thirid

[thirid]

[thirid]

"You're not the first one to be fascinated by them," Mari chuckles. "I'm the first rider in three generations to have a Pukei-Pukei, apparently . . . and there's a girl in Lulucion who is absolutely obsessed with them. Honestly she was probably the one good thing I remember from my first time in the city."

"Ah, was it that self apparent?" San scratched at her scalp with a slight sheepishness; caught with a half-step out of line, how embarrassing. "The truth is, I've never seen a Pukei-Pukei before."

She probably never would have, if she wasn't so in-demand.

"Usually the first time I see a monster, it tries to kill me." Though her tone held no bitterness towards that fact. "Seeing them hopping around and playing well with children...it's a completely alien first impression to have of a creature."

San contemplatively wandered into line with Mari, still watching the goofy green siblings.

"The guild only calls for action against a monster that's specifically responsible for hurting the body or livelihood of a human. I suppose all my life I've seen mostly monsters who're particularly bad with people." She pauses longer than necessary for emphasis before continuing, perhaps unsure of whether to say anything more. "And these little ones grew up in an entirely different reality than their peers."

"...I suppose that's why humans are considered apart from nature. The moment we interact with it, it warps into something different than it was before."

[thirid]

✦ May the Sapphire Star guide you ✦

An indie, private, semi-selective RP blog for a Monster Hunter protag? OC named Frosting

Will contain events mainly from World: Iceborne and Rise: Sunbreak

Crossover / Fandomless ect. are welcome (and encouraged!)

// Rules ✧ Muse ✧ Verses ✧ Starter call

✧ Written and loved by Modzutsune ✧

[thirid]

"Then I presume by that definition that Dame Mari can manage quite a striking mad-dash under the right circumstances." She speculated, teasing in aggrandizement. She could play to the crowd, certainly, but she wasn't one for disparaging, not even with her lifelong companions.

"I know they're not native to the area, so it can ill be helped, but I assure you the sight of a puffed up Gobul rolling through the water haphazardly to skewer everything in the way is quite horrible. Not to mention the misery of bodily paralysis underwater...Though, I suppose I should be grateful for the lung training. Still, very little as terrifying." A light shudder at the memory, but selfsame her expression conveys that she's being complimentary. "Perhaps that can be a story to keep children with their feet on dry land."

A wink to both of them, though primarily the younger. "Though of course if Dame Mari does indeed wish for swimming lessons, I would be honoured to help."

"You could even say I've taught swimming with my eyes closed." Referencing vaguely yet comedicly the incident wherein she knocked herself out jumping off a cliff. "Though I'm sure Aisha would've much preferred it if I had been awake for that. Not a strong girl, I mustn't have been easy to carry."

"We are very lucky to have our own scrivener." She admits this sole point of privilege over Mahana. "Not least of all because she's been keeping me out of trouble since we were toddlers. Truly, she deserves half the credit of all my accomplishments, just for making sure I followed a feasible curve of progression instead of trying to save the day all at once."

The smile directed towards Mari asked a plain yet wordless question: Is your best friend like that too?

"YES, I WAS MADE AWARE THAT YOUR DIVING SKILLS are incredible. Every person in this village knows how to swim, but even our finest cannot claim such a talent. Rest assured, Mahana is grateful to have you here." Chief Gara strokes his beard and gives San a respectful nod and a smile. He appreciates her cheekiness and lighthearted behavior. "I am quite elderly myself, but I am certain even I would have something to learn from your skill!"

"There is one final word of caution." The wyverian raises an index finger. "In recent months, large pits have appeared within close proximity to our shores. These have attracted a large number of monsters. We know the cause of this; they are the remains of a massive, terraforming Elder Dragon known as Oltura, which borrows underground." Mari's expression tenses as the mention of the beast, and she nods with a sincere and curt urgency.

Chief Gara continues. "The monster itself has already been dealt with, but the pits remain. Avoid them at all costs; not only have they been of interest to the aquatic monsters, but we do not know truly how deep they go. At the very least, their presence is useful to you, as they've been providing a worthy distraction for whatever creatures might lurk in the submerged ruins." Then, as quickly as he had been sincere, he is back to being friendly again, still appreciative of San's attempts for lighthearted humor. "Perhaps our Chieftess Heir could learn a thing or two from your talents! The poor girl swims about as well as a bloated gobul!" And he reaches and gives Mari a playful pat on the shoulder, at which his surrogate daughter looks away with an embarrassed smile upon her features.

