KLEIN'S BESTIARY
Chapter one: Big Bear
Description: Our loyal dog underwent a startling transformation after encountering an Astrid Core. His once brown fur now gleams an extraordinary shade of blue, a result of the mysterious mutation. Being a resourceful one that she is, Adonna, regularly dyes his fur back to brown to keep him less conspicuous during our adventures. In his big form, not many things can harm him. In fact Davy and I use him for target practice while he'd lay lazy and unbothered. Last time Adonna caught us doing that, she went livid. But it's not like the bullets will ever hurt him anyway.
Habitat: Big Bear's habitat is wherever we go on our voyage. His adaptability to diverse environments makes him an inseparable companion.
Behaviour: The bond between Big Bear and Adonna remains strong as ever. Despite his transformation, he maintains his loyalty, affection, and playful nature. Always playing bow, pouncing at objects across our ship's deck and ready to fetch.
Interaction with Humans: Big Bear, forever regarding Adonna as his parent figure, is devoted to her and the rest of our crew. He has an instinct to protect, and follows every command as he more or less understands most words spoken by humans. Fun fact: that was my gift to Adonna for her 14th birthday. Not Bear, but his training in understanding human speech so that he would understand her. Though at times he does prove stubborn as an oaf.
Legend and Folklore: A tale told by the Hangpole Captain, Deron, of a man who stumbled upon the secrets of Astrid Hearts, setting in motion a chain of events that upset a government with mutated Astrids. That's all we know concerning his mutation. Big Bear's transformation serves as a poignant reminder of the yet unfathomable power wielded by Astrid Hearts, making us wonder about the consequences of unlocking their secrets.
Variation and Subspecies: Among Astrids, Big Bear remains one of a kind. No other creature of his kind, neither in natural nor mutated form, has yet been discovered in our journeys. Usually people question what kind of Astrid he is because of his browned fur. The trick is that we dye him while he's big because if done the other way around, when he grows his fur becomes patches of brown and blue instead. However, aside from that little trivia of his colour, we still haven't yet met anyone who could tell us anything about an Astrid species that shift sizes like Bear does.
Notes and Additional Information: My curiosity has observed that big Bear's transformations aren't confined to two fixed sizes. Each time he sneezes, he exhibits the ability to grow to various sizes. While I'm left pondering the factors that influence the range of his transformations, I believe his ability is spatially tied. Somehow the space of his environment impacts his size – because when outdoors he'd grown up to the height of a storey. Yet indoor his growth would considerably become smaller as if to guarantee his mobility within confined space.
As we continue our adventure, I can't help but wonder if the secrets of Astrid Hearts hold the key to unravelling the mysteries of his amazing abilities.
Chapter two: Thunderhoof
Description: Thunderhoofs, resembling a mixture of majestic reindeers and moose but taller, sturdier, and adorned with shimmering blue fur typical of Astrids. Their most striking feature is their larger crown of antlers, and when they sprint, both their antlers and fur charge with electricity. They possess incredible speed, moving as fast as the wind, and their strength is sufficient to haul coaches of train on tracks.
Habitat: One of their known natural habitats is the forest of the island named Ana, where they used to roam freely before being captured. They've also found a purpose within the Consortium of States, where they are domesticated and utilized as draught animals for Speed trains just like in Ana.
Behaviour: Thunderhoofs are incredibly domestic-able and have adapted well to their roles in hauling trains. As long as their basic needs are met, they perform their daily tasks without attempting to escape. Their interactions with humans are usually calm, and they do not seem easily spooked, which makes me wonder if it's their natural disposition or a result of domestication.
Interaction with Humans: Historically, people have attempted various methods to harness Thunderhoofs' power one way or another.
Legend and Folklore: Legends are rife with tales of people attempting to ride Thunderhoofs. While many sought to ride them, the electrical charge during their sprints made this impossible. That is until Rwby, the brilliant mind she is, invented a gear that finally made riding Thunderhoofs feasible.
Variation and Subspecies: Thunderhoofs exhibit variations only in body size, antler size, and the amount of charge they produce.
Notes and Additional Information: In my observations, I've noticed a curious detail about Thunderhoofs' electrical charge. While their antlers and fur become electrically charged during sprints, their hooves remain unaffected. On a separate note, I've also observed Tom's Thunderhoof named Llama, which had its forelimb hooves replaced by metals. The constant wear and tear caused by electricity has necessitated the need for constant replacements of both Thunderhoof gears used for Speed trains and the metallic limbs.
EPILOGUE
Outside the Godless Sea, Deron and what's left of his Hangpole crew finally arrived at the bustling port of Ona. Two tall sail ships with a full crew each awaited them there, ready to venture beyond the Consortium of States.
But first, the Captain tore this new crew's map of the Godless Sea, let the shreds flutter down onto the wooden deck. "This Consortium. Nothing but frauds and misinformers." He spat out words like venom, and everyone could feel his spite and vengefulness from how he spat over the torn paper.
He pulled out his own map… the real thing.
Elsewhere,
Rowing a lonely boat at sea,
That man with the tricorn hat, Louis IV, approached Ana's port.
On another island,
A mob of Marblemen surrounded a small fish market. Their authority made quick work of free will as it didn't take long to subjugate all the locals down on knees under their guns. Everyone save the huntress, Bella.
One stepped forward to present her an invite letter.
From Zack Marblehead.