I was a hunter
but hunters don't have a tail, sharp teeth and weight enough to crush large branches under their feet
surprisingly, that wasn't the most important thing in my mind at the moment
I was busy dragging my poor wreck of a body toward a cave, leaving a trail of my own blood behind me
I had no recollection how it all started
worse, I only had few faint memories of who I was
I could only recall a great deal of pain and feeling like being squeezed from all sides
I woke up on an outcrop in the wildspire waste apparently
too groggy to realize those monsters legs didn't belong to something that was always behind me
it's a miracle that I even managed to get up and run, but I'm guessing my instincts were doing the piloting
but the fact remained that I tried to outrun myself like a dumb ass
which led me to fall down a cliff
it wouldn't have been too much of a problem normally, but in my confused state and unfamiliar body, my side clipped a rocky protrusion
then my head
I woke up a second time, realization finally getting through my thick skull
maybe the impact helped
those legs and serrated claws really responded to my will
but panic took me again due to the huge gash in my thigh, and the large amount of blood pooling
and that's where I was
strangely it was not that painful
I definitely felt a ache but I expected it to hurt a lot more
maybe it was the adrenaline
or maybe it was all just a dream, and I would wake up and have a good laugh
it felt very real though
so much that I couldn't afford to stay there
I still had some strength but a wave of fatigue was overtaking me
the darkness of the cave washed over me as my vision got blurrier
in a last bout of strength, I lied against the wall and let my body drop gently
time to die
I managed to last the night is seemed, since the sun was shining on my face when the cave owner rudely nipped me
standing up in a hurry made me realize how tall I was, didn't think I would look eye to eye with a Kulu-Ya-Ku, yet here we were
I guess I wasn't woken up with a rock bash to the face, so it probably was not that rude
my brows started aching as I felt like I HAD to stand my ground, to evict that rival that couldn't even prevent an intruder into its nest
the intensity of that thought took me by surprise, staggering me for a bit while the bird wyvern kept screeching at me while keeping a distance
it took a lot of effort to shake it off, leaving a part of me confused by my inaction
yet I had no idea how a fight would go in my current state
I hugged the wall to get out as the feathery monster got bolder and started snapping at me
it didn't follow me outside thankfully
the heat of the sun on my hide made me realize how parched I was, with no idea how to even live
yet I couldn't stand there
my leg hurts a lot but the bleeding seemed to have stopped at least
with nowhere to go, I started following the nearby path, my eyes nervously darting toward any sound I heard
my new instincts helped a lot in finding a place to hide
somehow I just seemed to know when the wind was blowing in the wrong direction for me to hide and how likely I could be spotted
I let myself be guided to some foliage, and surprisingly my large frame could fit behind it
must be pretty effective since a band of Apceros went by without even turning their head toward me
thankfully I'm not starving, I didn't think I could take one down
or rather, not starving yet
I seized the opportunity to think now that I had some time for myself
time for some self inspection
purple-ish hide, sharp talons, long tail
yep, definitely a Tzitzi-Ya-Ku
plus two antennas that I couldn't see but definitely feel
I was pretty sure I was able to move them around, but I couldn't confirm it
even thinking about taking a look made me feel incredibly uneasy
instincts were trying to keep me from flashing myself, I guess
it didn't matter much anyway since I wasn't able to trigger a flash, only to get a burning sensation when I strained
I hoped they weren't broken somehow
my massive snout made itself known when I tried to focus on it
it took so much space in my field of view, I wondered how it took me so long to notice it
tongue was way longer than before, so much that I could lift it in front of my eyes
the most noticeable thing though was that smells were very sharp now
I got vertigo when trying to sniff a big flower atop a cactus nearby
hopefully I would get used to it, otherwise it would be very debilitating
hands were clumsy, but at least I had some kind of thumbs which allowed me to grab rocks
though I felt that just sweeping with my claws would be more effective in a fight
I was definitely way stronger than before, I could feel the sheer tension of my muscles when I moved
unfortunately my touch feeling was much duller than I recalled, as if my hands were put in ice for a bit
probably was a feature though given the strength of my hide
my tongue seemed so be better for any fine task anyway
I was just hoping nobody would be seeing me licking myself all over
then again they probably wouldn't think much of it
considering I was not human anymore...
