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Jet didn't know what was more humiliating. That he thought he ever stood a chance against his new Master Rank Trainer or that she didn't even break so much as a sweat putting him in his place.
Sighing, the battered and bruised Hunter meandered listlessly through the undergrowth of the Ancient Forest. Low hanging palm fronds brushed against his armor plated shoulders while fallen and sundered trees and logs knocked against his knees and ankles. In his head he knew, he was well aware, that there was a decided gap between Advanced Rank Trainers and Master Rank Trainers.
Hells, his very own transition from Rookie Hunter to Advanced Hunter had been anything but effortless! From the terrorizing tutelage of Taras the Tobi-Kadachi to the rough rigors that Puck the Pukei-Pukei put him through... more than once he had thought of giving up. Yet Jet persisted! Through thick and thin, rain and shine, the otherwise unimpressive human stood before those towering and terrifying Monsters day in and day out and challenged them for the right to leave these lands. To be recognized, and rewarded, with their blessing.
Lips scrunched, Jet jingled the sapphire blue and ruby red star pendants dangling from around his neck. He was close. He was so close! Upon earning his golden starred Master Rank pendant, and with it the consent of the massive Monsters that lorded over Astera, he would finally be allowed to leave! Free to wander the untamed expanses of the Wildspire Wastes, the Coral Highlands, and so much more! Though he, and nearly every other human for that matter, chafed at their rules... he didn't begrudge the Monsters for putting him through their paces.
Jet shuffled to a halt and tilted back his head. His eyes strained to focus on the roots, much less the massive trunks, that stretched beyond his vision and practically scraped at the very sky. It was a wondrous yet wild world they lived in and... and humans like him struggled to eke an existence out of it. They were so pitifully small and fragile compared to everything else that tread these lands that were it not for the protection the Monsters graciously and freely offered to them humanity might be little more than a distant memory. If even that.
With a roll of his eyes Jet groaned at all the caveats that came with their care. Most prominent among them was the fact that only those humans that could prove they could look after themselves, that could handle even a fraction of the worst that the world had to offer, would be allowed to leave the relative safety of the Ancient Forest. Yeah. Sure. To wander off into the wilds without their blessings was tantamount to suicide the long way around but...
No. Complaining about it wouldn't change anything. Shaking his head, the Hunter clutched his treasured pendants tight within his armored palm. His dream to finally be free of this place was within his grasp. Just one more pendant. One more trial. Surely it would come soon enough!
...Is what he had liked to tell himself. Up until now, anyway.
Jet rushed to remind himself that his progress had been anything but linear. He had stumbled and faltered and choked heavens knows how many times. Yet no matter how badly he was beaten he always always always knew victory was within reach. That with the right nerves, the right mindset, and the right training he could and would emerge triumphant. That's how it was with Taras and Puck! And that's how... that's how it would be with...
Staggering to a halt, shoulders slumped, Jet bitterly sighed at the first pitter patter of rain noisily tonking against his helmet. He still believed that. Really, truly, he did.
Just... just he couldn't bring himself to think, much less say, that would be the case with Nell. The Nargacuga, and the Master Rank trials she presided over, were something else entirely. Hard work and wishful thinking just weren't going to cut it anymore.
Jet clutched tiredly at his aching ribs. His first foray with his Master Rank Trainer had been... humbling to put it lightly. Made all the worse by the fact she wasn't even trying to bully or belittle him. She was simply doing her job. Her every effortless victory was rote and routine to her. Jet shuddered as he thought back on how quickly she could cart him. How someone, something, so large could move so fast was frankly frightening. His honed instincts meant nothing to the hulking beast who could blend into the blurs at the periphery of his vision like she was swimming through the very shadows.
Head hanging low, his enormous Hammer jostling against his back, Jet exhaled heavily. To her credit she did let him challege her as many times as he was able. Until his lungs, and legs, gave out, he threw himself at the Nargacuga. Yet he had absolutely nothing to show for it! No insights into her attacks, no counters, no nothing! For Sapphire's sake he didn't even land so much as a single swing on her. With his tail between his legs Jet had left without a word when he had finally had his fill of failure. It had only been all of a day with her and he already dreaded what tomorrow would bring.
Siiiiiiiiiigh.
Jet slapped at the sides of his helmet as he noisily clanked to a halt within a misty clearing. None of that now. Feeling sorry for himself wouldn't do him any good.
GRNNNN
Brushing a hand along his stomach, Jet stifled an embarrassed snort. Psh. Nor would an untended appetite for that matter. No wonder his thoughts had turned as glum and gloomy as the weather. A proper meal, cooked over a campfire, would clear his head right up!
