Post by Son Gohan on Jan 28, 2012 15:15:47 GMT -5
((OOC: This is a Quest called The Great Hunt.))
The blistering hot sun was relentless in its bombardment on the planet below. In such a devastating heat seconds often felt like minutes, minutes dragged by as slow as hours, and days were something else entirely. The one true solace was the nights, though they were far from comfortable. Sleeping on the hard dirt, never fully able to relax due to potential attacks from dangerous wildlife of Tuffle forces, and not to mention the extreme cold the temperature often plummeted to. It was hard to believe that this harsh and unforgiving environment could even support and comfortably sustain any life, let alone the two current civilizations that it housed.
Even the Saiyans, who had lived in these conditions for years, were still extremely wary of the desert and the potentially fatal environments it held. Some were not so intelligent, but many of the Saiyans, especially the older generation, seemed to respect nature in a way that Humans did not. To many Saiyans nature was something of an old foe, a foe as old as time itself, and one that could never be mastered or truly defeated. As such they honoured it as they would a superior opponent. Being a child of two worlds, Gohan had been astounded to discover this new and unexpected side to the Saiyans; it was further proof that there was hope for his kind after all.
All this side, it had been a surprisingly difficult journey just to get out to a specific part of the desert, though when Gohan had left Vegeta City he’d had no idea just what sort of journey he was setting out on. It had been a week and he had already travelled half way across the desert, through an abandoned Tuffle Settlement and even to another planet, albeit very briefly. Nevertheless, he had finally reached his originally intended destination and soon the hunt would begin.
The area appeared to be that of an abandoned village, one that had seemingly only been chosen for this prestigious event, though one that was used every year and as such the village was in a far better condition than Gohan expected it would have been otherwise. However, despite the luxury of the village greatly lacking from that of Vegeta City, many brave warriors and spectators alike had ventured out to this remote location; the bustle surprised Gohan, who had not expected more than a handful of people to have been here.
Word had spread that the King had made a shocking decision for this year’s Hunt. That he had decreed that all my enter, including those from off world; at least this way Gohan wouldn’t get any trouble by entering, as many still believed a half-breed did not count amongst the pure blooded Saiyans. In truth Gohan was surprised by the King’s decision, but it was a pleasant surprise. Perhaps Gohan’s previous show of strength, as a hybrid, had shown the King that there was power outside of their race? And after all, if Saiyans respected one thing it was power.
And so Gohan steadily moved through the village, taking care to watch everything while not looking directly at anyone in particular; he did not wish to start trouble, not before even taking part in the event. The road he was moving down had small market stalls lining either side of it, where the owners stood trying to barter with potential customers on the prices of their wares. Young Saiyan children ran up and down between the stalls, chasing each other and fighting for fun, which was typical for most Saiyan children of their age. It was quite fascinating really, as in many ways this factor in a Saiyan’s upbringing was not too different from a Human child’s, albeit far more intense. However, it was a topic that he could think more on at a later date.
Eventually Gohan had made it through the majority of the small village and had reached what appeared to be the gathering area for those who wished to partake in the event. There didn’t appear to be anywhere in which to sign up for it, which led the young hybrid to assume that anyone could decide to take part if and when they felt like it; it was clearly only the end result that mattered, in this case.
As Gohan stopped within the group who had gathered, he took the chance to glance about at his potential competition, sizing them up and prioritising them in a list of potential threats to his success. There were one or two Saiyan’s who were clearly physically superior to him, though he knew that didn’t always mean it was an advantage. The other Saiyan’s seemed pretty average in appearance, similar to his build, though Gohan also spotted a few aliens, races he did not know or recognise; they stuck out like sore thumbs amongst the Saiyans. He did not know what abilities they possessed, if any at all, and because they were such mystery’s he could not rule them out of being potential threats. If one thing was clear it was that this would be an interesting event, to say the least.
“Can I have all of your attention.” the question, that was clearly not a question by the tone of the voice, caught Gohan’s attention and caused him to focus on the Saiyan standing on a part of broken wall in front of the gathered group. He was older than most Saiyans that Gohan had seen since being on the planet, large claw-like scars down the entirety of the left side of his face, causing him to be blind in his left eye. The hardened warrior was an intimidating sight, despite his obvious disability. Everyone fell silent to look upon him, none daring to continue speaking.
“Good.” he added, satisfied that everyone had respected him enough to listen. “You have all travelled here to take part in the Great Hunt, and there is no higher honour than winning such an event. Only the strongest and most cunning of warriors can hope to best the beasts of this planet, and this year our King has decreed that anyone may take part.” he paused at that, almost anticipating the groans of dislike from his fellow Saiyans. Gohan had expected as much too; in some ways, the average Saiyan was far too predictable.
