(12A) The Lands of Ralosia: The Collector (8k Words)

Aero travels about the Lands of Ralosia with his Chihuahua Hopper, and comes across an old woman named Veena who has her own Chihuahau. Their path crosses with those who would take such a rare animal into captivity. Aero seeks to bring down the one responsible. The Collector.

(11/24/22) Self edited, Audio edited, Peer edited

Peer editing by Mikrokosmostae

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~Chapter 1- Aero & Hopper~

~Age 988 B~

         A gentle breeze ran over the lush green plains in the Lands of Ralosia. Through those plains ran a rare canine beast, a Chihuahua. Of all the breeds of dogs in this world, this sort was one of the largest. It stood over 3 meters tall, with legs that were taller than most people. From birth, the dog had gray hair, a thick white mane around his neck, and long pointed ears. The dog was called Hopper.

         Beside Hopper was Aero, a young boy of thirteen with rough black hair, running alongside it. Any normal person couldn't possibly keep up with the Chihuahua, but he was a boy of extraordinary strength. He ran with his dog to push his own endurance further.

         But even he had limits.

         Aero stopped in place, completely out of breath, "Okay Hop, I'm done. Can you give me a ride?"

         Hopper trotted through the plains back to its owner, with its head stooped down to allow him to climb on top. But as soon as Aero tried, the dog playfully scampered away, wiggling its nub of a tail.

         "Come on bud, I'm tired! Let me on!" Aero exclaimed through labored breaths.

         Hopper trotted back to Aero and picked up the boy in his mouth, carefully applying enough pressure to hold him, but not to hurt him. Hopper carried the boy around like this.

         "This isn't what I had in mind bud."

         Hopper chucked Aero into the air and the boy landed on the Chihuahua's back, "That's better," Aero said as he gently gripped the white fur of the dog.

         Aero and Hopper continued to travel north towards Oopa's village, with the Platt Mountain range in sight to the east. The boy wore a bag of supplies over his back, it should be enough until he reaches Lupine Lake.

         As they traveled, they passed by a carriage being pulled by two large and fluffy domesticated animals- goats. Each of them stood around Aero's height, but Hopper towered over them.

         Aero caressed Hopper's head to keep him from growling at them, but the temperamental Chihuahua did so anyways. The dog simply didn't like anyone besides Aero.

         "We need to work on your manners bud," Aero said as they rushed past the carriage.

         The sun began to set, so they stopped near Platt Mountain, in an area with a few scattered trees. It would make a good campsite.

         Aero found a decently sized tree, one that would be good to use for fire. With his bare hand he chopped at the tree, cutting through its bark. He did so again, sinking deeper into it.

         Aero stared at his hand, flexed, and a faint red light appeared around his fist. He chopped at the tree again, but this time he cut cleanly through it. The red light around his hand dissipated, but the boy felt slightly winded.

He created a campfire from the wood, and they sat around it. Hopper curled near the fire, with Aero resting comfortably against his dog's chest as night fell.

         Aero rubbed dog's chest and spoke, "Hesu Buppa. Hesu."

         He didn't know what it meant, but it helped the dog rest. Hopper opened his mouth wide to yawn before falling asleep, with Aero falling into slumber right alongside him.

         Aero woke up when Hopper suddenly stood. The dog was growling at something. Perhaps it was a deer or boar wandering around, "Come on bud, it's nothing. Get back to sleep."

         Hopper continued to growl, so Aero looked up. In the distance he saw a group of hyena riders, with the backdrop of the moon high in the sky. They looked like Ekor's old bandit crew. They pulled along a sizable carriage with a cage at its back. The black-haired boy jumped to his feet, "Get back, bud."

         The hyena riders approached until they had reached Aero and Hopper, fanning out to surround them. The men jumped off of their hyenas and approached, with one burly looking man wielding a bow appearing to lead them. The others held blades and axes at their hips. Hopper continued to snarl, his teeth bared.