Setting his Hammer aside, Jet hastily constructed a fire pit. Working against time, and the intensifying downpour, he cobbled together what kindling he could and set it ablaze. Huddled over his fledging fire, shielding it from the rain above, he fed it stick after stick after moss covered sheet of bark until it defiantly roared to life.
With a satisfied smirk the Hunter planted himself down upon his hammer, using its head as a bench, and fished out a knife. As a warm, albeit humid and suffocating mist rose from his roaring campfire, Jet dutifully carved out the supports for a spit-roast. He whittled a V-shaped notch into one of the many branches piled up alongside him. Then another. Planting them on opposite sides of the fire he fished a salt crusted Blissbill drumstick out of his satchel and let its bones come to rest within the notches. Pinching at the edges of the tibia, Jet slowly rotated the raw red meat over the open flame.
TISH TATISH TATUNK
The sound of the rain crashing against his helmet grew deafening. Veritable streams of water poured down over his visor, all but blinding him, while Jet continued to rotate his rotisserie.
TISH TATISH TATIIISHHHHH
No sooner than it had arrived did the deluge depart. Crazy New World weather. With a smile he turned his attention back to the welcoming warmth of his campfire. Didn't matter what the world threw at him! Jet would carve his own place into it all the same.
TISH TATISH TATISHHHHHHH
Wait. Blinking curiously, Jet thumbed and brushed away what water continued to trickle over his visor. It was still raining, harder than ever even. Yet he was suddenly... sheltered? Indistinct shadows, illuminated by his campfire, stretched out before him. He wasn't complaining, mind you, but-
*AHEM*
Boomed a rich and husky voice. The power carried along its grunts alone displaced and sent the rain pouring down on its unseen owner flying outwards in sheets.
"...Jet, was it?" asked the rib-rattling voice.
"Y-y-yes?" worriedly blurted out the Hunter. O-o-oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. What did he do wrong?! Had he trespassed too close to the Ancient Forest's borders without knowing it? I-it was an accident! Honest! Please please please don't-
"Phew! Oh by the Sapphire Star I was... oh it would've been beyond embarrassing if I had already forgotten my new Trainee's name."
H-h-hold on now. Swiveling around in place on the head of his Hammer, Jet dared to toss a look back over his shoulder. A Nargaguga's leathery heel, nearly pressed up against his back, greeted him. How did she. When did she-
Literal creeks worth of water poured down the sides of Nell's beak as she flashed a toothy and sincere smile. Patting at her generous chest, the Nargacuga heaved a sigh of relief. "Jet. Jet Jet Jet." She repeated the human's name aloud, with some measure of pride, as she committed it to memory. "I'm so glad I managed to catch you!"
"You are?" Jet's lips pulled flat at the sight of her broad sole lowering towards the open flame. Her behemoth toes, clenched tightly together so as to not allow any rain to fall through the gaps between them, playfully curled toward the sheltered Hunter.
"Of course!" Nell replied matter of factly. "You ran off in such a hurry after that last Hunt that you never gave me the chance to critique much less compliment your form and style."
"Oh." Chin tucked against his chest, Jet's face burned with embarrassment. He honestly would have preferred being chewed out for wandering too close to what was out of bounds.
"Can't be much of a Trainer if you don't let me, you know, train you," she trailed off with a gentle chirp.
"S-s-sorry," Jet apologetically mumbled. His cheeks radiated warmth as the Nargacuga bunched her paws close to the campfire. Outstanding. His first day plugging away at his Master Rank had gone even worse than he thought!
"Don't be," she boomed as quietly as she could manage. "...Just had me worried I left a terrible first impression was all."
"What? No! No no no no no no no. You're as consummate a professional as they come!" Jet reassured her. "If anything I'm the one falling short! All I did today was waste your time! What with ignoring your feedback and making you chase after-"
An irritated growl drowned out the human's self-flagellation. "None of that, Jet. Every Trainer teaches differently and every Hunter learns differently. We just haven't figured out that balance between us yet that's all. Once we do we'll be set! Alright?" Nell all but commanded of him.
"R-right!" Jet declared.
HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
"ACK! Yelping, the Hunter flailed at his spit-roast. The salt caking the bottom of the Blissbill had begun to singe and blacken.
"O-oh shoot! I'm sorry!" Nell gasped. Hands clasped to her beak, the Naragcuga's wide yellow eyes cut through the gathering mist like lanterns.
