The next few days weren’t anything to write home about. The woods had plenty of wildlife. And Yas hadn’t had an actual Hunter for years, so people were willing to pay a lot for Wonder’s kills, which were cleaner than most people selling stuff. Izuku also had plenty of small creatures to use his powers on, so he soon had an army of bunnies and a wolf pack. The biggest creature Wonder ever saw was an adult Forest Spirit… who instantly saw Izuku riding a wolf, and disappeared with the sound of roll-on-the-floor level laughter ringing through the air. Wonder hadn’t gotten a good look, so wondered if it was Malchon.

Anyway, they soon had a lot of money. Wonder did calculations, and this would give them a decent lifestyle in Yas. A nice Ranch, even with room for the family to grow. And plenty of food, even saving for winter.

Wonder did seriously consider all of this.

If it was just him, he may not have left. He may build up enough of a trust fund to feel safe, then head into Hoseki to explore and maybe find adventure, rare creatures, and even love. It was a traditional isaeki plot, and most others would just jump at the chance.

But he had a son now. And the town of Yas was at least welcoming towards his little boy. And he couldn’t be sure that other towns would be as nice…

It was during that flux time he met Kat.

It was a rainy day. Wonder was staying at the Adventurers’ Guild, where Mally was teaching a cooking class. Wonder had always enjoyed baking, and he figured if he ever spent more than a day away from Yas on a hunt, it would be a good skill to have. Izuku was playing with some of the other kids… there was a reason the Adventurers’ Guild had a full-on indoor playground, apparently. Others had been taken from their worlds with children, or had started families in Hoseki, and also felt Yas was the safest place to raise their children.

The doors opened, and Wonder’s senses suddenly tingled. He looked over his shoulder. A tall, slender blonde had just walked in. They looked very yummy, with a decently muscled body, soft blonde hair, and a soft face. But their ruby eyes were cold and angry. They seemed to glare at everyone, then headed towards the desk.

Wonder whispered to a Rogue next to him, “Malchon is cruel if he’s dropping people in the rain.”

The Rogue shuddered and nodded.

Wonder finished his pot of Outdoor Stew. Or as he was gonna call it, Whatever-Isn’t-Hiding Stew. He sniffed it. Smelled pretty decent. Still… parent taste test first.

He removed the pot to let it cool. Izuku popped in next to him, licking his lips. “Yummy!”

Wonder laughed. “Let’s let it cool, Izuku. Don’t want to burn our mouths.”

Suddenly, Blonde walked up. He said, “You have a Sapling?”

Wonder got on the defensive. “You have a problem with that?”

Blonde backed up, hands up. “I just heard there was a Forest Spirit in town.”

He sighed. “If it’s just a kid though, maybe the rumors are false.”

Wonder said, “I have seen an adult in the woods. But he hasn’t caused any trouble, last I heard.”

The other Adventurers nodded. An Elf Mage said, “No… in fact he keeps to himself mostly. Has a tower in the woods.”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Someone whispered, “He’s new if he doesn’t know where Malchon lives.”

Blonde rubbed his chin. He looked at Wonder. “You’re a Hunter?”

Wonder said, “I am.”

“So you have no alignment.”

“Just to me and my kid. I’m getting worried at the direction of this conversation.”

Blonde looked panicked, slightly holding up his hands. “…let me talk to the Guild Master real quick, then get back to you. I may have a Quest for you.”

Wonder blinked in surprise. “Oh, okay.”

*****************

“A. Dragon.”

Wonder looked at the glowing paper again. The magic on it worked a lot like a tablet, so he was able to zoom up on the picture and rotate like a 3D model. It was definitely what he thought of a dragon… giant scaly lizard with wings. About as big as a tree too.

Kat said, “Worse: a hatchling.”

“A hatchling. And it’s the size of a tree. No wonder dragons have bad rep… even an accidental shit throws local economy off.”

Kat tilted his head. He shook himself off then said, “Normally, it wouldn’t be that big a deal. This is a mountain dragon… the mother would come along, pick it up, and bring them home.”

He frowned. “…there is no mother.”

Wonder looked up. “So baby is lost in the woods with no way of getting home.”

He sighed and rolled his neck. “So you need someone with Taming abilities to get baby to follow home. Dammit… now I need to look into winter clothes. And why are you guys looking at me like that?”

Both the Guild Master and Kat were giving Wonder bewildered stares. Kat said, “Honestly, most Hunters don’t go immediately to the Taming option.”

Wonder said, “Uuuuuuuh, dunno why. It’s a baby. Babies just need parents. Wait… what about Dada dragon?”

The Guild Master said, “Most male dragons leave the mother to raise the brood by themselves. I think only the Dragonkin have different rules, and they are sentient.”

Dragonkin was a race. Good to note.

Wonder said, “…you probably have people with much higher Taming Stats than I do. Why me?”

Kat bowed his head. “…have you heard of the Beast Tourneys?”

“Not until just now.” Wonder suddenly had a feeling. Was Pokemon about to be brought into the mix? Or close enough?!?

The Guild Master said, “Your class has two Advanced Options. Honestly, I always thought Beast Tamer would be up your alley, and what you just said confirmed it. Beast Tamers do just that… Tame beasts, then either breed or train them, or both. While many successful Tamers do multi-task with the type of training, and selling common work beasts, there is entertainment value in battling beasts.”

Wonder whispered, “Pokemon.”

Kat looked confused, but the Guild Master said, “Pretty much. Or at least as much as I understand this Monster-Taming game that you mean.”

Wonder bustled in pure excitement. He had loved Pokemon since he was a little kid. To actually do it? Yes, Hoseki was bending some rules, but WHO CARED?!?

Wonder then returned to business. “OK, so back to business. You probably have better and more experienced Tamers for a baby this big.”

Kat nodded. “Problem is, Beast Tamers can take Sponsorships. That effects their Alignment.”

He rubbed his neck. “I am of the Dark.”

Wonder said, “Uuuuuuuh. Uh oh. I get it. Type mismatch. Anyone you have will more likely hurt the baby, which I’m guessing is a Light-Type.”

He rubbed his chin. “Or wouldn’t it be a Water type, since mountains mean snow?”

The Guild Master shrugged. Kat said, “It’s a Light Alignment… or type, as you say. Don’t ask me the logic. But yes… all the Tamers I know have Dark Alignment, so they are more likely to hurt the baby. You’re the closest that has Neutral.”

Kat bit his lip. “Look… Taming the hatchling, or getting it to follow you to the Divide, would be best-case scenario. But we… may have to kill it.”

Wonder jumped up in pure rage, then forced himself to calm down. They were protecting their environment and people, that was all. As well, it was a wild Beast, not sentient. But still… kill a baby? That would leave a horrible taste and feeling in Wonder’s heart for eternity.

Wonder said, “I will go over there. I will try. But I’m not killing a baby. So it’s gonna get Tamed, or we will find a way to get it to the mountains. And you try anything stupid… well, my next arrow goes into your family jewels.”

Kat blushed, and shifted his stance. “Uh… sure.”