AN: Just to clarify what I mean by Aside. Aside means that it is a cannon event in the story that occurs elsewhere but wont be brought up until much later in the timeline. So just keep White and Lilith in mind.

But onto other matters I want to apologize for taking so long on writing this chapter. At first I had to deal with Exams, then Elden Ring came out and I spent the next weeks, and by weeks I mean month, playing it and streaming my first playthrough for a friend, and lastly I went back and realized I didn't like the way this chapter was turning out so I rewrote it.

Now onto the chapter proper! Hope you guys enjoy it!

Lowen was not fond of dragons. They were greedy, arrogant, and above all else proud of these ugly flaws. Dragons took pride in their power, their wealth, their cardinal sin; For what was a dragon without a horde of gold, or the breath of flame that could scorch the Earth to nothing but cinders. What was a dragon without pride in what makes them dragons?

Considering one such firebreather was currently sheltering her from the rain, she could make an educated guess. Pluck was innocent, at least as far as the young griffon could tell, but he was not as foolish as she once believed. He didn't present himself to the world as the flying lizards of her own do. When presented the wealth of dragons and jewelry hidden in her mountaintop sanctuary, he found the sight mundane, entirely gaudy even. And though he was fond of worship and renown, he didn't seek it out as her dragon mamono sisters do.

He was everything a dragon should not be, and yet he embodied their traits to a T. He was powerful, that was never a doubt in her mind, but he, unlike the dragons of her world; he simply didn't care for the world around him. As they made their way through the crowd of the ever so populated district square, looking for some inn or another. She didn't bother paying attention to their guide's enthusiastic speeches.

Pluck would quite simply push past whoever stood in his way be it curious mamono, humans, or the rare uncanna. He would just shove them aside and occasionally trample across their feet, unaware or perhaps uncaring for the extreme pain he caused in doing so. Lowen and Alto-Eris both had to ensure that wandering children weren't caught in his unintended rampage.

Where the dragons of her world were gentle if ass-ish in demeaner. The dragons, the Elders of the other world, were destructive and detached. It was troubling, Lowen knew they were already on the razor's edge when it came to relations with greater society, but Pluck and Kushala's blatant disregard for those around them was only going to make it worse.

Glancing at their guide, Lowen knew she felt the same.

"Pluck," Lowen tugged on her wing, "follow me."

He stood there for a moment, before nodding and grabbing a confused Alto-Eris by the tail. And while the manhandling wasn't intended, getting them across the street was. The young griffon had seen the empty alley a couple of paces away, and as Pluck obliviously shoved his way through the crowd with the dragon in claw, she found the perfect place to speak her mind.

"Pluck, do you have any idea of what you just did there?", She said, grinding the finger part of her talons into her temples.

He blinked in confusion, and looked back behind them. He turned back to her even more confused, "I walked?"

"You single handedly trampled a crowd, Pluck," their guide added, a hint of frustration beneath her usual professional voice, "and then you dragged me over them."

He shrugged, "Well how else would I get you to follow Lowen?"

"I don't know," Alto-Eris replied, sarcasm practically dripping, "maybe you could have possibly, I don't know, grabbed my hand instead, or better yet tell me where we're going!"

"I don't see how that's a problem," Pluck quirked a brow, "and what do you mean by trample?"

"Look!", Both of them yelled.

Rolling his slitted eyes, he turned back to the crowd. He watched as men, women, and mamono alike slowly recover from his stampede. The uncanna had gotten out of the way though, their instincts telling them to make distance from their better, he supposed. An amused breath left his nose, 'At least they know their place.'

"Yeah," he shrugged, "they should've moved out of the way…"

"No Pluck," Lowen jabbed a claw into his side, "you need to make sure YOU don't hurt anyone."

"And why is that my responsibility?", Pluck growled, a subtle glow of red forming in his vents, "They should know better than to be in my way. Look at my lesser kin," his index claw pointed to the Fanged Beast with long singular claws on either hand, "they got out of the way, why should I be blamed for the rest's ignorance."

