Memory

Disclaimer: Monster Hunter is copyright Capcom. All the characters in this story are mine.

Edited by: Hoenn Master96 and Thomas A. Hawk

This one-shot is CANON with The Lost Civilization

Twenty-Six Years Before the Fall of the Alatreon/Fifteen Years After the Fall of the Alatreon

"Aw. Look at my little sister, all fired up und ready for her first trip to Loc Lac! Hyu vant me to hold hyu hand so hyu don't get lost? Is a very big city, hey?"

"Hyu vant me to schmack hyu?"

"Oh ho! You could try, hy suppose. But don't forget, little sister: hyu may be bigger than me, but Hy've still got twelve years of hunting experience on hyu. Think hyu can really beat me?"

Lynn glowered irritably down at the woman in front of her, her older sister Briar. She was a vibrant woman, with shoulder-length brown hair and brilliant blue eyes, and her soft, oval-shaped face seemed to perpetually have an amused grin plastered across it. She was at least a foot and a half shorter than Lynn, but seemed to have a boundless store of energy inside of her, always moving and eager to find something exciting to do.

She also had more than a little hidden strength buried under her diminutive stature. But Lynn supposed that, coming from a family like theirs, it really wasn't all that surprising. Their mother looked like a normal housewife at first glance, but could probably bench press a Great Jaggi if she cared to. Briar was no different, possessing a hidden power buried beneath a bubbly exterior. She also fought dirty, and that was saying something considering how rough-and-tumble their family could get. Lynn had seen hunters taller and tougher-looking than her get thrown against the wall in tests of physical prowess against Briar. Her sister wiggled her eyebrows, daring Lynn to challenge her to a fight, but Lynn knew better, and the newly-licensed huntress sighed in frustration.

"Peh, Hy know betta den dot."

"Heh, hyu no fun, hey? Hy suppose hy can try to find someone up for some rough-housing vunce ve get to the inn. Then we see if hyu as tough as Poppa was trying to make hyu, hey?"

"Hy tought ve vere gunna meet hyu friends, hey?"

"Ho, we'll just have to find out then, won't we?"

With that, Briar began to lead Lynn through the city. It didn't take long before Lynn had to admit that her sister was right: Loc Lac really was a very big city. She'd been to a few nearby cities with her parents when she was younger, and had gone to a larger one with a hunter's arena so she could take her exam, but even then, Loc Lac was far and beyond anything she'd ever seen before. The streets were wide but filled with people, hunter and civilian alike. Lynn found it shocking: Loc Lac was supposed to be a haven for hunters, and yet there were so many non-hunters around too… she'd never imagined such a populous place to exist.

At least Briar seemed perfectly willing to show her around. They'd come in through the east gate, and were looping wide through the center of the city towards the west side of the city, even though Lynn knew that their inn was in the South District. She even took Lynn through the smith district, where black smoke poured from the furnaces of countless smithies.

Lynn loved it though; the smiths back home were all so subpar, even in the nearby cities. There were a few good ones, but nothing like this! Unfortunately, every time Lynn approached one of the shops to ask a question, she soon realized that there was hardly a single person in the city that could understand half of the things that came out of her mouth. She'd known her accent was hard to understand, but nearly every armorer and weapon smith had needed to talk to Briar instead to figure out what Lynn wanted from them.

"Hyu should really work on hyu accent, hyu know?" Briar told her after the umpteenth incident.

Lynn grumbled at the words. Briar always had been better at speaking then her. Her older sister had really taken after her mother, and not just in appearance. Though their father's accent had certainly rubbed off on them both, Briar had found it far easier than her to speak clearly to those around her. Meanwhile, Lynn had very obviously taken after their father's side of the family, both in appearance and accent. She easily towered over nearly everyone in the city, pulling stares from every direction, and her accent was so thick, she'd needed Briar to translate for her most of the time between home and Loc Lac.

"Hyu never going to find a boy to take home to Mamma und Poppa if hyu can't find anyvun who can understand hyu, hey?"

"Ha," Lynn scoffed. "Hall de boys here look like dey'd vet demselves if Hy said hello. Vy vould Hy vant zumone so veak und schtupeed?"

"Maybe if hyu veren't looking at them like hyu vas going to bite their heads off, they vouldn't be so afraid, hey? Relax a bit! Let other people besides hyu family see the soft, squishy inside you hide under that tough exterior! Hyu know… after you develop a soft, squishy inside."

"Hy'll tink about it if Hy find hennyone vorth gun suft for, hey? Doze guys hyu gunna introduce me to sound like a schtupeed bunch, so vy bodder?"

"They not-! Hokay, maybe they a bit stupid. But they nice guys, hey? Hyu should try and be a little bit friendly to them though. Who knows? Maybe hyu actually get along with them! Or, hyu know, at least one of them?"

"Hopeful tinkink…" Lynn grumbled. "Maybe Hy'll try… a liddle bit."

