A Jagged Adventure

CHAPTER FOUR

Kamura Village was beautiful. It was colorful and grand and exquisite, and, if you asked Beanie, it was the perfect place to begin her hunter training. There was just one problem...

...Beanie was a Palico.

The small chocolate brown Felyne regripped her hand-crafted Felyne Bone Wedge and leapt, screeching, at the Toadversary. She launched herself off its wooden carved leg, ran up its body to its enormous head, and bonked it right in the eye. Landing on the ground, she dusted herself off, purring.

"Purrfect!"

At the edge of the Training Area, Buddy Handler Lori stood with a Palamute and a Palico, and watched with raised eyebrows.

"Ya think so?" he called.

"Yup!" Beanie ran over to him, high fiving the Palico as she passed. "It was a perfect bullseye. I mean, Toadseye. Ha! Now I'm off to see the Chief. It's time I officially join the Hunter ranks!"

"Really?" Lori looked skeptical. "Already?"

"Lori, I've been working with the Meowcenaries for months, now!" Beanie complained. "I am so tired of gathering plants and bugs and monster parts. I want to fight real monsters and feel like I'm actually making a difference in this world! I don't want to be just another Palico... I want to be someone that can help guard the village. I want to be-"

Lori held up his hands to stop her rambling.

"Beanie, Beanie, all I said was 'really.'" Lori chuckled. "I already know all of this, and you know that we are on your side." The Palamute barked, wagging its tail in excitement while the Palico nodded vigorously. "Now go and make us proud!"

Beanie beamed up at Lori, said goodbye to the Palico and Palamute, and ran out of the Training Area. At the entrance, she stopped and looked back at her loyal fans.

"Just you wait, I'm going to be the very best hunter! Kamura Village, here I come!"

- - -

In the Buddy Plaza, Beanie hopped out of the tiny boat that took her to and from the Training Area and purposefully ran past all the stalls. She said a hasty good morning to all, before racing across the bridge that led into town. Underneath a tree, a Palamute called Red watched her go and snorted in disgust. The chain around his neck was tight, but he managed to shift so that his neck was not as pinched and laid his snout on his paws.

The sun filtering through the tress was nice, but it did nothing for the darkness swelling like a storm within his heart. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his master dying under the crushing talons of a Rathalos. His growls escaped, and he winced, fearing reprimand.

"Red!" Came Lori's voice from the docks.

Red's head shot up, and his tail wagged nervously.

"How are ya today?" The Buddy Handler threw Red a chunk of raw meat, which Red gratefully downed in a few bites. "I think we finally found a place for your tortured soul. If all goes as planned, there will be no more links and chains in your future. But," Lori got down on his level, staying just out of bite range, and gazed into Red's eyes, "you need to behave. If you attack anything that is not a monster, you will be forced back here."

Red nodded, stood up, and shook out his black and tan fur.

"Great!" Lori reached down and pet Red on the head, and Red flinched in fear but did not nip. "The Chief says he has found the appropriate hunter for you. Come with me."

Lori led Red out of the Buddy Plaza and across Kamura Village to where Elder Fugen stood. Red gazed around at all of the stalls, sniffing in the direction of the interesting-looking Merchant. What's with the mask? Fugen was standing with a concerned look on his face, and when Lori said goodbye to Red and left for the Buddy Plaza, Red felt his nerves threatening to override his promise.

Don't freak out. Don't bite. Don't snarl. Don't even flinch. You can do this. You've been cast out of every other town that was willing to take you in; you cannot lose this opportunity!

"Red," Elder Fugen spoke calmly, his eyes full of sympathy. "I am sorry, Red. No hunter wants you on their squad. You are simply too dangerous."

Red felt his vision growing dark, but shook his head and refocused when Elder Fugen unexpectedly continued.

"However," Elder Fugen took a small step backwards, and Red wondered if he suddenly feared for his life. "There is something you might be able to do, to earn a place back in society. No hunter wants an unpredictable Palamute on their squad, but as it happens, someone else finds themselves in the same scenario."

Elder Fugen stepped aside to reveal a dejected-looking Palico wearing acorn armor. Her felyne bone wedge weapon was chipped, as if she had been using it a lot, and her startlingly blue eyes had more life to them than the other Palico helpers Red had seen since he arrived.

"Red, this is Beanie." Elder Fugen introduced the two with a wave of his massive hand. Wait, isn't that the energetic furball I saw zooming through the Buddy Plaza not long ago? Red tilted his head, and Beanie finally looked up. Her expression was one, not of shock or horror or even rage, but of hope. "Beanie longs to prove herself as a hunter, but because she is a Palico nobody will even give her the time of day. Beanie, Red suffers from severe post-traumatic stress after watching his hunter of eight years fall to a Rathalos, and now nobody will take him in because of his... Energy. You two can't seem to find a good place in this village. Now, I am offering you one. Wait here while I acquire you both some proper gear."

Elder Fugen walked over to the Blacksmith stall, the Buddy Smith in particular, and traded a few words with Kisaki the Palico. Red was stiff with rage, his crimson eyes blazing.

Are you joking? My master gave his life, and all they can give me as compensation is a puny little Felyne? A FELYNE THAT IS APPARENTLY GOING TO BE MY NEW MASTER?!?!

Red snarled at Beanie, but she barely flinched.

"Hia!" She said, holding out her paw. "So, you're Red, huh? I can see why your master named you that. It's because of your eyes, right? They glow when you're angry."

Red paused, eyeing her from ears to tail tip. Her stance was confident, but her eyes were fearful, and he knew that bringing up his master right before he was so obviously about to pounce on her face was not a coincidence.

This Felyne is smarter than I gave her credit for.

Red glanced at Elder Fugen, who was being handed two sets of Kamura Garb, one for him and one for Beanie. The sunlight glinted off the blades he would be wielding, and he forced himself to take a deep breath.

"There ya go," Beanie said, visibly relaxing now that her life was not on the line. "Just between you and me, I'd honestly prefer it if we stuck together. At least until we make a name for ourselves. You are kind of scary, and I can see it in your face; you do not approve of my place as a Hunter. If we can get through this, then we can move on, alright? Does that sound... Good?"

Red glared at Beanie, then glanced at the paw she still held out for him to take. It was the worst offer they could have made him, but Red had to admit, it was the only offer he could see on the horizon.

"Fine," They shook to solidify their partnership. "I really don't like cats, anyway. Too much fur."

Beanie burst out laughing, but became uneasy, and then stopped when she noticed that Red was not joining in.

"Y-you... You're a weird Palamute, you know that?" Beanie said.

"My tiny, tiny insignificant partner, I am just about as weird as a Palico who wants to be up there in the Hunter Ranks."

Beanie was silent.

"We're both going to die." Red sighed after a few, and Beanie blanched.