"That is not how it works here," Alto-Eris said softly as she took one of his shoulders in claw to pull him deeper into the alley and away from prying eyes, "Pluck, you need to understand that to live among humans… and the weaker races. We need to be careful. We can't be shoving and manhandling people every time we need them to do something."

The whites of his eyes flared red for but a moment, his anger tipping over the edge as his ire reared its horrific head, but in a mere instant he calmed. Before any of his fury could go anywhere or be directed at anyone, it vanished. The light in his vents died and his usual demeanor returned. His breath was heavy, like he was sick, and something was clogging his throat. He stared down at the two mamono. Lowen stared back at him confused and frightened, but prepared to restrain him, while Alto-Eris stood defiantly before him.

Blinking once, twice, thrice, before he began shaking the nerves from his body. He didn't address either of them, forgoing any apology he fell into a scraping slide against the wall before seating himself on the filthy ground. Concerned the two female monsters perched themselves before him, wishing to avoid the grime in the dirt, while he retrieved his bearings.

Tentatively Lowen drew closer while Alto-Eris fully sheathed her blade. The two were cautions of the Elder, Lowen for she had seen his wrath unrestrained, though the Dragon Knight was unsure of his full capacity, she could still remember the shattered ribs she suffered at his claws.

"What was that?", Lowen asked, fearful of her friend's sudden mood swing, "Pluck, what was that?", She received no answer and so her concern turned to distress, "You stupid dragon, answer me!"

He peered up at her, and though only inches apart, she could see the fright in his eyes. His eyes, red to blue to the orange slit at the center, they were beyond anything Lowen had ever seen. He opened his mouth and from within spouted a breath of black smoke unlike any fire she had ever seen. Surprised, Pluck covered his mouth and stared up at her, his eyes begging for help.

Pluck coughed and coughed and coughed, until the smoke was but strands of heat eking out his maw. His mouth quivered as he whispered, "It's that feeling again… like everything is gone.", his claws trembled as his every orifice flushed with flames of red, his voice straining with ethereal insanity, before it faded into whimpers.

Fearful for his wellbeing, Lowen embraced the frightened Elder. Cradling his thorny head in her claws and against her shoulder, doing her best to comfort his writhing wrath. Rather than comforted, Pluck seemed to be conflicted by the act. He became more excited from the sudden contact, but he was gathering his senses with every passing moment. Alto-Eris all the while, watched the display with a mixed expression.

Time passed and eventually the writhing red flames calmed, and Pluck returned to his senses. He was extremely exhausted, ravenously hungry, and oddly comfortable all at the same time. Drowsily he pulled Lowen closer, squeezing her against his body as an unloved youth would tend to hug a pillow. The griffon herself quietly squeaked as he brought her closer, effectively reversing their positions.

His stomached growled louder than it had any right to, suitably disturbing the much smaller Lowen. Looking up at their guide, he gave her a weary stare, and said, "Alti, can you take me to that inn you were talking about? You said there was food and a place to sleep there, right? I could eat a horse… or three."

-0-

Primera Concerto, the half elf archer, and hero of Lescatie. She had never known kindness from her kin, the elves have never loved her as she had them, and she was too distrustful of the humans to ever give them a chance. She knew this to be true, she denied this fact, and she would never accept it on her own. However, her thoughts did not lie with her kin or even the humans that populated this 'Elder's Hall', but that of the Wyverians. And how they were so like the elves of her world.

They walked with grace unparalleled, they spoke with the up most dignity, and yet there was one thing that was out of place. Something so insignificant that she hardly believed it noteworthy.

The giant laughed in a great booming chuckle, "Do I impress you, young one? You've been staring for a while now… Did the skip between worlds affect you in anyway?"

It was their kindness that stuck her so. Exhaling slowly, she looked skyward to look the giant in the eyes, and bowed politely while answering, "Forgive me, your Immenseness, I was merely taking in the Elder Hall. It is beautiful… to say the very least."

And then there was their leader, the grand and jolly His Immenseness, the king or rather the Greatest of Elders of this Other World. He was an entirely another being.

