"Guild Knights?" Mellow repeated, looking across from her to see Gales just nodding his head. "Guild Knights are here?"
"Yeah." The Hunter muttered as he scratched his head. "They took over operations at the guild hall, and they're going to be setting up an expedition to try and hunt down the Deviljho." He told her. "So everyones gonna be heading out in a few days, for now though, we're just getting ready." He admitted.
"An expedition?" Across from the two Andrew decided to speak up, raising his good arm to his lips as he started to think. "Do we have enough people for that?"
"Hard to say." Mellow muttered. "You, me and Anya are gonna be out of commission for a bit, so that just leaves him." She gestured to Gales. "Nox's team, Sonya's team, and Thorn." She stated. "That's ten hunters in total. Twelve if you count the Guild Knights that showed up and thirteen if Calista volunteers to join the Expedition. That's more than enough for an expedition, but there's also the issue with supplies." She added. "Medicine, ointments, and food are obvious, but what else will we need?"
"I think you're overthinking it." Gales spoke up. "Given what we're all up against, I doubt that we'll need all that much - or at least not enough supplies to prepare for a long term expedition." He stated. "The target's a Deviljho, so it shouldn't be that hard to track, if anything given its eating habits it'll probably come running the moment it spots us." Gales muttered as he seemed to think for a moment. "Even if we can't see it coming because of its camouflage abilities, we should at least be able to hear it, right?"
"True but still… depending on where it's heading, you might be stuck chasing after it for a few days." Andrew muttered as he looked at Anya. "Right Anya?" The girl in question stayed silent as she seemed to stare off in the direction of a window. "Anya." The bed bound girl still didn't say anything, instead just seemed to stare off into space before Andrew raised a hand to his lips and whistled.
"Ow." The Huntress muttered as she patted one of her ears and looked to the side. "I told you not to do that, my ears are sensitive."
"Well, you weren't responding when I called." Andrew muttered as he looked at his partner. "What's up?"
"Nothing." Anya muttered as she seemed to stare off into space again. "Just thinking that's all."
"About what, the Deviljho?"
"The Guild Knights." The Huntress muttered as she looked at her partner. "How are they here?" She asked. "Even if we sent word to another Guild Hall or even the main Headquarters, it would have taken them a few days to get here." She muttered as she narrowed her eyes. "It's only been a few hours since we found out about that creature being out here. How did they get here so fast?" The three others fell silent as Andrew raised a hand to his chin.
"You think they were already aware of this thing."
"A Deviljho shows up out of nowhere - a mutant that can camouflage of all things - and hours later the Guild Knights show up offering to help take care of?" She muttered. "Don't tell me you think that's a coincidence."
"It's probably not." Andrew admitted after a while. "They were probably following this thing for a while."
"Maybe…" Anya muttered as she returned to her thoughts. A knock on the door was heard as the group fell and turned. Gales walked over and pulled the door open to reveal a familiar face.
"Thorn?"
"What are you doing here?"
"A girl can't visit?" The Huntress asked as she stepped into the room, sparing Gales a glance as she nodded her head. "Gales."
"Hey." He muttered in response before looking back at the other. "I'm gonna step out for a while. Garm's probably bored out of skull from sitting in the main room for so long."
"Right." Andrew muttered. "See you later Gales. Leaving the room, Gales made quick work in returning to the Clinics waiting room.
"Who's a good boy~ whos a good boy~" When Gales found Garm he was lapping up all the attention he was getting from the rest of the clinic guests, his tail was wagging left and right as children went about stroking his fur. Gales just smiled at the sight, and made a quick whistle to get Garms attention sent his way. Without warning the malamute got to his feet and bounded over to his partner as the two left the clinic, to the light protests of a few kids.
"Sorry to pull you away from everyone." Gales admitted. "But we should get you some food and try to get you to use the bathroom." He stated. "I don't think the clinic would be happy to find out you may have just taken a dump on the floor."
Garm made a noise, one that sounded a bit like 'fair enough' as Gales led him off.