"Better than nothing, hy guess. And just in time! Here ve are!" Briarsaid excitedly, motioning to a large building in front of them. It seemed like a worn out sort of place, with old stone frames and sand-blasted wooden walls. A sign hung down over the door, depicting some four-legged creature with a vibrant red mane. Or it would have been vibrant if its age hadn't worn down the paint so much. "It's called the Lion's Pride. My friends hang out here all the time, hey?"

Lynn frowned uncertainly, staring at the sign. "Vat's a lion?" she asked, but Briar shrugged.

"Hy don't know. Some fairy tale monster, maybe? Hy've never heard of one before, not until hy came here for the first time. Come on now, let's go in. The guys gots to be here by now, hey?" Lynn shrugged and followed her sister through the doors and into the darkness of the inn.

The hunter's inn was a ramshackle sort of place. The barroom might have managed to be impressive, with its tall ceiling and spacious design, were it not for the poor upkeep. It was dimly lit, with a few torches flickering from the stone pillars, and even the sunlight coming in through the windows failed to give it a welcoming atmosphere. Most of the tables and chairs in the room seemed poorly maintained, and Lynn could tell that many of them had been broken and nailed back together, likely thanks to fights between hunters. The entire place smelled like spilt beer, and several patrons were lying passed out on the floor, shoved aside into the corners. Several more in the bar, both hunters and civilians, seemed to be getting riled up, and Lynn could tell that a few of them were getting ready to come to blows.

Honestly the place looked like a dump, compared to the hunters' inns she'd seen back home. She didn't even want to consider what the bathroom looked like…

"Pah. Hy could run an inn betta den dis…" Lynn muttered sourly, and Briar giggled at the idea.

"Hyu, an innkeeper? That's a funny idea. Hyu'd start more fights then the drinkers, hey?"

"Hy'd keep dem hall in line."

"Ho, Hy don't doubt that, hey."

"Hey! Briar! Over here!"

The two huntresses turned at the shout, their attention turning towards one of the far tables where three hunters sat waiting. Almost immediately, a tall, muscular hunter in sturdy armor made of a dark tan material pushed himself to his feet; he wasn't wearing his helmet, and Lynn could see that he had a strong, square jaw, short black hair, and a well-trimmed beard. He seemed to be quite the experienced hunter, judging from his gait and physique; Lynn didn't need experience to tell that he had to be one of the strongest hunters in the bar right now. However, his expression was not one Lynn would have expected. His eyes were lit up excitedly, with just a touch of nervousness as the two huntresses approached, and Lynn realized that the man's gaze was focused almost entirely on Briar. He barely seemed to register that Lynn was even there, focusing all his attention on her older sister.

Lynn rolled her eyes. Another sap completely besotted with Briar, huh? He wouldn't be the first one, that was for sure, and judging from his sister's friendly expression, she clearly had not picked up on his affections… as per usual.

"Hoy! How hyu boys doing today, hey?" Briar replied enthusiastically.

"Great, actually!" the man replied. "Check it out. Finally got that new hammer I've been waiting on."

He motioned to the ground next to the table they sat at, where a large, bulky hammer leaned against his chair. Lynn had to admit, it was a rather impressive-looking weapon. Most of it was made of a blackish, rock-like material that spread across a wide curve, while several yellow-colored knobs sprung out from the back.

"It's made from Uragaan materials," the man explained.

"Pretty nice," Briar nodded. "Looks kind of heavy though, Marshall. Sure you can handle that?"

The hammer wielder, Marshall, smirked, as though he'd been hoping she'd ask. "Of course I can! Who the hell do you think I am?" With that, he swept his boot under the base of the weapon, kicking it upwards. It was actually a rather impressive maneuver, considering how heavy the weapon looked; Lynn had never expected the man to be able to knock the hammer so high into the air only using his foot.

However, while Marshall had likely intended to pluck the weapon out of the air with ease, he botched the attempt. While he'd certainly gotten the bludgeon up off the ground and spinning through the air, its trajectory carried it in Marshall's direction rather than simply straight up. The hunter yelped in shock upon realizing that the hammer was falling down on top of him rather than just in front of him, and scrambled to get into a position to catch it. It didn't work out, however, and the weapon slammed down rather spectacularly onto his chest as he tried to grab it out of the air, dropping him to the ground and onto a wooden chair. The chair never stood a chance, and splintered under the weight of the hunter and hammer, sending both toppling to the floor and nearly cracking the floorboards as well.

The barroom was silent for a moment, before Briar abruptly burst out laughing at the sight. Marshall groaned in pain and embarrassment as the hammer rolled off of him and onto the floor. Lynn sighed, shaking her head as the shorter man next to Marshall helped the hammer-wielder back to his feet. Briar was still laughing as he grinned sheepishly at her, his face blooming brightly in embarrassment.