...
instincts kicked in and jerked me back into focus
that's right, no time to think about my condition, I had to survive first and foremost
leg wound was looking pretty bad even if the bleeding stopped
instincts were telling me to lick it, and I did hoping it would help
each lap stung
but the ache seemed to fade a tiny bit
I tried to move my tail while doing so
it was surprisingly easy to control
probably the instincts helping again, especially considering how I was able to walk with such an unfamiliar body plan
I was incredibly tall compared to my memories, clashing with my bent over stance
instincts tried to hammer the fact that it was normal
it was all very confusing
one last place to inspect, that I postponed as much as possible
I rolled on my side and lifted my leg
then took a peek
...
took a peek further back
it's much more unassuming than expected
just a sideway crease where my tail joined my body
flexing seemed to open it a bit, but not much more than that
I wasn't ready to give it a tongue test yet, further inspections would have to wait
mostly satisfied, I realized a smell I've never encountered had reached me
my mouth felt even drier as my instincts urged me to follow it
carefully, I lifted my huge frame and kept to the shade while heading toward its source
following a scent was much easier than I thought
just knowing where the wind was coming from filled my head with what would be in that direction
around a rocky corner I finally reached my prize
a small swamp
while I really needed to drink, I felt a little let down from that "treasure", but my instincts really wanted me to plunge my head in it
and I did
the sheer satisfaction took me by surprise, and I let my body take the reins when I fumbled with my lack of cheeks
each gulp felt like ambrosia
even if I could feel some solid stuff coming with it
ugh
it's not like it tasted bad, it didn't taste like anything actually
I hoped I wasn't bared from the culinary world now
the few Gajau I could spot were keeping their distances
the advantage of being huge
with that need taken care of, I waited for the muddy water to settle before looking into it
or rather, to look at my reflection
yep
I was a Tzitzi
my instincts caught up with my antics and I felt the urge to NOT look at what was sitting on my brows
it was overwhelming but I managed to catch a glance
my antennas were half opened this whole time
with a flex I closed them, and suddenly felt much less uneasy
the radical switch made my human mind want to prod that response, but the dissatisfaction I got from trying to peek kept me from getting adventurous
no time for that too, I needed to plan for the future
while taking a nap on a warm rock did sound like a pretty good course of action, I needed to be less shortsighted than that
suddenly, I froze as the most unexpected thing comes into view
a woman
going through the shallow part of the swamp
even from that far I could tell she knew I was here, as she kept throwing glances in my direction
yet she was rapidly heading on a different path
I had to act NOW
I stood up and faced her
a screamed gurgle escaped my mouth as I tried to speak
I should have tried that earlier FUCK
at least that got her attention
she whipped around and dashed toward a rocky outcrop away from me
a rocky outcrop with holes leading to the cave system below
holes too small for me
NO
panicking, I fumbled into a full run
but there was no way I was going to reach her in time
in a smooth motion, she slid on the dirt and disappeared underground
FUCK FUCK FUCK
I skidded and tripped, getting a face full of stone
the pain was blinding
what a fucking idiot
I scrapped uselessly at where she went through while trying my best to form words
but only groans and whines came out
I gave up after a while, realizing my pitiful display wouldn't win anyone over
at least she wasn't after my hide
h-haha
...I really needed a plan, I couldn't afford to waste more opportunities like that
maybe it wasn't not too late though, if there was one hunter around, there may be more
I lay there for a while, being mindful of my surroundings and waiting for something to happen
I used that time to try practicing speech but I could only produce warbles at best
not wanting to rot there, I wandered around for a bit, trying to smell where she came from
but it led nowhere, somehow she didn't leave much traces
with the sun getting low, I drank a few more jaw-full of water and started looking for a place to sleep
I was somewhat hungry yesterday, but now I salivated just thinking about meat
except those Gajaus were more slippery than a Mizutsune
