Episode 11
The night air hung with the hushed ambiance of Gumboldt's Hunter's Guild. Brilliant, his flamboyant armor gleaming in the dim light, stood before the guild's attendant, a perplexed expression etching across his face.
"What the actual—why is the pay so low for the Great Jagras?" Brilliant's frustration seeped through his words, his brow furrowed with discontent.
The guild attendant, diligently working on paperwork, glanced up with a polite smile. "It's based on a standardized pay rate, sir. The monster's classification determines the reward."
"Standardized pay? Are you kidding me?" Brilliant's voice rose, his agitation evident. "That thing was huge! It required effort, skill, and, might I add, the brilliance of Mr. Brilliant to capture it!"
The attendant maintained her composure. "I understand your concerns, sir, but the reward system is in place to ensure fairness and consistency."
Brilliant, never one to accept defeat gracefully, leaned in, his tone demanding. "Listen, darling, I'm not just any hunter. I am Mr. Brilliant! I deserve a pay that reflects my brilliance. You should be paying me extra for the show I put on!"
The attendant sighed gently, "I appreciate your enthusiasm, sir, but the rules are the same for everyone."
Winter, her voice cutting through the tension, remarked with dry wit, "If Mr. Brilliant needs money so desperately, maybe he should consider taking a quest with a more lucrative monster."
Brilliant, as if struck by a genius idea, exclaimed, "Exactly! You're onto something, Winter! I need a quest worthy of Mr. Brilliant." He turned back to the attendant, his tone demanding, "Give me the most challenging quest you've got. Something like an Espinas or a Tigrex. I'm Mr. Brilliant, after all."
The attendant, still maintaining her polite demeanor, explained, "I'm afraid I can't do that, sir. Quests are assigned based on the group's collective rank, and your current hunter rank keeps the group's rank too low for such high-level quests."
Brilliant's face twisted in a scowl, his anger radiating like a palpable force. "This is ridiculous! I demand a quest that befits my brilliance!"
"I'm curious," Josh, maintaining his composure, turned to the attendant. "Could you please inform us of the current ranks of all the hunters in our team?"
The attendant nodded, her politeness unwavering. "Certainly, sir. Allow me a moment to check the records." She rustled through some paperwork before providing the information. "Mr. Josh is currently at the Hunter Rank of 284, Ms. Winter is at the Hunter Rank of 177."
Winter, her usual stoicism softened by a hint of annoyance, commented dryly, "I suppose I should begin training more diligently again."
The attendant, her tone patient, continued, "Mr. Brilliant's hunter Rank is currently at 45."
"That cannot be right! Check again!" Brilliant's face reddened with anger, and he protested vehemently, "I should be at least rank 200!"
The attendant, unperturbed by Brilliant's outburst, explained, "Based on the guild-wide records, Mr. Brilliant hasn't been actively hunting for the last eight months."
Winter, her sarcasm cutting through the tension, remarked, "So, you're saying Mr. Brilliant is dragging everyone down?"
"Unfortunately, that's correct," The attendant nodded with a slight apologetic expression, "Individually, both Mr. Josh and Ms. Winter are allowed to take on more challenging quests. However, since the two of you are grouped with Mr. Brilliant, the rank of the group is automatically based on Mr. Brilliant's rank."
Brilliant's anger intensified, his face contorting with frustration. "This is preposterous! I demand to speak to someone in charge. I won't be held back by bureaucratic nonsense!"
Josh, ever the mediator, placed a firm hand on Brilliant's shoulder, holding him back. "Calm down, man. Getting angry won't change anything." Turning towards the attendant, Josh sighed. "We'll take whatever quest is allowed for our rank."
The attendant nodded politely. "Very well, sir. The capture of the Great Jagras did raise everyone's level by a little bit. Now, you are allowed to take quests involving more difficult monsters."
Winter, her voice laced with dry humor, asked, "How difficult are we talking?"
The attendant pondered for a moment before presenting three quest options. "You have the choice of capturing either a Kulu-ya-Ku, a Barrioth, or a Pukei-Pukei."
Brilliant scoffed at the options. "They're all so lame."
Josh, opting for a more reasonable approach, suggested, "Let's go for the Kulu-ya-Ku quest then."
