Lilia! Letter for you!
Huh?
C'mon, Lute, wait for me!
Lilia! A letter, a letter!
Mama and Papa held it for you!
It's from Simone of the Scriveners!
What? From Simone?!
Here you go!
The young boy's name is Lute: a rash but passionate fellow
who aims to be the world's top Monster Rider.
He's still an apprentice, but Navirou is training him up nicely!
A letter--from Simone!
Instead of becoming a Rider, skilled combiner, Lilia
is following her dream of seeing the outside world.
Good for you, Lilia--
getting a letter from your role model, Simone.
Uh-huh!
Cheval is also an apprentice Rider, like Lute.
The two have grown up together, raised like brothers.
Simone is worried about that Hakum Gale incident.
Oh, right. The wind that day was crazy!
I'd never seen the Gale blow so fiercely.
I want to investigate the Hakum Gale and send in a report--
to Simone!
"Monster Hunter Stories RIDE ON"
Give me a donut, too, Navirou!
"Episode 11: Before the Storm"
I'd like one, too.
Navirou's donuts are for Navirou!
He gives them to no one!
And that...
...is a Navi-rule.
So weird!
Sooo weird!
But my mom's the one who gave them to you...
C'mon, guys, are you even listening to me?
No, we're not.
You can't just eat that!
Sorry.
Sheesh...
Anyway, there's a lot about the Hakum Gale that I'd like to look into.
It might even help out Simone.
Come help me!
I can gather some combo ingredients along the way.
Okay?
Oh, uh-huh.
Er, mmm-hmm.
And away we go!
Now, Navirou, don't get lost!
Don't get lost!
Bet Lilia's gonna find something to mix up for us again.
And then she'll make us drink it.
Something bitter--like life itself!
Good luck, Lute!
Go get 'em! Go get 'em!
You're on Lilia's drink duty, Cheval!
Huh? Me?
But why? Couldn't you--
Nope.
That was fast!
What in blazes is becoming of the woods nowadays?
We can't overlook that strange Hakum Gale.
Frightening.
It reminds me of 12 years ago.
Indeed.
Chief Omna, shall I go check out the woods?
Mmm. I'll be going myself later.
It's vital now that we split up and learn whatever we can
about the state of the woods.
Yes, sir.
And if we notice anything, we'll tell you right away.
Mmm.
Here are your lunches.
I made plenty of donuts, too.
Yesss!
Thank you, Mrs. Vlau!
Cheval, don't do anything dangerous, now.
And take care not to get lost.
Sheesh, Mom, I know!
You always say that.
I guess I do! Sorry, Cheval.
I'm just worried about the Hakum Gale.
But you're fine upstanding Riders now.
Please--Navirou's not that great.
She's not talking about you.
But really do be careful, okay?
Okay!
We'll be fine.
Come home for supper--I'll be waiting for you with some tasty soup!
Hey, are the woods blacker than before?
Yeah.
I don't like the looks of this.
It's like the whole place smells different.
What is it, Navi?
Honestly? Navirou's sensing an intense gaze.
Huh?
Some Airou ladies out in the wild--no doubt about it!
It's tough being such a popular Airou!
What's with that whisker wiggle?
Pretty cool, right?
It's especially dark and gloomy in there.
Let's go see.
We might find out what's behind that terrible Hakum Gale,
and I'm curious about the trees turning black.
What the--? The woods didn't used to be like this.
Right. It's gotten darker, somehow.
Look: it's pitch-black in places.
Black like Navirou's heart.
Just so you know, Navirou is not black-hearted!
Navirou is shifty!
And you're proud of that?
But it really is dark... and it feels scary here.
There's got to be something behind it.
Otherwise, the woods wouldn't be turning black.
I agree.
But what "something"?
I don't know.
But... I'm positive there's a reason!
Times like this call for...
Lunch!
So good! I'm brimming with energy!
Yeah! Mrs. Vlau's meals really make you feel better!
Yup! No matter what Navirou's up against,
these donuts will always save the day!
Like you're up against anything.
Mom would be thrilled to know how happy her lunches make us.
Totally! Her food's at the center of every happy memory!
Yeah!
And Lilia's drinks are at the center of every bitter memory.