I thought I was smart by trying to corner them but they always ended up evading me and going in deeper water
I was pretty sure I would be more agile if I didn't have a limp
hard to tell given I didn't know what being normal was to me
I did catch a small fish though, which I swallowed whole
instincts didn't seem to mind, and I don't want to know what raw meat feels like yet if I could help it
it wasn't sustenance though
what would have been a whole meal in my previous form now felt like just a small bite
I should have been able to hunt better than that, but I still couldn't trigger a flash, despite training for what felt like hours last night
by focusing intensely I could produce some light, but it wasn't anywhere near enough
also it burnt when I did it
my instincts weren't helping at all
they only seemed to live in the moment, providing hints when I needed them, but it was like they had their own agenda
despite all the nagging, these intrusive thoughts seemed well tuned to help me survive though
if only they weren't so short sighted
at the moment I had a need to patrol
probably to chart my new territory I guess
but I didn't want to stay there
my main goal was to find a camp, then negotiate with humans I would find there
somehow
I needed to make it known that I was intelligent
and I couldn't wait until I end up as the target of a quest
or by being brutalized by a Rathian
as big as I was, I remembered turf wars involving bigger monsters
the crunches and snapping of bones were something I wouldn't forget, no matter what I transformed into
well, there was only one thing I could do
I picked a direction, and started walking
wandering randomly might have been a bad idea in hindsight
I'm starting to think my instincts actually managed to nudge me into patrolling
after a while I decided to climb on one of the rocky plateau to get a good vantage point
it's incredible how easy it is to climb vines when you have hooks at the end of your fingers
though without my bad leg, I would be leaping on top even faster
I did fall a few times, but not too far thankfully
it finally allowed me to survey the surrounding landscape
and a fantastic news: what I thought was a lonely mountain in the distance seemed to be a huge tree
the same tree Altera was next to
that development alone filled me with so much joy I nearly stumbled down the cliff again
but karma caught up with me in the form of a massive looming shadow, much much closer and personal than this distant tree
an Anjanath
looking directly at me
we both stood frozen for way too long, perhaps it being confused by my presence
a snort from it was all it took for me to bolt away, stumbling down the path toward the bottom of the plateau
a roar and a series of deafening crashes behind me made it clear that the huge brute wasn't bothering with subtlety to get to me
my legs weren't even under my control anymore as my limp was all but forgotten
dropping to the base of the cliff, I bolted again as my instincts screamed at me to run faster
but my more calculating side noticed that the path forward was barren
there was nothing to impede my movements or the ones of my pursuer
but the beast had way longer legs
the rapidly approaching stomps behind me were a confirmation that send a chill down my spine
not just a chill as a loud snap sent a jolt of pain through my whole being
I could feel the Anjanath had bitten my tail, yet I was still running ahead
I didn't dare turn my head away from the path but I prayed it would be satisfied with that and leave me be
unfortunately the stomps resumed shortly after, getting ever closer
in a mad attempt at doing anything to escape, I wrestled with my instincts and made my body dive into a little alcove on the side of the path
as I pushed past the thick vines, a crash resonated through my whole body
the Anjanath was ripping at the plants, glaring every few seconds to take note of my position
I was utterly trapped, my supposedly rational reaction having doomed me
my mind was going completely blank trying to find a solution
the sheared vines dropping on me and the beast's rotten breath were thoroughly overwhelming me
suddenly and without even thinking, my head whipped around to face the looming maw directly
something strained like never before, and my eyes closed on their own as my brows BURNED
a deafening scream blasted my ears as I opened my eyes again
the Anjanath had recoiled and was tripping over the vines it had ripped from the rocks, obviously blinded by the flash I had produced
in a heartbeat, I leaped out of the alcove and ran at groundbreaking speed, leaving the destruction behind
...