Huffing and puffing at the drumstick Jet flicked away the near molten salt and, to his relief, salvaged his would be meal. Slouched forward, he took to turning his spitroast once more. "It's... you're fine. My fault for taking my eyes off it really. L-lesson learned."
The Nargacuga wordlessly nodded before letting her arms, then chin, come to rest on her knees. "Glad to hear it," she contentedly rumbled. Ears flicking curiously she pointed towards his campfire. "If you don't mind my asking... what is that anyway? I'm not all that familiar with human customs truth be told." She sniffed curiously at the air before growling in approval. "...Or cuisine."
"What? You mean the rotisserie?"
Nell, her beak clacking together, struggled to string together the necessary vowels and consonants. "Well however you say it that looks delicious!" she chuckled. "Smells it too!"
GRMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMBLE
Ears tucked flat against her skull, Nell shyly chirped as her pointed tail bashfully curled around herself and Jet's campfire.
Rubbing at the back of his neck, Jet reluctantly rummaged through his satchel. Another bird lie in waiting. "Tastes it even for good measure," quipped the heel high human. "Do you... do you want to try some?" He gestured towards the unrelenting rain. "Not like I'm going anywhere for a while. And besides, I... I have a couple of critiques to catch up on don't I?"
An emphatic, and very excited chirp, answered him. "If you're offering!" Nell gleefully clarified. To think! Her first taste of human food!
"A-alright then," he nervously answered out as he set to work building another spit-roast. Shoulders bunched in close, Jet felt his cheeks burn uncomfortably bright when the Nargacuga's massive heel effortlessly tilled the land behind him before accidentally booping against his back. He let slip a shy smile at the fact the Nargacuga regarded both him and the crackling campfire with rapt attention as she leaned in ever closer.
This post-Hunt pick me up she had forced on him, just talking through what for the most part went horribly wrong, was admittedly... nice. He could see himself looking forward to this. To her.
Heh. What was that he mused to himself earlier? That he dreaded what tomorrow would bring? What nonsense!
Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.
I have far far far too much art just sitting around I've never uploaded. So here. Have some Nell from my goofy Monster Hugger series! From around the time she and her bitty and beloved little Hunter first met.
Peek HERE for a sequel of sorts showing how those two started warming up to each other as they started training together!
Utterly amazing art by
kerneldecoy
NEXT
Jet didn't know what was more humiliating. That he thought he ever stood a chance against his new Master Rank Trainer or that she didn't even break so much as a sweat putting him in his place.
Sighing, the battered and bruised Hunter meandered listlessly through the undergrowth of the Ancient Forest. Low hanging palm fronds brushed against his armor plated shoulders while fallen and sundered trees and logs knocked against his knees and ankles. In his head he knew, he was well aware, that there was a decided gap between Advanced Rank Trainers and Master Rank Trainers.
Hells, his very own transition from Rookie Hunter to Advanced Hunter had been anything but effortless! From the terrorizing tutelage of Taras the Tobi-Kadachi to the rough rigors that Puck the Pukei-Pukei put him through... more than once he had thought of giving up. Yet Jet persisted! Through thick and thin, rain and shine, the otherwise unimpressive human stood before those towering and terrifying Monsters day in and day out and challenged them for the right to leave these lands. To be recognized, and rewarded, with their blessing.
Lips scrunched, Jet jingled the sapphire blue and ruby red star pendants dangling from around his neck. He was close. He was so close! Upon earning his golden starred Master Rank pendant, and with it the consent of the massive Monsters that lorded over Astera, he would finally be allowed to leave! Free to wander the untamed expanses of the Wildspire Wastes, the Coral Highlands, and so much more! Though he, and nearly every other human for that matter, chafed at their rules... he didn't begrudge the Monsters for putting him through their paces.
Jet shuffled to a halt and tilted back his head. His eyes strained to focus on the roots, much less the massive trunks, that stretched beyond his vision and practically scraped at the very sky. It was a wondrous yet wild world they lived in and... and humans like him struggled to eke an existence out of it. They were so pitifully small and fragile compared to everything else that tread these lands that were it not for the protection the Monsters graciously and freely offered to them humanity might be little more than a distant memory. If even that.
With a roll of his eyes Jet groaned at all the caveats that came with their care. Most prominent among them was the fact that only those humans that could prove they could look after themselves, that could handle even a fraction of the worst that the world had to offer, would be allowed to leave the relative safety of the Ancient Forest. Yeah. Sure. To wander off into the wilds without their blessings was tantamount to suicide the long way around but...
No. Complaining about it wouldn't change anything. Shaking his head, the Hunter clutched his treasured pendants tight within his armored palm. His dream to finally be free of this place was within his grasp. Just one more pendant. One more trial. Surely it would come soon enough!