"We are looking forward to what you will contribute to the history of our village's origins."

[thirid]

"If that is what you believe, that is what I will do." That was a simple enough strategy meeting - though one thing did catch her attention, and a minor smirk edged onto her expression.

"Though I do wonder if your own pre-briefing materials failed to reach you. There is no need for such hospitality as considering 'attainable depth', either. That's why the guild simply has to cart me to any area of interest underwater." She explained, joking pride across her features.

Frankly, even if he had read those materials, there was no small chance what was written about her abilities sounded patently impossible. Less a description of limits and capacities than a blanket stamp of approval for any level of danger or difficulty.

"My chief told me I should provide storytime for the children here." She had lightened up a bit, relaxed, but the air of cool professionalism was still very much present. "I told him I couldn't once again inspire every child in a village to attempting ridiculous breath-holding stunts - but the waters here are safer than home, so I suppose that possibility is permissible if someone insists."

A tilt of the head and a closed-eye smile, a joke at the expense of her formal personality - which they could most certainly recognize at this point. Chiefs loved a cheeky girl; building rappor is an important part of the job. Such were the justifications she provided her self-governance of stoicism.

"MM, VERY WELL." CHIEF GARA would not insist, sensing the mild discomfort that the huntress had briefly exuded and nodding in agreement. Mahana, luckily, was small. In spite of its superior wealth to the likes of Moga, it was still considered a hamlet, and the busy market boardwalk and weaponsmith were not all that difficult to find.

As they enter the foyer of the chieftain's small bungalow, he rounds a circular wooden table that is bolted to the floor. It's an old thing, scratched and covered with various knicknacks, scrolls, a few tomes, and woodchips alongside unfinished wooden figures, suggesting that the old man took to whittling in his spare time.

He clears a space with the sweep of his hand, and then reaches into a nearby cabinet to pull out a rolled up map. Chief Gara unravels it across the table, revealing the worn features of Hakolo Island in its entirety.

"As you've seen, the nature of this island's topography is unique. Both this bay and Kamuna Cape possess relatively shallow, steadily sloping inclines. However, the north end of the island, near the Guardian Mountains, possess a feature that has caught the interest of Lulucion."

"We believe that you may likely find a good place to start here, along the edge of the Island Guardian's old territory." And he points to the location on the map. "There is steep drop-off here, though the seafloor is still at an attainable depth. The old Island Guardian's territory is littered with ruins. If the scriveners' hypothesis is correct, then some of those ruins may have ended up submerged."

[thirid]

He's a bit like mine.

The chief of Moga was not quite so pristine in his friendly demeanor, nor as in half as good shape, however. Warm, sure, but also a spindly, haggard hunchback never seen unaffected by nicotine. And she'd never known the man to keep a visible array of food around, which she would know given the sheer amount of time she'd spent in his home growing up.

Would that something were to happen to Junior, perhaps she would be in a more comparable position to Mari's. But the chief had a blood child, he had no need to excise his paternity onto anyone else.

Regardless, whatever vapid reply she gave in return to the small talk drifted from her mind immediately, still quietly ruminating on whatever information could be intuited rather than divulged.

"You needn't contort everyone's timetables on my behalf, I'm sure Dame Mari and the Captain have better uses for their time." It was a bit much, she didn't like considerations beyond what she needed at the most basic level. Not out of particular selflessness, mind you, it just rubbed her the wrong way.

"As for the matter of the ruins, beyond what pre-briefing materials I've already received, I have only a curiosity as to if there's anywhere with a presumed density of past activity. It's a big island - I may have the lungs of a sharq, but a starting point to work off of would be appreciated."

"AHA," TO ANYONE ELSE, HE IS KNOWN AS CHIEF GARA, powerful leader of Mahana for since before Red's time. To Mari, she often addresses him as one and the same, though she also knew him by another name, 'dad.' Mari was never outward about this connection of course. Sure, she'd casually mention that Chief Gara had raised her, but rarely did she ever refer to him in person as such. She'd grown out of the habit just like she had grown out of her child clothes.