my mind returned to me a long while after
I remember running and running and running, only taking small breaks before the slightest sound made me bolt again
the sun was nearing the horizon but I managed to find a very small cave
my instincts were weirdly silent after that whole debacle
and it finally downed on me that the Anjanath had bitten the tip of my tail clean off
it wasn't bleeding as much as I thought it would but the pain was there
as darkness covered the land I curled into a tight ball
yet I couldn't bring myself from turning my gaze away from the entrance
I didn't think I was going to sleep much tonight
despite all odds, I did sleep
I was wide awake one moment, then groggily opening my eyes the next
I don't think I dreamed
maybe I couldn't even do that now
with a heave I lifted my heavy frame away from the floor
my leg was getting better, and my tail had stopped bleeding completely
after warily checking outside, I confirmed that despite it all, I was way closer to Astera than the day before
whether that meant safety or danger though was still unclear
I still had hope that everything would be solved once I reached civilization again
...I thought
I realized suddenly that my body was venturing outside on its own accord, looking for a place to hydrate
with a sigh, I let it take the reins
I just didn't have the energy to think at the moment
the area I was in was definitely getting greener, indicating I was approaching the forest
with foliage comes water, and I soon was confronted by a small stream splitting the lands
my morning was spent trying to snatch fishes out of the water
I was definitely getting better at it
but what caught my attention was a distinct smell that I swear I had encountered before, in another body
except in that one it was absolutely disgusting in its heaviness and the way it seemed to seep into my skull
only one thing came to my mind that could produce such an effect
monster repellent
a substance harmless to people but repulsive to any scaly critter, often spread near a camp to prevent unwanted thieves when left empty
which meant, there were probably humans nearby
I did my best to follow the source of that smell
my body wasn't cooperative and I was left retching every few minutes
at least most of the fishes stayed in my crop
it took a little while but I finally managed to squeeze through a crack, to be greeted by a tent built neatly in the small space
it seems it really was a hunting camp as an empty weapon rack was folded on the ground
it had been left unused for a while though
however I soon spotted my consolation prize
a jerky rack, hidden behind a rock colored tarp
I couldn't help but tear into it, greedily gulping down the dry pieces of meat one after the other
I hoped they would stay down like the fishes
the headache wasn't getting better though, and every minute spent here felt more and more challenging
the tent was devoid of anything that could have been of any use to me, but there was something I could do
extending a finger, I quickly carved a few words into the wooden floor
it was very sloppy but since I could read my message back I figured it would be enough
"TZITZI FRIENDLY AND SMART"
I would have written a longer message but the pounding headache I had was becoming debilitating, so I resigned myself to leave it at that
after squeezing back out, I had to run a fair distance before the effect of the repellent finally lifted
that meant I couldn't just wait in front of the camp for someone to show up, especially since weeks could go by without any hunter visiting an isolated place like this
Altera was closer than ever, and I decided to continue my trek and leave the camp for now
not sensing the presence of any big predator nearby, I spent my time practicing pronouncing words, to no avail
I found humor in imagining what an observer would think of a random lost Tzitzi warbling and humming to itself though
the forest was all around me now
I underestimated how stressful it would be in such a noisy environment
the waving branches kept catching my attention, keeping me nervous
on top of it, it's much more lively than the wastes
a Tobi-Kadashi just went by jumping from tree to tree, taking the time to scream at me before leaping away
I could feel the presence of large predators around so I kept a low profile
but most interesting of all were the humans
I saw no less than 3 groups of them, each with varying degrees of failure when I attempted engaging them
the first group I was too stunned to react to, and they had ran into the thick foliage away before I could even move
the second time was what looked like a lone researcher, but I got a face full of dung bomb from a hidden Palico as I tried to approach, and they all fled while I was gagging
the third time was a band of hunters that pointed at me when I laid low on the floor, trying to quickly scratch a message into the dirt, but they fled by Wingdrake before I could even finish a word
I then attempted to arrange some small rocks around me and stood in the middle of my art piece with some messages ready on the ground, preparing for another encounter
unfortunately a Great Jagras found me instead
I wasn't prepared to fight so I had to retreat but it made me realize I couldn't stay in one place in the open
being on the move meant survival, while exposing yourself meant being ambushed constantly
I opted to write messages on the trunks of trees but the bark was crumbly, looking more like a Jagras marked its territory there rather than anything intelligible
worst was with the canopy and hazardous terrain, I had a very hard time orienting myself
night fell while I was curling up inside a hollow tree, trying to scratch more things on the floor as the forest became quiet
I monitored the morning routine of a lot of dangerous creatures while laying low
turns out my tree was positioned just the right way to allow me to peek outside while still staying hidden