“They’re not worthy!” a Saiyan from the back of the group bellowed out, a few of his supporters cheering in agreement. Thankfully the aliens made no return remarks; they didn’t even turn and take notice of the clear insult. Gohan couldn’t help but respect that.
“Do not threat my fellow Saiyans, this is a great opportunity. You are now able to test your skills against some of the best the universe has to offer. Best them and you will know glory! Though there is no dishonour in losing to a superior opponent, so remember that as you venture out.” wisdom had obviously graced this Saiyan in his twilight years. “The rules are simple! You venture out across the planet, your destination your choice, and you slay the biggest and most impressive beast you can find! You have one day to do so and return with your prize. The winner is who returns with the biggest trophy.” The crowd remained silent long after the elder Saiyan had finished talking, when finally he cocked an eyebrow. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get going already!”
The group seemed somewhat disorientated for a brief few seconds, before breaking off into smaller groups and heading in several directions. Gohan simply waited, his arms crossed, as he watched everyone disperse. It appeared as if he was stalling for time but in truth it was all part of his strategy. The young hybrid now had an idea of the direction everyone was moving in, but more specifically, he had an even better idea of the directions that no one was moving in. No competition meant there was less chance of someone stealing any potential kills. With the slightest of smirks Gohan turned on his heel and moved off towards the desert. He had exactly a day to find a beast worthy enough to be slain, so he had to move fast.
The sun had long ago set beyond the horizon, allowing the crimson sky of Vegeta to transform to the velvet blue and black of the night. He had not slain a creature yet, and though he had seen many of them on his travels none had seemed worthy enough to kill for the event. He had long before told himself that he would not kill unnecessarily for sport; he would make one kill, and one kill alone, so it had to count. However, he had been tracking this… colossal beast for close to six hours now, and though he had come close to catching it on two separate occasions now, the beast continued to elude him. A beast of such size, ferociousness, intelligence and cunning would surely win him this hunt, but he would need to catch up to it and slay it soon.
Time was running out.
Gohan silently stepped out into an opening surrounded by rocks, following the deep imprints of the beast he was tracking. It was close, the young hybrid could smell its stench on the breeze, but it was almost impossible to tell where it was. Gohan had already underestimated this unique opponent during their first encounter, thinking no more of the creature as a dumb beast, but he had soon discovered first-hand how the creature had evolved to defend itself against a race as powerful as the Saiyans and a race as intellectual as the Tuffles. He would not make the same mistake again.
A flash of shadow to his left was the only warning that Gohan received, but it was all he needed to act. With a spring in his step he pounced to the side as the flashing white teeth of the creature snapped shut where he had stood less than a second before. The snapping of its jaws caused a popping sound as the air was pushed aside. The young hybrid span on his heel, slamming the side of his foot against the snout of the beast, but the thud that resonated from the impact told Gohan that the hit had barely been effective against the creature.
Knowing it was no good Gohan pushed his foot off of the creature and span through the air, a clawed paw ripping through the air where Gohan had been. The hybrid landed on a particularly jagged formation of rocks and instantly sprang up into the air because, as expected, the beast had already given chase. The creature roared in pain as Gohan’s true plan came into fruition and a knowing smile crossed the deciding hybrids lips.
As the first hints of daybreak were peaking above the distant horizon, the end of the event rapidly approaching, many of the warriors had already returned or were in the process of doing so. The corpses of many strange and wonderful creatures were in tow of the warriors, their own attempt at proving themselves to be the victor of this Great Hunt. Mostly the warriors kept to themselves, or at least within their small groups, as they cautiously looked at the prizes of other warriors, summing them up against their own to see if they had the advantage.
Gohan was one of the last, if not thee last warrior to arrive back at the village, just as the last hour of the event was falling. His walking was laboured and slow, but all things considered he had made excellent time. His armour was cracked and torn in several places, and his body showing wounds of varying degrees, but behind him dragged the immense corpse of the ancient beast he had slain in battle.
The other warriors looked on in astonishment as the “half-breed” dragged the creature’s corpse through the village. It was at least five times bigger than anything that any of the other warriors had seen or managed to defeat, signalling Gohan as the clear winner of the event. Many couldn’t believe their eyes and even more would have claimed him to have cheated, if it hadn’t been clear from his appearance that he had indeed been involved in a great battle.
Stopping in the middle of the group Gohan let go of the creature and sighed in relief. He had made it back and could now relax. Allowing himself to fall back against the side of the creature’s underbelly, Gohan closed his eyes for the briefest moment and took in a deep breath. He had done it. Whether or not he won this event no longer mattered, as word of his kill would rapidly move through the Saiyan people and he would receive glory and respect for his attempt. As the warriors moved in closer to inspect his kill and to congratulate him on an outstanding hunt, Gohan smiled; he couldn’t wait to get back to the city and tell Goten about all this.
