and gathered up their supplies and weapons. Mircon volunteered to stay behind with the Burukku, to make sure it didn't run off, and also because he wasn't comfortable with venturing any deeper into the Swamp. The rest of them followed Phisto, who knew the area better than they did.
With every step he took, with every disgusting squish that his boots made in the mud, he only grew more excited. It was just like the old days – leading his band of companions across the land with a single monster in mind. Except this time, he wasn't in Moga, and he wasn't a hunter any longer. But all the same, this mission thrilled him as much as every hunt ever had.
This is a hunt, too, thought Phisto, remembering the talk he had had with the Council in Mezeporta. This is the hunt for knowledge.
-.-.-.-.-.
It took longer than expected, but the three hybrids finally convinced their new acquaintance that they were there to help him and that their word was to be trusted.
At first, the Baruragaru hadn't believed a single thing that came out of their mouths. The Winged Female had spoken mean words about him, and the Pale One had inflicted pain on him. Insults and injuries weren't associated with allies, but with enemies. They were obviously lying when they said that they wanted to help. No matter how hard they tried to convince him, he'd never back down, hissing and snarling at them and discouraging them from coming closer.
In the end, though, it was the fascinating Blue Female that managed to calm him down. She bent down to look him in the eye and talked softly to him. The sound of her voice was soothing enough to make the Baruragaru take pause and reconsider his thoughts about killing them – which had been on his mind for several minutes now. The girl that spoke nicely to him was a far cry from the girl who had been so loud and strong, but the Baruragaru found himself liking the change.
Is this what being a Two-Legs is like? he suddenly wondered. Is the change already making me weak?
But the Blue Female was strong even though she was a Two-Legs – albeit one with a tail and pretty glowing lights. Maybe she could teach him to be strong. Maybe he could impress her. Surely a female that attractive had to be worth it.
That was how the Baruragaru found himself going against his better judgement and joining the trio of strange Two-Legs.
Some time after they had left the caves and started trekking across the mudflats that dominated the Swamp, Keyren glanced back and saw that the unknown hybrid was cautiously lagging behind, but still sticking relatively close to her. He still didn't entirely trust them, and he still walked all hunched over as if he felt he should be walking on all fours.
"Doing okay?" she asked him, making Melody and Gekula take notice.
"Sssss…" the hybrid answered, flicking out his tongue.
"I bet he's some kind of leviathan," the Lagiacrus-girl said to the others, boastfully. "He's got that sort of elegance to him. Only a sea monster could be so graceful."
"Elegance?" Melody asked doubtfully, sounding like she still thought the newcomer was hideous. "If you say so."
"But he can't be a sea monster," Gekula reasoned, nostrils flaring open and closed. "We found him on land, and the Swamp doesn't have any large bodies of water. Anyway, we're almost to the random wheat field."
The Baruragaru cocked his head, interested despite himself. That particular phrase, "random wheat field" had come up several times, so apparently it was important. Also, the "hybrids", as they called themselves, talked about this place as if they thought it didn't belong in the Swamp. Whatever a wheat field was, it must not have been very similar to a cave or a bog.
And it certainly wasn't. When they arrived, the Baruragaru found himself up to his face in dry, itchy grass. He reluctantly stood more upright, like the other hybrids, so his vision wasn't obstructed by so much yellow.
In the middle of the random wheat field was a monstrously-large contraption that couldn't have been created by natural forces. It was made of trees, or a material that was kind of like trees. It also had a spinning fan-like thing on its backside, and a huge ball floating above it, attached by weird brown vines. He didn't know it, but the Baruragaru was looking at an airship, which had originally been abandoned by humans and then recovered by the hybrids.
"Finally!" chirped Melody. Her tail flushed red with excitement. "Now we can go home! Come on, our Elite's waiting!"
When they climbed aboard (the Baruragaru needed a bit of assistance, but was a fast learner and copied Keyren's actions), they were greeted by the one in charge of their scouting mission – the "Elite", one experienced and wise hybrid out of four that served directly under Duruhos, their leader.