but not hidden enough for humans it seems
the main sign of their presence was the sudden buzzing of scoutflies around me
I could not see where they came from but their green glow was ruining my cover
then I saw one
he was blending incredibly well in the foliage, but the reflection of the sun against something metallic betrayed him
there was a hunter right across the clearing, his binocular trained on me
he disappeared as if melting with the background the instant I got out of my den
damn ghillie mantle
I stayed there dumbfounded for a few second before hearing rustling behind me
suddenly a lance wielding maniac came charging straight toward me
I managed to dodge to the side, avoiding getting impaled when an impact shook my skull
without even seeing my assailant I was sent to the dirt by a second impact
I tried to get up as fast as I could while the hammer-wielding hunter came into view, preparing a third strike
I barely dodged the blow but in the process got sent straight toward the lancer which poked me in the side a few times
it happened so fast I could not see that they were both leading me toward the original hidden hunter I had spotted
turned out he had prepared a pit trap for me
suddenly feeling the ground drop under me sent my instincts into overdrive, lashing out at anything in range
pink mist exploded from under me as my rational mind caught up, and by sheer reflex managed to only inhale a little of the anesthetic gas before it was too late
it was still enough to give me vertigo and sapping my strength
my long neck gave up and my head hit the ground with a dull thud
I was still conscious, squinting my eyes in preparation for the next blow to come
but surprisingly, it never happened
I could hear all three hunters cheering a little further ahead, while some sort of cart that was waiting nearby was pulled next to me
my instincts wanted to struggle and lash out when they approached but I feared what the hunters would do if they noticed I wasn't really knocked out
so I did nothing as they bound my legs and arms, put large mittens over my claws and locked my jaw with a muzzle
some kind of tube was plugged in my nostrils, from which I could distinctly smell more anesthetic gas
but I knew better and started breathing through my mouth instead despite the muzzle
I could hear multiple other people talk around me, and was reassured that I could still understand them just like before
however none of them were saying anything of use to me, mostly some quick grunts and acknowledgment about how the hunt went
after being lifted and secured with heavy ropes to the cart, we started making our way through the thick forest
everyone was staying silent for the most part, as they should to not draw attention
I managed to recover while laying on the cart but couldn't really do much in my state
I could not make them know I was awake as, at best, they would just throw more anesthetic gas my way, and at worst probably deal with me in another less gentle manner
and frankly I was a little afraid
with my hands bound I could not even scratch something on the wood
only thing I could do was wait
it took a little while to arrive due to multiple near encounters with monsters
I got covered with a tarp at some point so I couldn't even take a peek
but finally we made it to Astera
I was transferred into the hands of a few researchers that stayed near the cart as it was pulled inside
at least they were more talkative than the cart pullers
from them I leaned that I had been spotted ever since arriving in the forest, and a capture quest was up since then to stop me from venturing further
apparently from my wounds they were thinking a Legiana dropped me when it flew beyond the large canyon separating the coral highlands and wastes, and I managed to survive all the way through here
they didn't know what to do with me though
one of them suggested to transport me back to the coral highlands aboard the earliest ship
another protested saying it was a lot of paperwork, and the arena might need a new monster to practice on instead
I really didn't like that line of thinking
I figured being surrounded by scholars would be a good time to reveal myself, but unfortunately two very mean looking hunters were following along
they probably took security very seriously when live monsters were involved
I was hoping to get put in a cell at some point so that I could start writing, but I was sent straight to some kind of inspection area
the scholar then started doing various kind of diagnosis on me after loosening my restraints a little
some were taking blood samples, while others were patting me all over
at one point, one of them said my heartbeat was way too high, and ordered another to go check the anesthetic level
he came closer to my snout, before falling silent
he then quickly went back to the others
the hushed murmurs that followed weren't boding well
especially as one of the two guard came toward them asking what was wrong
in a panic let my body do the only thing I could think of
I whipped my head toward them, and FLASHED
thankfully my antennas weren't impeded
they were definitely not expecting it as all humans in the room were looking at me dumbfounded when it happened
to their credits the guards immediately went for their weapons despite being blinded
the scholars though were running into each other
with a heave I lifted myself, snapping the few restraints I had left and ripping the mittens from my hands
I intended to warble at them non threateningly while they were incapacitated, but turns out the guards don't need to see to be effective
one of them charged me, his greatsword in hand
I dodged to the side in response and jumped toward him, one clawed foot extended
whether from combat experience or because he heard me, he actually dodged to the side despite not being able to see me
however, I wasn't aiming at him but at his weapon, my full weight slamming it to the floor
