FanFiction:The Art of the Hunt/Season 1/Chapter 5 - The Field

J eren stood alone, contemplating his next exercise, even though he knew exactly what it would be. This lone field, in the middle of nowhere, completely devoid of life... He liked to come here for his training now, and today was the day before the pretest. His ability to pass on to the main test depended on him being in top physical condition; he needed to successfully kill a Great Jaggi with five supplied minions, and then gather a Jaggi Frill from each one. Not very easy, but very simple were the instructions. Nevertheless, he knew that if he messed up--was too slow, or too dull--he would be dragged out by fierce felyne comrades paid to haul his unskilled carcass away. So he had to pass this test.

He stretched his legs and arms as he contemplated the beaten trail leading around various trees and obstacles that he had beaten out over the past two years. It wound around and about until it returned to this spot. A perfect running track. He was the only one who used it, at first; but when his friends found out, it became a popular weekend hangout to practice runs, play Predator & Prey, or various other small games of little skill or little rule.

Finally, the boy turned his attention back from memory to the track. He breathed once. Twice. And let it go. Breathing in again, confidence and determination ignited in his mind, and he shot forward like something launched from a bowgun. His feet pushed desperately, angrily, propelling him forward with the speed of a pursuing Jadiprey. They did not falter, not with one tree or one stone. Each footstep bore him around the track with the strength and power of the young.

As he finally reached the start line, he slowed down, tripping on his own now-weak legs and falling to the ground. Despite this fall, he jumped up with inhumane endurance and glanced over at Yuki, who had just recently arrived--riding a horse, as she did quite a bit. Jaren and Yuki shared Yuki's pasture, and Yuki lived in her own small house, took care of the beasts, and fulfilled her duties, while Jaren lived in their inherited home, given them by their late grandfather upon his death. In return, Yuki was supplied all she needed by Jeren. Commodious for the both of them, and it allowed Yuki to pursue her cowgirl ambitions. It had been that way ever since they moved from Ultimiose. "Let me have a run," Said Yuki, taking off her leather armor and other outer garments until she was just in the typical female hunter's basic clothing. Much better for running, she thought.

Jeren stepped back and motioned with his hand for her to step up. He took a drink from his bottle and gulped it down. Looking up to watch Yuki speed around the same corners he had trouble with, where he had to slow down, and she did not. As she approached the starting line, Jeren put his water bottle up and crossed his arms. "Tell me something, Yuki," he began, "how do you take those curves without slowing down?" He said quietly. "Oh, that's easy!" She chuckled. "You just have to know where you're going.. watch your feet... and then jump a little to your side and increase the throttle to pump yourself forward. Uses a little more energy, but it's worth it." She replied without giving much thought to the matter. Sipping a bit of water from her own canteen, she took off again at a fast jog, with Jeren following behind her.

This field was widely used in itself: in the middle lay Brutus's family's property, and to the south lay Jeren's; to the north lay the Citadel Park, at the feet of one of the Five Great Lighthouses. It was the tallest, designed to guide sailors away from the mountain range and towards the desert: only three mountains lay between the Field and the sea. They weren't necessarily massively steep mountains, but they were fairly steep, and very tall, though they weren't particularly wide. And this Citadel Park lay at the feet of the tallest one, in the north, close to the sea and the merge of the Great Desert and Misty Peaks. The Citadel Park was also very large, and while it had a fence at the back, it was still so large that when the town would host events or a celebrity came, it could hold the entire town that came out. All in all, the Field was massive.

And finally, it was the place where the Pretest would be held... and after that, the Hunting Bounds would be placed, and it would be used for the Graduation to the Guild Test, Festival, and Ceremony. What better place for such a thing? And thus, what better place to practice in?

Some of the other students thought this same thing: naturally, Brutus and Ali worked out in his part of the Field, and occasionally allowed Reia or Noami (or both of them) to work out with them. Brutus would never have told Ali, but he had a "thing" for them. Ali liked them, though they didn't particularly care for either one.

The rest of the students were scatted across the area, some leisurely preparing their mind at the park through meditation, others visiting Downtown Tanjia for some of their self-supplied needs, like potions and antidotes. Since there was recently a new shipment of hunting gear and even less practical but more laid-back clothing, many of the students were also stocking up on their fashion. Yuki had bought herself a new hat, a beautiful leather thing made in perfect cowgirl fashion, with a Gobul-barb rope tied around the base of the accessory and a decorated rim. This was, after all, the final day of practice for young hunters: and everyone wanted to look good for the day of recognition, the graduation ceremony next week. It seemed like just yesterday, this was an unreachable goal...