Did you say something?
Nope, nothing.
Lucky you, Cheval.
You get to eat this delicious food every day!
I think she really puts her heart into it,
like, "May everyone enjoy a delicious meal."
Yep!
You really love your mom, don't you, Cheval?
Not that I've told her:
"Thanks for everything."
It's gotten worse since our last look around.
Yeah.
It's... kind of creepy here.
Looks like the Forbidden Land's pretty far gone, too.
I think Lute and Cheval and Lilia are here in the woods, too.
Huh? They are?
Is this true, Hyoro?
Yeah. They were talking about it this morning.
You have to tell us these things!
Sorry...
Let's just hope they're staying far from the Forbidden Land.
We're still going, Lilia?
But there's more and more blackness as we go!
It's bothering me.
But the Forbidden Land is up ahead.
We kinda stumbled into it once before, didn't we?
But Navirou remembers how his navigation skills got us home safely!
Yeah, right!
It was your fault we wound up in the Forbidden Land in the first place!
But I did find Laeus's egg thanks to all that wandering around lost.
So you should do as Navirou says!
Wasn't that cat statue around here somewhere?
It kinda looked like Navirou, didn't it?
It sure did.
Especially how ugly it was!
Whaddya mean, "ugly"?!
What's up?
There's that intense gaze again!
You know, from all the Airou babes staring at Navirou!
Totally your imagination.
Ride On!
Liolaeus!
Now, which way do we go?
I'd like to figure out what's causing that black grass so I can tell Simone.
What do you think?
That way!
This way it is!
What?
Why don't you trust Navirou's directions?!
Bees!
Run away!
Just dive right in!
Feels like this might've happened once before...
There's that ugly statue-- the spitting image of Navirou!
It really is ugly, isn't it?
Will you quit saying how ugly it is?!
Hey, check out that mural!
What's that writing say?
Let's see...
It's old writing, so I'm not entirely sure, but...
I think these words must be pretty important.
Oh, man--I knew I should have studied ancient script!
"When an ebon darkness..."
Huh?
"...is born upon the Earth...
...it is then we seek...
...the coming of the One."
Chief Omna!
What brings you here?
The same thing that brought you:
concern about that odd Hakum Gale
and the gradual blackening of these woods.
What does this mural mean?
The time may well be ripe for you to learn what it signifies.
It tells of a time when the Earth was engulfed in darkness,
in the same way the woods are turning black now,
and of a certain Rider who appeared and saved the world.
So this has happened before?
Mmm.
And this "certain Rider"?
Who was it?
Redan.
Redan?
Hmm?
Feels like Navirou's heard that before... or not...
And this Rider saved the world?! That's awesome!
How did he do it?
With powerful emotions.
Powerful emotions?
He wanted so badly to save the world that he would risk his all.
He'd risk his all...
That's right.
That's amazing...
That takes courage, all right.
Yeah!
Well, if it were Navirou--
I...
Hmph!
I want to be like that!
Right, Cheval?
Yeah!
Huh?
What?!
"Aoashira, Blue Bear Beast"
An Aoashira?!
Stand back, everyone. It's not acting right.
It's hurt!
What could have happened?
Here it comes!
Let's get out of here!
Lute?
Go on, Cheval. I'll keep it at bay!
Ride On!
Liolaeus!
Laeus, that monster's hurt and acting funny!
Try to hold it off until Cheval and the others get away!
Huh?!
Laeus! Do that again!
Here goes, Laeus!
Fantastic job, Lute!
As expected from Navirou's top pupil!
Look, just who are you callin' your pupil?!
Oh?
What's this?
It's pitch-black--like the forest trees!
Lute!
That spike is from a Nargacuga.
A Narga... cuga?
I've never seen one, but they're extremely quick monsters, right?
Is that a spike? Or a fang?
A tailspike, released from its tail.
It's not usually that color, though.
It's been overtaken by the Black Blight, just like the trees have.
The Black Blight?
What is the Black Blight?
A most sinister miasma.
A most sinister miasma?
I knew I'd have to tell you all one day.
It seems that day has come.
Something evil is throwing off-kilter all that lives.
The trees, yes--and monsters, too...
...and perhaps humans as well.