it must have come as a surprise as he lost balance and tripped to the ground trying and failing to keep his grip on his sword
with a kick I sent it to a corner, leaving him with nothing but his bare hands
the other was fumbling with her bow as scholars were holding on to her, panicking
as I leaped toward her she quickly put herself between me and them, intending to prevent me from advancing further
that worked my way as I just ripped her weapon from her grip before running where the greatsword had skidded to
now in possession of all weapons in the room, I breathed a sight of relief
then I heard some commotion to the side
four more guards had barged into the room, turning toward me
in a panic, I just leaped toward wherever they came from
a few might have struck me as I tripped and ate the floor after passing over them
beyond was a massive corridor that could have accommodated me many times over
my only option was to run as fast as I could
screams, both humans and monster-y, were starting to fill the place
scholars were pressing themselves to the side as I ran, and a dual-blades wielding hunter fired a flash pod at me which I effortlessly looked away from
he still took a jab straight into my tail as I passed him
my instincts were as lost as me unfortunately
a few seconds later I emerged into some kind of open air hub where many similar big corridors were converging
however a few hunters were waiting for me
with precision only seen in very tight-knit hunting teams, they forced me toward a corner
one of them was firing at me with his bowgun uninterrupted while the others were keeping me busy
I really wanted to avoid directly harming humans but the situation was very dire
yet I couldn't even get close to them
I was utterly outmatched
I took my only escape option, which was to leap over them as I had with the first group
these ones were expecting it though
I reeled in pain as a hammer blow hit me in my bad leg
but I still managed to go past them
yet I wouldn't be able to go far with my speed severely impaired
in despair, I dived through the first open door in my way
straight into an enclosure of sort, with no other openings
I turned, hearing them close in fast
I was trapped
so this is how I die then
my instincts screamed at me to prepare for my last stand, and I tensed waiting for them to barge in
however, the first hunter to arrive simply slammed the door shut, the heavy clicks of the lock leaving me dumbfounded
the commotion died down outside as the situation went back under control
my enclosure had bars that gave me free view over anyone passing by
and them over me too, I guess
I could see many people pressing on them, going back and forth in the corridor
a few people were yelling angrily right outside the door, others were pointing at me
it finally downed on me that my vision was becoming blurrier, and I that I was shivering
taking a look at my form, I realized I was bleeding all over
the pool forming under me was not a good sign
I could feel fatigue creeping over me, and needed to act now
I dragged my body toward one of the walls, and started scrapping on it with my claw
it took way longer than anticipated as my trembling hand wasn't cooperative, but I manage to scribble some words on the wood
"I SMART"
it was getting harder to think but I noticed everything was very silent
turning around, people were just sitting speechless looking at my work
emboldened, I wrote a few more letters
"NO HARM"
strength left me and I dropped to the ground
lots of shouting and hushing came from outside, before consciousness left me
I woke up feeling sore all over but alive, still in the same enclosure as before
they must have tranquilized me for real while I was asleep as I could smell some remnant of the gas
the biggest surprise was the bandages I was covered up with
they were sticky and smelled like honey, though I didn't dare touch them
my leg was set with a splint and the tip of my tail wrapped in cloths
I couldn't do much more than look around, and saw only one scholar outside
seeing me move, he ran away and came back with three more in tow
I think they tried asking questions but I wasn't in any state to respond
my eyes drifted to the ground as I fell unconscious again
the next three days went by in a blur
I could only answer a few of the scholar's queries before needing to rest again, not helped by my peculiar method of communication
at least one of them had the brilliant idea to give me a blackboard along with a piece of chalk
they obviously were interested in my story and I told them everything I could, which was hard when done one word at a time
it seemed they still didn't trust me despite my insistence that I didn't mean any harm so I was staying locked up
no one entered my enclosure as everything I needed was delivered from a hatch in the wall
fine by me, after the last few days I was glad to not fear for my life anymore
plus they were nice enough to deliver large pieces of meat, even cooked one after I asked
I was relieved to confirm that my sense of taste was mostly the same as I remembered
along with the scholars, a few serious looking people went by but never asked anything, only observing
I was pretty sure I should know them but somehow my memory was eluding me
what was I, really
even the scholars couldn't give me a straight answer
seems like my case was never seen before
only hint they may have had was the disappearance of a hunter in the wastes, who was wearing a partial Tzitzi set
the only hitch was that it happened years ago
nobody was unaccounted for otherwise
one of them was more willing to share his hypothesis than the others, and told me I wasn't just a former human but a monster that fused with one instead
it would explain why I'm having those instincts guiding me around
maybe I'm not alone in my head
how it happened though, they had no idea
my instincts had fallen nearly completely silent, only nudging me to walk around sometimes