Whereas San possessed a curtness and a reserved nature, Chief Gara was warm and friendly in air. A hand placed on his staff, the Wyverian man returned her gesture with one of his own, placing his other hand on his chest and bowing slightly in a similar display of respect. "Welcome to Mahana, my friend. I hope your journey across the sea was a smooth one." He greets. "I am Chief Gara, overseer of this village. I see you have already met our Chieftess Heir. She is the proud jewel of this community, and she and the Captain of the Riders will be acquainting you with every service in our village." "On behalf of the Scrivener's Guild, our market and weaponsmith is available for you to use at any time. I hope you'll find Chef Calico's cuisine to be palatable to your tastes—Our food is considered some of the best in the land."

"Right, should we discuss the matter at hand?" Mari asks, her casual tone replacing itself with an air of sincerity closer to San and Gara's likeness.

"Yes. The undersea ruins," Chief Gara ushers the two inside. "This way."

[thirid]

The guest room reaffirmed her previous thoughts about the relative wealth of their villages handily - this was several dozen times more safe and cozy than her childhood home, or even her chief's, which had more boarding on its lower half to protect the old man from the cold ocean nights. The housekeeper would find nothing to attend to, as her comfort level was far above normal.

At first she said nothing, and at no point would she voice any of this. But her gaze was thoughtful and contemplative for an extended period of time before she swung her switchaxe into the available holster.

"That's quite alright, I wouldn't be so remiss as to keep the chief waiting." She didn't really feel that tired, the boat ride had only been a matter of sitting, after all. She had endured much more extended and draining endeavours - capturing a live Lagiacrus came to mind.

"Let's go."

Indeed she was incredibly reserved, but had something of a curtness to her. Nothing too strong. Regardless, they proceeded.

San took one knee before the village chief with a formality neither her own nor he would think was necessary, a hand to her heart in that now familiar gesture.

"Honored. My name is San."

AMAZING TO THINK THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO LIVED on few inches-worth of wood between them and the water. Mari shouldn't be one to talk, but then again, the drop from Mahana's boardwalks was to warm tropical water and soft, shallow sandy slopes. The gaping abyss that which Moga floated over was miles away from here.

The cozy, sheltered beach that the village was built upon was a far cry from the dangers of the sea. It's no secret that its founders had chosen this location with security in mind. The only real dangers were those that might sweep in with the waves, and they were scarce.

Though she paid no mind to the gossip between members of her community, Mari did offer them greeting smiles as she passed by, and led San to her sleeping quarters. An arrangement of bungalows sat on the left boardwalk-wing of the village. They were small, but comfortable guess spaces. They were also relatively new compared to the rest of the village, speaking to Mahana's recent adapting customs.

After all, the village had opened its gates only within the past ten years to outsiders. "This is where you'll be staying. I'm sure you're tired from the journey, so go ahead and get comfy. A housekeepurr will arrive within the hour to make sure everything's to your liking. When you're ready, meet me at the edge of the boardwalk. Chief Gara's been wanting to meet you."

[thirid]

"Yes, Moga Village is quite well and truly 'on the sea'. About a meter from my bed is a straight drop to the ocean floor. The supported boarding here is much more stable than the floating craftsmanship I'm used to." She lightly taps her heel against the wood. "...Better quality lumber, too. The trees did look very ideal..."

In truth, Mahana was also a good deal richer than Moga, something San could sense intuitively at this point in her life, but didn't comment on. The nice clothes, the aesthetic embellishments - in Moga, if you needed a staircase, you tied some scrap wood together in an afternoon and that was that for seven years until it snapped under your son's jumping around and nearly killed him.

Ostensibly, it was easier to make a stable village out of the bounty available to teams of riders than to fishers, fishers, and more fishers.

Regardless, she bowed politely to every villager that greeted them, her work smile practically glued to her face.

"What a polite hunter!" the old women gossiped.

"I suppose it's natural, this one is a girl."

San actually chuckled at that. Would that they knew how much her air of prestige was drilled into her as a deterrent to disrespect from men of every rank and occupation.

AN UNEVENTFUL WALK IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY for San to read some of her new surroundings. The open expanse of Kamuna Cape is a peaceful grassland, speckled with tall wild grasses and aptonoth herds. Like lions on a savannah, small packs of velociprey are perched on rocks and natural kopjes, lounging in the shade of overhanging trees. Taller foliage is subject to browsing larinoth. On the edge of the treeline that leads into the surrounding jungles, wind rushes though, rustling the leaves that are alive with birdsong.

