Chapter 6 – Löwenbiest:

Author's Note:

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! Monster Hunter XX is coming to the west! It's gonna be called Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. Damn, I wish I had gotten this chapter out last week when it was announced! I gotta say, though… Valstrax as Valfalk's localized name isn't a bad thing. Val still works as a name, eh (I'll still be calling his species Valfalk, probably…)? The only bad thing about MHGU coming to the west is that it's gonna be on the Switch. That's not in itself a bad thing… but I don't have a Switch, and I'm too poor to afford one. So I'll probably not be getting it…

In any case, there were a few interesting reactions to Ruby's 'pregnancy' last chapter, but nothing worth specifically commenting on. This chapter focuses mostly on Zim and his trip to the Arctic Ridge. Please, enjoy!

XXX

Löwenbiest – Lion Beast:

Zim hopped out of the balloon and onto the grass of the abandoned basecamp that once belonged to the Hunter's Guild. The basecamp was in tatters, like many of the other abandoned camps the Guild once owned. The blue and red boxes where hunters once picked up supplies or dropped off items were gone. The bed was nothing more than a pile of lumber. The Hunter's Guild had taken what they could and destroyed what they couldn't.

But Zim didn't really care about the state of the basecamp. The camp was at the foot of an enormous mountain range. While the guild only really cared about the closest mountain, which was a fairly easy climb and not very tall when compared to its brethren, Zim planned on going further into the Arctic Ridge than any hunter ever dared to. It would be the best place to find what he was looking for.

"Stay here. I'm going to be back in ten days, but if, for whatever reason, I'm not back within twelve, fly back to Dundorma and get help… however useless it would be," Zim ordered the Palico who flew the balloon. The apex was already swirling around him, despite the fact that it wasn't that cold yet. The foot of the mountain was actually quite pleasant, with grass growing tall and very little snow to speak of. But once he began his climb, he knew the temperatures would drop below freezing, and he'd need the apex state to survive.

The Palico only nodded, before leaning back against the side of the balloon, thankful that he had brought food. It seemed as if this was going to be a rather long wait. Zim made his way out of the basecamp and straight towards the mountain. The field he had to walk through had several frolicking Antekas and grazing Popos, but he ignored all of them as pulled himself onto a ledge and padded through a cave entrance.

The Hunter's Guild spent a lot of time on this mountain, carving pathways through the base, making it even easier to climb to the top. Despite the amount of time they had spent on the mountain, they abandoned it surprisingly quickly. But Zim wasn't really interested in worrying about the Hunter's Guild at this moment. He was more concerned with finding a Rajang.

Rajang weren't beasts that were easy to find. Like Deviljho, Rajang lived in a lot of different environments, but unlike Deviljho, Rajang tended to settle down in one territory once they found one they liked. And apparently one had set up shop in the Arctic Ridge, if the five-month-old quest was still accurate. Someone living near the ridge sent the Hunter's Guild a hunt request, but no one had accepted it by the time the Harmony Guild took power.

But he wasn't here to hunt the Rajang… he was just here to talk. Hopefully the beast would grant him that much. They weren't exactly known to be social creatures, so he wasn't sure what to expect. For all he knew, the trek out here was pointless, and he'd have to find some other way to unlock his inner Rajang.

The Arctic Ridge was an endless field of white peaks. Traversing the mountaintops and the frozen valleys could have any man wandering for years on end. It was nearly impossible to maintain a sense of direction, unless he was above the cloud line where he could see the sun. He walked, ran, jumped, and climbed for four days straight.

His apex state never left, never faltered, never failed. If he had the time, he would've stopped to marvel at his own strength. But he didn't have the time. He had less than a week left… and if he didn't find what he was looking for soon, he'd have to head back. While his apex state never failed him, thoughts of his own failure pervaded his mind.

This journey was seeming to be more and more a waste of time. He should've been back in Dundorma, helping the new Guild's troops prepare for their last major assault in this war. If the Hunter's Guild had any sense, they would've armed and barricaded Loc Lac with every last soldier they had. They would be prepared for an assault that would rival that of the Harmony Guild's first attack on Dundorma. They would be prepared for Elder Dragons, Zim, and every eventuality under the sun.

