"I'm sorry," Flutters sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

I stood behind the crying hunter, stunned. Flutters was talking. Her voice sounded hoarse and monotone, but she could still talk. "Flutters," I said, forcing myself out of my stupor.

"He's gone," Flutters said, interrupting me. "I can't believe it." Flutters started coughing, most likely from the stain her words were putting on her throat.

"Flutters," I said again.

Flutters took a shaky breath. "He's," she sobbed, not wanting to finish the sentence, "he's dead."

Flutters started crying hysterically, hugging the head of the Silver Rathalos. I slowly walked around Flutters, lowering myself to her level. I gently placed my good hand on one of Flutters's hands. Flutters looked up, shock plastered on her face. I didn't say anything. Fresh tears fell from Flutters's eyes before she hugged me.

We stayed in that position for a long time. I slowly rocked back and forth, trying to comfort Flutters. She never stopped crying. I felt useless, sitting there and doing nothing.

The sun started to set in the distance, coloring the sky red. Flutters hugged me tighter, her sobbing turning into labored breathing with occasional coughing. Movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I turned my head to see what was coming. The Shrouded Master, along with Xavier, Helen, and Gravy, slowly walked towards Flutters and me. At that moment, I wondered if the Master thought of us as her children. It certainly explained her analogy after my dispute with Magnus.

Xavier approached us, while the three hunters stayed several steps behind. "We should go home," he said, gently touching Flutters's shoulder.

"I can't leave him here," Flutters said. Her voice cracked slightly, but there was determination in it. "I can't."

Shock crossed Xavier's face, though he quickly hid it. The Master didn't visibly react. Helen and Gravy both stood there, eyes wide and mouths agape. Xavier looked at me, confused. I nodded at the Silver Rathalos. "We won't leave him behind," Xavier said, "but we can't stay here."

Flutters drew a shaky breath, letting it out with a sigh, before nodding. She let go of me. I stood before offering her my hand. Flutters stood up herself, head hanging low. The Master whistled, pointing at the Silver Rathalos. Helen ran over to the dead wyvern and tied several ropes around it. Xavier moved to Flutters's right, while I stayed on her left. The two of us guided Flutters behind the Shrouded Master as we walked back to the ship, with Gravy and Helen pulling the Silver Rathalos in the rear.


The small clipper rocked gently as it sailed towards the Shrouded Sailor. Flutters didn't say a word, though Xavier did his best to try and comfort her. The Master had ordered me to sit next to her, along with Helen and Gravy, so Xavier could work in private. "I hate feeling useless," I said after Xavier let out another inaudible sigh.

"Do you know why Flutters is upset?" the Master asked.

"Or why she started talking?" Helen added.

"No," I said. "I don't."

The Shrouded Master stood, facing the sea. She balanced herself on the railing of the ship. "Flutters has been acting strange since my sisters visited. Do you agree?"

I thought for several seconds. "Yeah," I said. "She had a strange look on her face when she saw Samantha's armor."

"Anything else?" the Master asked. She continued to stand on the railing, perfectly balanced.

"She seemed nervous before the fight," I said, "then she ran off once she saw the Silver Rathalos." I added, "Are you sure that's a good place to stand?"

"It helps me focus," the Master said. "Magnus said that the Silver Rathalos acted strangely during the fight, until Flutters left. Care to elaborate?"

I sighed. "It went after her nonstop," I said. "It was really strange. It didn't fly or use fireballs."

"That doesn't sound like a Silver Rathalos," Gravy said. "They love to fly. It's rather annoying, to be honest."

"Quiet," the Master said, turning her head slightly. Gravy shut his mouth and nodded. The Shrouded Master looked back out to sea. "Do not say anything," the Master said after a moment of silence. "If Flutters wants to talk, then she'll talk. Until then, nobody else will know. Magnus didn't mention her speaking, so I'm assuming she didn't talk in his presence."

"Correct," I said.

"Then it'll just be the five of us that know," the Master said. "If I need to, I'll inform Soon-Bok myself. Nobody else." The Master turned around, addressing each of us individually. "Helen, that means don't tell Dolphus. If he has a problem with it, send him to me. Gravy, keep this story to yourself. Alexandria, Essa and Mace don't need to know. Understood?"

"Yes, Master," the three of us chimed.

"Good," the Master said, turned back towards the water. I glanced back at Flutters and Xavier. "Let him work in peace," the Master said. "He may be a doctor, but he's also a trained therapist."

"That doesn't mean I can't worry," I replied.

"That's the spirit," Gravy said. "Just worry over here so you don't interfere with Xavier." I turned around, glaring daggers at Gravy. He just smiled.


I felt a small nudge on my arm. Groggily, I opened my eyes. Flutters looked back at me, bags under her eyes. Before I could say anything, Flutters put a finger to her mouth. I nodded. Flutters motioned towards herself with one of her fingers. I nodded again, slowly pushing the blanket off. Silently, I slipped out of bed. Flutters and I walked out of the sleeping room unnoticed.

"Good evening, Alexandria," Xavier said as Flutters and I entered the main room.

"What's the problem?" I asked.

"Nothing," Xavier said. "In fact, it was actually a breakthrough. Flutters wants to talk with you. You two will have the entirety of the infirmary to yourselves. If you need me, I'll be just out here." Flutters nodded once before dragging me into the infirmary.

