Monster Hunter: The Lost Hunter

Ch. 2: Choose your Weapon and Palico

As Erid and Dedria walked into this new area, Erid was once again captured by the sight and spectacle of this seemingly simple yet advancedly crafted area. It is so colorful, cheerful, and inviting as well, just like the rest of the town! It was a training ground with obstacle courses, practice dummies, a shooting range, and even giant mechanical mechs made to look like different huge beasts. People were all over the place, sparing, crafting, or doing exercise reps in large groups with a leader at the front shouting orders. It was like a fully fledged military base, but made of simple material in an older age and a dash of fantasy sprinkled in for pazazz.

As they walked, Dedria told him, "These are the training grounds. This is where you'll hone your skills and talents in order to survive in the outside world." Erid still said nothing, only looking around in awe as he followed behind the man.

Eventually, they made their way to a smaller part of the training area, where several rows of wooden racks held various weapons.

Dedria motions to the weapons and says, "Now, the first thing you have to do as a new hunter is to choose your first weapon. These are the 14 weapons utilized by the guild for any and every hunt. You may pick whichever you like."

Erid immediately ran up to the rack of weapons, scanning through all of them quickly before his eyes landed on what he could only describe as the world's largest sword! It almost looked like the dragon slayer from Berserk, but with a little more stylistic flair. And just like the dragon slayer, it was over three times his size!

"What's this one?" Erid asked while pointing at the impossibly large sword.

"That would be the great sword. A very viable weapon in the art of hunting. With it, you can-." Dedria began to explain, only to stop when he saw Erid trying and failing to lift the weapon.

The young man grabbed the sword by its hilt but was unable to move it even an inch. He pushed and pulled on the blade, but it did not shift off the rack. He only managed to make it shift significantly in one direction, allowing him to try to fix his grip. So he turned around, put his arms behind his head, and grabbed the hilt, trying to pull it or flip it over his head. He pulled so hard and strained himself that his face turned bright red.

Suddenly, he stopped trying and displayed a very uncomfortable and placid expression, which did not go unnoticed by Dadria.

"I think I pooped," Erid said, making the older man slap his forehead.

After Erid had cleaned himself up in a nearby bathroom stall, he immediately went back to trying out all the weapons one after the other. The heavy bow gun? Way too heavy, just like the great sword. The light bow gun? A bit lighter, but he couldn't move very fast with it or at all.

The bow? Much better, but he kept missing or couldn't put the arrows in fast enough, or just not notching the arrows altogether. Hammer? Same as the great sword. Long sword? It was much lighter than all the other, but after nearly taking off Dedria's head, it was a definite nope!

Switch axe? Way too heavy, and when it wasn't heavy like all the others, he had no control over it and ended up being pulled around! Lance? He fell over and couldn't see anything past the shield. Gun Lance? Same as the last, but ended up flying off as I took a practice shot!

Hunting horn? Way too heavy, and he couldn't hold a tune even if it had a handle. He was so bad that birds fell from the sky! The dual blades? Light and easy to wield, but he quickly showed he wasn't capable of being responsible with them as he sliced a wooden pillar into fragments and broke the weapons. Charge blade? Still too heavy and even more uncontrollable.

Eventually, Dedria got sick of all this nonsense and, in an irritated tone, told Erid, "The only two weapons left are the sword and shield, and insect glaive."

Erid thought for a moment and said, "The sword and shield sound good."

So Dedria nods, goes to the weapons rack, pulls out the weapons, and attaches them to the younger man's arm and hand.

Erid looked down at the weapons and asked, "Where is it?"

"You're holding it," he replied.

"That's it?!" Erid exclaimed while looking at the sword and shield, observing aloud in complaint, "How is this a weapon? This is an oversized knife and a dinner plate! Am I fighting or going to a fancy steak house?"

Dedria growled in frustration and half yells at him through gritted teeth, "Then the insect glaive is the only one left."

So Dedria takes a two-sided spear and puts it into the young man's hands, where he asks, "How do I use it?"

"You can vault off of it and attack a monster from the air, or try to land on the monster to mount it. In addition, it can be used like a pike or double-bladed boe staff." Dedria explained.

Erid looked at the staff for several seconds until his eyes began to sparkle with excitement. He exclaimed, "I can fly with this!? Awesome!" Before Dedria could explain that this was the wrong way to look at it, Erid was already using the insect glaive's primary purpose surprisingly well.

