Why I Hunt

Chapter Five

5

"First things first, each of you will need to choose a weapon," Pete tells us. "Now, it is best that you all possess a different kind. Diversity is good so you have a well rounded attack, and just as a weapon depends on your traits, so do your duties in a hunt, but we'll get to that more later."

Pete has brought us all to the team center. The whole team bought a building which they could meet, prepare, and store their equipment and other such items in. After searching around a bit, he has gathered one of each weapon type and lied them across a counter. In front of us were a sword and shield, dual swords, a longsword, a greatsword, a hunting hammer, a hunting horn, a bowgun, and a bow and arrow. These were the four main weapon groups which we would be selecting from.

"Have any of you hunted or wielded one of these weapons for any reason before?" Pete asks us. I say I have, but no one else appears to have done so before. "Very well. You work with a sword and shield, do you not, lil brother?"

"I do," I say.

"Then, it is best you stick with that. Who's next?" David steps forward. "David, right?" Pete asks. David nods. "I've heard you like to do a lot of tinkering?" He nods again. "I think the type of weapon that will suit you is a bowgun. It is something you will be able to tinker with and improve, and I'm sure you'll find interest in experimenting and creating your own ammunition for it." Pete hands a basic bowgun to Dave.

"I actually would be extremely happy with that idea," Dave says, holding the bowgun as if about to shoos something. "I'll do it."

"Good. Who's next?" Pete asks again. This time, Charlie takes a step forward.

"This probably sounds odd to you, but I kinda want a job that will involve the least amount of hurting creatures," Charlie tells Pete. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Pete insists. "A hunting horn would prolly be best for you."

"It looks really heavy..." Charlie points out. She isn't quite strong, after all.

"Depending upon the materials, they can actually be quite light," Pete assures her. "It can also be misleading. You have to remember that these things are hollow. Of course, the club part at the end of it has to be bulky in cases of defense when a beast comes at you, but the rest of it is pretty light." Pete lifts it and hands it to her, telling her to try it out.

"Wow," she remarks. "This isn't as heavy as it looks; you're right!" She hand it back to him, and he lies it down on the counter.

"William, how about you come up here next," Pete suggests. "After all, this is all for your sake."

William sighs and approaches Pete. "I'm rather slow and big. I'm not hunting material."

"Don't say that," Pete scolds. "Anybody is hunting material if they use their potential in the right area. You have a bit of muscle, yes?"

Will examines his arms. "I mean... I guess I do." Pete goes across the room, grabs a large rock big enough that he must cradle it, and places it in Will's arms. "What is this?"

"Gravios shell," replies Pete. "Really heavy stuff, and you seem to do fine. I think a hammer is the right choice for you." After Pete puts the monster shell back where he got it, he hands Will the hammer. "A hammer wielder isn't meant to have speed. He or she must stand his ground sturdy and pack the punch of the team. What the hammer unit is really useful for is knocking down monsters, knocking out monsters, or, in cases like the Gravios, breaking the shell so that a blade or bowgun could penetrate that vulnerable area."

"I don't know..."

"Did I mention approaching a monster as a hammer unit is quite a gamble? You seem to be pretty familiar with the idea." We all laugh; even Will can't help it.

"Fine," he gives in. "I wouldn't mind the hammer I suppose."

"That leaves Emily," I tell Pete.

"Ah," he looks at her. "I've seen you around the library a bit. Smart?"

"Well, yeah you could say that," Emily answers.

"You guess?" Dave questions. "Unbelievable! You are always putting in clever remarks or proving somebody wrong. You're like the smartest person I know!" Everybody is staring at David now. Emily is blushing a bit. After Dave realizes his outburst, he sinks back a bit in embarrassment. "Well, yeah she's pretty smart."

Pete gets back on track. "Clever, he mentioned? Would you say you can think and react quickly?"

"I think so."

"Are you fast?"

"She outruns all of us," Charlie says.

"I know just what weapon to give you. How do you feel about dual swords?" Pete picks up a couple of iron blades and hands them to her. She ponders deeply for a minute.

"It seems logical. The swords are probably the best for me; you're right."

"Alright, then! Nate will handle the sword and shield. Charlie will support with the horn. Dave will pack a punch with his hammer. Emily will destroy with her dual swords. Dave will man the guns. Are we good?" We all nod our heads. "Marvelous! Why don't you all go home, then. It's getting late, and you'll need sleep for when we begin tomorrow." No one complains. David, Will, and Emily leave right away. Charlie stays with me and my brother. Eventually, he leaves to make an appointment with the blacksmith the next morning and we are left alone.

"Good job, thinking of hunting for the money," Charlie tells me. "It seems like it will be a fun sorta thing."

"Will you be okay with us attacking other creatures?" I ask her. I doubt she can handle it.

"I think I can. As long as you guys do the majority of the attacking, I can support you with the hunting horn."

"You've always wanted to be a musician, after all." She laughs helplessly at this. I can't help but remember my conversation with David the other day.

I'm pretty sure she still views us as friends though... This is hell. How long will my brother be gone?

Well, that doesn't matter anymore when Charlie says, "We're a long way from my house. It's across the village. Would you walk with me, Nate?" I can't exactly say no. I leave a note for Pete about where I've gone and head out with her.

We walk in silence for a while. "A sword and shield hunter is usually one of the main attackers in a team, isn't it?" Charlie asks eventually. I nod. "Are you scared about that?"

"I'd be more scared to be Emily or Will," I reply. "I have a shield. They don't."

"Well, I hope you're safe," she says. After a pause, she finally adds, "I hope we all are." For a second I think she might like me, but I am her best friend. Of course she'd want me safe, right?

I drop her off at her house and head back to mine. I get there at about the same time my brother is.

"Hey, I need to talk to you," he tells me, stopping me before I go inside. "I may have exaggerated a bit. A ten thousand dollar quest is going to be a bit difficult."

"I understand," I tell Pete. "That is why we need you to teach us."

"You all will have to learn to work as one team together. Do you think you are capable of that?"

I think for a second. "I think we'll be able to work it out."

"Your team is going to need a leader. Someone strategic and someone who can make them work well together." I can see where he is going with this. "You are going to have to lead them. You seem to have the most authority. I can see it by how they act around you and hear the authority you speak with and respect they return."

"You don't think anyone is better? What about Emily. She has plenty of strategy."

"She doesn't seem as 'in touch' with every part of the team as you do."

I guess he's right. "What will I have to do?"

"Let's work on that tomorrow," Pete suggests. "For now, we need some rest. Come on." We head inside and go to bed. I cannot wait to start training.