User blog:TheJanadianKing/The Pilot's Companion: Part 2

Lightning flashes through the windows. The roar of thunder, barely background noise through the pelting rain. The rain had no mercy, gnawing at the wings, the rudders, the fuselage. A steely grey face rolls forth from the clouds to swallow the craft whole...

You woke up with a start, sweat clammy on your skin. The familiar circular windows light up the interior of your AN-2V, deep moonlight streaming in. You get to your feet, the biplane bobbing a little on the water. Throwing open a door, you look about wildly. Just some tall trees, the lake your plane rests upon, the occasional Ludroth stirring in their sleep on the shore...You breathe a sigh of relief and close the hatch, sinking back into bed.

A few months ago, when you first entered the Reptile Kingdom, it was a madhouse. Teeming with predators, and prey animals no less dangerous, it would've been suicide to do anything but take up as a smithy in one of the towns. There was one thing putting you away from all the others: your beloved biplane, painted olive green, mounted on floats, and heavily modified. It had been the one thing that stopped you from being snatched up by a Preiy pack, lured into a Felyne village, or getting rape-trained by a Jho. There was also the matter of the occasional crusade on behalf of the Order, but they really weren't that difficult. The smaller 'crusades' (where they simply killed indiscriminately, in a sickening fashion) had nowhere near enough firepower to take down a metal plane, and the larger ones (where they tortured and enslaved all who opposed them) were so strikingly obvious from the air that it was simply a matter of routine to veer around them, or gain some more altitude.

Now, you basically lived free, flying where you pleased, as you pleased. Nothing like the old procedure, filled with "This is so-and-so," and "Copy that, please stand by," where you had to wait for a good two hours sometimes to land. Yeah, the majority of the Reptile Kingdom was free from the almost-choking organisation of civilisation that was so prominent on Earth. From time to time, you missed the luxuries of home. But that was far behind you, and farther with every time you woke up in the dewy morning.

The sun slowly rises, sunlight pouring in and making it impossible to return to wakelessness. You groggily got up and got dressed, heading out to forage and hunt for today's breakfast. The day was bright, the sun was shining. Perfect for little lizards to sunbathe in. You hefted the 'light' Bowgun off your back, loading a cheaply made Spread ammo shell/bolt/arrow/bullet into the action.

You raised the muzzle, pulling the trigger. Poor little buggers barely knew what hit 'em. Rinse and repeat. Grabbing the carcasses, you head back to the plane, getting ready for breakfast of roasted lizard meat. Sitting down next to the spit, you hear a faint, familiar voice...

"Food? You shouldn't have!"

Followed quickly by a small, scaly body leaping onto the back of your head.

"W-what? Megan? I thought you were-"

You turn your head, looking at the boisterous Compy perched on your shoulder. "And lookie, I brought a friend!"

Your eyes widened and your head whipped around, searching for the inevitable wave of Compies...But nothing swarmed out to swallow up your food. "Wait, what?" Megan sighed, cupped her tiny hands together and yelled,

"COME ON! HE'S A DECENT GUY! PLUS HE'S GOT FOOD!"

A somewhat smallish monster girl with golden-brown scales and black spots pushed past the leafy ferns to reveal herself. She came up to about your chest, and her tail was quite thick, much more so than usual.

"H-Hi...!"

She seemed to be rather shy, timid even. For the first time in about three weeks, you were genuinely startled. For a girl with no claws, no fangs, no weapons, out in the wilds, it was probably a feat of ingenuity that she hadn't been mangled horribly in all the flavours the Reptile Kingdom had to offer.

You extended your hand, greeting her with,

"Hello there. You're a friend of Megan's, right?"

The girl nods.

"Y-yeah, she actually told me about you..."

You turn your sideways to look at Megan, but discover she isn't there.

"Anyway...so, if I remember properly, you're a...Leopold Gecko, right?"

She nods, sheepishly.

"Yep, spots and all..."

You drum your fingers on your leg, looking around in the awkward silence.

"Well, come on, have a seat. It'd wouldn't be courteous to let a guest stand and starve when there are seats and food..."

She accepted meekly, sitting down on a nearby rock.

"Here; I'm not the best outdoor griller, but it's tasty and palatable."

You pass her a piece of lizard meat on a stick, roasted by the fire. She eagerly takes it, and it disappears in a flash.

"Mmm...thanks! A lot better than the last cooked meat I had..."

You look up from your piece.

"Oh? What'd that be?"

She wrings her hands in evident nervousness,

"It was one of the spiky-tailed grass-eaters...a giant wall of scales and fire smashed it down in one blow. It was burnt on the outside, but the middle was nice. It was scary, though."

She quickly becomes more talkative as you sit and eat, and her personality starts to shine through.

"Huh, we've been talking this whole time...ah! The Pecos are gonna be hunting soon. We have to hide!"

She anxiously stands up, bolting for the nearest bush. You chuckle a bit, mostly at how darned adorable she looks, then pause.

"Hey, uh, Megan's friend? You still there? Ma'am?"

You stand up. The Leopold Gecko disappeared into the bush. Not just out of sight: she is fully gone.

"Please?!" You shout, walking towards the bush, and spot a slight flinch.

"Ow...that was loud..."

You sigh, reaching into the bush to gently grab her shoulders. "Sorry. I just—got a little scared something had gotten you."

She half-turns, blushing, and smiles a little. A small silence grows as your eyes lock, followed by a shadow passing over your heads.

"It's the Pecos! Run! Pecos!"

You reached for the Bowgun on your back, alert. Qurupecos were dangerous enough on their own, mimicking other monsters to help them, but a flock of them could easily call every single Jaggi from here to the horizon. Standing up and raising your weapon, your battle cry slowly dwindled into a "What?" For in front of you stood not a flock of Qurupecos, but rather their humanoid counterparts. They took one look at the Bowgun in your hands and had enough, scampering off in the other direction. You sigh, and tuck it away, murmuring to yourself, "Thing wasn't even loaded..."

You shake your head and pull her to her feet.

The sun was full, and some of the larger monsters (that is, anything larger than a crocodile) were waking up. You finished breakfast, kicking out the fire and ushering Megan into the cabin of your crate, pulling it closed.

"Come on.  It'd be daft to leave you here."

She nods, looking around the inside with amazement.

"But...what is this?"

"Well, oh...did you give me your name?"

She shook her head.

"No..."

"Well, it'd be rude to simply call you 'Megan's friend'. What should I call you?"

She fidgets a little. "Um...I've never needed a name, before this. So could y-you maybe...give me one?"

You take a deep breath, and think up a name.

"How about...something like Valeria. Does that sound good?"

She beams from ear to ear, throwing her arms around you.

"Oh, thank you! I'll be forever thankful, master!"

You smile, a little uncertainly at that last part, but affectionately pat her head. "Yeah, sure."