"Sorry about that…" he said quietly. "I usually don't mess that up… and never quite so spectacularly."

"Heh, don't vorry about it," Briar replied with a grin. "It was funny!"

"Heh, yeah, I guess so," the man said sheepishly, though from his expression, Lynn could tell that 'funny' obviously wasn't what he'd been going for.

"But anyvay, there's someone Hy vant to introduce hyu guys to!" Brair abruptly reached back, grabbing hold of Lynn sleeve and pulling her forward. All three of the hunters looked at her curiously. "This is Lynn, my little baby sister! She just got her third star!"

Marshall smiled confidently at first, but paused as a confused look crossed his face. He looked back and forth between Briar and Lynn a few times, clearly noting the difference in their heights and shapes, before clearing his throat. "Your, uh… your younger sister?"

"Yep!" Briar chuckled, patting Lynn's shoulder. "Can't hyu see the resemblance?"

"Uh…"

Lynn sighed irritably as Briar laughed. "She takes after Poppa a lot," the huntress told him, as though that explained everything. "Anyvay, she just got into town, and hy vas thinking that maybe hyu guys-"

There was a scooting sound as the third hunter, the one that had been sitting at the table quietly, pushing his chair back and stood up. He was a strong man, maybe even more so than Marshall, with combed-back brown hair and rugged stubble covering his jaw. His expression, however, unlike that of the other two men, was cold, and there was frustration in his brown eyes. With hardly a word, the man began to walk away from the group toward the street.

"Aw, come on, Filcher, stick around! Don't you want to meet Briar's sister?" Marshall said quickly.

"Not really, no," the other hammer user, Filcher, growled. He glanced uneasily between Marshall and the other hunter, but his scowl remained prominent on his face. "I've got… other things to do. I'll see you guys around."

With that, the sullen man turned, striding away and out of the inn. Marshall sighed and shook his head, and the man next to him shrugged despondently.

"Vhat vas his problem?" Briar asked confusedly.

"We're not sure…" Marshall admitted. "Something's been bothering him the last few months since we came back from Yukumo Village. He seemed pretty excited about something when we first came back…"

"I think he might have gotten on the wrong side of someone high up in the Guild," the shorter hunter speculated. "I've seen a few Guild workers coming by the inn really often recently, and they keep giving him this… look. I'm not sure what happened though."

"I'm sure it's nothing too bad," Marshall said quickly, giving Briar an encouraging smirk. "He probably just punched some merchant prat that asked for him to bring him a Rathian to ride on or something like that. He always gets like that around those self-entitled folk that think hunters are just there to collect pets for them. I'm sure he'll be fine in a few weeks, and he'll be ready to hunt with us again. He always said he wanted to take on some apprentices one day… I'm sure he'll enjoy showing your sister the ropes once things clear up."

"Don't need hennyone to schow me de ropes," Lynn growled. Marshall and his friend looked at each other awkwardly, but Briar just sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Just because hyu got Poppa to train hyu don't mean hyu the greatest hunter ever, hey? Hyu could still learn a thing or two from these guys, even if hyu learning the bowgun, and not the hammer or great sword."

Lynn scoffed, turning her attention to the two hunters. Marshall tried to grin confidently at the words, but she could see the edges of his mouth twitching awkwardly. The other man simply smiled at her, a faint thing. Lynn sighed, crossing her arms. "Fine. Hy see vat dey kan do, at least."

Briar grinned encouragingly at her. "Hoy, that's the spirit, hey? Hy'm sure hyu'll be nice und surprised by what they can show you."

"Hy doubt Hy'll be dot surprised," Lynn grumbled, but shook her head and glanced over towards the bar. "Hy gonna get a drink, hey? Dot vas a long sundship ride."

"Hyu do that, little sister. Hy gonna catch up with these guys real quick, hey?" Briar replied, before turning her attention back to Marshall. "Hoy! By the looks of that veapon, Hy suppose that Uragaan hunt hyu boys vere talking about vent vell, hey?"

Lynn sighed as she made her way over to the bar, already hearing Marshall's tone grow excited as he prepared to throw himself into some wild story that Lynn had little doubt was horribly exaggerated for the sake of showing off to her sister. Lynn supposed it wasn't really her problem, and besides, Briar was too dense to pick up on anyone's attempts at trying to impress her. The only way he'd ever get her attention was if this Marshall fool just asked her on a date or something blunt and straightforward like that, but he seemed like the type who wanted to see a woman swooning over him before striking up a relationship. He wasn't likely to ever get that pleasure, if Briar was the one he was after.

