That Bounty Hunter Life

Whoa, this thing is so high up!

Ahaha! Come see this, Adders! Seein' the ground float like this gives me the shivers!

Haha. Yeah I was pretty surprised the first time I saw it too.

Hmm, but ya know...

What's up, Elga?

I don't know, ya know? I feel like I've experienced this before, somewhere.

Heh, have you flown before or something?

Actually, now that I think about it. I can definitely picture you jumping on some monster's back and flying through the sky.

No, it's not that. Although that ain't a bad laugh! What I mean is the feeling of the ground floatin'. I just can't put my finger on it...

Ahhh! It's no good. I just can't remember anythin' from the past!

I didn't realize you were so forgetful.

That's not what I meant. I literally don't have any memories.

Whoa! You mean like memory loss, or something like that?

I don't know if it's anythin' fancy like that. All I do know is that I can't remember a single thing from the past!

Yeah, pretty sure that's memory loss...

But don't you worry your pretty face about it, Adders. 'Cos I know I don't!

R-Really? Okay, well, if you say so.

Welp, we've seen the view and all. Where we off to next?

What's that I spy with my lil' eye now? Adders, who's that guy?

Oh him? Looks like a hunter to me. I heard from Amy that they make a living fighting the Synth Humans.

Hunter, ya say? Which means, that guy's a bounty hunter from the future, right?

Heheh! Well, no time like the future to make a new friend, eh?

Oh yeah, I almost forgot you're a bounty hunter too.

Ha, you betcha! I bring 'em in by the scruff of the neck, 'n' they pay me those handsome rewards. Hey, Adders, let's go see what a future bounty hunter can do!

Okay, everything's set now.

All I gotta do now is lead them back here and they'll be as good as mine!

Ah what? Can't say I like hunters who use traps. It just ain't my style. I mean, where's the fun in sittin' around waitin'?

Trap? What trap?

This is why you'll never cut it as a hunter, Adders. Look, just there.

Oh! I see it now.

I reckon if you stepped on one of those, somethin' interesting would happen!

"Interesting"? Elga, what are you gonn...

Come on mister future bounty hunter. Let's see what you've got for me!

Here I come!

Whoa! Elga, wait!

Hahaha! What a pile of junk! I don't know what they're tryin' to hunt, but even a slug could slime its way out of this thing!

What the?! I just set that, what do you think you're doing?!

Hey, you! Yeah, you! Just what are you playing at, huh?!

Oh just simmer down! You go around settin' traps like that, what do you expect, huh?

You know, I don't think people usually just run through traps they already know are there.

Whoawhoawhoa! Adders, don't tell me you're sidin' with this numbskull! Are ya?

Well, it was nice knowin' you! I knew workin' with a partner was a mistake. It just ain't for me!

Whoa, hang on a second! We're not going to get anywhere if you get mad at every little thing now.

Seems like you're the one responsible here.

Oh yeah! What of it?!

I hold you liable! To compensate me for my losses, you know!

You what! I don't know half of what you said means, but I don't like any of it all the same!

Play dumb all you want, I'm still getting my money! You can't just go around settin' off other people's traps!

And you can believe me when I say I'll get every last credit you owe me for the wasted traps!

Wait like real money? You actually want me to p-p-pay?

Ya know, the thing 'bout that is...is I kinda don't have any money.

I'm not exactly rollin' in the stuff myself you know! I had to pay out the nose for those traps.

Man, I'm...I'm real sorry. They just looked like so much fun, I couldn't help myself.

Hey, so I have an idea. How about instead of paying you back, me and Elga help you out with whatever you were trying to do?

You? And that crazy girl? Hmm...

You do seem like you've got your head screwed on, and all. That one might have a screw loose, but she knows her way around an explosion. Which is always handy.

Okay. Fine. I'll take up on your offer. As long as you do exactly as I say, I should be able to pull this off.

Okay, no problem.

Adders, you gonna help me out?

Of course. We're friends now, I couldn't just let you do it alone.

You are just the best! Adders, I love you man!

Okay, cut the chit-chat and listen up. The Synth Human I'm after is a tough one. And it's got a bounty to match.

Now, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout! The bigger the bounty the better! Not that I needed to tell any of ya that.

Now, in my original plan, I was gonna lure it here and treat it to a little explosion ice cream. But that's out of the question now. We'll just have to go after it instead. It often appears 'round Route 99, let's start there.

So, where's that juicy bounty, huh?

There's no surefire way of luring it out. But every time I've crossed paths with it, it's been around this area.

Just what kind of Synth Human is it anyway?

We hunters are trained for one purpose, and one purpose only. That is to take down Synth Humans. Yet, this one actually targets us. Makes a sport of it. I've almost started to lose count of how many hunters we've lost to that thing. Among hunters, that thing is called the "Hunter Killer."

Sounds like one tough Synth Human.

You can bet all the Prisma in Xeno that it is. That's why I gotta take this thing down. And soon.

You had me at Hunter Killer! I'll get this thing, don't you worry!

That's what I like to hear. But there's something we have to be really careful of when we try and take this thing down.

Whoa! Look at that beauty over there!

That's the one! No doubt about it!

Okay listen up. There's a reason nobody's been able to stop this thing yet. And if we don't all band together, then there's no w...

Wait a second. Where's screw-loose?

Huh? That's weird. She was just here a moment ago.

Sa-haa! Hope you're ready for the sweet embrace of the dark abyss!

And just what in the synth are you? You're not a face I've seen before.

Me? Imma bounty hunter. Here to do some huntin'!