Two tall torches flank either side of the gate to the village. The gate itself marks entry for a narrow trail through the cliffs—wide enough for a large monstie to enter single file, but preventing an entire herd from stampeding through. Mahana took advantage of its surroundings that way, It was probably one of the reasons it was still standing.

As they pass through the cliffs and the trees lining their rock faces, the trail opens up to the sprawling boardwalk on the shoreline that is Mahana Village. There are a few riders already gathered by the village plaza, chatting up plans for the day and encounters from the evening before. They'd turn towards the Chieftess Heir as she rode in with her Rathalos, and they all flashed friendly smiles to her and her company.

"YEP, THIS IS HOME." Mari nods contentedly. "Chief Gara told me a bit about where you're from. Your village is on the sea, isn't it? It looks like open ocean out here, but," Mari points her finger out towards the water, which seemed to lead to nothing but an expanse of sea and sky. "The water's shallow until you get past the reef. Deep enough for a boat to dock, but too shallow for those larger seafaring monsters."

[thirid]

Send “εїз” to hear a Headcanon the Mun hasn’t been able to organically implement into the blog yet

[thirid]

It would be insensitive and callous to pry about such a traumatic incident which was clearly being cut off at the head, thus San only looked saddened to hear what trouble they'd had.

She was in many ways the platonic ideal of what they were looking for, the huntress was quiet and easy to deal with, had never received a strike for misbehavior - what with being exonerated for the unauthorized hunt that had become her namesake - She didn't cause trouble and she did anything as long as it paid well.

Most importantly, she wouldn't look down on the people of Mahana. The sketches of her on file with the guild featuring her facepaint told them everything they needed to know.

The walk was quiet and uneventful, but an earnest smile crept onto San's face with their entrance to Mahana Village. "It looks almost exactly like my hometown."

Slightly warmer air. The smell of fire. But undeniably familiar.

"BELIEVE ME, I AGREE. Let's just say . . . the last time things went over this way, it had the worst possible outcome." Or rather, the worst possible batch of hunters the world had ever seen. A part of her knows it isn't so much the fault of the guild; the Scriveners of Lulucion had been quick to weasel information out of the hunters they'd acquired to study Razewing Ratha, and discovered that they'd been given a much higher price for his head by the cult. It didn't help that further stipulations had been put in place by Zellard and his minions' meddling.

Hence why Mahana and the Guild of Lulucion had done a very thorough study of possible investigators when Chief Gara agreed to have the undersea ruins be looked at. San showed promise as an expert diver and with a star-studded reputation to boot. While everyone was right to be a little wary due to past experiences, Gara had high hopes that she would be trustworthy.

Thankfully, a break in the ice, as well as San's dignified facade, is exactly what Mari needed to feel a little less awkward. "I personally like the feeling of being airborne, but we all have different tastes. Follow us, then." It's a good thing Hunters were used to traveling on foot, something that riders (understandably) had a little less experience in for obvious reasons. An airborne rathalos is undebatably faster than a person, but Mari wasn't planning on making San follow them from the sky. Ratha could carry at a comfortable pace on foot, as well.

[thirid]

Mari's leading question isn't the slightest bit subtle. The little chieftess had drawn a conclusion, and the results of her analysis pointed towards something sensitive in nature which she was skirting.

San stiffened somewhat, and let her casuality leave her, resuming the air of the dignified and respectable hunter.

"No, I didn't." It was the truth, delivered plainly, though with tension. "If that is the source of the blood, I have in point of fact been avoiding that direction, as it's most certainly attracted every carnivorous lifeform able to detect it. It would be incredibly unsafe."

A thoughtful, sensible justification to leave the village's secrets well alone, if that's what Mari wanted.

"I will see no such pit in my stay here, unless you expressly ask for me to do so." she promised with a hand once again to her heart.

"WELL, MOST OF THE RUINS ARE UP IN THE MOUNTAINS. Towards the former Island Guardian's old territory—but, uh . . . you can't go there unless you have special permission," Mari scratched her cheek sheepishly. There's a bit of concern that quickly grows noticeably big the moment San mentions that something had to be on the seafloor—for the smell of iron and rot had been too strong to ignore.

Mari's lips pull into a taut line, side-eyeing away. The thought crosses her mind immediately. Oltura. While its mature body had been annihilated by Ratha in the pit of the Forbidden Grounds, the same could not be said for its old larval chrysalis . . . or whatever remained of its previous form as it matured. No one knew precisely what Oltura's life stages were prior to reaching maturity. But one thing was for certain, whatever had emerged from the pit wasn't a trio of giant worms.

