I don't think this was a good idea.

Skye plummeted. The wind rushed past her, and her vision got blurry. There was no sensation like this she thought, it was exhilarating, it was…

…painful. She bounced off and rolled to her feet as soon as she hit the ground. But the impact still coursed through her body and her left foot didn't feel right. She looked up.

She had jumped about 10-20 meters down from the cliff where the dead Rathian now lay. She didn't have to jump. But the sight of her master falling with his body flickering with fire, compelled her to jump and get to him as fast as possible.

Now she crawled to his still form. She let out a whimper when she checked his pulse. Gone.

1.5 years later

The Rathian fell pretty fast. Obviously, this Rathian armored guy, Terra, did make his armor himself. As Terra removed some scales of the Rathian, he shouted, "I'm not bad, eh?"

Skye shook her head. This guy was infuriating even as he fought! Freaking dancing around, I could almost never get a shot in, in fear of hitting him.

"You're too hyper," she mumbled.

To her dismay, Terra shrugged it off and followed her all the way back to base.

He even had the audacity to get on the Guild balloon and announce himself as her partner to the confused pilot.

"But, I was told there was only going to be one hunter," he protested.

However, his protests ceased when Terra passed him a bag of jingly coins.

A Balloon Ride Later

Skye marched directly to the Guild Girl when the balloon settled. She gave her proof of the conquered Gobul, his lantern, and informed her of the elimination of a stray Rathian.

The girl pouted. "You know, you should be careful about taking out untargeted monsters."

"Sure," Skye grunted, uneager to talk.

"I heard that some tribesmen killed a hunter when the hunter killed their sacred idol, a particularly large Quropeco."

That caught the huntress's attention. "Oh really now…"

"I'll be more cautious," Skye mused, after a brief silence. "Thanks."

"No, thank you for completing the guild quest, have a nice day!" That Guild Girl always managed to end off with "have a nice day!"

"Hey, wait up!" The Rathian-guy briskly walked to Skye. "Where are you going?" he inquired.

"Sleep," Skye replied.

"Well, you should eat something first, I'll buy you something." And with that, he took her wrist and dragged her, protesting, to the inn.

"What would you like?" he asked when they got there.

Skye rubbed her wrist, "Nothing."

"Um, how about one dish of fish and one Aptonoth steak. Oh and a jug of beer and milk."

He looked over at her. "You do like milk right?"

She nodded, and then began rummaging for some zenny.

"No! No, meal's on me," he brightly said as he brandished extremely fat bag of money.

Skye felt a bit embarrassed at the rich hunter. She could barely afford her room rental.

"I only take on big monsters," Terra proudly stated as he put his pouch back in his belt.

Skye felt unfairness. So did she, but her bowgun required a great deal of money to maintain. Buying ammo, bombs, and various herbs every time before a quest was a constant expense. Plus, she was still paying money loaners from when she was buying her Gigginox armor.

"But, if there's one monster I really want to take on is Alatreon," he proclaimed as the waitress brought their drinks.

Skye looked up. Really? "Isn't Alatreon just a children's fable?" she tested. She remembered a rhyme about Alatreon when she was younger.

The Darkness descends from the fiery heavens

He glitters like the stars above

But he swallows our love

Our dreams, our hopes, everything will be gone

When the Alatreon is done

But it was some mentally unstable old wyvernian who told her that soooo…

Terra growled angrily. "No! It's just that the people who saw him =…" his voice broke uncharacteristically," …they're dead."

"So how are you sure it is real?" she challenged.

"I'm sure my dad didn't die to some child's imagination." Terra got increasingly angrier.

Skye decided to shut up. After all, he was paying for her meal.

They ate in silence.

"Well, see you tomorrow." Terra shrugged as he got up.

"Hunh?" Skye looked up.

"Let's hunt together tomorrow; I'll wait for you at the workshop." With that, he took off.

"Wai-" but he was gone. Skye finished her milk. But she almost spit it out as she realized something about her newfound partner.

"Shit! He left me the bill!"