Lu meandered the streets with the egg in tow, making a half-hearted attempt not to draw too much attention to himself. His parents warned him not to walk the streets among commoners, but he didn’t really care that much about being recognized; he just wanted some fresh air. If anyone stared too long, he’d just walk faster. No big deal. His peace of mind, however, was abruptly interrupted by a call from you-know-who.

“Hello, sweetie, just checking in- Are you near Sector III?”

How did she-

“I’ve got eyes everywhere, dear. Now, can you do me a favor? There’s an adorable little creature nearby that I heard grows grass right on its back! It would be excellent for my collection. I’ll send over the details,” Her voice then lost all of the warmth she had dressed it in. “Don’t disappoint me.”

Before Lu could answer, she hung up the phone. In the same moment, something popped up on the interface of his monster-scanning doohickey.

SHRUBBARB. BIOMA-class beast with FLORA affinity. These beasts cultivate personal gardens on their own bodies. Though soft to the touch, they can also produce sharp spines to ward off aggressors. (Found in: Meadow Wilds)

Connecting every group of major city blocks were the wilds, artificial landscapes where one could find most plants, animals, and more importantly- a handful of beasts! Each of them had the climate of a similar Earth habitat. As one would expect, the Meadow Wilds were a flourishing grassland rife with herbs for the apothecaries of Sector III to use in potions.

Shrubbarbs weren’t especially rare, at least so Lu thought. After looking for almost a whole hour, he gave up and went back to town. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he caught an eyeful of that very beast, perched on a nearby balcony. No one would miss it much, right? Besides, he wouldn’t hear the end of it if he came home empty-handed.

Lu withdrew his staff, gifted to him by his father. The highest-end tech straight from Sector VI, it was useful for sparring as well as beast-wrangling. Utilizing experimental warp gate technology, it made transportation a snap. As he approached the beast, it immediately retaliated by flicking razor-sharp blades of grass.

“Ow! You little…” He lost his balance and face-planted on the ground below. “However long it takes, you’re coming with me.

----------------------------------------

After defeating the beast, Wynn was led by an official to a room where several others were sat chattering amongst one another. Distinguished by her heavy makeup, indifferent expression, and perpetual gum-chewing, the clipboard-toting young woman was seemingly no older than her.

“W-what’s all this?”

“Those who get tossed into the pits…and survive, are sentenced to work under the Beast Rangers to atone for their crimes. If we see fit, we can put you on track to become an official ranger, if you’d like. Think of it as our own little slice of rehabilitation.”

Wynn’s eyes widened with disbelief. “I could become a Beast Ranger?”

“Sure, if you’ve got the guts. Lucky for you, it’s recruiting season, so we can set you up with a starter pack right away. Even if you don’t get through, you’ll need these tools to get by, so have a seat.”

Wynn tiptoed through the rows of chairs, tensing up as nearly everyone in the room stared her down. Being the center of attention was definitely in her top five- scratch that, top three worst sensations ever. She finally came upon an empty seat, next to a particularly peppy prospect. Without it being asked of her, she immediately launched into introductions.

“Alina Dawns! But most people just skip the ‘A’ and get straight to the ‘Lina’. What’s your name?” she asked, offering her hand for a shake.

“Oh, um…I’m Wynn.” she took the girl’s hand apprehensively. It was rough and blotched with days-old paint stains.

“What brings you here?”

“Uhh, besides being thrown into a dungeon against my will…?” She’d never really thought about it that hard before. “Well, I guess I’d wanna be able to see all the different kinds of beasts up close…and that’s what Beast Rangers do, right?”

“Yup! I see ‘em on TV all the time. They make the news quite often, which really makes you think about the state of our- ooh, there goes one right now!”

Wynn turned to lock eyes with the emerald-haired spindly girl standing at the front of the room. She cleared her throat and clasped her hands together, almost like a princess would.

“If I may have everyone’s attention…welcome to Beast Ranger orientation! To those who missed the previous sessions, we will now be entering the hands-on portion, so…”

“Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much, just books and paperwork.” said Lina with a reassuring nudge.

“Now, we’ll start rotating through the orientation stations hosted by us Master Rangers.”

The recruits were all split off into groups, and the pair was able to stay together by a stroke of luck. Wynn was glad she had someone by her side through all of this. She thought she’d be behind bars or worse, but it just so happened to be the opportunity of a lifetime. I just hope my family is okay while I’m gone, she thought.

“What’s up, everybody? The name’s Eth, but my friends just call me Sylvie on account of my surname.” The schedule read, ‘Weapons with Eth Sylvan’. Interesting. “I’m in charge of the weapons here. I actually designed some of ‘em myself!”

Oozing charm with every word, this guy was about Wynn’s height. His loose curls were pulled back in a low ponytail. The wrappings on his feet, which exposed his toes, matched the candy-colored garment under his overalls. A beast Wynn had never seen before was perched on his shoulder. It was kind of like a cat, but on second thought reminded her more of a bug…?