Total Finished Word Count: 2,173.
The blistering hot sun was relentless in its bombardment on the planet below. In such a devastating heat seconds often felt like minutes, minutes dragged by as slow as hours, and days were something else entirely. The one true solace was the nights, though they were far from comfortable. Sleeping on the hard dirt, never fully able to relax due to potential attacks from dangerous wildlife of Tuffle forces, and not to mention the extreme cold the temperature often plummeted to. It was hard to believe that this harsh and unforgiving environment could even support and comfortably sustain any life, let alone the two current civilizations that it housed.
Even the Saiyans, who had lived in these conditions for years, were still extremely wary of the desert and the potentially fatal environments it held. Some were not so intelligent, but many of the Saiyans, especially the older generation, seemed to respect nature in a way that Humans did not. To many Saiyans nature was something of an old foe, a foe as old as time itself, and one that could never be mastered or truly defeated. As such they honoured it as they would a superior opponent. Being a child of two worlds, Gohan had been astounded to discover this new and unexpected side to the Saiyans; it was further proof that there was hope for his kind after all.
All this side, it had been a surprisingly difficult journey just to get out to a specific part of the desert, though when Gohan had left Vegeta City he’d had no idea just what sort of journey he was setting out on. It had been a week and he had already travelled half way across the desert, through an abandoned Tuffle Settlement and even to another planet, albeit very briefly. Nevertheless, he had finally reached his originally intended destination and soon the hunt would begin.
The area appeared to be that of an abandoned village, one that had seemingly only been chosen for this prestigious event, though one that was used every year and as such the village was in a far better condition than Gohan expected it would have been otherwise. However, despite the luxury of the village greatly lacking from that of Vegeta City, many brave warriors and spectators alike had ventured out to this remote location; the bustle surprised Gohan, who had not expected more than a handful of people to have been here.
Word had spread that the King had made a shocking decision for this year’s Hunt. That he had decreed that all my enter, including those from off world; at least this way Gohan wouldn’t get any trouble by entering, as many still believed a half-breed did not count amongst the pure blooded Saiyans. In truth Gohan was surprised by the King’s decision, but it was a pleasant surprise. Perhaps Gohan’s previous show of strength, as a hybrid, had shown the King that there was power outside of their race? And after all, if Saiyans respected one thing it was power.
And so Gohan steadily moved through the village, taking care to watch everything while not looking directly at anyone in particular; he did not wish to start trouble, not before even taking part in the event. The road he was moving down had small market stalls lining either side of it, where the owners stood trying to barter with potential customers on the prices of their wares. Young Saiyan children ran up and down between the stalls, chasing each other and fighting for fun, which was typical for most Saiyan children of their age. It was quite fascinating really, as in many ways this factor in a Saiyan’s upbringing was not too different from a Human child’s, albeit far more intense. However, it was a topic that he could think more on at a later date.
Eventually Gohan had made it through the majority of the small village and had reached what appeared to be the gathering area for those who wished to partake in the event. There didn’t appear to be anywhere in which to sign up for it, which led the young hybrid to assume that anyone could decide to take part if and when they felt like it; it was clearly only the end result that mattered, in this case.
As Gohan stopped within the group who had gathered, he took the chance to glance about at his potential competition, sizing them up and prioritising them in a list of potential threats to his success. There were one or two Saiyan’s who were clearly physically superior to him, though he knew that didn’t always mean it was an advantage. The other Saiyan’s seemed pretty average in appearance, similar to his build, though Gohan also spotted a few aliens, races he did not know or recognise; they stuck out like sore thumbs amongst the Saiyans. He did not know what abilities they possessed, if any at all, and because they were such mystery’s he could not rule them out of being potential threats. If one thing was clear it was that this would be an interesting event, to say the least.
“Can I have all of your attention.” the question, that was clearly not a question by the tone of the voice, caught Gohan’s attention and caused him to focus on the Saiyan standing on a part of broken wall in front of the gathered group. He was older than most Saiyans that Gohan had seen since being on the planet, large claw-like scars down the entirety of the left side of his face, causing him to be blind in his left eye. The hardened warrior was an intimidating sight, despite his obvious disability. Everyone fell silent to look upon him, none daring to continue speaking.
“Good.” he added, satisfied that everyone had respected him enough to listen. “You have all travelled here to take part in the Great Hunt, and there is no higher honour than winning such an event. Only the strongest and most cunning of warriors can hope to best the beasts of this planet, and this year our King has decreed that anyone may take part.” he paused at that, almost anticipating the groans of dislike from his fellow Saiyans. Gohan had expected as much too; in some ways, the average Saiyan was far too predictable.