But there were no Elder Dragons… it was them who had carried the brunt of the first assault. It was them who helped Zim break through the front gate. It was them that held off Shiro at a great cost to their own lives. With Agni and Frost dead, Fuun still likely recovering, and Angel practically unreachable… the Harmony Guild would not be able to put up the same force as they had during the first assault.

Without proper preparation… they would fail. And here Zim was, out in the Arctic Ridge, searching for something he was probably never going to find. If it was even here in the first place. If he was back in Dundorma, then he could be helping the troops in any way necessary. Strategies, extra training, even time spent scouring over every inch of Loc Lac's blueprints and architecture would be more productive than wandering this white desert.

If it wasn't for the sun rising on the fifth day, then Zim would've lost track of all time, and given up. It felt as if he had just blinked and missed the fourth night. He had no need for rest, nor food. All he had with him were a few hot drinks, enough to keep him hydrated throughout the hike.

It's time to quit, he sighed internally. He had convinced himself the previous day that he would've been more useful in Dundorma. He could've made more of a difference there, even if he had found a Rajang and had been able to learn the secret of their lightning power. It was time to turn back… if he hurried, perhaps he could still spend more prep time in Dundorma.

The hybrid spun around on his heel and began making his way back to the balloon. He resisted the urge to trudge through the snow, as that would only slow him down. He wasn't sure exactly which direction he needed to go, but he figured if he made it back to the edge of the ridge, it would only be a matter of time until he located the abandoned base camp.

Zim lowered himself a bit as he prepared to take off at full speed towards the edge of the ridge, but a loud roar sounding from behind him caused him to pause. And it was a roar he recognized all too well…

The hybrid turned around to see an enormous Deviljho practically glowing red with all the blood pumping through its veins. A mask of red dragon energy surrounded its face, signaling that this was a Savage Deviljho. And it was much, much larger than average, almost certainly a gold crown beast.

"Food… food… food…" the Deviljho panted, its deep voice managing to pierce the sound of the wind whipping around Zim's head. It was tough to tell if the Deviljho was male or female, but it really didn't matter… no matter how hard Zim tried, he would never be able to communicate with the beast before him.

Deviljho were one of the few monsters that were impossible to communicate with. They only knew one word: food. And when they were hungry, which was almost always, they couldn't be talked out of seeing something as a potential meal. But they were rare… and weren't impossible to defeat.

Zim let out a roar of his own, the black mist of the apex state swirling around him even more violently as he prepared for the oncoming duel. A Savage Deviljho was a tough opponent, but with the apex state, Zim was invulnerable. Even though he didn't quite have the reach of the theropod, he was faster, more maneuverable, and likely just as strong.

The Deviljho charged forward while Zim was distracted trying to think of a good way to fight the beast with his bare hands. There was quite a bit of distance between the two monsters, enough that Zim was able to react to the Deviljho's charge without an issue. The hybrid rolled away, but just as he jumped to his feet to deliver a devastating counter-attack to one of the Deviljho's legs, another roar caused him to pause.

It was another roar he recognized… but not because it was a monster he fought many times before. No… this roar was so familiar because it sounded nearly identical to his own. A Rajang! Zim realized as he whipped around to catch sight of the glorious beast.

The Rajang stood on a hill almost a hundred meters away from Zim and the Deviljho. Its fur was standing on end, revealing its true golden color. Electricity jumped between the strands of hair on its back as the beast opened its mouth. The charging of a Rajang's beam attack was rather quick, but the act of one firing it was nearly instantaneous.

Zim couldn't tell what the Rajang was doing to power its attack, nor could he tell where the Rajang was aiming. But, assuming the worst, the hybrid ducked right as the beast fired the beam of electricity. The beam moved at supersonic speeds and easily ripped through its target. The Deviljho's flank.

The brute wyvern let out a scream of pain, its insides turning to mush from the sheer power of the Rajang's electricity. The Savage Deviljho's high speed regeneration kicked in, trying to mitigate the damage, but the wound was serious. It was clear the monster would need some time to heal.