"Mmmmm, did you see a massive pit by chance while you were down there?" She grimaces finally.

[thirid]

"The answer to that is almost always 'earthquakes'." A finger pointed upwards, not unlike Kayna's instructorly pose, though with pointedly better posture. "Though there's most certainly much, much less to find than I'm used to. I'm spoiled really, my ancestors biased towards cliff- face structures. Most of the past is intact - hell, I still have no idea how that ancient dragonator was in well enough condition to be used..."

The Moon Hunter stared at the treeline, that it might have an answer for her conundrum.

"From the documents I had already read before- ruining them all," She had completely forgotten that she'd been carrying something non-waterproof when Mari and Ratha scared the crap out of her, "-There are remaining land ruins which show that at least some prehistoric structures were made of stone, but even that is much more maleable to weathering than my experience."

"But on the bright side, it's much safer to look than at home, too. I've seen no evidence that this area has ever been particularly beloved to aquatic elder dragons." She rubs her chin before continuing. "Which is really surprising, because the seafloor water has smelt thick with the blood of something massive this whole time. There must be *something* everyone is chowing down on, but I haven't seen any markings or scales or anything..."

"YOU FOUND THAT ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE? Man, you are the real deal." Say what you want about her known bias towards hunters, but Mari had surprisingly warmed up fast to this newcomer. San would have Kyle and Reverto to thank for helping abolish the idea in her head that Hunters were jerks. The work that San did actually seemed kind of fascinating, mostly because it might aid in restoring the legend of Razewing Ratha to its former glory.

"ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT CHECKS OUT!" Mari's eyes sparkle with enthusiasm at the clasp. She wasn't a historian, but she retained enough knowledge from history lessons about Hakolo's past to know that it was widely believed and accepted that the island's old inhabitants were riders. Chief Gara's ancestors had come down from the mountains in the wake of the destruction caused by Oltura. But that did leave behind more questions.

"After all, Hakolo's been a Rider's Island for a way longer than Mahana's been here. But, uh . . ." She ponders aloud. "I don't suppose you could just walk down there where you found this thing, so . . . how did those ruins end up there in the first place?"

@thirid - continued

[thirid]

“Everyone in Mahana knows I suck at swimming. See, just because we live on the water means we’re like the fish. I’m kinda jealous, I’d love to see what ruins are down there.”

"Well, from what I've found thus far, you'd mostly find the implication that things have always been the way they are now." Words of comfort or a way of satisfying her curiosity, San smiled in a manner that spoke of knowing something that she would soon share.

"Actually, I wanted your opinion on this-" She reached into the folds of her armour and retrieved a weathered, barnacle covered clasp, with an even more eroded scrap of leather, petrified in a slight curve, eternally locked in place with it. "It looks like the clasp on a reign, doesn't it? When I saw it, I thought it resembled the one on Guardian Razewing when I arrived."

[thirid]

mundane headcanons

🌅 morning routine

at what time do they generally wake up?

do they tend to wake up early and take their time, or would they rather rush it?

how many alarms do they need to wake up?

are they a morning person?

bathroom first or breakfast first?

do they take a shower to wake up?

coffee, tea, milk or juice?

sweet or savoury breakfast?

what do they like to have for breakfast?

do they prepare their clothes before going to sleep, or do they prefer to improvize?

do they spend a lot of time dressing up, fixing their hair and/or putting on makeup?

🚿 personal hygiene

how often do they take a shower/bath?

shower or bath?

shower/bath in the morning, afternoon or evening?

do they use specific perfumes?

do they prefer their shampoos and soaps plain, or do they like to smell like something specific?

do they have specific shampoos, conditioners and body wash, or do they go with a 3-in-1?

what's their go-to flavor when it comes to toothpaste?

🍕 food breaks

do they have set times for their meals, or do they eat whenever they feel like it?

do they have a proper meals everyday, or do they tend to skip or get just a snack for lunch/dinner?

are they a home-cooking kind of person, or do they rather get takeouts?

if they eat at work/school, do they take time to prepare even just a sandwich at home before going out?

do they tend to have any make-ahead meals?

do they tend to have leftovers?

how often do they get fast food?

how often do they go to restaurants?