Why is it happening?
I don't know for certain.
The Scriveners, among others,
have been investigating its cause for a long time now.
For a long time?
Mmm.
I have seen this evil with my own eyes.
Lute.
Your parents did, too.
Eh?
It was the very year you were born...
Your home village was attacked
by a Nargacuga afflicted with the Black Blight.
As I understand it,
your father perished protecting the village in a battle with the Nargacuga.
Your mother, too, kept her newborn son safe from the monster's attack,
and in so doing, lost her own life.
I decided when you came to us that I'd tell you when you became a Rider.
To think something like that really happened...
Lute...
Are you all right?
Chief Omna...
I'm glad you told me!
Hmm?
I never knew why exactly I wanted to be a Rider so badly.
But now it's crystal-clear!
Aha...
As Riders, Mom and Dad were serious to the very end
about protecting everyone--
and me!
I will!
I will be the world's best Rider!
Phew!
Yeah!
Huh?
--Man, I thought you were gonna go off somewhere alone!
--Yeah, shouting all sudden like that.
--Oh, uh, I mean, it just came to me.
--Mmm!
This is important, so Navirou'll say it again:
Do what Navirou says and you can't go wrong!
And that's...
--Let's do our best, Cheval! --...a Navi-rule.
Yeah!
They're completely ignoring me.
I may not be a Rider,
but I'd like to figure out why this Black Blight is happening.
Mmm.
One thing you must not forget:
It's not the Blight-afflicted monsters that are evil.
The real villain here is the Black Blight driving them mad.
We must not resent these monsters,
but stave off the Black Blight affecting them so.
That is what we must do.
Yes, sir!
The Black Blight... Black...
Mmm... There's something there, all right...
What is this feeling, anyway?
I'll stop them--
the Black-Blighted monsters!
You'll lend me a hand, right, Laeus?
I bet Simone already knows about what we learned today.
That's right.
But what's important is that you tried to find out for yourself.
There's so much more I want to know.
My desire to learn more about what's going on in our world
has grown even stronger!
Mmm.
Lute...
Hmm?
You were awesome back there!
Eh?
When you and Laeus faced off against the Aoashira!
Oh, yeah!
I feel like the Kinship between you and Laeus has grown deeper!
Huh? Really?
Yeah!
If you say so, Cheval, it must be true!
I mean, you do know everything about me!
Well, I think you know everything about me!
Yep!
And you know what, Cheval?
You're gonna be a great Rider--
second only to me, that is!
Just second-greatest?!
Yeah, but...
Cheval, you'll be a really, really great Rider!
How so?
You're always thinking about other people's feelings.
Monsters' feelings, too.
So I bet you'll form some serious Kinship with people and monsters both!
I'm so happy to hear you say that! I'll try my hardest!
Yeah! We both will!
Must be dinnertime. Navirou's tummy-alarm just went off!
That's right: Cheval's mom said she'd have some tasty soup waiting!
I can't wait!
I'm ready to eat now!
Let's hurry back!
Last one there's a rotten egg!
Hey!
What's that?
Hakum Village...
...in flames?
What?!
We must return to the village, and quickly.
It's coming!
The Nargacuga... it's coming!
"Monstie Manual"
The Monstie Manual!
"Monstie Manual"
Navirou here will fill you in on some Monsties!
Get your Media Trigger smartphone app ready!
And you've got your egg with you, right?
Okay, time to form Kinship with your Monstie Egg!
And now, the moment of new life: awaken!
"Monstie:"
Our Monstie this time is Aoashira!
"Aoashira"
"Type: Power"
That wounded Aoashira was scary,
"Species: Fanged Beast"
but these honey fiends make adorable Monsties!
"Overall Length: 305.5 cm"
"Overall Height: 161.6 cm"
"Leg Size: 43.6 cm (Rear)"
Its well-developed forearms are so powerful, it can even catch fish!
What Monstie will hatch for us next week?
"Next Episode Preview"
Lute here!
So it's shown up at last...
Hakum Village is in serious trouble!
But don't worry, Lilia--
Laeus and I are gonna run that thing right out of town!
"Invasion of the Nargacuga"
Next time: "Invasion of the Nargacuga"!
Ride On!