He bounced off the staff with such ease and kept that same momentum going, even turning, twisting, and spinning his body like a trained professional! He bounced all around doing more and more tricks before screaming like Tarzan as he sailed over Dedria's head and then promptly crashing into a stack of barrels.

"I'M OKAY! I think." Erid quickly yelled. Dedria gave a sigh, went over to pull the young man out of the pile, and stood him back up. Once back on his feet, Erid inquired, "But wait, what's with the insect part?"

"It comes with a small insectoid creature called a kinsect. They can be used to distract monsters or take their essence to make your attacks more powerful." Dedria told him.

Suddenly, a bug that looked like an oversized rhinoceros beetle, which was the size of a small dog, came out of nowhere and latched onto Erid's face!

The boy screams and yells as he runs around, "AH! GET IT OFF OF ME!"

But Dedria grabs him mid-run while telling him, "Calm down; it's just the kinsect!"

Surprisingly, Erid calls down, and the giant bug shifts onto his shoulder. Looking at the bug, Erid asks the older man, "Oh, where does it go? How do I hold it?"

"Usually on your dominant arm," Dedria answered.

The bug moved from his shoulder to his right arm, where it hooked itself to his forearm. Unfortunately, it was much larger than he realized. In fact, it was so big that it took up most of his entire arm's length!

"It's a little big," Erid observed.

Dedria puts his chin behind his fingers and surmises, "Must be a mutant. Don't worry, we'll just get rid of it and get you a new one."

Dedria reached out to grab and crush the oversized bug, but realizing what the man was doing, Erid covered it with his body and yelled, "No! Don't hurt it!"

Dedria sighs annoyedly as he tells the boy, "The guild has strict restrictions and guidelines on weapons and how their automation is supposed to function and appear." But Erid gives him the biggest, saddest, wateriest, pleading puppy dog eyes he has ever seen. Even though he is a hardened man, he breaks and says, "Fine, you may keep it for the next six months."

Erid's celebration quickly turns to confusion as he asks, "Six months!? Why only that long?"

"That's how long its life span is," Dedria explained while walking off and motioning for the young man to follow.

As Erid followed behind the man, the big went back to his shoulder and Erid whispered to it, "Then I'll love you for the rest of your life. And I'll call you Bugsy."

Bugsy seemed to like its name and the promise made by the young man. Vibrating its wings with pleasure as it used its feet to feel the young man's face.

Dedria then brought Erid to a small building no larger than a shed, but it was longer, and a small attachment was added to the sides. It was very colorful and eye-catching, but he couldn't make sense of what it was. A sign was above the front door, which was two curtains, but Erid had no idea what the words meant.

Dedria motions to the small building and says, "Here is where you will get your starting gear. Go ahead inside, and they'll get you set up. Once you kill your first monster, you'll be able to use the parts to make stronger gear."

Erid carefully walked up the stone steps and opened the curtains to look inside. It was dark, and no windows were around to let in light. He stepped in a little closer, but something suddenly yanked him inside! As the sound of tussling and Erid's unpleasant vocalization could be heard, Dedria casually walked around the building to its back end, where Erid was ceremoniously dumped out.

As the boy regained his bearings, he got up and realized that his old clothing, which looked like advanced underwear, was now covered by a beautifully crafted set of leather armor. (Imagine the starting armor from Wilds)

As he looked over himself and fiddled with the armor, he said in amazement, "Whoa! This feels great! It's so cool!" Just then, he felt something at his back and pulled out a large knife! It wasn't as large as the sword and shield, but it was enough to grab his attention. As he examined the knife he asked Dedria, "Wait, does this knife come with it?" the older man nods and a huge dumb grin comes over his face as he holds his knife and insect glaive, and proclaimed while playing around with them, "I am the poking master! Fear my sharp edges with my sidekick, Bugsy!"

He then performs a bunch of fake kung fu-style moves as Bugsy buzzes with excitement. However, Dedria is still on a time crunch and explodes at him, "Enough!" Erid stops and comes to attention as the man tells him, "Now it's time for you to choose your Palico."

Erid quickly followed him at his side and inquired, "You mentioned something about that before. What is it?"

"They will be your friend on the hunts you attend," the older man tells him.