🧹 chores

are they the one doing most chores in the house?

which chore is the one they dread doing the most?

do they wash the dishes right after a meal, or do they leave them in the sink until it's impossible to ignore them?

do they have the dreaded "laundry chair" where they put dirty clothes on?

do they make their bed in the morning, or leave it undone until it's time to sleep?

🚗 transports

do they have a driving license, wether it's for a car or bikes?

do they have any other kind of driving licences ( planes, ships, buses... )

do they own a car?

do they own a bike?

are they the kind of person who think of their car as if it was their baby? perfectly clean, not a scratch, almost overly protective of it?

do they use public transports? if so, do they like using them?

do they like going on trains?

do they like going on boats or ships?

do they like going on airplanes?

📱 phone

what phone do they have?

do they use specific ringtones depending on who calls them, or do they use just one for everyone?

how often do they check their phone?

do they keep their phone's audio volume on, or do they prefer the vibration or? or do they rather have it silenced?

how many apps to they have on their phone, give or take?

do they have games on their phone?

what's their background and lock-screen?

💻 social media

are they registered to any social media?

how often do they log in?

how many followers do they have?

do they follow a lot of people?

how easy is it for them to block someone online?

what do they tend to post online ( art, videos, just starting fights online... )?

did they ever get in an online fight?

do you think they'd have callouts about them?

😴 sleeping routine

at what time do they tend to go to sleep?

do they take anything to help them sleep ( medicines, chamomilles, warm milk... )?

how much does it take for them to fall asleep?

are they a light or a heavy sleeper?

do they snore, talk and/or move a lot while sleeping?

do they dream often?

what kind of dreams to they tend to have?

do they prefer to be in complete darkness to fall asleep, or are they ok with a bit of light?

do they need the door or the windows open, or do they prefer them closed when they go to sleep?

what's their usual sleeping position?

where is their bed? with a side against the wall, in the middle of the room... ?

[thirid]

一

San was thirteen when she underwent her first truly unpleasant encounter with a monster.

Junior had screamed something of a warning. It barely reached her ears before Sweetheart, so calmly and joyfully sitting in the grass with her, was scooped off the ground by a Rathalos.

What instinct compelled her to cling to the wyvern's foreleg, she would never be able to determine.

Half wrapped around Sweetheart as the monster flapped upwards from the ground, her friend's shrieking was deafening. San couldn't hear her own words as she barked demands to the King of the Skies.

"Let her go! Let go! Stop it!"

She stupidly tried to grab at her stone knife, ruining her grip and crashing to the ground before she could possibly have stabbed uselessly at the monster's leg.

Junior told the adults later that she'd fallen about three meters. At the time, he tried to grab her as she stumbled to her feet, still glaring at the Rathalos.

San grabbed his arm and bit him.

She pursued on foot. The young girl had a knack for ground tracking, arriving just as the father came home to his cliffside nest and starving little chicks.

She had run so far she could barely breathe. A few more meters was nothing. Sweetheart was dropped from the Rathas' talons, and San barrelled through the nest straight into her, wrapping tightly around her torso and charging straight off of the cliff towards the ocean.

Far above them, utter confusion erupted from the wyvern's maw.

Twisting herself around that she would bear the brunt of the water's impact, she heard her name, a sob from her confused and terrified friend, before she was knocked out cold from the force with which they hit the ocean waves.

.

San woke in her bed, in utter agony. Sweetheart had carried her to shore, and all the way home.

She asked how that was possible when her friend didn't know how to swim. Apparently she'd learned right then. The girls shared a thousand words of gratitude to one another, even as the adults called San's behavior 'psychotically reckless'.

Sweetheart was her best friend. Her sister. She'd had to.

She limped to the chief's house and apologized to Junior for biting him, though.

The chief ruffled her hair and said she showed promise for her future.

"You're not going to scold me?"

"Would you stop being your reckless self if I did?" She was hugged. It hurt, and yet she loved it. "There's no helping it. San is San."

She cried as she hadn't since she was in single digits. The chief smiled, bemused, and cradled her as long as she needed.

"I love you..."

"I love you too, San. You're my daughter, even if not by blood."

Her empty shack felt less lonely for once. Then Sweetheart announced it was her duty to nurse San back to health, and she cried again. Maybe the crash had filled her head with water or something.

In the end she felt no particular ill will towards the Rathalos. He was just like her, someone trying to protect his family. Even though the man commissioned to dispatch the beast said she'd be an excellent hunter one day.