One much needed walk and toilet run later, Gales found himself leading Garm back to the Guild hall, and he found it a bit quieter than usual.
Honestly, it was a little weird.
Sure, there's still plenty of noise to be found filtering about in the surroundings, but if you pay attention, you'd notice that the noise does seem quieter than usual.
Besides, there's also this… feeling in the air. Something heavy was floating about that was either being avoided or just ignored.
And if he was going to be honest, he had a feeling he knew what it was about.
"Gales!" Hearing his name, the youth turned to see that Karma was waving him over to a table.
"Hey Karma." The youth muttered as he walked over with Garm in toe. "No Nox and the others today?"
"Nah. Not today." Karma muttered as he reached for a drink and swished it around in his cup. "They're getting ready for the expedition." He admitted as Gales took a seat and looked at the waitress and made a 'two more' gesture.
"And they left you alone here because~"
"Whether it's in the field or out shopping, I'm useless unless I get my head on straight." Karma admitted as he released a shrug as he gestured to his cup. "So they left me behind so I can work through a few things and get my head on right."
"And liquor does that for you?"
"Not liquor." Karma remarked as he saw the waitress set another mug down next to him. "Thank's Luna." He passed one over only for him to pass it to Gales. "Have a taste."
Without much reservation Gales took a sip, an eyebrow raising as he realized something about the brew.
"It's tea?" Karma smiled slightly.
"Back Home we called this brew Dragon's Fire." He noted as he took another drink with Gales following right after. "I find it helps calm my nerves." He admitted as the two fell silent and continued to drink for a moment. "What do you think?"
"It's tasty." He admitted taking another drink before looking at Garm who was staring up at him expectantly. Without much prompting he looked around, flagged down a waitress and made his request. "A bowl of kibble please." Garm barked, as if trying to make sure the waitress knew who it was for.
"Coming right up." Was all she said as she smiled and walked off.
"So." Gales began. "What do you think?"
"I think we're fucked." Karma admitted as Gales just chuckled.
"I doubt you're the only one who thinks that."
"I know, right?" Karma chuckled this time as he took another drink. "We're in a really bad situation here." He admitted. "We're too few and we're going to be going after a freak Deviljho." He muttered as he took a breath. But if we don't go out and do this, who will?" Karma asked as Gales just returned to his drink. "We could just let the Guild Knights handle it, but…" He frowned.
"You don't trust them, do you?"
"Can't say I do." Karma admitted. "We may both be part of the Hunter's Guild, but Guild Knights and Hunters don't always work well together."
"Why's that?" Gales asked as Karma fell silent, downed some of his tea and took a breath.
"Let's just say I have my reasons." Karma admitted looking at Gales as he seemed to release a weak smile. At least before he seemed to realize something. "You're eyes…"
"Hm?" Gales brushed a bit of his hair to the side as he looked away. "Oh yeah, they're kinda weird, right?" He asked as Karma mentally kicked himself as he realized something.
"Sorry." He muttered. "I didn't mean to come off as rude, it's just…" He paused. "I've never seen someone with the eyes of a wyvern before."
"I get that." Gales admitted as he went back to his drink.
"I mean I've heard the stories, but I've never seen them myself."
"Stories?" Gales muttered as he seemed to think before making a noise. "Ah~ you mean those stories, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised they made it this far west."
Karma just made a noise as he seemed to nod his head. "So anyway, do you think you're ready for the expedition?"
"Not really." Gales admitted. But whether I'm ready or not, I'm still gonna take part." Garm barked at him as his bowl of kibble was brought out and set down. "Sorry, we're gonna take part."
"Packaged deal huh." Karma smirked as he looked at Garm as the hound started eating. "Well, what do you think you need?" He asked. "Bombs? Traps? Poisons?"
"A few extra hands would be a good start." Gales admitted. "I know more people are tagging along, but a few extra hands might do us good. Question is where are we gonna get them."
"We'll Palicoes are always up for helping us out." Karma admitted. "And they may not look it, but they are handy as all hell." He admitted. "Just gotta know what your looking for."
"You know any that can use a bowgun?"