...Is what he had liked to tell himself. Up until now, anyway.
Jet rushed to remind himself that his progress had been anything but linear. He had stumbled and faltered and choked heavens knows how many times. Yet no matter how badly he was beaten he always always always knew victory was within reach. That with the right nerves, the right mindset, and the right training he could and would emerge triumphant. That's how it was with Taras and Puck! And that's how... that's how it would be with...
Staggering to a halt, shoulders slumped, Jet bitterly sighed at the first pitter patter of rain noisily tonking against his helmet. He still believed that. Really, truly, he did.
Just... just he couldn't bring himself to think, much less say, that would be the case with Nell. The Nargacuga, and the Master Rank trials she presided over, were something else entirely. Hard work and wishful thinking just weren't going to cut it anymore.
Jet clutched tiredly at his aching ribs. His first foray with his Master Rank Trainer had been... humbling to put it lightly. Made all the worse by the fact she wasn't even trying to bully or belittle him. She was simply doing her job. Her every effortless victory was rote and routine to her. Jet shuddered as he thought back on how quickly she could cart him. How someone, something, so large could move so fast was frankly frightening. His honed instincts meant nothing to the hulking beast who could blend into the blurs at the periphery of his vision like she was swimming through the very shadows.
Head hanging low, his enormous Hammer jostling against his back, Jet exhaled heavily. To her credit she did let him challege her as many times as he was able. Until his lungs, and legs, gave out, he threw himself at the Nargacuga. Yet he had absolutely nothing to show for it! No insights into her attacks, no counters, no nothing! For Sapphire's sake he didn't even land so much as a single swing on her. With his tail between his legs Jet had left without a word when he had finally had his fill of failure. It had only been all of a day with her and he already dreaded what tomorrow would bring.
Siiiiiiiiiigh.
Jet slapped at the sides of his helmet as he noisily clanked to a halt within a misty clearing. None of that now. Feeling sorry for himself wouldn't do him any good.
GRNNNN
Brushing a hand along his stomach, Jet stifled an embarrassed snort. Psh. Nor would an untended appetite for that matter. No wonder his thoughts had turned as glum and gloomy as the weather. A proper meal, cooked over a campfire, would clear his head right up!
Setting his Hammer aside, Jet hastily constructed a fire pit. Working against time, and the intensifying downpour, he cobbled together what kindling he could and set it ablaze. Huddled over his fledging fire, shielding it from the rain above, he fed it stick after stick after moss covered sheet of bark until it defiantly roared to life.
With a satisfied smirk the Hunter planted himself down upon his hammer, using its head as a bench, and fished out a knife. As a warm, albeit humid and suffocating mist rose from his roaring campfire, Jet dutifully carved out the supports for a spit-roast. He whittled a V-shaped notch into one of the many branches piled up alongside him. Then another. Planting them on opposite sides of the fire he fished a salt crusted Blissbill drumstick out of his satchel and let its bones come to rest within the notches. Pinching at the edges of the tibia, Jet slowly rotated the raw red meat over the open flame.
TISH TATISH TATUNK
The sound of the rain crashing against his helmet grew deafening. Veritable streams of water poured down over his visor, all but blinding him, while Jet continued to rotate his rotisserie.
TISH TATISH TATIIISHHHHH
No sooner than it had arrived did the deluge depart. Crazy New World weather. With a smile he turned his attention back to the welcoming warmth of his campfire. Didn't matter what the world threw at him! Jet would carve his own place into it all the same.
TISH TATISH TATISHHHHHHH
Wait. Blinking curiously, Jet thumbed and brushed away what water continued to trickle over his visor. It was still raining, harder than ever even. Yet he was suddenly... sheltered? Indistinct shadows, illuminated by his campfire, stretched out before him. He wasn't complaining, mind you, but-
*AHEM*
Boomed a rich and husky voice. The power carried along its grunts alone displaced and sent the rain pouring down on its unseen owner flying outwards in sheets.
"...Jet, was it?" asked the rib-rattling voice.
"Y-y-yes?" worriedly blurted out the Hunter. O-o-oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. What did he do wrong?! Had he trespassed too close to the Ancient Forest's borders without knowing it? I-it was an accident! Honest! Please please please don't-
"Phew! Oh by the Sapphire Star I was... oh it would've been beyond embarrassing if I had already forgotten my new Trainee's name."
