Play the music at the top during the fight scene for the best experience
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They rode slowly and calmly through the village. The villagers around the area observed them ride on Palamute back and they greeted them with smiles and praises.
"Good afternoon, Bunk Bed Junction!"
"I saw you guys on TV! You were so rad!"
"Thank you, thank you, you're all too kind."
BBJ felt like vigilant heroes in the village. The way the people showered them with attention fueled them with glee. They returned the praises by waving back and "don't mention it"s.
They knew that they weren't the ones fighting in the arena, but the people still treated them like idols for the way they killed the Great Izuchi on live TV.
"Hunters!" Their bubble of pride was bursted when a familiar voice came trotting behind them. "Kliff? How'd you get here?"
The man leaned his hands on his knees, panting as if he just ran a marathon. "I heard you went to.....Eve's arena." Kliff huffed. "I just.......had to tell you.......meet me back at the tower." Kliff said between puffs and jogged back to NSR Tower.
~~~~~
Mayday and Zuke met Kliff inside the tower as they were told. "Kliff, you wanted to see us?" Mayday said.
"Oh! Right! Come here!" Kliff beckoned.
Kliff opened his fat book as soon as BBJ came within close vicinity. He flipped through the pages and stopped on the second page after the Great Izuchi. Here his index finger landed on a different monster.
"Today you will be hunting a different type of bird wyvern, the Great Baggi."
"Hey! I've seen Eve fight this thing in the arena today!"
"This monster is nocturnal—they are only active at night. Keep in mind that the Great Baggi, the leader, can spit a deadly toxin to kill its prey."
"Does it bite its prey?"
"Yes, that too."
"Wait, but I have question," Mayday said. "I thought this is our day off."
"Oh. Well, there is an exception to your schedule—you have days off unless a villager or a hunter has a quest for you."
"Well, that's stupid. Can't we change it?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't think it's possible to go back now. You already agreed with Tatiana."
Mayday sighed. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." BBJ mounted their Palamutes. "Wait! I also forgot one detail about the monster." Mayday turned. "Yeah?"
"The Great Baggi is found in a place called Frost Islands, so be sure to bring some warmer clothes."
"But we don't have any warmer clothes!"
"Well, we do have hot drinks you could bring." Kliff placed two canisters in the table. "These will keep you warm, ya know, so you don't freeze to death out there."
He pushed his glasses up his nose bridge. Kliff hummed. "The hot drinks are also full of energy. So when the Great Baggi hits with its spit, you must drink this to recover before you fall asleep." He added.
"Oh. Right. So we use the rest of the day to just chill out?" Mayday took the hot drinks.
"Yes. Then when night falls, you depart on your quest."
"Makes sense." Mayday said. "Well, see ya!"
"See you later, kids!" Kliff waved goodbye and continued to read his tablet.
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8:00 PM...
It was finally dark out, many residents of Vinyl Village had already fallen asleep. BBJ had noticed the time.
"Well, should we get going?" Zuke suggested. "Yeah, but first," Mayday trotted to the Izuchi tail on her shelf. "Doesn't my new souvenir look epic on my shelf?"
"Yes, May. Now come on."
"I'm coming, Zuke!" Mayday got her Dark of Night, Zuke prepared his Despot's Blitz. They fed Star some Cohoot food they were supplied, as well as gave a leftover burger to Spot—their Palamutes has already eaten.
"I think last time we came unprepared." Zuke said. "I will bring the flash bombs." He opened the chest and snatched three little balls. "Sheesh. We're almost out of them." Mayday noted. "Remind me to buy more flash bombs tomorrow morning."
BBJ mounted their Palamutes. "Let's go!" Spot latched onto Mayday's lap and the Palamutes dashed out of the hut and past the districts. "Lead the way, Star!" The Cohoot screeched as BBJ followed it.
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Frost Islands....
"Shit, it's freezing out here." Mayday rubbed her forearms, her teeth chattering. "Our got drinks, May." Zuke reminded. He got both canisters and handed one to Mayday. "Right."
Mayday opened her canister with cold, trembling hands. She raised the warm beverage to her lips and took in its nutrients. The heat cascaded down her spine, the warmth coursing through her veins. She felt a powerful surge of energy jolt her.
"Woah! This is some strong stuff!" Mayday exclaimed. She smacked her lips, tasting the remnants of the juice. "Hmm, do I get a hint of pepper?"
"Hmm," Zuke sipped his hot drink. He too felt the same experience as Mayday. "Wow, this really does warm you up." Zuke marveled.
"M-Meowstress," Spot meowed. "I n-need s-some too!" Mayday gave Spot a sip from her canister, the orange Palico eagerly lapped it up with his tongue. Spot mewed. "Thank you, Meowstress Mayday, nya!"
Something flashed in Mayday's eye. "Huh?" She scanned the white snow for whatever that was. "Something wrong, May?"
"I could've sworn I saw something move."
Mayday jumped off Biz and attempted to scout for the shadow. "May! Be careful! It's dangerous out here!"
"I know Zuke!" Mayday knelt down into the snow. The sparkly, white blanket was cold enough to give one frost bites, but the effects of the hot drink prevented her. "You find anything?" Zuke called. "Nothing yet!" Mayday pressed two fingers into the snow. Two feet away from her were tracks in the snow. She whistled for Biz.
"Biz! Come here boy!"
The orange dog followed with its snout to where Mayday was pointing—into the tracks. Biz took in the scent and followed his nose.
"C'mon Zuke! After him!"
Zuke dismounted Encore in pursuit of the Palamute. The trail seemed to stop by a snowy cliffside.
