"12 Years Earlier"
I've got to stop it, no matter what!
Lute...
"Monster Hunter Stories: RIDE ON"
"Episode 1: The Power of Bonds"
This is your fault!
Your fault!
You were all "An egg! An egg!"
But don't take one out of a nest!
And you're the one always going on about eggs!
It's your fault, Navirou!
Your fault, Lute!
Your fault!
I wish they'd stop arguing and thank us for rescuing them.
Yeah.
--Not my fault! --Not Navirou's fault!
They're two of a kind, all right.
They make a good pair.
How so?!
Eggs? Hellooo!
I can feel it... There's an egg nearby!
You say that every day, but we haven't found one yet.
Well, you haven't been right yet, either, Navirou.
Y'know, Lute, you don't have to find an egg yourself--
you can get one from Chief Omna at tomorrow's Rite.
No need to go out of your way searching for one.
Well, yeah, but...
I just... want to find it myself.
The very first Monstie Egg I'll form Kinship with as a Rider!
You've been saying that for a while now, Lute.
Then I guess we'll stick with it a little longer.
Yeah.
Thanks, guys.
How's everybody? Doing great?
Now, then: being a Rider comes down to the Kinship with your monster.
It all starts with forming Kinship
with a companion monster that will become your Monstie.
The first step is hatching a monster egg.
To do that, you'll need this: a Kinship Stone.
A Rider receives only one of these precious stones during his or her lifetime.
After Chief Omra gives you yours tomorrow, keep it on you at all times.
Yes, sir!
If I may, please, Dan...
Yes? What is it?
This isn't all of the Rider candidates who'll be in tomorrow's Rite.
Oh?
Him? Not again!
He-ey, eggs!
I can feel it... There's an egg nearby!
So you say, but you totally haven't delivered!
Oh, it's here, all right! And close, too!
I'm so hungry...
Look, are you really picking up on an egg or what?
I really am! But I'm too hungry...
It's no use. My switch totally clicked to "off."
Could be a problem--we didn't bring anything to eat.
Ugh, fine. Hang on a sec!
Uh-oh. I bet she's gonna make me eat something sketchy again.
Wonder what it'll be today.
There we go! Nitroshrooms!
We'll be all set with these!
Now she's talking about Nitroshrooms!
What could she possibly have up her sleeve?
Ah, Nitroshrooms? That's gotta be the, you know, that thing.
Ummm...
How can you be eating when I'm starving over here?
Navirou's beloved donuts are only for Navirou!
But!
If you come across anything tasty, Navirou gets half.
Thaaat's Navirou!
--Listen, you... --Lute!
I found a beehive, too!
What's she gonna make me eat?
Beats me.
See, uh, combine a Nitroshroom and honey and you get...
Voilà!
Here you go: an Energy Drink!
Go on, Cheval!
Huh?
Don't tell me you're afraid!
No, it's just... That's--
You're gonna become a Rider tomorrow--
how can you be such a scaredy-cat?
Enough! Lute, you drink it!
You're hungry, aren't you?
That's right, Lute! I'm not hungry at all!
Navirou, neither!
Guess I have no choice.
I am used to Lilia's crazy combos, after all...
I'm gonna chug this thing!
Drink it already! It'll perk you right up!
I-I know, okay?
Here goes...
Are you okay?
He sure doesn't look okay.
Huh? It's like...
...I'm brimming with energy!
That's a Nitroshroom for you: immediate results!
And excessive, too!
Yesss! I'm going egg-hunting!
There's more honey, so let me know if you want some!
I can feel it... I sense the presence of an egg...
Then let Navirou be your guide!
Let's see... The egg is this way!
So... That way.
What is it, Cheval?
I just... don't think we should go any further in.
We're headed for the Forbidden Land--and it's off-limits.
I'm just positive there's an egg up ahead.
But breaking a village rule...
Dan and the others must be steaming mad right about now.
And... I bet Mom's worried.
You've got a point there.
Lute and his pals are sure taking their time.
Usually they'd have given up and come home by now.
They wouldn't have set foot in the Forbidden Land, would they?
Hm, hm, hm... Navirou smells that! Make no mistake:
That's the smell of a monster egg!
I do smell something.
But this is Navirou. No way is it an egg.
Hey, doesn't it smell less egg-y and more monster-y?
Cheval! Behind you!
What? What is it?!
You're fine--there's nothing there.
Lute was just teasing you.
Geez...
C'mon, let's go. We're gonna find that egg and become Riders!
This is no time to be shaking in our boots!
You're right...
Like I'm gonna fall for that.
N-no, no, n-no-- L-L-Look at th-th-that!
Er, um, that there is an... an... Aka--Ao--Aka...
An Aoashira!
Which way?
Right!
Left it is!
We gotta outrun it!
Stop!
Whoa!
What now? What now?!
This is all because you didn't follow Navirou's directions!
We're sorry, Navirou!
I'm diving in! Follow my lead!
Ride On!
Liolaeus!
All right, I'm off to search for Lute and his friends.
Genie, Stone, hold down the fort.
Yes, sir.
Sheesh. And with the Kinship Rite tomorrow, too.