I shut the door behind us. Flutters opened her mouth, but closed it immediately. "Take your time," I said.

Flutters nodded. I walked over to the closest bed and sat down, patting a spot on my right. Flutters sat down next to me. I smiled, turning slightly towards her. Flutters opened and closed her mouth several times. Finally, she sighed and asked, "Your parents are dead, right?"

"Yes," I replied. "They are."

"How did you deal with it?" Flutters asked.

"I'm not sure," I said. "I don't remember much after it happened, but I know my uncle forced me to talk to him whenever I started crying. I didn't realize it at the time, but Uncle Rick was giving me an outlet, letting me talk out my emotions." I felt all of my old emotions threaten to surface. Flutters shifted in her seat, but didn't say anything. After a calming breath, I said, "I was eleven, orphaned and alone. It never stopped hurting. Eventually, I learned to live with the pain. But I have never forgotten it."

Flutters sighed. "Then I hope you can understand," she said. Flutters opened her mouth, but the closed it and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I can't." She stood up and started walking towards the door.

I jumped up, grabbing Flutters's hand. "Talk to me," I whispered. "Please."

"You won't understand," Flutters said, on the verge of tears. "Nobody can."

"You feel alone right now," I said, quoting my uncle. "I understand because I feel alone too. You don't have to let me help. Just let me be alone with you."

"I- He-" Flutters stammered before sitting on the bed. She sighed as I sat down. "I was ten," Flutters said calmly. "I don't know why, but my parents abandoned me. They took me out into the forest and threw me out of the carriage. Recently, I learned they claimed they were attacked and a monster took their daughter." A tear escaped from Flutters's eye. She coughed, her voice still straining her throat.

"That's terrible," I said.

"I don't care about them," Flutters said coldly. "I cared about my actual Father."

I took Flutters's hand into my own. "Who was your actual Father?" I asked.

Flutters pulled her hand away. "He was strong and wise, with a scar crossing over one of his eyes," Flutters said. "He took care of me after losing his family. I don't know why."

"What happened to his family?" I asked.

"They were killed," Flutters said. "I found him crying over them. He scared me at first. It looked like he was going to kill me. But, he didn't. He tried to comfort me, before crying with me. Afterwards, he led me to his home in the wilds." Flutters paused for a moment, breathing shaky breaths as her eyes hinted at her racing thoughts. "The only thing he asked me to do was not talk."

"Your father didn't want you to talk?" I asked. I moved for Flutters's hands again.

Flutters nodded as she scooted away from my hands. "My voice reminded him of the people that killed his family," Flutters said. "I learned not to talk around him, unless I was in trouble. When he heard me talk, he either saved me or yelled at me."

"Is that why you never talked before?" I asked. "You were afraid he would hear you?"

Flutters nodded. "Once I learned how to take care of myself, my Father forced me to go away. I don't know why." Flutters blinked once. "No, I do. I became a hunter. It was the only way I could survive in the wilds. My father hates hated hunters."

I wondered why Flutters's father would hate it if Flutters became a hunter. Considering Flutters lived away from society with her father, then the only explanation would be a hunter killed her father's family. But that couldn't be right, because hunters only killed monsters. The events of the last several days replayed in my mind. "That was him?" I asked, beginning to understand.

Tears poured out of Flutters's eyes as she threatened to bolt for the door. "I didn't know what was worse," Flutters said, hiccupping through her tears, "never seeing him again, finding him one last time, or seeing him and not even realizing it."

"Flutters," I said, "I need you to give me a straight answer. Was that your father?"

"I never should have said anything," Flutters said.

"Flutters, you need to answer the question."

"Why? So everyone here can hate me? You already know the answer anyway, don't you?"

"You can let everything out right now. Otherwise, it'll keep building up inside of you until it erupts. Nobody wants that."

"Everyone will hate me. They do already."

"Flutters, that's not true and you know it."

"I should just leave. I'm not wanted here anyway."

"Flutters–"

"I don't want to be alone again. I can't be alone again."

"And you won't. I'm begging you, just let it out. Please."

"Yes!" Flutters yelled, jumping up. "The Silver Rathalos took care of me after my parents left me for dead, and I returned the favor by hunting him down!" Flutters coughed, her throat strained by her outburst. A look of confusion appeared on her face, followed by fear. I slowly stood. "I didn't mean to–" Flutters said, taking a step back. "Stay away from me." I took several steps towards her. "Please!" I reached for her. "Stay back!" I grabbed her hand. Flutters tensed up at my touch.

I pulled her into a hug. "You belong here," I said. "If the Master knew that Silver Rathalos was your father, she never would have ordered you to hunt him. If any of us knew, we wouldn't have hunted him either. I'm sorry."

"Alexandria, I- I-" Flutters stuttered. She started sobbing uncontrollably.

"Shh." I patted Flutters back as she returned the hug.

Flutters continued to cry for a long time. I held her for just as long. Flutters's sobs died down, until there was only silence in the infirmary. "Thank you," Flutters said.

"Anytime," I replied. As Flutters pulled out of the hug, I saw a shadow sneak out. The Shrouded Master heard everything. I hoped I hadn't cost Flutters her home.

"Are you okay?" Flutters asked, noticing the thoughtful expression on my face.

"Nothing," I replied. "I just haven't seen you smile in a long time."

"I lost my reason to, for a while," Flutters said, a warm smile forming on her lips, "but I think I found it again."