Monster Hunter: reBirth Ch.1

Alright. Here we go. First Fanfic. I'm ready. Are you ready internet? Cuz I am.

Chapter 1: Life, Old and New
Long ago, in a wild land overrun by mystery and wonder, humankind lived at peace with itself. War was nonexistent, and while technology was simple, life was, too. People could raise their children in a village ruled by its chief, and not an insane diplomat or king. The bounty of the earth was always fresh and green, and plague never broke out.

However, the inhabitants of this era did not live a completely peaceful life. While their villages were protected by the watchful eyes of the Guild, the outside world was full of danger. Fearsome beasts known as Monsters roamed the wilds, preying on anything that moved. There were the Wyverns, which took to the skies in search of their prey. The leviathans, who lurked in the depths of the sea. The Pelagius, raiders of nature's bounty. However, against all odds, mankind survived, thanks to one thing.

Hunters.

Nobody knows how Monster Hunters came to be. Some say they were normal people, others believed them to have supernatural powers. Regardless of how they were created, hunters were a blessing to villages, and a curse to monsters. Most hunters were kind, gentle men and women who took up arms to defend a village or city from the imposing threat of a monster. Some were treasure hunters, seekers of fortune, glory, and all the zenny in the world. All had abilities far surpassing the average human. They could swing incredibly heavy weapons through the air without breaking a sweat. They could survive falls from incredible heights without a single injury. They could hold their breaths underwater for unheard of amounts of time. Under the guidance of the guild, they used their power to defend the people of the world from the dark forces of Monsterkind.

The lights in the museum's theatre turned on, bathing the audience in fluorescent light. The Guildcorp logo showed breifly on the screen, and then vanished. Aaron stood up, and stretched. He hated museums. Full of old, musty things his great-great-great-great-great grandfather might have seen as a child. Why look at the past when you can look ahead? That was the motto he lived by, but not the motto his school taught by. "And that concludes Guildcorp's presentation on the fascinating life of Monster Hunters. Any questions before we continue our tour?" Immediately, a hand shot up in the front row. As usual, Tamara had a question. She was kind of annoying that way, a classic teacher's pet. "Is it true that hunters would carry extremely heavy objects over large distances because someone paid them to?" Aaron sighed. She always asked the worst questions, the ones everyone thought, but nobody ever asked. He felt sorry for the poor tour guide. "Um... Yes, but hunters had to eat, too, and the guild put food on their table!" "Yeah, but..." "No more time for questions! If you follow me, we'll head to the fossil section, where we can see the remains of the mighty beasts that once ruled these lands!" Again, Aaron pitied the woman. The poor Wyvernian probably had to memorize these lines. When Aaron graduated from the academy, he would get an exciting job, like a Guildcorp explorer. His dad had been one, until he disappeared in the volcano region fifteen years ago. Pushing away these thoughts, Aaron rejoined the tour group. Immediately, he was joined by Tamara, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed about all the things she had just learned. "Wow, working at this museum must be sooooo cool! The tour guide has the best job in the world!" "Mmm." "I wish I could meet a real life hunter! They sound so strong and brave... And handsome..." "Mmhmm." "Hey, are you even listening? Oooh, look! We're almost there! I'm so excited!" "Yup." For the first time, Aaron started to show interest. He loved looking at the fossils of monsters. He could almost feel their power, their rage. "First up, we have the skull of what's referred to in my in-depth (and kinda heavy) guidebook as the Rathalos, King of the Sky! Looks fearsome, dosen't it?" "Ooooooh, so cool! Don't you think so, Aaron?" "The only thing cool around here is... Well..." For once, Aaron was at a loss for a witty comeback. Tamara smiled. "What's the matter Aaron? Felyne got your tongue?" She grinned at her own little joke. Aaron glared at her. He would need to reassertion himself as king of the snappy comeback later. He noticed the tour guide moving on to another, feirce-looking skeleton. "This is the skeletal structure of the Dredgonis, the Grim Lurker." "Sounds a lot like you Aaron!" "Shut it." "The Dredgonis formed a symbiotic relationship with a mass of fungal growth. The two were very efficient at both fighting and survival!" "I'm gonna need some mushrooms is I want to survive this tour." Oh yeah, it's good to be king. "And here we have the wingbones of the Kawagashi, Ruler of the Seas! While not actually at the top of the food chain, the Kawagashi could oppose its wings in any direction in order to skewer its prey." Aaron had to admit, that sounded kind of cool. Of course, Tamara was exstatic. "Before we continue, please take a moment to rest at Guildcorp's complimentary snack bar." Finally, the part of the tour Aaron had been waiting for. The felines that worked for the guild were master chefs, and the food was always good. As he scarfed down his meal, a tall, menacing figure sat down next to him. "Hey, man! How's it hanging?" "Like a dead man from the gallows." Garth was kinda dumb, but he was incredibly friendly and strong. He and Aaron had been friends since they first enrolled in the academy. "Ouch, bro. I thought you'd be into the whole 'Monster Hunter' thing." "I could care less, really. Tamara, on the other hand..." At the mention of her name, the girl slid over to sit next to Aaron, meal untouched. "This is the coolest thing ever, isn't it, Garth? Oh, I just love being here!" Aaron glanced over at her tray. "You, uh..." "No! Don't you know food cooked by Guildcorp Felynes is terrible for your body?" "Ummm... No." "Well it is!" She huffed. Aaron finished his meal, and went to turn in his tray. As he walked over to the dishwasher felyne, he noticed a faint red glow on his tray. As he turned around, his jaw dropped, and his eyes widened. A giant asteroid was hurtling straight for the city.