It just so happened that Brutus and Ali were over in their own part of the Field, having fun of all kinds, when Jeren and Yuki were doing their runs. Noami and Reia were over there, too; they were getting their own practice in. Taka, the scholar, as always, sat under a cool tree in the Park, reading a book on Hunting Theory. Katrina walked alone, but at a steady pace, around the park. Gamor and Calli were doing weapopns practice: Calli wielded a Heavy Bowgun, rather contrary to her nature, and Gamor a Great Sword. Calli fired at his great sword, he blocked the hits, and then they would swap. Sometimes, Gamor would simply hit an old, dead tree in the park, and Calli shot at the wooden target mounted on it.

All in all, everyone in our group was out today in some fashion: and it just so happened that they all met after some time. It was Brutus, Ali, Noami and Reia that began it; they exited their own part of the field into the Park, and when Yuki rode over to see if anyone was there, she found them. So with her went Jeren to the park, and when they realized that each of them was there, sudden silence pervaded.

Each of them saw in each other's eyes the same fear: what if we fail the pretest? But each of them also knew that they wouldn't--they couldn't--and were adamant on making sure things happened that way.

It was Jeren, peacemaker of all, that first spoke. "I see in your eyes," he began quietly, "A fear that I've seen in everyone's. I don't know what the fear in you guys is from: I know mine is from nothing but worrying over this pretest. Remember: you only get one try at this. All of us need to work at this." He looked quickly at some of the students who disliked one another. "You may not know, but there's a mutual strength among us all: I can feel it in the air, feel it in your presence. They're not all the same strengths, but just like in the same time wind can wear the cliff, so can water likewise--meaning simply, we're equals. But that's not enough to make us pass." He went on, uninterrupted.

"What are you saying? Get to the point." Said Brutus, always annoyed by long, outdrawn lengths of speech. Taka shot him a dark look and he was subdued. "I am saying we need to stand by one another and win this with our combined strength. United, we will conquer. Quarreling, we will end." Jeren finished, letting the words sink in. One by one, they nodded their heads.

This time, it was Taka who spoke up. "I remember this out of my distant past," He said, searching his memory. "It is said in the lore of my people that an ancient race to the west once overcame any obstacle: but it is said that one was unconquerable... Except to ten people. Their names are forgotten, but it was said that this Ten took down this great evil and sealed it again. A ten very akin to us. I believe that each of us will soon be part of a great fate, and I agree: We must band together to survive this storm." Taka said. They all agreed, each one sticking his hand out in a gesture of friendship. "This will require strength." Was Taka's last words on the matter.

So the Tanj Ten were formed.

At once, they began talking, each of them sitting down and stating various plans for the future they had made. It seemed that a common goal, ironically, was to get out of Tanjia. Little did they know their fate.

They built a fire, and for hours, even after the sun had disappeared, they sat into the night, talking with both expertise and comedic values at once. Eventually, Ali sat up and worried with a piece of grass in her hand. She finally looked at them and began to speak. "I have something I gotta tell you guys." She said, blushing in the heat of the fire and embarrassment at putting herself on-spot. They all looked dead-seriously at her. She grimaced and began. "...I'm pregnant." Ali said after a moment. Brutus looked as if the sky had fallen on him and turned to marshmallows; as if the moment was so incredibly disappointingly happy that he didn't know what to say. He walked over to her, sat down, and looked into his lap for a moment. Then, he hugged and kissed her.

The rest pondered this for a moment. They knew who it was by, of course; that was of no debate. Reia, this time, was the one to speak up: "I'm so happy for you, Ali!" Reia was never one to be honest and say what was on her mind, and it seemed appropriate to give the young girl some hope. And give it did. "Thanks so much, Reia," Ali replied. She laid down and did not speak for a long while.

"What should I name it?" She pondered aloud. Names rang off softly from each direction: but only two seemed pleasing to her. "What about Jinn for a boy, and Nina for a girl?" Said Reia--who, little to her knowledge, was the granddaughter of a woman named Nina. Ali liked this, which she displayed to Reia by smiling and saying, "Yeah... Thanks, Reia, I like those names. Mind if I use 'em?" She said. Reia nodded her head to say, "Sure".

They slept by the fire all night. The next morning, they returned home at the crack of dawn to ready themselves for the Pretest.

To be continued in FanFiction:The Art of the Hunt/Season 1/Chapter 6 - Long-Awaited Award