Zim watched as the Deviljho limped away, doing its best to put as much distance between itself and the Rajang as possible. It was rare to see a monster that large and hungry run away from a potential meal, but with lightning being one of its biggest weaknesses, there was no way for it to go toe to toe with a Rajang who had already hit it once.

The Deviljho disappeared into the white wasteland, the snowfall blocking Zim's line of sight to it not long after it limped away. Besides, Zim didn't care about the Deviljho… he cared about the Rajang. I found one! Zim couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he watched the ape-like creature begin making its way towards him.

The hybrid stood stock-still, his apex state still swirling around him just in case the Rajang was violent. Zim had no idea how Rajang even reacted to their own kind… let alone something that was only part of their species. The Rajang's golden fur remained raised, almost as if it was as cautious of Zim as Zim was of it.

The monster exuded an enormous amount of power up close. Its arms were thick and burly, like tree trunks, and its red glowing eyes seemed to pierce Zim's soul. The Rajang was also taller than the hybrid, even though it was down on all fours, and the huge horns extending from the sides of its head only made it more intimidating.

"Who are you?" the beast asked, before leaning forward to give the hybrid a good sniff. It was difficult for Zim to place the gender of the monster… but if he had to guess, he would say male. "And what are you?"

"I am a hybrid… my name is Zim," Zim replied, staring right up into the Rajang's eyes. He wasn't sure what the proper way to greet a Rajang was, so he did nothing in an effort not to offend the monster.

"A hybrid?" the Rajang said, taking a step backwards and cocking his head. "A hybrid of what?"

"Human and Rajang," Zim answered, squaring his shoulders. "Surely you could tell I wasn't an ordinary human… otherwise you would've attacked me."

"Would I have?" the Rajang asked.

"Why wouldn't you have?" Zim replied, raising an eyebrow. "I'm a stranger in your territory…"

"Huh? Oh no, this isn't my territory. I heard something that sounded like one of my kind in trouble, so I came to investigate," the Rajang said. "I didn't see anyone but you fighting that beast. I recognized you as one of those flesh-mammals… but you weren't wearing their monster-suits or their beast-weapons."

"Well, I'm grateful for your assistance," Zim said, glad that the Rajang wasn't aggressive. "And I have no need for human weapons or armors."

"Really?" the Rajang asked, leaning closer to Zim once again, his nostrils flaring as he sucked in the hybrid's scent. "You look an awful lot like the flesh-mammals… they're notoriously physically weak."

"I told you I wasn't just a human," Zim huffed, crossing his arms. "I'm part Rajang."

"No idea what a Rajang is…" the beast admitted, cocking his head.

"It's what you are," Zim deadpanned, pointing at the Rajang. "Rajang is what humans call your species. Do you have another word for it?"

"No… not really. We have names, you know," the Rajang said. "Mine is Ni."

"Ni," Zim said, as if trying out how the name sounded on his tongue.

"Wait… if you're part what I am, then you were the one who called for help?" Ni asked.

"Was I calling for help? I thought I was being threatening," Zim said, furrowing his brow. "I guess I don't understand your… less articulate vocals. Good thing I found you, then."

"Is that why you're so far out here… Zim, is it?" Ni asked. "To learn about yourself?"

"That's exactly why I'm here," the hybrid nodded. "Can you teach me?"

"No… I'm afraid I cannot do that"

"And why not?" Zim growled, interrupting the Rajang. He tried his best not to come off as angry, but there was a clear bite to his tone. Was this really a waste of time? he wondered internally.

"Because I know of a much better teacher," Ni finished his thought, not even perturbed by Zim's snarl. "Come with me." Zim barely had time to take off running as the Rajang leapt off, his strong arms propelling him forward as he easily outpaced the hybrid. It was all Zim could do to maintain visual contact with Ni from the whipping winds and falling snow.