At the bar, Lynn ordered a Master Cola, some new-fangled beverage that tickled the tongue and had been gaining popularity in the last couple years. She could've ordered alcohol; she certainly looked old enough, considering her size, and the bartender was at least a foot shorter than her and didn't seem like he'd put up much of an argument considering her larger stature. But she could feel Briar's eyes drilling into her back from the other side of the room. Momma and Poppa were all for roughhousing and fighting, but underage drinking was strictly forbidden, and Momma had likely sent a sharply-worded letter to Briar, making sure that the eldest daughter knew not to let Lynn fall into debauchery. Hunting massive monsters a dozen times your size was one thing; getting drunk was a different story.

"Ah, pardon me, Miss Lynn…" Lynn turned at the voice, and saw Marshall's friend standing next to her.

He was short… well, shorter than Lynn, which wasn't exactly challenging. Lynn supposed he must have been a few inches over six feet tall, which wasn't that bad. He seemed very thin for a hunter though, at least compared to what Lynn had seen making her way through Loc Lac, and hardly seemed suited for the great sword that was slung across his back. The tip of the weapon was so close to the ground, Lynn was surprised he wasn't trailing scratches in the wood floor behind him. He wore a suit of Diablos armor too, which only seemed to accentuate his lean build. But his face… he was clean shaven, with smooth features, bright blue eyes, and smooth black hair tied back behind his head. There was no roughness or wear to his skin, and he didn't have any scars either; even Lynn had a rather pale scar just over her right eye, though it was mostly covered by her hair. Was that a sign of skill, that he'd won his battles without injury, or a sign of cowardice, that he'd run before he could be wounded?

He just looked… pretty. That was the only word Lynn could think of that fit. He seemed so very out of place here. Every other hunter in the tavern had the worn, sturdy appearance that seemed to come with the occupation. Even Lynn herself had some wear on her, despite having just gotten her license, thanks to her rough training under her father. But this man seemed so out of place, like he belonged in one of those high-society balls, rather than sitting in a dirty tavern with a bunch of hot-blooded hunters.

He nodded politely at her, however, giving her a friendly smile, before glancing at the stool next to her. "Mind if I sit?" he asked. Even his voice was soft.

"Hy'm not schtoppink hyu," Lynn replied sourly, and the man nodded, pulling out the stool and sitting down.

"Sorry for not introducing myself earlier," the man apologized. "Marshall made quite a spectacle of himself, and I didn't have the chance. My name's Oswald."

"Ja, vhatever."

"Your sister's told us quite a bit about you in the last couple weeks," Oswald said cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to Lynn's foul mood. "She says you're quite the hunter, even though you've just gotten your license. I look forward to the chance to hunt with you."

"Hmm. Hy'm sure hyu are, hey?"

"Of course." The man smiled at her warmly, and Lynn frowned and turned away.

What was with this guy? Couldn't he read people's expressions? Or was he so idiotically polite that it didn't matter to him either way? It was really throwing Lynn off, admittedly. She'd wouldn't have suspected that one of Marshall's friends could be this friendly, especially since Marshall had essentially ignored her in favor of trying to show off to Briar, and Filcher… well, she didn't know what Filcher's problem was, but she seemed like a jackass to her, even if the others said he was nice. This guy though…

"Not to alarm you," Oswald said carefully, "but I… think my friend Marshall may have a thing for your sister."

Lynn scoffed. "Hyu tink?"

"You could tell?"

"Hy'm not so nitvitted like my sister, hey? Hy kould tell dot schtupeed oaf liked her de second Hy valked in…"

"Oh, I see," Oswald replied, nodding.

"Hy'm used to it, tough," Lynn sighed. "De boys vere alvays gun after my sister back home hennyvay. It's not like dere vere henny odder goot choices…"

The great sword user blinked in surprise. "I don't understand…"

Lynn growled angrily, slamming her glass down onto the bar and seething under her breath. "Don't hyu get it? Alvays dey vent after Briar, or vun uf de odder gurls in town! Alvays de flighty gurls dot vere so sveet und nize! Never de schtrong gurls, de tough gurls, de vuns dot kould hold der own in a fight against dem! Dey only vent after de pretty gurls, hey? Und dot… dot never included me…"

There was a moment of silence between the two of them, before Oswald spoke up again. "I'm still not sure what you mean. You're quite beautiful, Miss Lynn, so I can't see why you wouldn't have had a few men vying for your attentions back home."

Lynn's gaze darted towards Oswald, her eyes gleaming angrily and a snarl on her lips, but upon looking at him, she froze. She'd been expecting… something different. She'd heard lines like that once or twice, but usually behind poorly-withheld snickers, or behind a face signifying the speaker had lost a bet. But Oswald was doing neither of those things; there wasn't any malicious or cruel intent in his expression, and he didn't seem to playing a cruel trick… He glanced over her quickly; nothing perverse or anything like that, just a quick, polite appraisal of her form.

Maybe his eyes lingered on her legs and hips for a moment. Maybe.

But for the most part, he seemed to focus quite intently at her face and eyes. Especially her eyes. Men always seemed to compliment Briar's bright blue eyes, but her grey eyes were always called 'piercing' or 'sharp', never anything nice or complementary. But Oswald seemed focused on them, an interested expression on his face.