An excited expression comes over the boy's face, and he says with glee before turning to depression, "Oh! I like friends! But now that I think of it, I'm not really sure if I've ever had a friend…I don't even know what a friend is."

Hearing that, Dedria didn't know how to feel, but it definitely wasn't a good feeling. This guy has had problems, and the head injury doesn't seem to be the main cause—it's more like…an addition. But he ignores it for now. He needs to be on top of things and can't get distracted.

Dedria leads Erid to a section that was walled off by a tall gate and was decorated with a bunch of cat-themed designs or drawings. He opened the door, which was an actual door and inside was a whole section of the training grounds that was set up as a small scale training grounds with a whole butt ton of cats that walked like humans! Erid was stunned at this sight and couldn't bring himself to say a word! Cats that walked and apparently could talk like humans! It was unimaginable.

Dedria motions to the cats and their smaller training grounds, explaining, "These are the Palicos, more commonly known as Felyne. They will be your partner in a hunt, giving you an extra hand in battle or as an aid in the field. Treat them well, and they will treat you even better." But when Dedria looked down at the boy, he noticed that he was absolutely vibrating. Vibrating was never a good sign, so he cautiously prompted, "Is everything okay?"

"They're. So. Cuuuuuuuuuute!" Erid exclaimed with a high-pitched voice as he tapped his feet in excitement.

Even the Palicos nearby could sense his excitement and euphoria. They turned to smile and meow at him, making the young man squeak in delight.

"And now you must decide which one you'd like to be your partner. Normally, the guild chooses one for you, but since you are a special case by virtue of your circumstances and the fact that we need people as fast as possible, you may choose one yourself." Dedria explained further on.

Erid then took a few steps out and looked around at all the cats. His mind began to buckle under the decision, but he also realized that each of them looked perfect—even the naked ones!

So, with an unsure expression, he turned and asked Dedria, "Can I have some time to choose? This is really, really hard!"

Dedria gave a tired sigh and said, "Very well, but don't take too long."

So Dedria left the small area and stood outside, leaning against some barrels as he waited. To say Dedria was tired would be an understatement! He had only gotten five hours of sleep in the last four days, and the effects were really starting to kick in. He had been burning the candle at both ends, and he really needed a break! Maybe he could just rest his eyes while he waited.

Xxx

"Sir? Sir!" a female voice yells at him, waking the man up.

"What's happening!?" Dedria exclaimed while looking around.

"It appears you dozed off," said the woman beside him.

Looking to his side, he saw it was one of his most trusted subordinates and confidants, Olivia. She was clad in one of the guild's most powerful armors, specially designed and tailored for her, for her many and continued years of service, and her massive hammer on her back.

After calming down a bit and rubbing his eyes, Dedria asked, "How long have I been out?"

"About forty minutes," Olivia told him.

Dedria put a hand to his chin and says, "I wonder if Erid has decided on his Palico. Hopefully, I haven't kept him waiting too long."

So Dedria and Olivia walked through the Palico area and were struck by a surprising sight! Instead of a bored or irritated Erid waiting for the general to arrive, he saw the young man playing with the Felyne! In fact, all the Palicos were playing with him, on him, or trying to get his attention. He even had one of the cats sitting in his lap and holding its paws as he made the cat do a silly dance while the felyne loved every second.

"And we dance, and dance, and dance, and dance, and dance, Hey!" Erid exclaimed with zeal as the palico meowed with delight.

"What is going on here?!" Dedria yelled at the top of his lungs, causing all the paliuco to startle and make a mad dash while Erid jumped to his feet in fright as several of the cats hid behind his back and legs. Dedria marched up to the frightened young man and yelled at him, "I thought I told you to pick a palico, and you're playing with them!?"

"I'm sorry, Dedria-." Erid tried to apologize, but the man cut him off.

"Call me general or sir when referring to me!" Dedria said in a stern tone.

"I'm sorry, sir general, I just couldn't choose; they're all so perfect! Can't I just take all of them?" Erid pleaded.

Being a little clamer, especially after feeling the curves of the locket under his coat, Dedria told him firmly, "No."

"Please?!" Erid begged.

"No! One palico is issued to one hunter. No exceptions!" Dedria exclaimed.

Erid pouted, looked behind him at the palicos hiding behind his body, and grabbed a white one that looked like a Persian cat, minus the deformities due to massive inbreeding. He held it up and said, "Then I choose this one!"