Maybe she would. She could help feed the village and keep everyone safe. It was a worthy goal to think about.

But for now, she'd just enjoy Sweetheart doting on her.

They were both alive, today that was enough for her.

[thirid]

A comfort, the girl said. "...That's what anybody should do."

San's expression showed no surprise, though, at the notion her respect was something exceptional.

It was inevitable that a village which coexisted with monsters would be at odds with guild members - despite their first and second commandments. Perhaps saying a hunter was coming to town was like saying a felynx slayer would be visiting, to them.

She knew well the hunter's guild could be cruel. Perhaps she would be just the same, if she didn't rely upon the guild to survive and care for her family. It was no surprise.

At the exoneration from having to ride the beast, however, San was properly startled. She hadn't even considered that she might have to mount a monster until she was told that she didn't.

"Ah, I- Yeah." The veneer of dignity cracked slightly in her fluster. "I. Have been airborne attached to a Rathalos once before as a child. It was quite enough for a lifetime."

She smiled rather awkwardly.

WHILE BEING THE ONE TO ESCORT A HUNTER TO THE VILLAGE GROUNDS wasn't exactly her idea, Mari chooses not to commentate. The decision to have her be the one to greet this newcomer had both been to practice officiate skills that she would be using later in life, and also because of her duty as a rider.

. . . And, to be fair, she was the only one alive in the village who had the honor of calling a rathalos their monstie. Bringing him would help get the point across what San would expect of Mahana, and what Mahana expected of her.

Nevertheless, she feels they're off to a great start. This hunter is dignified, which is already several steps ahead of the so-called 'hunters' that they had opened their gates to some time ago. Though Mari is someone who tends to cast a wary eye upon individuals of San's title, she knows she should at least be cordial.

And besides, an oath to leave the rathalos population untouched is always welcome. "It'll be a comfort to Mahana to know that you are willing to respect our rites." Then, she gives another nod of gratitude to the sailor, before turning back towards Ratha. "So! I can take you to the village. Chief Gara is awaiting your arrival. We'll get you settled in." She says as she heaves herself back into the saddle. "Don't feel pressured to climb aboard if you feel you prefer traversing on foot. Red's a slow enough walker."

[thirid]

"I'm honoured that you came to greet me personally." The words themselves were stiff, but her tone was warm and kind. She put on airs quite excessively when it came to matters of the guild, and they didn't come off easily, but the warmth inside her always came across.

She rose to her feet again in a dignified posture. It must always be maintained, for the other hunters didn't respect the dignity of her adornments. This was no such locale, but old habits die hard.

"It was a long journey, but I am heartened to be out of landlock. I've never been partial to deserts." San would leave no comment unanswered. That was polite; correct.

Confirmation of identity, a nod, a narrowed hand over her heart.

"My name is San. I'm sure the supporting documentation you were given called me the Moon Hunter." Saving her village had netted her a commendation, and a long string of requests for her exceptional water-based capacities.

They paid the village well for using her, that was all that mattered.

"As you've been promised, I swear upon my life that no land wyvern of Hakolo Island will come to harm by my blade." The customs of riders were enigmatic, but it didn't matter to her. "It will only be unsheathed should something far beneath the waves protest my presence too strongly for a nonviolent retreat."

HE NEVER FANCIED FORMALITIES. Divine beast though he was, Ratha doesn't care for indiscretions or proper tithes. The only signs of respect that mattered to him were scritches and a nice treat. The heir of the Island Guardian was still a mortal thing, and he shows this by—somewhat casually—reaching to scratch behind his head with his foot.

His rider, thankfully, is more aware of the confusion, and the resulting apology, however subtle it was. She's a small thing; strongly built yet barely past five feet tall. Features young, hardly eighteen with her short marine hair sticking at odd angles around her face. Once she dismounts from the saddle, Mari plants both hands on her hips and looks over the hunter with scrutiny.

"Chieftess Heir," the sailor that had escorted San safely to these humble shores gave a nod of respect to the teen, as if to offer silent confirmation that this was the future leader of the Mahana before her. Mari inhales and rubs the nape of her neck sheepishly at this, though she returns his respect with a small nod of her own.

She was not one for formalities, either . . . but unlike Ratha, she reluctantly went along with them. It was polite, after all. "Hope the rest of the way treated you well," She addresses them both, and then San more personally. "So! I take it you're the one the guild shipped to us?"

@thirid - continued