H-h-hold on now. Swiveling around in place on the head of his Hammer, Jet dared to toss a look back over his shoulder. A Nargaguga's leathery heel, nearly pressed up against his back, greeted him. How did she. When did she-
Literal creeks worth of water poured down the sides of Nell's beak as she flashed a toothy and sincere smile. Patting at her generous chest, the Nargacuga heaved a sigh of relief. "Jet. Jet Jet Jet." She repeated the human's name aloud, with some measure of pride, as she committed it to memory. "I'm so glad I managed to catch you!"
"You are?" Jet's lips pulled flat at the sight of her broad sole lowering towards the open flame. Her behemoth toes, clenched tightly together so as to not allow any rain to fall through the gaps between them, playfully curled toward the sheltered Hunter.
"Of course!" Nell replied matter of factly. "You ran off in such a hurry after that last Hunt that you never gave me the chance to critique much less compliment your form and style."
"Oh." Chin tucked against his chest, Jet's face burned with embarrassment. He honestly would have preferred being chewed out for wandering too close to what was out of bounds.
"Can't be much of a Trainer if you don't let me, you know, train you," she trailed off with a gentle chirp.
"S-s-sorry," Jet apologetically mumbled. His cheeks radiated warmth as the Nargacuga bunched her paws close to the campfire. Outstanding. His first day plugging away at his Master Rank had gone even worse than he thought!
"Don't be," she boomed as quietly as she could manage. "...Just had me worried I left a terrible first impression was all."
"What? No! No no no no no no no. You're as consummate a professional as they come!" Jet reassured her. "If anything I'm the one falling short! All I did today was waste your time! What with ignoring your feedback and making you chase after-"
An irritated growl drowned out the human's self-flagellation. "None of that, Jet. Every Trainer teaches differently and every Hunter learns differently. We just haven't figured out that balance between us yet that's all. Once we do we'll be set! Alright?" Nell all but commanded of him.
"R-right!" Jet declared.
HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
"ACK! Yelping, the Hunter flailed at his spit-roast. The salt caking the bottom of the Blissbill had begun to singe and blacken.
"O-oh shoot! I'm sorry!" Nell gasped. Hands clasped to her beak, the Naragcuga's wide yellow eyes cut through the gathering mist like lanterns.
Huffing and puffing at the drumstick Jet flicked away the near molten salt and, to his relief, salvaged his would be meal. Slouched forward, he took to turning his spitroast once more. "It's... you're fine. My fault for taking my eyes off it really. L-lesson learned."
The Nargacuga wordlessly nodded before letting her arms, then chin, come to rest on her knees. "Glad to hear it," she contentedly rumbled. Ears flicking curiously she pointed towards his campfire. "If you don't mind my asking... what is that anyway? I'm not all that familiar with human customs truth be told." She sniffed curiously at the air before growling in approval. "...Or cuisine."
"What? You mean the rotisserie?"
Nell, her beak clacking together, struggled to string together the necessary vowels and consonants. "Well however you say it that looks delicious!" she chuckled. "Smells it too!"
GRMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMBLE
Ears tucked flat against her skull, Nell shyly chirped as her pointed tail bashfully curled around herself and Jet's campfire.
Rubbing at the back of his neck, Jet reluctantly rummaged through his satchel. Another bird lie in waiting. "Tastes it even for good measure," quipped the heel high human. "Do you... do you want to try some?" He gestured towards the unrelenting rain. "Not like I'm going anywhere for a while. And besides, I... I have a couple of critiques to catch up on don't I?"
An emphatic, and very excited chirp, answered him. "If you're offering!" Nell gleefully clarified. To think! Her first taste of human food!
"A-alright then," he nervously answered out as he set to work building another spit-roast. Shoulders bunched in close, Jet felt his cheeks burn uncomfortably bright when the Nargacuga's massive heel effortlessly tilled the land behind him before accidentally booping against his back. He let slip a shy smile at the fact the Nargacuga regarded both him and the crackling campfire with rapt attention as she leaned in ever closer.
This post-Hunt pick me up she had forced on him, just talking through what for the most part went horribly wrong, was admittedly... nice. He could see himself looking forward to this. To her.
Heh. What was that he mused to himself earlier? That he dreaded what tomorrow would bring? What nonsense!
Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.
I have far far far too much art just sitting around I've never uploaded. So here. Have some Nell from my goofy Monster Hugger series! From around the time she and her bitty and beloved little Hunter first met.
Peek HERE for a sequel of sorts showing how those two started warming up to each other as they started training together!
Utterly amazing art by
kerneldecoyNEXT
Category All / Macro / Micro
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1240 x 1754px
File Size 1.37 MB
Listed in Folders
Comments