"What the-"
"Hang on, is that a—" Mayday trotted to a collapsed, woolly mass. She dug her fingers into the coarse fur. "Dead Popo?"
"Make that two dead Popos." Zuke said. "And one dead Anteka."
A blue liquid splashed on Mayday. She shrieked. Zuke's eyes widened as his eyes trailed up to where the fluid came from, only to encounter the Great Baggi itself.
"May! You've been hit!" He rushed to Mayday and poured his hot drink down her gullet. Mayday blinked and exhaled. "What was that all about, Zuke?"
"A Great Baggi is here!" Zuke pointed at the edge of the cliff top. Mayday followed his hand, spotting the creature too.
"Holy shit!"
Mayday dodged to the side as the beast jumped down from above. The Great Baggi raised its head and glared down its nose at BBJ.
"Oh, you think you're better than me?" Mayday drew her weapon. "I disagree."
The Great Baggi barked, two small Baggi charged at BBJ. Zuke unsheathed his Dual Blades. "Just like I practiced." Zuke dodged the small Baggi's jump, kicking it into the snow. The creature whimpered, but was able to rise back on its feet.
The Baggi jumped at Zuke again, this time spitting it's toxins. Zuke dodged the attack. The small monster snapped its jaws, only to be swiped in the face. It fell over, giving Zuke some time to dash to the dazed monster and plunge his blade into its heart.
Mayday had some trouble with the other small one. Like before, the second one kept dodging her weapon.
"May! I got you!" Zuke took out a flash bomb and fired it. The brightness stunned the creature, giving Mayday a chance to attack. She raised her weapon and swiped, her Great Sword impaled its spine—the corpse sticking on like a bloody and gory Shish Kebab.
"Hey, where's the leader?"
A roar echoed.
"That must be it!"
The Great Baggi roared with rage. It narrowed its eyes, locking on Mayday. The monster leapt into the air, Mayday dodging. Zuke dashed by the side and scraped its ribs. The beast screamed in agony.
Biz and Encore leapt and sank their fangs into the hide of the monster. It thrashed madly in an attempt to shake them off.
While distracted by the Palamutes, Spot aided them by tackling the ankles of the beast—stabbing and scraping its skin. The Great Baggi noticed Spot and spat out it's toxic fluids, only for the Palico to notice and hop away.
Zuke saw this as an opportunity to attack. He slid underneath the Great Baggi and sliced a deep line into its belly. He jumped to his feet. "Get off the back!"
Both Palamutes released their jaws from the back of the monster. Zuke released his Wirebugs and tightly bound the monster. Now the Palamutes resorted to biting and clawing the monster.
The beast thrashed madly as it had before with the Palamutes. "May! Attack!" He fired one last flash bomb to help her out.
Mayday charged up her weapon and swiped it at the monster. A spike dug into the flesh of the beast, ripping it off. Blood gushed and spewed everywhere. Zuke freed the Great Baggi from his Wirebug grip and landed down.
The monster was weakened. BBJ knew just what to do next.
"There's only one way to end this!"
"Let's show it, Zuke!"
Mayday and Zuke bumped fists. "Red Light!"
"Green Light!"
With the flick of a wrist, Mayday's weapon switched into a guitar and Zuke's Dual Blades turned to drumsticks.
Zuke tapped his drumsticks, chanting with Mayday:
"Bunka!"
"Junka!"
"Shakalaka!"
"Bam!"
A bright ball of light spun towards the wounded monster, taking its final breath as it reached its face...
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VINYL 2: Mayday stands over a knocked out Great Baggi
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When the light died out, the body of the Great Baggi remained motionless—apart from the twitching limbs from the Showstopper.
After five more spasms, the monster finally went completely limp, now a lifeless heap of meat.
BBJ steadily approached the deceased monster. Its eyes were closed, jaws open wide. "We killed our second monster."
Zuke took out a knife. "And it was exhilarating." He began to cut away at the hide. "Carves?"
"Yes please." Mayday too got her knife and aided Zuke with the carving.
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Vinyl Village....
BBJ carefully and quietly crept past the streets of the village. They made sure not to wake anyone.
They had arrived at their hut. They breathed a sigh of relief. No one was out for them. But the moment they turned on the light, they witnessed an unexpected sight.
"Good evening, Bunk Bed Junction." Tatiana glared in a menacing demeanor. Mayday and Zuke jumped. "Elder!"
"Would you mind explaining why you weren't in your hut tonight?"
"Um," Mayday began. "Kliff had a quest for us."
Tatiana raised an eyebrow. "A quest? This late at night?" She motioned her arm across the space. "Also, don't you kids know that this your off day?"
"I know. Kliff just wanted to give us a quest."
Tatiana hummed. "Very well then. Because you went hunting on your off day, you will have to hunt for two more days before getting an actual off day. Don't worry, you'll still have time to rest and recharge. But now, you must sleep."
She left them alone to do their business. "I will have a talk with Kliff tomorrow about your schedule. But that is nothing to get worked up on. Get some sleep, and have a pleasant evening."
BBJ got ready for bed. They changed into more comfortable wear. Mayday climbed to her top bunk, Zuke hopping in the bottom. Spot and Ellie curled up together on a rug, Biz and Encore yawned and rested their bodies too. Star landed on a perch and ruffled her feathers.
"We have to get more flash bombs tomorrow."
"Thanks for reminding me." Zuke turned on his side. "Good night, May."
"G'night Zuke."
BBJ got comfortable and sleepy, as the now falling rain ushered them to sleep.
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