I guess as long as I'm safe and fed, they're mostly satisfied
at some point they let a heavily armored hunter inside, to prove I wasn't up to anything shady
he just patted my flank before leaving
that apparently was enough as they let a flood of scholars in afterward
plus it allowed them to swap my bandages, and it seemed I was recovering well
the way they swarmed around me was a bit annoying, with my instincts insisting I would be better off isolated
thankfully they would leave me alone when I told them it was overwhelming
after a few days I started getting more visits
knowledge of my presence had spread across Astera and a lot of people suddenly wanted to have a chat with the smart monster
nearly universally I was questioned about if other monsters were intelligent too
they left disappointed, smelling worried when I told them I didn't know
those chats went two ways as I gleaned information about what was happening outside
despite being quite sure I was unique, I learned that all Tzitzi hunts were canceled until further notice
seems that my sheer existence was having some deep repercussions in the hunting community
surprisingly I got a visit from the hammer wielding hunter that beat me up in the forest
he was very apologetic and proposed to make up for it in any way he could
I didn't know what to ask for except that I'd like to feel the sun again, and he left assuring me he would put a good word for me to the right persons
that came to fruition soon after as they finally let me out
I could smell the tension in the air as I walked down the corridor, even if they were doing a good job at hiding it
there was two anxious hunters flanking me but they gave me some space at least
they seemed to relax when I didn't do anything threatening thankfully
warming my hide outside was blissful and my instincts couldn't agree more
the scholars had planned to give me a tour but accepted to just leave me basking
I could hear a crowd not too far but I didn't pay it any mind
finally, things were starting to look good
EPILOGUE
the Blacksmith asked if that really was what I wanted, and I signed back a confirmation
he let out a bellowing laugh, stating I was making him feel like an apprentice again with my weird body plan
a lot happened in the past few months
I made quite a few friends, and thought at first it was hard to communicate using the slate hanging from my neck, learning signs made it way smoother
although nowadays I can exchange simple greetings with anyone in Astera through body language alone
it wasn't all smooth sailing however
turns out alcohol is poisonous to me for instance
after the big scare it caused I was submitted to a thorough battery of tests to understand what I could ingest or not
I feel like scholars both love and hate me as my sheer presence cleared a lot of theories they had, but at the same time raised even more questions
at least I can help them test them out
for example, I can actually regenerate my photophores without being in the coral highlands as was previously thought
the amount of captures had skyrocketed too ever since I arrived and the facilities had trouble keeping up with it
so much that scholars were expected to just go out in the fields to inspect the captured monsters instead of cozily waiting for them
however, I was still the sole intelligent "regular" monster so far, although some troubling cases in the past made themselves known
I learnt that some elder dragons might have met the criteria too, but very few people were aware of that fact, and it was not easy to confirm given how antisocial they were
also by this time anyone and their mother knew about the amazing smart Tzitzi, so I'm pretty sure I've met the majority of humans in the new world
to top it off people from the old world were boarding the argosy just to see me too
I got to talk to a lots of new faces, along with weird people that I was told were old wyverian
I've grown more and more in tune with my instincts too, so much that I had trouble distinguishing myself from them
nowadays I don't even have to wait for them to suggest anything as I am already acting according to what they want
I think it all comes down to me growing used to my body
but I'm not satisfied though
while I regularly went helping hunters in the fields as my senses and flashes were very handy, I wanted to go further than that
but I wouldn't venture far without making sure I had all the cards in my hands
hence why I commissioned the Blacksmith to make me a custom armor
he told me that my hide was already fairly tough, but still
I was literally paying for it with my own blood and he was very thankful for my "donations"
apparently wyvern blood was a very good binder, whatever that meant, and the fresher the better
I preferred not to think too much about it
I was already using an oversized shield and what was probably the heaviest bowgun as tools during my expeditions but I felt like the extra protection would come in handy
the scholars weren't very happy with my decision either
they kept saying I was too important to just risk being mauled in the wilderness
but the commander took my side, and with some promises they agreed to let me go
I was to memorize the territory of all known monster I was susceptible to encounter, to pack a custom flare gun in case something happened and to contact passing airships that I encountered on my travels
fine by me
I didn't intend to go to the other side of the world after all, just to the site where I woke up for the first time
at worst I would only be gone for two weeks
...and probably after that, attempt to go look for an elder dragon, but that's a problem for future me
the big day finally came, and quite a few people were watching me depart
I think I looked very silly with that custom backpack I was wearing on my front but no one commented on it
I took a deep breath, and entered the forest again