"Vhat hyu lookink at?" Lynn snapped, but she found the words coming out awkwardly.

"You, of course," Oswald replied simply. Then he blinked in surprise, returning his gaze to his drink. "Ah… forgive me if I was making you uncomfortable. I did not mean to be untoward. But I truly meant what I said: you are quite lovely, Miss Lynn, and I cannot see why you'd think-"

"Hey! Oswald! Get over here!" Both Lynn and Oswald turned at the shout to find Marshall standing on one of the far tables of the room, surrounded by a small collection of hunters and other bar goers. "I need you to help me tell the story of how we beat that Rathalos a few months ago!"

Oswald sighed slightly as he pushed himself out of his seat. "That story again? He always skips that messy part in the middle when he tells it…" Before the great sword user walked away from the bar though, he glanced back at Lynn and gave her a small smile. "It was lovely talking to you, Miss Lynn, and I look forward to hunting with you, if you'll allow it. If you'll excuse me…"

Lynn watched in a mild stupor as Oswald walked away towards the other side of the bar, where Marshall seemed pretty deep into telling his story already. She turned back to her drink and frowned into the glass. What was with that man? He seemed nothing like Marshall or that other idiot hunter… Filcher, wasn't it? Lynn was having trouble figuring him out. At first he seemed a bit empty-headed, and couldn't take a hint, but then he got all complimentary and… flirty. Was he flirting with her? Lynn didn't really have much experience with that kind of thing… but he'd seemed very serious and straightforward, rather than playful.

And for that matter… he hadn't really had any trouble understanding her either. He'd never asked for her to repeat herself or clarify what she'd said. He had just… listened to her.

He must've been screwing with her. That had to be it! A guy that got along with men like that idiot Marshall and that jackass Filcher couldn't be good news. Honestly, Lynn didn't know how her sister ever got along with any of them.

"Something wrong?" Lynn turned to find Briar leaning over her shoulder and looking at her worriedly. It was hard to take her sister seriously, since the older huntress had to stand on her toes to do so, and seemed a moment from falling over, but Lynn smiled and motioned for her sister to sit next to her. Marshall was still on the other side of the room with Oswald, telling his story to whoever would listen. If Lynn had to guess, he probably was still trying to impress her sister with his tale, but hadn't realized that Briar had wandered off yet.

"Is noddink," she muttered sourly. "Dot Osvald guy vas chust makink fun uf me… Schould've ekspected as much, since he's Marshall's friend."

"Vat do hyu mean?" Briar asked.

"He vas mockink me," Lynn growled irritably.

"Osvald? Really? That's veird…" Briar muttered, glancing towards the great sword user. "Are hyu sure? Hy've known him for a few months now, and from vhat Hy've seen, Oswald doesn't have a mean-spirited bone in his body. He's alvays been very straightforward und honest with me. Makes me vant to smack him sometimes, actually…"

"Vat? But he said…" Lynn trailed off in confusion. Her sister furrowed her brow thoughtfully, looking at Lynn worriedly. Then her eyes widened and she gasped lightly, before an amused expression crossed her face.

"Oh! Oh, Hy see now."

"Vat? Vat hyu see?" Lynn asked, confused.

"Did he… compliment hyu?" Briar asked, leaning forward playfully.

"Ja," Lynn growled. "But like Hy said, he vas chust messink vith me."

"Ah ha… Hy see," Briar replied, an amused smirk on her face. "Hy suppose hyu didn't receive too many of those back home did hyu… no! Don't glare at me! Jeez, hyu as scary as Poppa when hyu do that… But here's the thing. Trust me when Hy say that, vhen Oswald says something, he means it from the bottom of his heart. He's just that honest."

"...Vat? But… den dot means he… Ven he said Hy vas…"

Lynn suddenly felt very strange. She shot a glance back towards Oswald, where the great sword user seemed to be taking over the story for Marshall, who had wilted a little upon realizing that Briar wasn't even listening to his story. A single look at the black-haired hunters face, with a small amused smirk on his face as he told his story, and Lynn… well she didn't feel very good. Her stomach turned over a bit, and all of a sudden her face and ears felt very warm. Was she coming down with something? Had she gotten a bad batch of that Master Cola?

"Ho, mercy! Hy don't think Hy ever seen you blush before! Hyu look like a tomato, little sister!"

"Vat? Hy isn't…"

But as Lynn hands swept up to her face, she realized how warm she'd actually gotten. She couldn't actually be blushing, could she? Not her! She was tough! She was strong! She wasn't about to… to act all girlish just because some handsome, kind hunter had complimented her! Not that Oswald was handsome or anything! Or… well, that wouldn't be fair, to say he wasn't handsome; surely some other girl would think that of him, but certainly not Lynn! No, a girl like Lynn certainly wouldn't think that about a man like him. But he was nice… yes, she could certainly say that about him. He was very nice and polite… and Lynn supposed he wasn't that bad-looking…

"Ho, it's getting worse! Damn, a few nice words and you this bad? Never thought Hy'd see the day, hey?"