XXX

"Are you going off hunting again?" a voice caused Val to pause in his step. Glancing behind him, he spotted Rachel gingerly making her way towards him. It had been well over a week since he had slammed into her going faster than the speed of sound, and her legs had only just fully healed. She was still a little wobbly when she walked, but that was just from atrophy, she was no longer limping. Her wings, however, had yet to even start healing.

"No…" Val replied, turning back around. "I was going… somewhere. Are you hungry? I can hunt real quick before I leave."

"L-leave?" Rachel asked, her eyes widening. "Are you not coming back?!"

"Yes, I'll be coming back," Val rolled his eyes. "And I planned on bringing food when I got back… but if you and your hatchlings are hungry now, then I can bring you something first."

"Well, uh… yes, we are hungry now… but I'd like to know where you're going? And when you'll be back?" Rachel asked, walking around him to put herself between him and the exit to the cave.

Crazy bitch, Val grumbled internally. He could very easily push past her, but he didn't want to injure the Rathian again. "Where I'm going isn't important, it's not far away. I'll be back tonight… maybe a bit later if I get unlucky. But I'll bring you something to eat before I go. Please move…"

"Unlucky? Where the hell are you going?" Rachel asked, glaring at Val. "I have the right to know."

"Do you now?" Val asked, cocking his head. He resisted the urge to bare his teeth at her, but he did narrow his eyes, summoning his most scathing glare. "I don't have to tell you anything."

"Then I'll never move out of the way!" Rachel huffed, spreading what was left of her wings to make sure she was blocking as much of the exit as possible.

"Get out of my way," Val hissed.

"T-tell me where you're going!" Rachel replied, though she didn't sound quite as confident as before.

"No," Val replied. One of his wings rotated so that the ends that fired the red energy that allowed him to fly faced forward. The tips of his wings spread apart to reveal a type of black wing membrane that held the pieces of his wings together.

Rachel cocked her head in confusion, having never seen him do this before. If she didn't know any better, Val had turned one of his wings into a rather large fifth paw. Rachel barely had time to wonder what the hell he was doing before his wing came smashing down on her back. She was still tender, and it didn't take much force for her legs to buckle beneath her.

She hit the ground with a thud, her hatchlings letting out screams as they saw the elder dragon push their mother out of his way. Val's wing flipped back to its normal position and the red energy bursting from the tips became even more volatile, a low hum filling the air as it did. "I just don't understand why you care so much," Val snarled, before rocketing away at full speed.

Rachel looked up just in time to hear a loud boom, signaling he had broke the sound barrier as he raced away. She bit her lip hard as she tried not to sob… why did she care so much? It was hard for her to even comprehend… maybe she was just curious. Maybe she was just reeling from the loss of her mate, and was desperately trying to find anyone to latch onto. Or maybe she could tell his soul was just as damaged as hers.

Perhaps it was a bit too early for her to make a declaration of love. It had only been a few weeks since her mate died, and it was still half a year away from the next mating season. But even then… she would be lying if she said Val wasn't her first choice.

Rachel let out a groan as she pushed herself off the ground, padding over to her hatchlings. "Is he getting food, mommy?" the red hatchling asked, looking up at his mother with a worried expression.

"Yes… he is," Rachel said as she laid down next to her nest, curling around it as she did.

"When will he be back?" the golden hatchling asked, laying down on Rachel's tail.

"Tonight… he'll be back tonight," Rachel muttered as she laid her head down, hoping that her hatchlings needed a nap as much as she did. She really hoped that Val would be back… for all she knew, she scared him away.

XXX

Ah… yeah, I think this is a better ending than what I originally had down. I apologize profusely for how long this chapter took, I would've tried to finish this in how little time I had after finals a week ago, but I got writer's block. But the block is broken, and I really hope that I'll be able to get chapters out on a more consistent basis. No promises though, I'm going to be a little busy this summer.

In any case… in this chapter we get the set up for Zim's story line… and we progress Val and Rachel's story line too. It looks like the next time we see Zim, we'll have more interactions between him and Ni, his new Rajang friend. And I hope that Rachel hasn't accidentally ruined her relationship with Val… but we'll find out all that and more next time. Stay tuned until then!