"Kid, you're not cut out for fieldwork."
the grizzled old man spoke frankly and with a hit of exasperation at the wide eyed youth crouched next to him.
The young girl didn't spare a glance for the old man, as she kept her eyes locked on her target "Well I haven't spent half a century as a bug catcher, unlike you. I'm still learning."
the old man let out a sigh. "That ain't what I meant girl. You should keep to the city, like the rest of your ilk. I'll never understand why you feel the need to come out here and catch one yourself. Just go buy one from the stalls like the rest of your ilk."
This time she did pause and look at him for a moment, before going back to staring at the mass of webbed eggs in the clearing they had come here for. "You don't get it. I can't just spend all my time looking at spreadsheets and balancing nutrition equations. If I want to be the very best and stand on my own, then I need to get my hands dirty." Patricia was a young Beast Breeder who, like most amateur Beast Breeders, worked under a guild. "I'm not going to sit back and follow the normal progression path. I'm going to make my own path in this world. That's the only way I can reach the top."
Graham, the old man, was plenty familiar with beast breeders. Insect type beasts were some of the quickest and easiest to raise and breed, not to mention cheapest to acquire and feed. His clientele consisted largely of young and ambitious beast tamers like Patricia who wanted to strike out on their own and leave the over-populated and controlling guilds to those less talented. Few succeed. "That doesn't explain why you're out here and not at the marke-"
"Momma's gone!" she chirped and ducked out from under the bush they had been hiding in.
"Wait a minute you blasted fool!" he hauled himself out of the bush behind her. While channeling his ki to detect any beasts that may be lurking around, he slipped his mask over his face and readied his smoker. He wanted to be careful in case the mother returned or any other beast decided to step in on the intruders. It was times like this he wished he had a flame beast. Patricia was already at the far end of the clearing examining the clutch of eggs near the base of the large tree. "Remember no more than three! I don't want her moving her nest because you can't contain yourself." He didn't want his job getting any more difficult than it had to be.
"Yeah, yeah. I hear ya. I've read up on the basics, I know that much." She surveyed her options before selecting two of the smallest eggs along the edge of the cluster. Then, after a moment of consideration, grabbed a lumpy looking egg from closer to the center. Once that was done the two hightailed it out of clearing and away from the site of their heist.
After a time of dashing in silence, to avoid drawing the ire of any other beasts lurking in the area, they exited the forest. The old man wheezed slightly as he looked grumpily at the young girl. "I told you to grab from the center, the ones along the edge are runts, won't grow to half the size of the proper ones. and that deformed one you grabbed probably won't even hatch."
Patricia breathed heavily as she sat on the ground. She may be young, but a breeder didn't have much use for exercise. "I know about the runts that's what I'm counting on." she said between deep breaths. "And there's always a chance the lumpy guy turns out to be mutated." a mutated beast was worth its weight in gold. selling one to the coliseum could set a catcher or breeder up good for a couple years. The crowds loved to see unique beasts.
Graham huffed. "Sure there's a chance. A one in a thousand chance. this is what's wrong with you breeders, you're always looking for that lucky break." he shook his head. "If I knew you were going to waste this chance I wouldn't agree to bring you out here in the first place."
"Hey! I told you I have a plan for the small ones! Besides, you know you like it when I come out here with you. It's like when I was a kid!"
"You're still a kid" he said dismissively, but his glare noticeably softend.
"Thanks for taking me out today uncle." she said beaming up at the taller man.
"Yeah, yeah." he said, a little abashed. "I owe you at least that much." Patricia's father was a hunting partner of Graham for many years. When he and his wife had died, Graham had taken over as Patricia's only living guardian. At 17, she was living on her own and working to earn her own way, but Graham still had a soft spot for the energetic youth he had raised from a girl.
she smiled, and punched his arm. "Alright! my errand is done where to next! I want to help you fill your quota for today."
"There's another clutch on a river bank not too far from here. It's a hybrid Insect Water so it should sell for a good price. I haven't been able to hit it yet because the mama is extra protective. I'm thinking I can lute it away while you..."
They continued to talk as they walked through the prairie.
___
Two days later Patricia collapsed into her bed at the guild barracks. It was exhausting being out hunting for so long, but it had been worth it. she removed the three eggs from her pouch before she slung it over the post of her bed. Then she sat down to examine them.
she began channeling her ki to assess their condition. The small two were healthy and thrummed with life, a clear sign they would hatch within the next couple of days. the lumpy one sat dead as a rock. she pushed herself to probe deeper, but nothing about it changed. she knew it had been a long shot, and a part of her still hung on to hope. 'Maybe it's a hybrid iron insect. That's why I can't feel any life in it. iron insects were exceedingly rare and powerful. and due to their inorganic nature their energy can be difficult to detect. Iron insects' incredibly dense carapace made up for the insect's inherent fragility when put up against other beasts. A flame beast could still chew through them like they were nothing, but flame beasts were scarce in the lower tiers where bugs saw the most action.
She was definitely grasping at straws. she sighed and leaned back. "Uncle is probably right."
"Pat you're back! How was your trip?" a friendly voice asked as a familiar face approached Patricia.
"It was good, Em. I got some eggs." she eagerly showed off the two eggs she had retrieved, slipping the third back into her bag. she felt stupid for grabbing the lumpy thing.
Emilia looked perplexed "you said they were stingers? don't they seem a little small?"
"uuuuugh." Patricia collapsed back onto her pillows. "How many times do I have to explain that I have a plan."
Emilia raised an eyebrow. "Well what's your plan?"
"If I tell you it won't be a surprise." Patricia said, sounding tired.
Emilia rolled her eyes. "Fine, don't tell me, but I bet it won't work."
Patricia sat upright, fire flaring behind her eyes. "What! you don't even know what my plan is!"
"Sure," Emilia said heading to her desk located under her own bunk, "but I can guess.'' She pulled a large book out of her bag and started skimming for the page she needed. " I imagine you are thinking a breeding them for speed rather than size and strength, you assume they will be able to out maneuver their opponents, and make up for their fragility with agility.`` Patricia felt called out. "But it won't work. Stingers are usually power builds for a reason. the only way of defeating their enemies is their stinger." she pointed a finger at Patricia. "without the power to punch through a carapace they won't be able to beat the other bugs in the arena." she mimed stabbing at Patricia, as if her finger had become the stinger of a beast.
Patricia smirked. "You'd be right of course, if I was planning on pitting them against other insects." she mimed stinging right back.
"Who in their right mind is bringing a stinger to a general competition?" Emilia asked, looking at her half crazed roommate.
"You're looking at her baby!" Patricia exclaimed.
Emilia broke down laughing.