"Shot op!" Lynn groaned, lowering her head and burying her face in her arms. This couldn't be happening! Not like this… not after only a few words with a man she hardly knew… He may not have been as bad as Lynn had first thought he'd be, especially considering that he was friends with guys like Marshall and Filchers, but… "How deed dis heppen…"

"There, there," Briar said gently, wrapping an arm around Lynn's shoulders. "Hy suppose that this kind of thing can sneak up on a girl, hey? Even a girl so prickly as hyuself. Guess hyu found somevun to go soft for a little faster than hyu thought hyu vould, hey?"

"But Hy barely know him! How iz Hy supposed to feel like dis so qvickly?"

"That's the vay it is sometimes Hy guess, sveetie. Hy suppose he's not a bad choice… Osvald's a nice enough guy, und he's a good hunter, despite how he looks." Briar leaned in close, patting Lynn's hair. "Maybe this convince hyu that maybe hyu vant to hunt vith them a little bit? Hy think maybe Oswald would be qvite happy to help hyu learn the ropes, hey? Give hyu a chance to get to know him a little better, see if he's really worth getting hyu little heart aflutter over. Und if hyu do find hyuself still liking him, it's a nice way for hyu to try and get his attention too, hey?"

Lynn shifted nervously in her seat. "Dot… dot don't sound dot bad, Hy suppose…"

"That's the spirit! But just a vord of varning, sveetie," Briar said quietly. "Hyu not the only girl that Osvald has caught the attention of, hey? Apparently that honest personality is qvite attractive to some of the huntresses in Loc Lac. Und some of the huntresses out in the city can get rather… aggressive about their attraction. If… somevun vas to try and catch his eye, they'd have to fight off a fair number of other potential suitors."

Lynn felt a twisted smile curl up on her lips as she sat up and faced her sister. "Vell… Hy suppose dot vouldn't be too herd for de gurls out dere dot like to fight, hey?"

"Ho ho, Hy suppose so! Thought that might get hyu attention. Vell, Hy vish… any girl who decides to go after him the best of luck, hey? Even if they're my prickly little sister," Briar said with a smile. "Though… Hy can't say Hy can understand their taste. He's so… lean. He doesn't curse, he doesn't get into fights… he doesn't even really tell hunting stories unless hyu ask him to. Und he doesn't even have a beard or scars! Vhat vould Poppa say, seeing hyu vith a guy like him?"

"Poppa von't say hennytink if he knows vat's goot for him," Lynn growled.

"Oh ho, big words! Let me know vhen hyu planning on introducing him to the family, hey? Hy vant to see the fireworks. Suppose it might be a little vhile before it comes to that, though… Osvald seems a little dense, hey?"

Lynn smirked and rolled her eyes. "Takes vun to know vun, Hy suppose."

"Vhat's that supposed to mean?"

"Noddink," Lynn chuckled to herself, glancing over her shoulder. "Maybe ve head back to de table, hey? Dat idiot Marshell looks a bit sad hyu missed his schtory."

"Ah, it's fine," Briar shrugged, pushing herself up from the barstool. "He had a crowd to tell it to. Not like vun more in the audience vould have made that big a difference."

"Maybe, maybe not," Lynn smirked.

"Hokay, maybe this thing with Osvald is getting to hyu…" Briar huffed, shooting Lynn a concerned look. "Hyu talking kind of veird right now."

"Don't vorry 'bout it, hey?" Lynn laughed, standing up as well. "Let's get back before de tvo uf dem get too lonely."

"Fine, fine. But ve might have to leave if Marshall gets another story going, hey? Still gotta get hyu a room and settled in… Then maybe ve look for a hunt ve can take hyu on, hyu first official Loc Lac hunt, and…"

Briar continued to prattle on as Lynn followed her over to the table, where Oswald seemed to be finishing the story that Marshall had started. Her eyes lingered on the great sword user as he continued to tell their tale. He was definitely a lot different than a lot of the other hunters she'd met, more muted and soft-spoken, some small gestures rather than wildly waving his hands, and he didn't even seem to be exaggerating the story that much. A little, sure, but not much.

As he spotted Lynn and Briar approaching, he gave her a friendly smile even as he continued his story. Lynn felt that strange feeling in her gut swelling up again, and she smiled back awkwardly. She hoped she wasn't blushing again! But he seemed pleased seeing her smile and returned his attention to the crowd in front of him to finish the story. Lynn sighed to herself, but couldn't keep herself from grinning.

She'd come to Loc Lac for the sake of becoming a great hunter, and while that certainly hadn't changed… well, she'd certainly found something else to busy herself with while she was here. Maybe she'd enjoy her time here in the desert city more than she'd first thought…

"Hoy! Sorry, modder. Vasn't tryink to vake hyu up, hey?"

