Su Yi, The Pokemon(?) Master (Pokemon X Monster Hunter Fanfic)

The wounded Kulu-Ya-Ku clutched the massive egg with excitement, dashing down the tree-lined pathway towards the lower levels of the Ancient Tree.

Strangely enough, there was no sign of a Rathalos or Rathian in pursuit. Instead, the sounds of battle above the canopy grew increasingly intense.

"Something's not right! These wounds on the Kulu-Ya-Ku must have been caused by an Anjanath earlier. But did it really manage to steal a Rathalos egg without getting hurt?!"

"Then what are the Rathalos and Rathian fighting against up there?"

Su Yi watched in stunned silence as the Kulu-Ya-Ku joyfully carried the Rathalos egg right past him.

The Kulu-Ya-Ku shot a wary glance at Su Yi. Seeing that he wasn't making a move, only staring in surprise, the bird let out a cry as if saying, Impressed by your big brother Kulu? Then, it continued its sprint down the tree.

ROAR!

Whoosh! Boom!

The ferocious sounds of battle from the canopy snapped Su Yi out of his daze.

"Incredible! There's actually a Kulu-Ya-Ku bold enough to steal a Rathalos egg in the middle of chaos!"

Without hesitation, Su Yi sprinted after the bird, determined to get far away from this dangerous area.

"But what kind of monster would dare provoke the Rathalos pair?"

"It can't be an Elder Dragon—almost all monsters avoid them. It's not a ground-based creature either, because this is the only major pathway leading to the canopy, and my scoutflies haven't detected any other monster trails. That means… it must be a flying wyvern!"

As he tracked the Kulu-Ya-Ku, Su Yi ran through the possibilities in his mind.

Would this unknown enemy pose a threat to him? How would its presence change the balance of the Ancient Forest?

These factors could greatly impact his exploration, so he had to take them seriously.

"Could it be a Bazelgeuse?" Su Yi immediately thought of the notorious "Police of the New World."

"Wait… no, the sounds don't match." He shook his head in denial.

Every monster had a distinct roar. Su Yi hadn't memorized most of them, but Bazelgeuse was the exception.

Anyone who had encountered that airborne menace dropping explosive scales from the sky knew its screech all too well—it was impossible to forget that high-pitched, nasal roar.

"Then what else could it be?" Su Yi was stumped.

Setting aside his questions for now, he and his Palico, Luzhao, followed the Kulu-Ya-Ku's tracks into a narrow tunnel within the tree.

"This must be its nest," Su Yi murmured, noticing how the terrain gradually resembled a den.

Peeking around a bend, he saw the Kulu-Ya-Ku place the Rathalos egg in its nest. Then, it began examining the other eggs scattered inside, seemingly trying to decide which one to eat.

Su Yi pulled back, feeling both anxious and troubled.

"How can I take down this Kulu-Ya-Ku without breaking the Rathalos egg?"

That egg was incredibly valuable to him—not as food, but as a potential companion. If he could hatch it, he would have a Rathalos as his very own battle partner.

"I don't have any materials to put it to sleep…"

Then, an idea struck him, and he smacked his forehead.

"I'm not just a Hunter—I'm also a Pokémon Trainer!"

Excited, Su Yi released his Chansey.

"Chansey!" Chansey cheerfully greeted him.

"Meow!" Rucao waved a tiny paw in response.

"Alright, Chansey, use Sing!" Su Yi commanded, recalling that he'd seen this move listed under his Companions tab.

"Chansey~!" Chansey raised its arms and began singing.

A simple melody echoed through the tunnel, carrying a mysterious, sleep-inducing power.

The Kulu-Ya-Ku let out a startled squawk and turned toward the tunnel in confusion.

"Gah?" It tilted its head, then cautiously waddled toward the passageway.

Meanwhile, outside the nest, an Anjanath was prowling, sniffing the air.

Suddenly, it caught the scent it had been tracking—inside that tree hollow.

Letting out an excited roar, the Anjanath charged forward, smashing through the wooden barrier with brute force.

The Kulu-Ya-Ku had just spotted Chansey when—BOOM! Wood splintered everywhere as the Anjanath burst into the nest.

"Wahhh!" The Kulu-Ya-Ku shrieked in terror. The drowsiness that had just begun to wash over it vanished instantly. It grabbed an egg in a panic and bolted.

"It's that Anjanath again, meow!" Rucao exclaimed.

"Wait! That egg—" Su Yi's eyes widened.

The Kulu-Ya-Ku had grabbed the Rathalos egg!

The Anjanath, however, ignored the bird. Its focus was solely on Su Yi as it lunged forward with its jaws wide open.

"What did I ever do to you?!" Su Yi shouted as he recalled Chansey and turned to flee, his Palico following closely behind.

BOOM!

The Anjanath smashed through the tunnel walls in hot pursuit.

"You're still chasing me?! Alright, you asked for it!" Su Yi quickly loaded his slinger.

"Take this!"

He fired a deep yellow sphere toward the Anjanath's head—an Dung Pod.

ROAR!

The Anjanath swiftly dodged, the projectile missing its mark.

"You dodged it?!" Su Yi was stunned by the monster's quick reflexes. Without hesitation, he loaded another round.

The Anjanath roared in fury. Its throat glowed red-hot, and sparks flickered between its fangs.

"Now's my chance!" Su Yi took aim again and fired.

This time, the Dung Pod struck the Anjanath's nasal crest, unleashing a pungent stench that overwhelmed its keen sense of smell.

The beast snarled, furious but disoriented.

"I don't have time to play with you!" Su Yi loaded another round into his slinger.

"How about some Flash Pods instead?"

He fired, and a brilliant flash erupted in front of the Anjanath.

Blinded and stunned, the monster let out an enraged howl.

As its furious roars echoed through the forest, Su Yi made his escape.

Far from the rampaging beast, his scoutflies finally resumed tracking—but the chase had been disrupted, and their guidance became erratic.

"Can we still find it?" Su Yi frowned, his hopes for the Rathalos egg fading.

After all, Kulu-Ya-Kus were notorious for eating stolen eggs.

"Damn it!" He cursed under his breath.

"Meow! Look! A Kulu-Ya-Ku feather!" Rucao suddenly pointed out a bright yellow feather caught on a vine.

"Nice work!" Su Yi hurriedly let his scoutflies lock onto the trail.

But the more they followed it, the more he felt something was off.

"Wait a minute… why are we back here?"

To his astonishment, they had returned to the original nest.

Inside, a few broken eggshells were all that remained.

"That sneaky bird actually came back to move its stash!"

This Kulu-Ya-Ku was no ordinary thief.

Following its trail once more, Su Yi arrived at a large tree trunk. There, inside a hollow, the Kulu-Ya-Ku was feasting on its stolen eggs.

Nearby, a few eggs remained untouched—including one very large egg.

"The Rathalos egg is still here!"

"Rucao, it's up to you!"

"Leave it to me, meow!"

With a determined cry, Rucao leaped down, his bone dagger glowing as he struck.