Monster Rancher - Breeders' Beginnings (Fan-Fiction)

Chapter 1B

Monster Rancher: Breeders’ Beginning

Chapter 1B

Thin bright streaks of sunlight stretched across the blackish-blue sky as the sun sleepily rose from the horizon. Another busy day was about to start for the residents living in the bustling metropolis of Oba City, but they were still in slumber, their alarm clocks still hours away from ringing or buzzing them awake.

The lights were on inside a large hillside structure on the edge of the city. What was once a temple used several hundred years ago was now the home and ranch of Royal Armenta, the highly respected Monster breeder in the city. It wasn’t strange to early morning joggers and postal workers to see the windows brightened up when they went by. It meant Royal was getting himself ready to work his prized Monsters into tip-top shape. This morning was different though and Royal’s Monsters would be getting a few extra hours of sleep.

“Shouldn’t you and June eat breakfast first before you go?” Minako, head cook in the Armenta household, followed Royal as he pulled his shirt down.

"I'm coming right back and June said she can eat on the train," He turned to the worried girl. "She's gonna be fine, Mina. Don't worry so much."

"I can't help not worrying! Togle is so far away from here.  My worst fear is that she'll end up eating filthy berries and roots. She could end up very sick," Mina headed into the kitchen, her head filled with dread.

Royal looked up the stairs and could hear Janine, his Monster assistant and June’s partial nanny, fussing but no sound from June yet. He turned when he heard the front door opening and saw his two oldest daughters walking in.

Inez walked up to him and embraced him tightly. "Glad to see we made it in time," she said. "We wanted to see June before you put her on the train."

“You made it in time. Just waiting on June. She’s gonna miss the train to the checkpoint if she doesn’t hurry,” He said.

Tyri, his firstborn daughter, leaned against the wall. She was less joyful about her younger sister’s trip. “I hope she’s well prepared for this trip,” she said, “Because once she crosses that border, she’s gonna be all by herself.”

Inez glared at her, “Tyri! Don’t think like that.”

Tyri shrugged, her emotion didn’t change, “I’m just speaking the truth. I know she can take care of herself, but if she’s not careful, she could be eaten up over there either by wild Monsters or the Kyuushi people.”

“That won’t happen. When June gets to Shimmachi, Mimi and Pops said they would give her one more quick run-down about Kyuushigai before they let her go across the checkpoint.” Royal replied, “Now if only June could down here in time.”

Upstairs in June’s bedroom, Janine had June’s wrinkled clothes on the bed and was neatly folding and rolling them and setting them in arranged piles. The delighted girl sloppily stuffed them in her yellow backpack the night before. Janine groaned as she carried the clothes, stepping over books, dirty, discarded clothing, and disconnected game consoles and controllers, over to the backpack set down behind June, “I hope you learn to be more tidy when you get to Coura Academy, June.”

June, dressed in a dark orange shirt with light orange trim on her short sleeves and denim overalls with many pockets, was crouched in front of the boxes and packages. The day before, her family and friends threw her a surprise going-away party. Her gifts were school supplies such as stationery sets, pencils, rulers, pencil holders and cases, erasers, and much more. Some friends pitched in and bought her a new computer, digital camera, and a brand new MP3 player. Due to the Kyuushigai rules against having electronics, she couldn’t take that with her. She would be allowed to use them when she returned for school breaks.