"I wish." Karma chuckled again as he patted his bowgun next to them. "I wish I knew one who could use one of these. I wouldn't spend all my time covering my team."
"Ah~" Gales smiled before noticing something curious. "Wait, are those…" He muttered as Karma raised an eyebrow. "You use Repeaters?" He asked, pointing downward.
"Ah, yeah." Karma muttered as he reached for his side and pulled something off his waist. It was… well it looked like a bowgun, but there was just one problem, it was too small. Seriously, even though this thing was probably the length of his arm, it was far too small to even count as a Light-Class a word he unloaded one of the guns and handed it to Gales. "Not the best weapon I know, but I like em."
"That's all the reason you need, right." Gales took hold of the repeater as he seemed to examine it.
If the longsword could be considered a weapon from the Eastern continents, then the repeaters could be said to come from the Western lands. He'd heard there used to be a joke about Westerners loving their Bowguns so much that they not only made the Mid and Heavy variants, they also downsized them so they could carry multiple at the same time.
Gales continued examining the weapon in his hand, rotating the cylinder before knocking it back into place before realigning the barrel.
If he remembered correctly, Repeaters were basically light-class Bowguns, with an even lighter weight class so they could be used one-handed. They weren't 'tricky' weapons to use, but they were a bit of a contradiction.;It was a ranged weapon but it was more effective at close range; not the ideal place you wanna be when you plan on going out as a Gunner and be away from all the claws and teeth.
"How many of these do you keep on you?"
"Just two." Karma admitted, gesturing to his other hip. "These guys are for when I'm stuck getting close or surrounded, and this one." He patted his folded up bowgun. "This is for when I need to hit hard."
"Makes sense." Gales muttered, passing him his repeater back. "What about the reload issue?" He asked. "You only have two hands."
"It took some practice but I can reload these guys pretty fast." Karma stated. "Helped that the others usually cover me though."
"Right." Gales muttered as he seemed to think.
"Anyway, back onto you." Karma put his repeater back on his waist. "There anyone you got aside from Garm you're willing to trust with watching your back."
"I do." Gales admitted, returning to their drink. "They're just not here, that's all."
"Where are they?"
"Don't really know." Was all Gales said for a moment. "We parted ways after graduation. I headed out in this direction, they took another route."
"I see." Karma. "Friends from the Hunting Academy, sure are nice to have."
"Siblings actually." Gales corrected. "They're my siblings."
"Ah~ siblings." Karma made a noise. "How many you got. One, two? Three?"
"24." Karma nearly spit his drink out.
"Excuse me?"
"Well technically I have 74 siblings, but we… lost most of them." Gales muttered before looking at Karma.
"You have 74 siblings?" Realization crossed Gales face as he scratched his head.
"Oh sorry. I guess that does seem pretty out there huh?" He chuckled. "I'm adopted." He admitted. "My school adopted me and my siblings when we were all little." He explained. "As for my adoptive 'parents', well they're all really just staff at the school I was raised at."
"I see…" Karma muttered. "For a moment there…"
"Please don't finish that sentence." Gales asked as he took a drink. "It's already in my head and I don't need you to say it."
"Right." Karma stated as he finished his drink. "So… let's get back on topic…" He muttered as he seemed to think. "We have a few days before the expedition, so what might you need?" Karma muttered as he looked at Gales' greatsword. "Greatsword main huh…" He paused as he seemed to think. "It's slow but it's powerful…." He noted. "What's your Hunting Style?"
"I alternate." Gales admitted finishing his drink. "Depending on the situation I switch between Adapt, Aerial, Striker, and Valor."
"That's four of the six styles." Karma noted. "You don't specialize." Gales shook his head.
"Fraid not." He admitted. "I don't specialize, so I can't bring out a single style's full potential like others can, but I'm more versatile."
"Right." Karma muttered. "Versatility huh~" He rested a hand on his chin. "I wonder…"
"What is it?" Karma didn't say anything for a moment as he got to his feet. "You mind coming with me somewhere real quick? I think I have an idea."