         "Hello boy!" The burly man spoke, "That's a fine dog you've got there. You don't see many Chihuahua's anymore."

         Aero looked at the crowd and smiled, "Thanks," Aero looked upon the crowd.

         "How much are you selling him for?" The burly man asked, both his hands on his belt.

         "He's not for sale," Aero said energetically, devoid of any fear.

         The man's eyebrows raised. He glanced to the rest of his crew before pulling the bow from his back, "Well, then we'll be taking him off your hands. Stand aside."

         Aero stood defiantly in their way and smugly smiled, "You guys used to work for Cook & Chill, didn't you? Did you know they were captured recently?"

         The burly man frowned, "I heard."

         "Well, I'm one of the people that helped bring them in. I fought Cook and won," Aero pronounced proudly.

         A murmur ran through the crew of hyena riders, with a few airy laughs, "No one's strong enough to fight Cook. Stop messing around kid."

         Aero's expression turned serious, "Fine. Leave me and my dog alone, or you're all gonna get hurt."

         The crew of hyena riders looked at one another. With a shrug from their leader, they drew their weapons. The burly man drew an arrow into his bow and aimed it at Aero.

         "We don't like hurting kids. Just step aside."

         "Give it your best shot," Aero replied. Ever since he defeated Cook, he'd become cocky.

         The leader let the arrow fly and Aero sidestepped it, not realizing where it would go. Hopper whined in pain, and when the boy looked back he saw it had struck his dog on his side.

         Aero locked eyes with the man, darted forward with great speed, and threw his fist into the man's chin before he had time to react. He was propelled into the air by the strike before landing hard on the ground.

         The bandit nearest to Aero swung his sword at him. The blade shattered against the boy's forearm as if it were as hard as stone. The bandits began to circle around him.

         Twelve strikes.

         Aero landed twelve strikes, one for each of the bandits. That was all it took to incapacitate them. They were either unconscious or too hurt to move. Usually, the boy would hold back against opponents like these, but he lost some of his restraint as soon as his dog was hurt.

          The hyenas that served as their mounts fled during the struggle, and the spritely Hopper briefly chased after them before returning back to Aero. Despite being hurt, Hopper was as temperamental as ever.

         Hopper tried to gnaw at the arrow that was stuck in him, but couldn't quite reach it. "Easy buddy, easy!" Aero tried to calm his dog.

         Hopper laid on the ground so that Aero could attend to the arrow. He gripped it tightly, and whenever he pulled on it, he could feel Hopper's entire body tense up.

         "That's really stuck in there, isn't it bud?" Aero mused. It wasn't going to come out easy. He gripped the arrow tightly, "Don't get mad..."

         Aero yanked the arrow out in one clean motion, and the Chihuahua yelped out in pain before pinning the boy to the ground and snarling at him. But as soon as Hopper realized what he had done, the dog calmed down. Hopper returned to his spot near the campfire, curled up, and went back to sleep as if nothing had happened at all.

         Aero looked at the group of bandits lying on the ground where he had left them. The leader was still conscious. The boy marched over to the man and stood over him.

         "Why did you people want my dog?"

         The leader grumbled, "He's a Chihuahua. Rare breed. There are people who pay large sums for an animal like that."

         "Like who?"

         The man tried to push off the ground to stand, "Can't tell you that kid."

         Aero placed a foot on the man's chest and forced him back down, "I want to know who's responsible for my dog getting hurt."

         The burly man grumbled again, "It's a Phantine they call the Collector. Lives in a manor northwest of here, real rich guy."

         Aero glanced at Hopper resting by the fire, and couldn't help but notice the small wound that the arrow had left. He didn't want that becoming an issue, "Do you know where I could find someone who treats wounds?"

         "What?"

         "I want to make sure my dog's wound doesn't get infected. Where can I go nearby?"

         "Are you going to take your foot off me if I tell you?" The burly man bargained.

         "Yeah," Aero answered.

         "There's a woman who works with animals on a farm to the west of here. She can probably help you out."