So you're just another one of those filthy, money hungry scavengers, here to claim the prize on my head, are you? You must be more idiotic than you look, attacking me head on. We'll see just who'll do the hunting who here!

Wh-Whoa! Where in the adorable hood ears did all these things come from!

It'll be you enjoying the sweet embrace of the abyss! Rip her limb from limb my minions!

Elga!

Grr! You got lucky this time!

So what I was about to say was that Synth Human uses countless search bit drones to completely overwhelm its prey.

In that case, why didn't you bring more people on the hunt?

You don't think we've tried that before? The moment we roll up in a group that thing just disappears somewhere.

So you mean we gotta somehow defeat all of those search bits by ourselves before we can even get to it?

That's pretty much the sum of things. Hence the trap I was setting earlier on before screw-loose ruined it all.

Pfft! See this is why I don't like people who use traps, it's just whine whine whine! 'N' if you two hadn't gotten all scared and pulled me back, I would have finished the job already!

No! Please, don't try and go at it alone again. I can't face losing anymore people.

You see, I used to have a partner. We would do all our hunts together. Of course, we went up against Hunter Killer together, too. But, things didn't go as planned...

There were just so many search bits. More than we had ever anticipated. We would destroy one only for another two to come shooting through the smoke. Finally, we were utterly overrun...

Get...out... *cough* Save yourself...

You think I can just leave you here with these things? No way!

I'm guessing you two were pretty close, huh?

Close? Yeah you could say that. We were lovers.

......

I can't listen to this anymore! It's just so... Man!

Whaaaaaa! *sniff* Whaaaaaa!

Wh-Whoa! Elga, what's the matter? What are you crying for?

I...I just can't. Every time I hear a sad story like those lovers, I... I don't even know what it is about tragic love stories that just really get to me. But...I... Ohhh! Adders! Whawawawa!

Oooooo! *sniff* *sniff* Owowowowo!

Elga, come on. It wasn't that sad, was it?

Gwaaa! Gwawawa! *indecipherable wailing and sniffling*

(Gross! She's wiping her nose all over my shirt!)

(I'll keep quiet for now. I'll just have to clean it later.)

Thanks, Adders! You got a real soft shoulder to wipe, I mean cry on. I feel better now.

Hey! Sorry about bein' awesome back there. I'll do what you say now. So let's go get us our bounty, huh?

......

Thank you. I'm counting on you. From my time tracking it, I know it also spends a lot of time in the Industrial Ruins. Let's head there now.

Whoa. Is that?

Ha Ha Ha! Filthy hunters, I've been waiting for you! This time you will not be so lucky and escape with your worthless lives. It's hunting time!

Damn it! They predicted us coming here!

Listen up! It's in binds like this where the only viable strategy is to break your way out, by force!

Got it! You watch you're back out there too!

Let's break us some robots! Adders, just try not to get mistaken for one of them okay!

Okay, looks like we've finally made a clearing!

Wha?! More of them? Where the heck are all these things coming from?!

It's no good! I knew just trying to force our way through wouldn't work. We're gonna get overrun, just like before.

Adders, I gotta favor to ask! Just get all these things attention for a while!

What are you planning on doing?

Think I'll just go ahead and take our bounty now!

Oi! Over here! That's right, what are you waiting for!

Elga, you sure about this?

Hah! Just leave it to me, Adders!

I haven't once let a target walk away without a wound accessory or two!

I-Impossible... Did she carve a smiley face in m...

We did it! Thanks to you guys, we finally took that thing down!

I feel like I can finally make peace with her now.

Damn your soft shirt, Adders! Even after getting revenge, I just still can't get over that tragedy! G-Gwaaa!

Elga, I...

Hey, come on, guys! Enough of the sad faces already. We got the bounty after all! Let's head back to Elzion and celebrate!

'Nother extra large salad, and make it snappy!

Wow, Elga, you can really put it away, huh?

I *chomp chomp* always say *munch munch* when ya can eat *nom nom* eat!

Haha! Just focus on whether you're gonna eat or talk first!

Ahahaha! I'm glad you've got an appetite. And don't worry about the bill, I got this. Just order as much as you want!

Where's that salad! Come on! You know how hard it is to get all your calories from leaves?

Now you mention it, all you've ordered so far is salads. Don't you want order something else?

Hmm? Ah, yeah. You see, for some reason, I can't eat meat. Not even a little bit. No idea why, though.

Really? I always had pinned you as a meat lover.

Oh, over here!

I heard that thanks to you two that Hunter Killer has finally been taken down. You have my thanks!

Wait! Is...is she the hunter who was your lover?

You mean she ain't dead?!

Nope, she just got badly injured and was hospitalized up until recently.

But, you said you "were" lovers?

That's right. I popped the big question while she was in hospital. So technically, she went from being my lover to my fiancée.

Wh-What the heck, man! That's so lame. Messin' with people like that. I thought she was dead, you non-adorable hood eared jerk!

Whoa! Elga, just calm down, okay?

Everythin' worked out just fine, didn't it! The lovers got married, everybody's happy!

I'm happy for both of you dirtbags... Grawawawawa!

All's well that ends well, right, Elga?

Bwaaaaaaaa! Adders, come here!

Oh no, not again!

Oi, Adders *sniff* Why'd you *sniff* dodge me *sniff* huh?

You know, I kinda just cleaned this shirt...

Oh I see how it is, Adders! So while I'm here all tears and sadness, all you can worry 'bout is your stupid soft shirt, huh!

Hah! See if I care! It was nice knowin' you!

Not this again... You know, I'm starting to think that you're just putting this on sometimes.