Lynn groaned as her eyes cracked open, her mind swimming as she found herself back in the real world. She was at her desk, in the office she'd inherited from Marco when she'd been elected as councilwoman. She must have fallen asleep in the middle of work; her floor was covered in fallen paperwork and letters. Lynn sighed irately, pushing herself upright and rubbing her eyes, before searching for the familiar voice she'd heard a moment ago.

Logan was standing next to her, a mildly guilty but amused expression on his face. The boy… no, the young man, had certainly grown up a lot since she'd started taking care of him all those years ago. Long gone were the days of his boyhood, and his teen years were now a memory as well, as Logan had turned twenty only a couple months ago. He'd gotten handsome in that time as well: a tall body just over six feet tall, with deep blue eyes, a strong jaw, and a vibrant, friendly smile that lit up his expression. His black hair had grown long, tied back and hanging just above his shoulder blades. His time as a great-sword-wielding hunter had also forged him into a powerful young man, with the strong arms, legs, and chest required to swing such a weapon with power and accuracy.

He'd even picked up her accent, which may or may not have been a good thing.

Lynn realized that he had a thin blanket under his arms, something he'd brought for her once as a joke; it seemed as though it got more use than he'd ever intended it to, much to her disdain. This job was just so tiring, and the hours were so long… Logan smiled at her though, tossing the blanket aside onto a nearby couch, before returning to the desk and helping Lynn to gather the paperwork on the floor.

As Lynn blinked the sleep from her eyes, she realized that Logan was in his Barroth armor, though his helmet was tossed aside on a nearby chair. Lynn grumbled, remembering that Logan had been out on a hunt the last few days, hadn't he? "Hyu chust get back, sveetheart?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh, ja, our sundship docked a kouple hours ago. Vun less Rathian attackink karavans in de south now. Hy vould hef kome back qvicker, but… Vell, hyu uf hall pipple know how fussy de Guild kan be vith reports. Hed to fineesh hall dot before komink here… Hy figured hyu'd be here."

"Seems like Hy'm alvays here," Lynn groaned.

"Hyu need to retire, modder," Logan told her, picking up the papers from the floor. It was something he said often, but every time, there seemed to be more conviction to the words than any time before. "Hyu vere never meant for dis kind uf vork, hey? Hyu've given dis city fifteen years uf hyu life, kooped up in dis uffice, und hyu deserf to retire. Nobody vould fault hyu for it." The black-haired young man looked up at her and smirked. "Maybe hyu get back in de huntink game, hey? A lot uf de boys und gurls Hy hunt vith hef egos like hyu vouldn't belief. Hyu'd enjoy schmackink zum humility into dem, Hy'm sure uf it."

Lynn chuckled at the thought. She really had seen quite a few young hunters strutting around the streets of Loc Lac these days, new blood thinking they were the greatest hunters since… since Ellie and Levin and the rest of them that had slain the Alatreon all those years ago. And she did miss hunting, that was for sure, but…

"Been too long, hey?" she murmured. "Almost tventy years since Osvald died, und Hy hefn't gone on a hunt since den. Hy don't tink Hy ever vill again, eidder…" Logan didn't reply, but nodded in understanding. He knew Lynn's reasons, and why she didn't hunt anymore. He'd sometimes bring it up, encourage her to try and get back into it, but it was never with much conviction. He was just trying to cheer her up.

"Maybe hyu giff trainink lessons for rookies or apprentices. Dot vorked great for Levin und Ellie, right?"

Now that made Lynn laugh out loud. "Ho boy! Hy hef enough enemies in dis schtupeed politickink business; how menny folk hyu tink vould vant me dead after a few hours uf my schpecial trainink sessions, hey?"

"Vell, it vorked for me."

"Heh, maybe so. Big hunter in town dese days… so dey say, hey? Herd to belief hyu de same boy dot hed trubbel takink down a kouple Jaggis ven he schtarted his apprenticeship. Svung you svord so schlow de liddle tinks vere dartink around hyu like kouple uf flies. Hed to beat vun to death vith hyu fists so hyu kould focus on de odder, hey? Kame home hall bitten und bloody too… tought hyu'd been attacked by a Rathian, und hyu vere too embarrassed to tell hyu momma oddervise."

Lynn smirked as Logan chuckled sheepishly at the thought, scratching his head in embarrassment. Her boy really was becoming quite the noteworthy young man these days, despite the setbacks he'd had building up the strength he'd needed to swing his great sword. Twenty years old and nearly a high-rank hunter already, a testament of dedication for any hunter out there, to go so far in only a couple years. Not as great as Lynn herself had done in her youth, but he had proven himself to be skilled, and surprisingly powerful for a member of the Lost. There was a confidence about him that the Lost hadn't really possessed until recent years, and it had made him strong.

