Mon Mon Nepu Nepu 5

"Listen up ladies!"  IF's voice boomed as we entered Virtua Forest.  Uni and I both instinctively  stood at attention as she started talking, this is the first time I've seen her acting so...strict.  "I'm aware that this isn't your first mission, but you know the drill.  This is a Guild mission, so there better not be any screw ups!"  That's right, according to everyone else we've always been like this...I just need to defend myself until this is all over and hope there aren't too many Dogoos.  "Don't go to the depths, don't challenge something if you're unsure about it, and most important of all-"  "Have fun!"  Compa chimed in as she threw he hands in the air, knocking some of her bandages out of place.  "C-Compa!"  She immediately grabbed some of the bandages and started rewrapping her back up.  They look so cute together when they're like this...even with Compa looking like she was in a horrible accident.

As I stared at them I felt a hand close around mine and start leading me away.  "Come on Gear, let's get started."  Uni keeps a firm grip on my hand as we head into the forest, paying close attention to our surroundings.  I should start paying attention as well, it wouldn't be fair to let her do all the work by herself.

The forest feels familiar enough but at the same time there are...subtle changes as well.  The clearings were much wider than I remember, and there more than just Dogoos playing about.  There were other tiny blue monsters abound, but they had strange faces and were always smiling.  "You're better off ignoring those, they're much smarter than what we're after.  Besides we're almost there."

Sure enough the next clearing we headed into was full of angry looking Dogoos, barking and defending their territory from foreign monsters.  "So...the Dogoos are getting too aggressive and are trying to claim everything as their own, and it's our job to make sure that they don't overpopulate the area?"  At least, I think that's the point of this mission.  "Um, yeah?  I swear Gear you're acting really weird lately.  These monsters are so weak it's easy for them to just overtake things with sheer numbers, and sometimes it gets to be a bit too much for humans.  I'd like to do something more than this grunt work, but I can't complain..."  She said as she stretched her legs and arms.  "...especially when there are so many tasty things choose from!"

Uni bolted off and immediately glided into the small pack of Dogoos, startling all but the ones near the center, who seemed to be barking orders to the others.  Most of them had scurried off into the other parts of the forest by now, leaving only the rugged looking ones in the center and a few scattered around the edges.  She seemed to be having too much fun as she screeched and glided about, plucking them off the ground and...devouring them!?

"Wh-wh-what the goodness!?"  My legs give out and I fall back in horror...Uni is taking big chunks out of the Dogoos as she glides around the clearing, lowering their numbers.  I can't...I can't even fight these things, much less EAT them!  I have to go hide somewhere before things get out of hand.  I clumsily get to my feet and try to retreat before-

"Bowoo!?"

A stray Dogoo noticed me and started heading in my direction with an angry look.  It howled as it leaped at my face, snarling and growling at high speed.  "Leave me alone!"  In a panic I shut my eyes waiting for the inevitable.

My head jerks forward and I hear a yelp as I fall to the ground doubled over in pain.  I manage to stopped my fall with one hand while clutching my stomach.  "Ngh...Un...i..."  Uni is too busy darting about to notice me, and that Dogoo landed in front of me...stopped moving.  I tried calling out to her, but my stomach had me convulsing in pain too much to get my words out properly.  "That...monster..."  I...need to get to it for some reason...it's getting harder to think clearly...

Blinding pain shoots throughout my body as I drag myself towards the Dogoo, who still hasn't moved from where it fell.  "Just...a little...closer..."  I can feel my heart racing the closer I get to it...I think...I'm going to lose control...  "...Got...you..."  I finally got close enough to grab it while panting wildly, and getting my other hand on it securing it in place.  "Heh...heh..."  I don't know why I'm giggling, but I'm so happy I finally got my hands on it I can't help myself.  With the Dogoo in my hands I've worked up the will to get on my knees and bring it closer to me, admiring it's motionless body.  It's still warm...it would be a waste if I only looked at it...

I know...what I have to do...

I bare my teeth as I dig into the Dogoo and...it's absolutely...delicious!  Before I knew it there were only little puddles of it's remains...but I'm still starving.  The little...morsels in the middle have refused to move from their spot as some winged figure circles them from above.  Staying low to the ground I crawl behind their field of vision, waiting to get behind them before I strike.  Whatever was distracting them seemed to want to help me out, as it stopped circling and landed directly in front them...good.  The moment it gets their attention I make my move, charging forward and breaking into a full sprint.
The leader of the pack...I need to find biggest one...

"There!"  At the front of the small pack was a deep blue, slightly larger than normal Dogoo defending itself and others in in the center of the clearing.  The winged figure had jumped out of the way as I tackled the Dogoo leader, tumbling forward and mauling it with my hands and teeth, but it's far more resilient than it's minions.  It's barks are loud and ferocious but it's no good, the others were frozen stiff as we rolled about clawing and fighting each other.  It's putting up a decent fight, but I refuse to lose...I'm far too hungry to lose this.  I get into position as I slam it into the ground, ignoring it's useless bites and barks.

I reel back as far as I can and bring my head down as hard I can into the Dogoo leader.  It yelps as my head collides with it and struggles to get free...but that's something I can't allow.  I can't let something so big and...tasty looking get away from me.  I hammer my head, again and again, down on the increasingly slow moving lump of jelly.  I pause briefly from smashing our heads together as it's cries for help come to a stop...

I waste no time burying my face into my prey, tearing through it's gooey body as it's pack scatters.  That strange winged figure's shadow had approached right before I could finish my meal, calling out to me.  I could barely make out what it was saying but it started dragging me off before I could finish the remains of my catch.  It brought me into the cool shade of a nearby and sat me up, forcing me to look at it.  This new thing would make a nice replacement, but I don't want to waste those last bits of Dogoo.  I can't take my eyes off of-

"Nepgear!"

I felt a sharp pain shoot from my cheek as a blurred Uni cleared up in front of me.  "Nepgear, what in the world happened back there!?"  Wh-what happened to me?  The last thing I remember was a Dogoo flying at me, and now I'm under this tree wondering why Uni struck me.  I reach for my cheek and to my surprise I find something cold and soft stuck there.  I catch a glimpse of blue jelly as Uni hurriedly wiped it off my face.  "Look, I'm sorry for doing this, but we have to get out of here, now!"