Olivia and Dedria looked at one another in concern before Dedria asked, "You want…that one?"

Erid got a bit snippy with the man and stated, "You said I have to choose one! So I did. What's the problem?"

"That particular one is the problem. More specifically, he is a problem." Olivia told him.

Erid held the cat in his arms, looked down at it, then proclaimed, "Well, I have problems. So we can be problematic together!"

Dedria sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, and told him, "Fine. Now, you can give him a name."

"I can name him! Really!?" Erid asked with excitement, making the older man nod. "How about…Softie! Cause you're so soft!" Erid said while cuddling the cat.

"Fine. Follow me. We have only a week before the siege goes underway. And you need a crash course on the basics before then." Dedria told him quickly as he walked out of the Palico area.

Erid gave a small goodbye to the other Palicos and quickly followed behind the general and the woman with Softie still holding him in his arms.

As they walked, Olivia casually said to Dedria, "It's a good thing you never told him about the Palamutes."

But this caught the young man's attention, and he stopped mid-walk as soon as he heard the sound of a dog barking. He looked to the side and saw another small area where large pony-sized dogs were running in and out of. Everything seemed to freeze for a second as Olivia and Dedria stared at the boy, waiting for him to act. Erid took a deep breath, set Softie down, and appeared to gain control over whatever urges were about to take over. However, that hope was dashed away as Erid made a mad dash for the dog! Oliva chased after and tackled the squimy boy to the floor before getting up and dragging him away by the ankles!

"No! No! No! I promise I'll pick one! Just one! Just let me rub their bellies!" Erid begged as he dug his hands into the dirt, trying to crawl toward them. This got the Palamutes' attention, and they all stepped outside of their training/holding area to watch the boy pathetically try to call to them. "I'll be back, friends! And I'll give you all the belly rubs and head scratches you deserve!" Erid called out, making the dogs whine at the intended promise.

"This one is a real head case," Olivia said as she dragged Erid beside Dedria.

Eventually, Erid gave up, and Olivia finally dropped his ankles. He got up from the dirt and followed in disappointment behind the two adults. They had only been walking for a minute when a thought crossed Erid's mind, and he asked Dedria, "Say, you never told me what this whole siege was about, Sir General Dedria."

"Just Sir or general," Dedria told him. He then took a deep breath and explained to him, "There is an ancient kingdom where a castle called Schrade lies in ruins. In it are manuscripts and other knowledge from that ancient past. Technology that could help bolster the modern age and help advance civilization for all." But Dedria stopped for a moment, as if the very thought caused him to develop more white hairs, before continuing to explain, "However, it's a risky maneuver that could harm just as much as it could help. The guild is taking a big risk and putting it all on my shoulders."

"Why's that? That seems unfair." Erid stated.

"I'm the one who proposed and begged for this to be accepted," Dedria answered, making a look of realization cross the young man's face.

"I still don't understand why going to this place is a big deal. If it's abandoned, shouldn't you be able just to walk in and take the old stuff?" Erid questions, not seeing the logic.

"Life is never so simple. You see, Castle Schrade is the nesting spot for a particularly dangerous, powerful, and aggressive monster." Olivia told him.

"What's that?" Erid prompted.

Neither of them said a single word, as if the very mention of the thought of it brought fear or some hex when spoken. Both adults, as hardreend as they looked, cracked under just trying to spell it out until Dedria finally spoke out and said with a shaky voice full of stress, so low he says it in barely a whisper, but still allowing the young man to hear it.

Despite both adults shaking like the temperature had just dropped by 20 degrees, Erid looked at them in confusion, not sharing their sentiments about what sounded like such a silly name. Finally, they made it to a different area with a larger gate and a sign above. But Erid didnt have to know the language to realize that this was something of a beginner's training area, which Dedria himself quickly confirmed.

"This is where you'll start your training. I have other things to plan for the siege, so beginner instructors teach you the ropes. Good luck." He said while motioning to the gated area before walking off, quickly taking a peek at the locket in his coat.

Erid and Softie were both shooed in by Olivia as the gate opened, just before the three of them walked in and Dedria disappeared from sight. Erid realized something and quickly turned around while calling out to the older man, "Wait! What's a Fatalis?!"

Please review and have a great day! Happy Hunting!