“They’re not worthy!” a Saiyan from the back of the group bellowed out, a few of his supporters cheering in agreement. Thankfully the aliens made no return remarks; they didn’t even turn and take notice of the clear insult. Gohan couldn’t help but respect that.
“Do not threat my fellow Saiyans, this is a great opportunity. You are now able to test your skills against some of the best the universe has to offer. Best them and you will know glory! Though there is no dishonour in losing to a superior opponent, so remember that as you venture out.” wisdom had obviously graced this Saiyan in his twilight years. “The rules are simple! You venture out across the planet, your destination your choice, and you slay the biggest and most impressive beast you can find! You have one day to do so and return with your prize. The winner is who returns with the biggest trophy.” The crowd remained silent long after the elder Saiyan had finished talking, when finally he cocked an eyebrow. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get going already!”
The group seemed somewhat disorientated for a brief few seconds, before breaking off into smaller groups and heading in several directions. Gohan simply waited, his arms crossed, as he watched everyone disperse. It appeared as if he was stalling for time but in truth it was all part of his strategy. The young hybrid now had an idea of the direction everyone was moving in, but more specifically, he had an even better idea of the directions that no one was moving in. No competition meant there was less chance of someone stealing any potential kills. With the slightest of smirks Gohan turned on his heel and moved off towards the desert. He had exactly a day to find a beast worthy enough to be slain, so he had to move fast.
The sun had long ago set beyond the horizon, allowing the crimson sky of Vegeta to transform to the velvet blue and black of the night. He had not slain a creature yet, and though he had seen many of them on his travels none had seemed worthy enough to kill for the event. He had long before told himself that he would not kill unnecessarily for sport; he would make one kill, and one kill alone, so it had to count. However, he had been tracking this… colossal beast for close to six hours now, and though he had come close to catching it on two separate occasions now, the beast continued to elude him. A beast of such size, ferociousness, intelligence and cunning would surely win him this hunt, but he would need to catch up to it and slay it soon.
Time was running out.
Gohan silently stepped out into an opening surrounded by rocks, following the deep imprints of the beast he was tracking. It was close, the young hybrid could smell its stench on the breeze, but it was almost impossible to tell where it was. Gohan had already underestimated this unique opponent during their first encounter, thinking no more of the creature as a dumb beast, but he had soon discovered first-hand how the creature had evolved to defend itself against a race as powerful as the Saiyans and a race as intellectual as the Tuffles. He would not make the same mistake again.
A flash of shadow to his left was the only warning that Gohan received, but it was all he needed to act. With a spring in his step he pounced to the side as the flashing white teeth of the creature snapped shut where he had stood less than a second before. The snapping of its jaws caused a popping sound as the air was pushed aside. The young hybrid span on his heel, slamming the side of his foot against the snout of the beast, but the thud that resonated from the impact told Gohan that the hit had barely been effective against the creature.
Knowing it was no good Gohan pushed his foot off of the creature and span through the air, a clawed paw ripping through the air where Gohan had been. The hybrid landed on a particularly jagged formation of rocks and instantly sprang up into the air because, as expected, the beast had already given chase. The creature roared in pain as Gohan’s true plan came into fruition and a knowing smile crossed the deciding hybrids lips.
As the first hints of daybreak were peaking above the distant horizon, the end of the event rapidly approaching, many of the warriors had already returned or were in the process of doing so. The corpses of many strange and wonderful creatures were in tow of the warriors, their own attempt at proving themselves to be the victor of this Great Hunt. Mostly the warriors kept to themselves, or at least within their small groups, as they cautiously looked at the prizes of other warriors, summing them up against their own to see if they had the advantage.
Gohan was one of the last, if not thee last warrior to arrive back at the village, just as the last hour of the event was falling. His walking was laboured and slow, but all things considered he had made excellent time. His armour was cracked and torn in several places, and his body showing wounds of varying degrees, but behind him dragged the immense corpse of the ancient beast he had slain in battle.
The other warriors looked on in astonishment as the “half-breed” dragged the creature’s corpse through the village. It was at least five times bigger than anything that any of the other warriors had seen or managed to defeat, signalling Gohan as the clear winner of the event. Many couldn’t believe their eyes and even more would have claimed him to have cheated, if it hadn’t been clear from his appearance that he had indeed been involved in a great battle.
Stopping in the middle of the group Gohan let go of the creature and sighed in relief. He had made it back and could now relax. Allowing himself to fall back against the side of the creature’s underbelly, Gohan closed his eyes for the briefest moment and took in a deep breath. He had done it. Whether or not he won this event no longer mattered, as word of his kill would rapidly move through the Saiyan people and he would receive glory and respect for his attempt. As the warriors moved in closer to inspect his kill and to congratulate him on an outstanding hunt, Gohan smiled; he couldn’t wait to get back to the city and tell Goten about all this.
Total Finished Word Count: 2,173.