PAWNCER. BIOMA-class beast with TOXIC affinity. These beasts are, on average, fuzzy and cuddly, but their saliva is corrosive and their sting is capable of completely numbing creatures multiple times their size.

“Me and Scorpi here’ll go around and get everybody fitted with a weapon that suits them, alright?”

Sylvie and his pal circled the room of curious rookies, explaining how the various weapons work and demonstrating their functions. Applicants immediately began testing their new artillery on one another.

“Y’all still need more time to pick something?”

Lina struggled to lift a huge mallet she’d been eyeing. “This one’s pretty cool!”

“Ooh, one of my personal favorites! Check out what happens when you twist the handle!” Sawblades appeared with a click. “Super versatile,” He turned to address Wynn. “How about you?”

“I-I think I’ll just keep this.” Sylvie recognized the knife she used earlier. All new weapons were exciting to him, but he held back so as not to exacerbate her nervousness.

“Mind if I take a closer look?”

“Um, yeah! Wait, no, I mean- here.”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

He ran his hands over the blade, taking in the intricate etchings on the hilt and the smooth, lustrous blade. It was crystal clear with a slight red tint. “Hm…this is very well put together! I haven’t seen craftsmanship like this since…well, it’s been a while. We’ll have to look through the handbook to make sure it’s up to code, though...”

“Oh…”

“Just yanking your chain. Mine’s been collecting dust since I got it.” He handed it back gently, with the care of someone who knew how to handle such a delicate blade. “Go ahead, knock yourself out! Figuratively, of course.”

A bell rang, signaling the trainees to move on. “Guess I’ll see everyone off now. Don’t be a stranger!” Sylvie then went on to create a unique handshake for everyone who passed them as they left. Presumably, there was a section in his brain dedicated to memorizing elaborate handshakes.

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Lu thought he’d stop by and visit his father in Sector V after delivering the last capture. He’s bound to have some free time now, right?

The fifth sector is where athletic disciplines lie, and where all royal guards are trained. Though unspoken, they more or less play second fiddle to the Beast Rangers in terms of defending Earth and its moon. Nevertheless, the king trains each guard personally, and loves them like his own children. Though he’s had many fierce contenders over the years, he’s never lost a fight against anyone- including his son Lunaire.

“Hey, small fry! Didja follow me or somethin’?”

“With all due respect, Dad…I’m a grown-ass man. And I’m taller than you.” That much was true; Apollo was a short, stocky man with a tight, well-kempt ‘fro and a bushy beard to match.

“Of course, of course. Don’t rub it in,” he said with a hearty belly-laugh, which was an accurate description. Though chiseled from his training, an athlete’s diet crossed with child-rearing left him softer in the middle than he was in his prime.

“Come to best your old man while he’s got his guard down?...Oh!” He dug in his pocket for a bit. “You just reminded me I had something to give you.”

Great, more stuff to carry.

“This is the Key of the Moon. It’s been passed down by the Yoghs for cycles and cycles. When I married your mother, it was awarded to me to signify my place in this family- and now the time has come for me to pass it down.” He dangled the key, which bore a deep, cool hue faded by age.

“It is said that this key can open up gateways to disaster! You must never lend it to anyone, for even those closest to you may lurk in the darkness…or whatever it was they told me.” Carefully, he transferred the key to Lu’s neck. “For real though, keep it safe. Just in case.”

In spite of his earlier exasperation, Lu was actually proud to receive such an honor from his father. It was more interesting than the other gaudy garbage- sorry, “family heirlooms” his other relatives tried to pass off to him every five to ten business days.

“Sorry, kiddo, break’s over. Why don’t you go over and spar with the team? And don’t forget to-”

“Warm up and stretch first. I know, I know. See ya, dad.”

When Lu reached out his fist for a bump, he was instead met with a tight embrace. King Apollo did everything loud, especially love. Though he didn’t hug back, his father knew he treasured every second of it. He just wished Lu was more of an open book.

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The girls continued to the brewery, where the ranger they saw before was waiting. A chartreuse necktie and knee-high boots in other shades of green surely made her presence known, if the hot pink eyes didn’t do it first. With a flourish, long, skinny arms gracefully found her forehead in a facepalm.

“Hydra, go make sure anyone headed to the nursery comes here first to get their solution. I can’t believe they messed that up again…” Wynn scanned the thin, serpentine beast as it darted through the double doors and into the hall.

DOUSNAKE. ATMA-class beast with RAIN affinity. This beast is always wet, but its oily skin prevents it from dripping everywhere. They prefer to dwell in bodies of freshwater.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Ash. Here, we use these herbal mixtures to emulate the incubation processes for various beasts. That’s what makes a beast egg special- what’s inside can change based on its environment. Please be careful to only use authorized concoctions. Feel free to use the brewery’s supplies, or your own as long as it’s verified.”

Every desk was fit with a tiny cauldron and book of recipes. Everyone made quick work of the ingredients at their disposal, mixing leaves, nectars, and powders over the open fire. They meticulously studied the combinations to ensure they’d get a beast they liked.

