Monster Hunter Destiny XI - New Hunters

"TAKA!!" Bronton roared in delight. Positively overjoyed to see the thin, bespectacled teenager again, the trainer slapped Taka on the back. The blow knocked Taka's glasses off of his face and sent him sprawling to the ground. "Oops, sorry, Taka," Bronton apologized.

Thankfully, Bronton didn't ask any questions about where Taka had been and why he had gone. He was simply too happy to see his trainee again, as he had grown to like Taka over the couple of weeks that he had been training in the Military Bastion. However, when Taka asked where his sister, Hydra, was, Bronton grew grim.

"She went to Mediatas Village," he began. "You see, a monster called Kuarusepusu attacked..." He went on to explain the situation in Taka's village. When he finished, Taka looked grim as well.

"No word from her yet?" he asked, a note of worry in his voice. "Sorry, mate," Bronton replied. "Nothing from Mediatas Village at all. Knowing how powerful a Frontier monster is, I'm guessing that the village was decimated." Taka simply remained silent, but he smiled a little when Illeera patted him gently on the shoulder, trying to cheer him up.

"Enough about monster attacks and missing hunters," said Bronton, loud voice booming through his Uragaan helm. "How's that prosthetic arm of yours holding up? Feel any different when you swing that magnificent Guan Dao?" Taka shifted from foot to foot and looked at his half an arm. "Well," he said uncertainly, "I'm getting used to it. It's a little difficult, but I think that I'm getting better with Guan here."

Bronton nodded, satisfied with Taka's answer, then asked, "Why don't you go see those friends of yours? They've been dying to see you again, you know." Taka's faint smile vanished. "Oh... Okay then, I'll go do just that." He shook his trainer's hand and looked at his armored helmet, as if trying to see through it and into his eyes.

Bronton, as he saw the vibrant blue eyes of Taka boring though his helm, felt a funny sensation. Whenever he looked at Taka, he felt this... weird feeling. As if he knew Taka somehow. It wasn't nostalgia, he knew that for a fact - after all, he had never seen Taka before in his life until now. But he couldn't shake the feeling that Taka reminded him of someone.

Oh, well, Bronton thought as Taka and Illeera headed off. ''I can dwell on this later. After all, I need to prepare the Graduation Match for the trainees. Too bad Hydra isn't here to help me with the last monster - it'll be a doozy, that's for sure.''

-

Illeera opened the door to the barracks. Hidden behind her, Taka could see the faces of all of his friends - Well, remaining friends, that is, Taka thought - look up at her as she entered the room. "Everyone, look who's here!" she said happily. She stepped aside, and Taka knew that he was fully exposed, looking sheepish in his Qurupeco armor. "Umm... hi," he said awkwardly.

He glanced at everyone's face in turn, from Mylie's look of astonished joy to Kiem's look of what looked suspiciously like disappointment. He quickly looked away when he saw Relcia, but not quickly enough to see her expression - a curious blend of mixed disbelief, relief, and guilt.

"Where WERE you?" demanded Mylie. "Everyone's been worried sick!" Taka felt his heart sink somewhere down to his toes. He knew that this moment would come eventually, but that fact didn't make him feel any better about it. He met Illeera's eyes, which seemed to say, Just tell them.

"Um," he began hesitantly. "You know the monsters that you've battled recently? Well... could you tell me about them?" Taahnn answered grimly. "Bronton's been piling on the tougher monsters, and we haven't been having too much of a good time, believe me." Taka nodded, all the while staring at the nasty scars on Relcia's leg - Courtesy of me... he thought with a pang of guilt.

Taahnn continued, "There's been a Glauturna, which almost killed all of us. Then in the Frozen Wastes, we encountered a Frozen Agnaktor that mopped the floor with us, not to mention killing Kread... And then a Jinouga, which wasn't as hard on us, but tough all the same." Taka's eyes were a mixture of sadness and guilt. Only Relcia noticed, and realization dawned in her heart, bringing a sinking feeling with it. My God... she prayed. He didn't... He wouldn't dare...

Taka started to speak. "I know all of this, Taahnn." There was a string of gasps. "How?" demanded Kiem. "You were gone for days! How could you know ANY of this?" Taking a deep inhalation, Taka spoke in a deathly quiet whisper... "It was me."

There was instant silence, a silence so thick that Taka could have cut it with his weapon. "...What?" breathed Mylie. Kiem didn't understand (he was always a little slow). "WHAT was you?" he demanded again. Relcia remained silent, instead staring at Taka with pure terror in her eyes. The shapeshifter confirmed her innermost fears; "I was those monsters. I tried to kill you all three times."

REST COMING SOON