Though, Lynn wasn't so humble to think that her own training hadn't helped. Ellie and Levin still cringed at the memories of the training she'd given them during their own rookie years, whenever she brought it up during her occasional visits to Perir and Nastre. Logan hadn't known what he was getting himself into when he'd asked her to train him, that was for sure! But he'd been determined, and stuck it out to the end, and had come out as an exceptional hunter. To say she was proud of him would be a massive understatement.

Logan shook his head, reforming the encouraging smile he'd been wearing earlier. "Schtill, modder, Hy'm sure hyu'd enjoy huntink again, at least a liddle bit. Hyu vun hell uf a huntink trainer, but Hy gotta say Hy've alvays vanted to see vat hyu kan really do against an actual monster, hey?"

Lynn smirked at him. "Hyu sure abott dot, Logan? If Hy'm as goot as hyu say Hy em, Hy might outshine hyu, hey? Make a fool uf hyu in front uf hall doze pretty, schtarry-eyed gurls dot follow hyu around."

Lynn chuckled as Logan blanched at the words, blushing furiously. It took a few moments for him to settle down, before chuckling sheepishly and scratching his head in embarrassment. "Hyu, uh, hyu heard abott dot?"

"Hy may not be a bartender or innkeeper hennymore, but Hy schtill hef vays uf hearink rumors und odder… interestink information," Lynn replied. "Hyu gettink pretty vell known for a rookie hunter dese days, Logan, but hyu also got a bit uf a reputation in a fev odder tinks, hey? A liddle bit uf a… vat do de Lost kall it, a Kasanova?"

"Hy'm not dot bad…" Logan muttered. "Hy mean, Hy gonna give a pretty gurl a kompliment if dey look nize, und dere are a lot uf pretty hunters out dere, hey? If Hy really like a gurl, Hy might ask her out for dinner, see vat she's really like, hey? Vat if she turns out to be really great, hyu know? But ven it doesn't really go great, dot don't mean ve datink or noddink, not after vun meal, so if Hy meet anodder gurl dot's really interestink, Hy'm not gonna chust ignore her, so… um… Hy mean… Dis don't sound very goot, does it?"

Lynn chuckled. "Hyu not very goot at dis, are hyu?"

"My friends seem to tink Hy'm zum sort uf genius at dot kind uf schtuff…" Logan muttered uneasily.

Lynn laughed as Logan sputtered, trying to explain. "Kalm down, Logan. Hy understand. Hy didn't raise hyu to be rude to vomen. Hyu chust gots to learn how to deal vith dem betta. Schlow down a bit, hey? Hyu don't need to rush dese tinks, so don't be afraeed to take hyu time. Hyu schtill hyung, hey?" The councilwoman leaned back in her chair, looking out the window with a bemused look on her face. "Reminds me a lot uf Osvald, actually… Dot fool man used to be qvite popular vith de vomen too back in de day. A shemeless flirt viddout even realizink it, hey?"

"Before hyu got hyu eye on him, eh modder?"

"Ho, ja," Lynn replied, grinning viciously. "Dot's zumtink hyu'll need to vatch out for, Logan. Huntresses kan be a very… possessif type. Vun uf dese days zum gurl iz gonna get her eye on hyu, und she'll make sure she's de only vun dot's got you attention, hey?"

Logan smirked at the words. "Und she'll chase off hall de odder gurls vith a schtick, like hyu did?"

"A really big schtick, hey?"

Lynn smiled as Logan chuckled at the thought. She leaned back in her chair, looking at her boy. He'd really grown up in these fifteen long years, become a man all his own, even with a mother like Lynn, from a family like hers…

"Ve gonna hef to take hyu home to meet de family vun uf dese days," Lynn sighed. She could feel her eyes beginning to droop again. "Dey'd vant to meet hyu. Too busy dese days, tough… zumday ve'll hef to take hyu to Mamma…"

"Vat family?" Logan asked, confused. "Und who's 'Mamma'? Hy already met grandmodder und grandfadder…"

But Lynn had slipped out of consciousness again, her eyes closing and carrying her off to dreamland, where the comforting smile of a familiar man waited for her.

Author's Note: Please Review! Huehuehue… mild spoilers for the sequel in this one, if you're sharp enough to spot them.

Haha… So 4G is officially out in Japan now. Expect me to be sitting down watching a whole mess of livestreams for the next month or so. Hopefully this is a good thing though, even if it's not out in the west yet. With more information released, I'll be able to fully set out to properly writing the sequel to TLC, with all the new information that 4G has to offer!

Playing: MH3U, Animal Crossing New Leaf, Final Fantasy III
Listening: Revolutions Podcast, White Lies, Built to Spill, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Modest Mouse, Blind Guardian
Reading: The Master Corps by Thomas A. Hawk, Lessons by Hoenn Master96