In this case, it was Cindy, the Dinovaldo-woman with a tail as sharp as a sword and a wit to match. Her dark red dress was made up of scales that were hard enough to protect her, yet flexible enough to move in. The metallic blue spines that lined her back, arms, and shoulders were mineral-like in nature, and she wore a mask made of the same material over most of her face, obscuring all but her mouth and chin – a mask adorned with horns and a pair of fangs. It was meant to resemble the head plating of her dinosaurian kind, and certainly made her pretty scary.
"What have we here?" Cindy growled, peering at the new hybrid. "At first I thought you were another slimy Khezu. But you can see me."
There was a hostile hiss from the hybrid, and his bright red fins again pricked up, the better to warn her away.
"Terrifying," the Dinovaldo-woman drawled. "Keyren, put him in the cargo hold with the others we found. Oh, and let the Deviljho out while you're at it – she seems to have finally gotten the hang of speaking."
Keyren opened her mouth to reply, but Melody interrupted with a warble of concern. "She's the only one? Not the Najarala or the Chameleos?"
Cindy breathed a flicker of flame into the air. "The Chameleos transformed far too recently, and the snake wyvern is a stubborn one. She won't be allowed out until she lets her human instincts develop – which could be weeks."
"With all due respect," Gekula butted in, with that unpleasant chuckle of his, "but our new friend doesn't exactly like strangers. He won't take kindly to another non-speaking hybrid, if you… catch my drift."
"Then you're on cleanup duty if a fight breaks out," snarled Cindy, thwacking his head with the flat of her tailblade. The Khezu-boy reeled from the blow, then gurgled in his throat before slinking away to a shadowed area of the airship.
Perhaps Cindy had noticed that the unknown hybrid had taken a shine to Keyren. Why else would she specifically ask the Lagiacrus-girl to keep him in the cargo hold? Keyren also knew, as she led her admirer below deck, that he'd be comfortable down there in the dark. Maybe the Najarala-woman wouldn't bother him too much, and the Chameleos-boy wasn't mischievous enough to intentionally provoke a wary enemy. The Deviljho-girl was leaving, thank goodness – otherwise she'd probably try to eat him.
"Stay here, alright?" she asked, gently showing the hybrid into an empty cell. "It'll be safe in here, and the others… shouldn't… bother you. Much."
The Baruragaru's tail flicked in an odd, shivery pattern. The discomfort in the Blue Female's voice was discouraging.
"Don't worry, I'll come back frequently to check on you," she assured him. "Mostly to make sure you haven't melted the other inmates with your venom. You're a trigger-happy guy, aren't you?"
Should the Baruragaru tell her that he was out of the poison he had drained from the Red Poison-Spitter? No, better to let her believe he was still dangerous. It also helped that he hadn't yet figured out how to speak in her language.
"Sssss…" he said instead.
The Blue Female smiled, a gesture that made the Baruragaru perk up. That was a good sign, right? Was that the Two-Legs way to show affection?
"Remember," she said, "stay there and I'll be back later."
With that, she left, although not before retrieving a stocky, muscular female with scaly arms and legs from another cell and leading her out. The reptilian Two-Legs grunted something too incomprehensible for the Baruragaru to understand.
The once-leviathan, now a freakish blend of monster and human, curled up on the floor and drifted off to sleep. The angry rattling of his Najarala neighbor didn't disturb him, for the dark comforted him.
Not even the lurch of the airship as it slowly took to the skies was enough to rouse him.
-.-.-.-.-.
The Swamp has a random wheat field in it. What was Capcom smoking when they designed that area?
So we get another peek at the Baruragaru's thoughts, and he's pretty… fascinated… with Keyren. Also, more hints are dropped about the hybrids' lifestyle. More will certainly be revealed in the next chapter.
I warned you in an earlier chapter that this story would involve the characters occasionally expressing themselves by singing. Melody is the first example, singing an altered version of "Very Important Creature" from The Land Before Time VII.
Review, please, and here's hoping you look forward to more musical moments in the future.