The attendant, maintaining her polite demeanor, agreed, "Certainly, sir. However, I can only provide you with the quest in the morning."
Josh raised an eyebrow, "Why is that?"
"The guild mandates a six-hour cooldown period between quests for safety reasons." The attendant explained calmly, "You will have to return in the morning to obtain the quest."
"Unbelievable! This is an affront to my brilliance! Do you not recognize greatness when you see it?" Brilliant's animated anger echoed through the guild, drawing a few curious glances from other hunters.
Winter, now getting accustomed to Brilliant's outbursts, simply sighed. With an exasperated expression, she grabbed Brilliant by the arm, pulling him away from the counter. "Come on, Mr. Brilliant, let's not make a scene. You're practically a novice hunter at this point."
Brilliant, his ego wounded, shot back, "Novice? Me? I'll have you know, I was hunting monsters while you were still learning to tie your shoelaces!"
Josh, ever the mediator, approached the counter and offered a nod of appreciation to the attendant. "Thank you for your assistance. We'll be back in the morning."
The attendant maintained her polite smile. "See you then."
Outside the guild, Brilliant continued to fume, resisting Winter's attempts to guide him away. "Unhand me, Winter! I demand justice! This is an insult to my brilliance!"
Winter, unimpressed, released her grip on Brilliant once they were a few steps away from the entrance. "You're making a fool of yourself. Save the theatrics for the stage, Mr. Brilliant."
As Josh exited the guild, followed by the Palicoes Gizmo and Mosh and the Palamute Shiro, he observed the heated exchange between Brilliant and Winter. "What's got you so worked up, Brilliant?"
Brilliant, his frustration unabated, pointed back at the guild. "Did you not hear? I'm being underestimated! Me, Mr. Brilliant! They treat me like I'm some low-ranked rookie."
"The guild-wide records says you ARE a low-ranked rookie," Winter, her sarcasm cutting through the tension, remarked, "Maybe if you spent more time hunting monsters and less time indulging in culinary conquests, you wouldn't be stuck with low-ranked quests."
Brilliant shot her an indignant look. "I have my priorities in order! The world needs to witness the brilliance of Mr. Brilliant, both on and off the battlefield!"
Josh furrowed his brow, his curiosity getting the better of him, asked, "Why haven't you been hunting for eight months? That's quite a hiatus."
Brilliant, with a dismissive wave of his hand, retorted, "Well, you see, Joshua, being Mr. Brilliant is a full-time job. I have admirers to charm, culinary feats to conquer, and the stage to grace with my presence. Hunting is but a small fraction of my multifaceted existence."
Winter, unimpressed by the deflective answer, chimed in, "I call bull. What's the real reason?"
"Winter, my lovely," Brilliant, feeling the pressure, shot Winter an annoyed look. "not everything is as black and white as the sun that rises every morning from the east. There are nuances to consider."
Winter, unfazed, started walking back towards the Hunter's Guild. "If you're not going to be straightforward, I'll go back and ask to be taken out of this team. I'd rather hunt alone than be stuck with unnecessary baggage."
Brilliant, his pride wounded, hurriedly called out, "Wait, Winter! You can't deprive yourself of the magnificence of Mr. Brilliant!"
Winter stopped in her tracks but didn't turn back. "Then tell the real reason, Brilliant."
Brilliant let out a heavy sigh, his usual bravado momentarily subdued. "Fine, Winter, you want the truth? I find hunting a chore. It's messy, it's tedious, and those monsters, they all stink! I mean, how am I supposed to maintain my impeccable image covered in monster gore? Being a performer is a breeze, and the pay is infinitely better than this hunter nonsense."
Josh, genuinely perplexed, questioned, "But if you dislike it so much, why are you here hunting?"
"Because I need money!" Brilliant, his frustration returning, snapped back. "The Wegen Theater won't let me meet their chief playwright to ask for a role. The nerve of those people!"
Winter, her sarcasm tinged with amusement, turned around and remarked, "So, Mr. Brilliant is essentially unemployed and taking on hunting quests for pocket money."
Brilliant, defensive yet defiant, crossed his arms. "I'll have you know, Winter, it's a temporary setback. Once they realize the brilliance they're missing without me, I'll be back on that stage, dazzling the audience."
