Act: 12
"Huh. That's right I have yet to give you a name. What do you think about this?"
"Howl?"
"Mars?"
The wolf had looked up at him and Shizu could tell that it was not that happy with his name choice and proceeded to growl for a little bit before turning its head away.
"Well, then I guess you don't care for the name Mars.. How about Yuuki instead..?"
"Howl!"
The wolf wags its tail, seeming to be happy with the name it had been given. Jumping up on Shizu knocking him onto the ground, it sat on top of him happily, licking his face.
"Hold on! Agh, I get it you like that name; you're pinning me down! You can get off now!"
The wolf climbs off his stomach and back onto the ground. Standing up he looks down at the wolf with a malicious grin on his face.
"Remember how you were the first one to attack me, hehe. I think I want to stick with your favorite name Mars!"
"How-l"
"Hehe- From now on you will be called Mars and it's confirmed!"
The wolf stares up at him with its mouth wide open, upset with the name he chose. The wolf started to throw a mini tantrum barking loudly and obnoxiously.
*Bark Bark*
"He-y you know you're being insanely loud!"
*Bark Bark Bark!*
"Quite down, I know you're mad but hey now we're even!"
*Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark!*
Shizu covered both of his ears, spinning his head around as the wolf sounded like it kept getting louder the more it had barked.
*Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark!!*
"Ahh! Stoooop. You know I get it!"
'I don't know why but it feels like it's alarming throughout my head. It's beyond loud at this point, I swear all of Japan could hear this damn wolf!'
"You asked for it! Revert!"
*poof*
A small white light shined on Shizu's palm and soon disappeared alongside Mars. Removing his hands from his ears he let out a big sigh and began to wonder how he was getting back after noticing that it was almost nightfall.
'I now realized that Mars was my help on getting back to the rock... But what use will Mars be right now, after all, it's throwing a fit. It seems that I'll just have to run my way back and hope my understanding of the forest is on point.'
Later that night, arriving back at the rock he sets down all the stuff he had collected during his run. looking up at the sky seeing all the stars beginning to shine.
"Wow.. I can never get enough of looking at the stars. It honestly feels like I've been out here forever... And yet all I have is a small dent. I feel like I haven't made any progress yet."
Walking on over to the small campsite he built. He decided to reignite the flame to gather some light and cook the food he had found.
'I don't need to summon Mars after all it doesn't need to eat..? I could just summon it for company, I do get lonely occasionally. Wonder if anyone misses me.. maybe Hinako... heh.'
Once the fire settled and began to lightly simmer the food tanned and was ready to be eaten. On today's menu, it is Monster bat meat and Monster Ant meat kind of.
"Ya see. The monster bat was a pain in the ass to kill but doesn't taste too bad, on the other hand, I'm not too sure about this ant.. ugh.. food is food in the end.."
Only cooking part of the bat and the giant ant's thorax and part of the abdomen. Shizu builds up the courage and takes a big bite out of the abdomen. Chewing the food intensely, small bits of the yellow-greenish guts and blood splash on his face. His eyes widen as the shock of eating it tingles down his spine, choking on the food and almost spitting it out he stumbles while crawling over to his makeshift water bottle, chugging down some of the water it helped push the food going down his throat making it easier on him.
Gasping and catching his breath he glares at the meat, shaking his head and closing both eyes proceeding to chow down the remaining body of the ant.
After finishing up eating all of that ant. He graciously took more sips out of the water bottle and paused before eating the bat meat.
"That was by far the most uncomfortable food I have had to eat so far.. The ant didn't taste that terrible, but I don't look forward to hunting it again. I can even say the loot it had was poor.. ah like I said food is food in the end right.."
Trying to discard the taste of the ant and get it off his mind he started to eat the bat meat. Once the food was all gone and he had satisfied his stomach, for the time being, he stood up and went over to the rock to begin his training again before it got too late.
"Round who knows, this time I will break you for sure! And for my moral support Mars! Summon!"