Wynn took out the mortar and pestle she’d used to grind up the beans earlier that day. Huh, still a bit of paste left. Before she could do anything else, though, Ash appeared behind her.

“What’s that?”

If Wynn could jump fifteen into the air right then, she actually could’ve, but the ceilings were too low. “Erm…”

Ash held a hand out. “Give it here.” She dejectedly handed it over, humiliated. She expected to be scolded, kicked out, or both, but to her surprise, the indignation on her face turned into intrigue.

“It couldn’t be…Jack’s Paste?” Ash gave another taste to be sure. “That’s one of the greatest blends of our time, you know. I wasn’t aware that Sector I was also home to herbalists?” she inquired, flipping through the cookbook.

“Yeah, um…I was trying this recipe for the first time.” Wynn was relieved, but understandably still a bit shaken.

“And here I was thinking you were a troublemaker! It has many uses, but I don’t think it’s very popular for beast rearing…” she explained. “You’re lucky I recognized it, because an unidentified formula could have disastrous results. Hm. Well here, it’s in the book, so you should be okay to give it a shot.” She emptied its contents into the waiting pot. “No idea what beast that makes, though. We should really update our catalog. Note to self…” She turned to assist the others with an elegant twirl.

“What are you putting in yours, Lina?”

She checked and double-checked to ensure her recipe was correct. “Coriander seeds, a pinch of ginger, and…one scotch bonnet! That should be the formula for this beast here.” She pointed at a picture of a slender, insectoid beast, accompanied by a blurb bearing a flame symbol.

“That’s a lovely choice. I read that Mantorches are surprisingly friendly, and great for roasting marshmallows.” Coincidentally, friends and marshmallows were two of Lina’s favorite things.

Even though it was approved by Ash, the outcome of Jack’s Paste was still a complete mystery. As she stirred her own pot, she couldn’t help but wonder what beast would come about.

Next up to visit was the nursery, a lush garden enclosure where beasts skipped happily about. Bumbling workers circled the premises, following after them like hyperactive toddlers. Even though there was something of a language barrier, the beasts and their caretakers understood one another completely. Wynn wondered if she could be stationed here when it came time to work off her sentence.

The third and final Master Ranger they would meet was pretty tall. Like, he towered over practically everyone else in the room. His hair fell in two-strand twists around a pair of bull’s horns protruding from his head. A long tail swished back and forth behind him as he spoke in a mellow, steady tone.

“Yo, I’m Thorn. It’s always a pleasure to see fresh faces around here. Uh…” The nursing grounds obviously had no chairs for them to sit in. “Right…pick an egg from the nest and take a seat on the floor, okay?”

An ornate wreath of foliage stood in the center of the courtyard, filled with the countless progeny of beasts who’d abandoned or volunteered their eggs. Thorn went on to assist everyone individually after they each picked out one of their own.

“Hey, how’s this supposed to work?” Lina whispered.

“W-well, even before they hatch, beasts tend to secrete this fluid…” Wynn could only describe it as ‘territorial slime’. “It’s a bit hard to explain, but the Beast Rangers figured out how to-”

Thorn approached, having overheard a bit of their conversation. “You sure know a lot about beasts, huh?” Wynn fell silent on impulse.

“For reals, she’s taught me so much and it’s only been like, half a day!”

“All the more reason to have you guys on the force, right? Let’s get you situated. You’re gonna wanna place the egg right in the middle of your pot, so it soaks up the formula. Then, it’ll change color.” For instance, Lina’s egg took on an orange-y glow, while Wynn’s was unusually neutral.

“Alright, hands in! Left, right, doesn’t really matter.” The eggs began to leak a viscous sap, which was somehow hot and cold at the same time. “Notice a mark forming on your wrist? Keep your hand in ‘till it’s totally solid.”

When all was said and done, the girls bore different symbols on their wrists. Thorn showed them his own mark and flashed a smile. “Now we’ve all got something in common! Whenever you wanna call on your beast, just trace over the symbol with your finger. Takes some getting used to, I know.”

Not realizing what she was doing, Wynn stared at Thorn vacantly.

“Trying to figure out what kind of beast I’ve got in me?”

She quickly averted her eyes. “Oh! Sorry, um…”

“No worries. Here, I’ll show you.” Wynn handed him her bestiary- despite the enormity of his hands, he handled it in a precisely delicate manner.

BULLAND. TERRA-class beast with EARTH affinity. These beasts travel in herds and use their hooves to dig up mud and clay. They can increase in size to form larger impressions in the earth.

“Tauro and I kinda share a body, but we have the same bond as any other ranger and beast,” Thorn explained. “Just don’t let him get too hungry, you know how that gets…” They all had a good laugh about it, but Thorn paused with a grave sincerity. “Seriously. It’s not pretty.”

Now that every rookie was equipped with the basic materials, the registration process had officially begun and they would be dubbed rangers-in-training, eager to climb the ranks as they grew accustomed to their duties.