"Temporary setback or not," Winter walked back to where Josh and Brilliant stood, "you're still stuck hunting monsters for now."
Josh, sensing the tension among the trio, stepped forward and placed a hand on Brilliant's shoulder. "Look, Brilliant, we're already a team. Our collective best interest should take priority. If there's indeed something happening to the world, then it's our duty to help out. And that means helping you raise your rank so that we can take on bigger quests together."
"Well, aren't you the noble one, Joshua? Always thinking about the greater good." Brilliant, his ego slightly assuaged by the touch of camaraderie, scoffed but didn't resist. "I suppose it's in the best interest of the world to witness the brilliance of Mr. Brilliant."
Josh, with a patient smile, continued, "Exactly. We'll help you raise your rank, take on more challenging quests, and who knows, maybe your dazzling performances will become legendary tales alongside our monster-slaying exploits."
Winter, glancing back at the duo, injected her characteristic dry humor. "Legendary tales or cautionary ones, time will tell."
Brilliant, conceding to the collective goal with a dramatic pose, declared, "Fine! Fear not, for the great Mr. Brilliant shall be the savior of the world!" Shiro, his Palamute, howled in apparent agreement.
"You know," Winter, unfazed by the theatrics, turned to Josh and remarked, "things would probably be much faster if it's just the two of us, Josh."
Josh, understanding the sentiment, nodded. "Perhaps, but if not us, who would take care of Brilliant?"
Winter sighed, acknowledging the truth in Josh's words. Brilliant, seizing the opportunity, started striding away. Josh called after him, "Where are you going, Brilliant?"
"To the nearest tavern, my friends! The newfound spirit of Mr. Brilliant deserves a feast!" declared Brilliant with theatrical flair.
Winter, glancing at Josh, remarked dryly, "Is he never not hungry?"
Josh chuckled, "I've known him for only half a day, Winter. I'm still figuring that out myself."
Without missing a beat, Brilliant noticed a woman walking down the street and immediately approached her with his usual charm. "Greetings, beautiful rose of the night! Pray, reveal to me the whereabouts of the finest tavern in Gumboldt."
The flustered woman pointed in a slightly bewildered manner. "It's-it's just down the street, that way..."
Brilliant, undeterred by the woman's discomfort, flashed his most charming smile. "Ah, my dear, the stars themselves envy your radiance tonight. A tavern, you say? How about we make it a night to remember, with the brilliance of Mr. Brilliant illuminating the proceedings?"
The woman, clearly uneasy, stammered, "I-I appreciate the compliment, but I must be going..." She tried to excuse herself, but Brilliant persisted.
"Oh, my sweet celestial muse, don't rush away just yet! A night with Mr. Brilliant is an opportunity of a lifetime. Join me, and together, we shall dance through the tapestry of Gumboldt's nightlife."
Winter, unimpressed, intervened. She pulled Brilliant away by his armor, and Josh apologized to the woman for Brilliant's bold actions. The woman, clearly uncomfortable, left the scene.
Winter, with a stern look, addressed Brilliant. "Can you, for once, be a civilized human being?"
Brilliant, brushing off Winter's grip, retorted, "Ah, my dear Winter, you underestimate the charm of Mr. Brilliant. That woman is as lovely as the stars up on this bright night's sky."
Winter shook her head, muttering, "Incorrigible."
Undeterred, Brilliant shifted his attention towards the direction of the tavern. With a flourish, he began walking, declaring, "Tonight, my esteemed companions, we shall have a feast to honor the heroism of Mr. Brilliant that is bound to unfold. A feast for the ages!"
Winter shot a glance at Josh and remarked, "If he eats like a Deviljho, I want no part in dealing with the bills."
Josh chuckled, "Come on, Winter. Feasts are good for building camaraderie. Let's just go along with it."
Winter sighed, resigned to the inevitable chaos that seemed to follow Brilliant wherever he went. The trio, with their Palicoes and Palamute happily following, started making their way towards the tavern. The night embraced them with the lively ambiance of Gumboldt, and as they walked, the misfit team looked ahead to the unknown adventures that awaited them. The episode concluded with the trio disappearing into the warm glow of the tavern, leaving the night to weave its tales.
