Disclaimer: All respective rights to the ownership of Monster Hunter to Capcom!
A/N: This was a little rushed unfortunately, due to my computer beginning to die on me. The next chapter will be longer for sure! Just wanted to get something up before my computer kills over.
Here we find what out what happened to Raizou and Larkin on the day they bombed the Lao Shan Lung, and we take a peek into Larkin's past and present.
"Sorry, there was nothing I could do. You win some, you lose some. That's the life of a hunter." With a resigned sigh, the man offered a half-hearted shrug to the young woman standing behind the counter.
"I see. I'll have to record your failure then, and repost the quest. Perhaps you'd like to visit the infirmary for a check up?" The hostess tilted her head to the side in a curious manner, carefully observing the hunter before her. Running a delicate hand through her long hair, the blonde peered into the eye-holes fashioned into the hunter's mask. A pair of grey eyes met her own as the female's lips slowly curved into a frown. "Is everything alright, Larkin?"
"Caiira, I'm fine, really. I just... bit off more then I could chew this time, that's all." The fake smile Larkin put up appeared almost beastly with his mask on, but his hands were quick to remove his headgear. His armor was fashioned from indigenous creatures, mainly Giaprey, Blangos, and Blangongas. And the large teeth of the last monster adorned the bottom of his crimson mask, presenting a hostile expression on his face whether he liked it or not. The fine snow white hairs attached to his mask revealed shoulder-length tresses of pale yellow as they were pulled away, revealing Larkin's true attributes. "No need to fret, I turned tail and ran before things got too troublesome for me, so I've only minor scrapes and bruises to tend to. Next time I'll be ready to dethrone the Snow Lion and his little buddies!"
"Larkin... I don't care if you can't beat your target. I just want you to come home in one piece, you know that." Caiira held her frown as she gathered several papers before her, preparing them for the proper procedures now that Larkin had returned from his quest. "Ever since-"
"Don't say it. Please." Already pivoting on his heels, Larkin's somber expression disappeared under his mask as he put it back on. Footsteps carrying him towards the exit, he felt his heart weigh him down even more then his great sword. Before moving out of earshot, he paused to say one last thing prior to leaving. "Dad knew what he got himself into when he became a hunter, as do I."
Out of the Guild Hall now, Larkin made his way home, to a meager one-story log cabin near the center of the village. There was a bald man dressed in a brown robe waiting for him outside, and after exchanging glances, Larkin invited the man inside. The interior of his house was modest, with the exception of various trophies hanging on the walls from past hunts. Sitting down on a rug made from Anteka hides, he gestured for his guest to do the same as he slung his great sword from his shoulder.
"Kluft, you got your Blangonga, I presume." Larkin's tone was flat, holding little enthusiasm for what they were to talk about. Instead, he tried to distract himself by performing maintenance on his weapon; starting by wiping down the scaled surface of his great sword with a soft cloth. In earnest, his 'sword' looked more like a scale covered paddle when the cutting edge was hidden.
"Along with several Blangos, might I add. And you got your Zeni? Of course, the Hunter's Guild has nothing to show for our gains, yes?" asked Kluft, leaning forward slightly. His wide smile and sharp gaze almost radiated a look that said 'trust me.' Woe to the naïve who did so without watching their backs.
"I don't tell you how to do your job, do I, Kluft?" To help put an emphasis on his rebuttal; Larkin held his finger down over the trigger set into his sword's handle. Immediately a long row of golden fangs stood up on one side of his weapon, reaching out from their protective covering. The teeth not caked in dried blood shone beautifully in the sun's light, and the hunter took to cleaning those that were dirty with little change in his expression. "But yes, I did receive payment."
"Humph, all's well, then. Loose ends are always a problem in the poaching business, I'm sure you understand. Since everything is in order, I'll take my leave." A heavy grunt left his chest as Kluft rose to his feet. As he opened the door to leave, he took one last glance at the hunter behind him, an eyebrow raised. "I hear a foreign caravan has come to Pokke this morning in hopes of trading. Your father used to bring back souvenirs for your mother after long hunts. You should go find something for your sister to help distract her worries."
Larkin said nothing to the suggestion, and focused only on cleaning his weapon. After Kluft left though, he could only let out a deep sigh as his fingers wrapped even tighter around the hilt of his great sword.
The convoy that Kluft had mentioned must have come from a forested village. There were many items for sale that were not normally seen up in the Snowy Mountains, like Hypnocatrice tail feathers, spicy mushrooms, and more. He had his eyes set on a soft, slender coat made from Nargacuga fur for Caiira, but something else caught his eye. It was a book, documenting the attack of a Lao Shan Lung in a canyon several years ago. Carefully picking it up, Larkin felt a tingle play up his spine. Memories flooded out his current thoughts as he searched through its pages, holding his breath in anticipation. Reading a passage after a minute of searching, the man chuckled softly.
"…and just as they were about to hit the tower, Lao Shan Lung cried in fury and confusion as its front left leg buckled, the victim of vicious and repeated attacks from several dedicated hunters on the ground. The earth shook as the elder dragon stumbled and fell on its opposite side; sparing the young Raizou and Larkin an untimely death. This allowed them to slide down Lao Shan Lung's stomach before a short fall to the ground. For them to have successfully planted the anti-dragon bombs, and to have escaped with their lives, the Hunter's Guild has…"
The next few lines explained a little about the praise they had received, but in the end, words were only words. The Zeni he had received he kept as an emergency supply back home, but other then that he had nothing to show for that day's heroics. Setting the book down, Larkin suddenly felt naked without his hunter gear. Dismissing the thought with a grin he shook his head and returned to the vendor selling the Nargacuga coat he planned on buying for Caiira. As he was holding it up for inspection, someone called to him from behind.
"I hope you're not buying that for yourself, Larkin. If you are, I ought to turn around and go home right now."
Larkin was about to retort, but fell short for words as he recognized the voice. A grin spread itself across his lips as he finally replied back. "Only someone with the brain of a Conga would think that. Raizou, it's been a while."
A/N: There's chapter two! Not very long I know, but hopefully things have remained interesting. Not sure when the next chapter will be up, but I'll start working on it soon. Don't forget to give this chapter a review, please! =)