I know, right? Does that bunch even want to be Riders?
Sure they do! That's why they went lookin' for eggs!
Loloa wanted to go, too...
All right, everyone--back to studying.
Okay.
I saw pitch-black grass in the woods last week.
It worries me.
Where are we?
I think we're still in the forest in the Forbidden Land.
So we're in an even denser forest?
Huh? What's that?
Something's glittering!
So pretty!
Now, where has Navirou seen that light before? Let's see...
I see. Lute and his companions, eh?
Yes. They're so late in returning,
I fear they may have entered the Forbidden Land.
Dan, you know of the disturbance in the woods these days, yes?
I do. Stone has mentioned it as well: he saw black grass there.
Mmm. An ill portent, indeed.
You be careful, now.
So this junk is what was glittering, huh?
What the heck is this thing?
And how is it so ugly?
It kinda looks like you, Navirou.
It must be awfully old.
And what's this mural supposed to be?
Look, how many times do you think we'll fall for that?
N-No! Over th-there: an egg!
An egg?!
Nuh-uh, nuh-uh, nuh-uh! Can't be!
It's an egg, all right--I'm sure of it!
See? An egg!
Er... And what part of that is an egg, exactly?
It's pretty mossy, but it sure looks like an egg.
Yeah. But isn't it too old to still be alive?
No, I can feel it. It's alive, all right!
Again with your "I can feel it" stuff.
You haven't been right yet!
Lilia... How do we hatch this thing?
How...? I mean, I think we need the Kinship Rite for that.
And that requires a Kinship Stone.
A Kinship Stone?
We haven't gotten our Kinship Stones yet.
But we will tomorrow. Can't the hatching wait till then?
Well, it's just...
I get the feeling this fella wants to hatch now.
Let's do it!
But how?
Well... Lilia the All-Knowing has to know, right?
That's crazy talk!
But you do know, don't you? How the Kinship Rite goes?
As it happens, I do.
But only a Rider with a Kinship Stone can hatch an egg.
Then we just need to become Riders!
Huh? How are we going to do that?
Okay, hold up your Kinship Stones.
But they're just plain old rocks.
Quiet, you! This is a sacred ceremony!
All right, all right.
So we're playing make-believe.
Now to address the egg!
Say your name.
My name is Lute!
O' holy Kinship Stone,
bind thou together Lute and this slumbering soul.
And now, the moment of new life:
Awaken!
Huh?
No luck, huh? I said the words properly and everything!
I was really going along with it, too! Aw...
So you really do need a Kinship Stone.
Let's just head back to the village.
Yeah, let's.
I'm definitely gonna hatch this thing at tomorrow's Kinship Rite!
Just hang in there till then, all right?
Then you can be my Monstie!
It's hatching!
It's... It's being born!
Amazing... That's a Flame Wyvern!
Liolaeus, King of the Skies!
What does this mean?
Navirou always knew you could do it, Lute!
Oh, did you, now.
It's no lie!
Right now, I don't care if it is!
Thanks for hatching for me.
You may have hatched him...
...but you don't have Kinship with it yet.
It'll be fine. He's my Monstie!
Isn't that right, Laeus?
Laeus? That's a Loilaeus.
No, this is my Liolaeus, and his name is Laeus!
Ow!
Owie ow, ow, ow...
Geez, do you ever give up?
You're not fooling anyone, you know.
N-No! For real! It's b-b-b-back!
See?
Stay back! This is just a hatchling!
Hiii-yah!
Huh?
Lute!
Laeus!
Wow!
You all right?
Dan!
You have a beehive on you, don't you!
Carrying that around--no wonder you've got an Aoashira on your tail!
Give it here!
We're saved!
Don't give me that!
Hey, what's with this Liolaeus?
Honestly! You may have gotten lucky this time,
but facing an Aoashira without weapon or Monstie is far too reckless!
Furthermore, you were in the Forbidden Land!
What were you doing there, anyway?
I know you were behind this, Lute!
I thought there might be an egg in there.
You idiot!
Why are you always like this?!
I have to say, I'm surprised.
Hatching an egg without a Kinship Stone?
Indeed. Well, let that miracle make up for this incident.
You're too easy on him, Chief. They barely made it back alive!
That's right--I was so worried!
Cheval, Lute, Lilia: as punishment, you'll get no dessert tonight.
Mom!
Do you mean it?!
But we love your desserts!
I was really worried, you know.
I'm sorry.
Sorry, Mrs. Vlau.
I'm sorry.
Better think long and hard about what you did.
The same goes for you, Navi. Donuts are off the menu!
Say it ain't so!
Tomorrow's our great Kinship Rite.
Get some rest, now.
Chief, I can take this fella home with me, right?
Mmm. I doubt he'd leave your side.
When an ebon darkness is born upon the Earth,
it is then we seek the coming of the One.
See: he comes astride a dragon white...
"Next Episode Preview"
Lute here!
Now that I've formed Kinship with Laeus,
I'm gonna be an honest-to-goodness Rider!
What's that? A Tigrex attack?!
Next time: "A Monstie Is Born!" Ride On!
"A Monstie Is Born!"