*Ztzztt*
Sticking his arm out a small white light emits from his hand summoning the wolf Mars in front of him.
"Welcom-"
*Bark!*
"Really! Stoooop! Fine, next time we hunt you can pick the prey, is that fair!?"
"Howl!"
"Yes.. I promise. Plus, It's not that bad of a name."
"Howl? Howl.."
Mars turns its head away from him, almost as if it was pouting again in its own way.
"Enough of all that! I need you to support me in trying to break the rock... still... Does it sound like a plan? Or would you like to be unsummoned?"
"Howl!"
Mars looks over at the rock and growls at it, beginning to charge at it Mars bends down leaping straight, headfirst.
"Huh! Wa-it! Mars!"
*Thud*
*Poof*
"Ach... Why would you do that! Mars summon!"
Re-appearing in front of him, Shizu runs up to it and grabs it by the face, hugging it.
"Now why would you go and do that now. I'm the one who needs to break it.. Thank you for trying though, I just need you to comfort me."
"Howl."
'I can't believe that I would have full-fledged conversations with Mars, but I feel like it can understand me somewhat, even if it can't I'm happy to imagine that it can. Sometimes imagining things is better than finding the truth..'
"Ah enough of the sappy thoughts I need to get stronger fast, because this time for sure I will prove to the school that this 2 Star won't be looked down on, no I will prove to Taku that I can become stronger than him this time, like when we were kids, he was always the stronger one. Maybe I can even prove the world!"
"The world.. That may be too much of a stretch.. heh."
Clenching his fist, he stops holding Mars's face and turns towards the rock. Starting to focus his Star energy for a conversive use a faint white flow of energy hovers all around Shizu's body that had been getting sharper and sharper.
The flow of his energy seemed to get stronger to the point where Mars had a small glow around its body as well.
"Hoooowll!"
"That's right Mars let it out, let the whole world hear it! I don't know how I'm going to master Gyakuten that Shishou has provided me with. Without his help, I don't think I can get too far but I kind of have my own style I wanna try out!"
Breathing in and out Shizu rushes up to the rock jumping into the air swiftly spinning to his left and punching with his right hand.
"Gyakuten Drive!"
*Bang*
*Crack*
Falling back on the ground Shizu shuffles before fully catching his balance to look back up at the rock and see.
- - - -
Meeting up at the Guild later in the day when school ended, Taku had been sitting at the usual table waiting for the others to show up if they had planned on showing up. Waiting for about 20 minutes Tila walks around the corner and sits down at the table with Taku.
"Hey Tila! Do you know why the others are late?"
"Heyo! Yeah, they won't be able to make it today. It was on such short notice, but Lin is out busy today for whatever reasons and Bruce is most likely with his kids. So, it'll just be me and you today."
"Oh.. I see.. Wait! Kids!?"
"Uh yeah, he has two if I'm not mistaken. I have only seen them in a picture he showed us when we first met. He holds on to it just in case he happens to die during a quest. A photo of his wife and kids."
"Wife! Kids! Who knew..? I almost forgot that you could die.. during quests.. somewhat scary to think about."
"Yeah.. We have each other and that's all that matters as long as we're together nothing can go wrong!"
Tila smiled as she watched him. He blushed after hearing what she said.
"That's right! My Ice will protect you guys no matter what! I won't let you guys die on my watch."
"Alright, now Mr. Ice shot."
"So should we party up with others for the time being?"
"Nah, I think if we go a letter down or two the Quests we take, we should be able to handle it ourselves. How about we just go and see what they've got today?"
Both walk over to the board and look at all the available quests. Taku sees one in particular, grabbing it and showing Tila. Slaying the giant frog.
"A frog, D class? It pays decently and only just to slay one of them, this should work."
They head out to the Quest field. Walking up to the portal, he tosses the paper inside watching as the colors change and they both enter beginning their Quest.
'As long as I get to slay and become stronger, this frog will have to work for now. I'm still gaining overall. Just wait till the Colosseum. I will win and become the champion!'