"I see," the giant cupped his bearded chin in thought, before snapping his claws, "take a seat. All of you… The climb to the Elder's Hall is not often taken by most hunters, let alone civilians. You must be exhausted."

"We are heroes of the Order," Wilmarina spoke up, though slightly winded, "we are more than capable of climbing a mountain or two if the need be."

The giant turned his gaze to young hero. Once again Wilmarina felt small, so much smaller than when Dawn would stare down at her, "I wasn't asking, miss Noscrim. Take a seat."

Primera had expected Mersé to speak up, but she simply took the seat offered to her, before falling practically dead into her cushion. Primera herself saw another strange felyne creature approaching her with one of those cushions. Cautiously she took it from the cat, and gave it a gentle pat on the head. It for some reason enjoyed her touch, even purring as she continued to scratch behind it's ears.

"Harrumph, fond of felynes are we miss Concerto?"

Freezing up, Primera took her cushion, set it on the floor, and pretended the cat wasn't there. From her spot she saw the hunter and Mimil standing off to the side, arms crossed, and back to the wall. He and the young mage would not be joining them from the looks of it, and his monster companions were seemingly bothered by his distance.

The fluffy Lamia didn't even bother with the cushion, while the minotaur and the hellhound took to standing instead, all of their sizes too great for the pillows. Elt and to Primera, the worthless princess, Francesca sat together. The half elf grinded her teeth with building frustration, unconscious of the glare she sent the princess's way.

Wilmarina prim and proper as always, kneeled on her cushion as a noble would in Zipangu. Primera had always seen her as the proper one, the noble hero, the exemplar of their knight's order. It was a shame she was born a human, the half elf believed that if she were an elf, even a half breed like herself, she would have lived as a queen among lowly man.

"I take it you are the Order's heroes I've heard so little about?", His Immenseness broke Primera from her thoughts, "I'm sure you three… four, I should say," he chuckled upon seeing Mimil brighten, "would like to see what the Hunter's Guild can offer your people, but I would like to make a couple of things clear before I set you loose."

Wilmarina nodded, attentive as always, while Mersé gave a half-hearted thumbs up. Primera locked eyes with the giant, taking in every word the great elder had to offer.

"I have received reports from the felynes that join Hunter Dawn, that the expedition members were not treated well while in the city of Lescatie.", He boomed, "I have come to understand that your people view monsters in a particular light not akin to our own, and that you would not look upon some of our agents kindly, but if this behavior is to be repeated in the future.", He gripped his giant Long Sword in a coldness she could not describe, "There will be consequences, and you will be made examples of… Do I make myself clear?"

"Excuse me," Wilmarina raised her hand with a quirked brow, "but I have committed no such crimes against the… felynes? Are you sure these reports were not forged? I'm sure Ace and Tatsuo would clear us of any crimes against your people."

"On the contrary," the giant pulled out a scroll, significantly smaller than his hands, and read aloud, "during our stay in Order Territory, we as well as the mamono in our party were leashed with strange nullifying devices despite our lack of quote, magic, unquote. And were ridiculed every other sentence by the king of the land, known as Lescatie."

Wilmarina paled, but nodded in shame as the giant eyed her, before he began again, "Tatsuo in particular was cruelly abused at the hands of the half elf hero, Primera," he paused his glare moving to Primera herself, "once at the behest of High Priest Noscrim, and a second time when she rudely shoved him aside, before threatening to… kill him."

"FORGIVE ME!", Primera fell prostrate before the giant, quivering and terrified of already losing the potential respect of the Wyverian.

"Primera?!", Wilmarina shouted, offended by her fellow hero's actions.

His Immenseness set the scroll aside, "You should count yourself lucky that Ace tends to run his mouth and that the Scriveners are used to paperwork. If the messenger pigeon had arrived later, I would have brought you three in particular for questioning.", He sighed, "But now that we're here, I will say that as of now, you are to be on your best behavior. Treating our felynes with such disdain will not be prohibited, I believe I have made myself clear."

"Crystal," Mersé lazily snapped her fingers, "can we get the interdimensional, whatever, introduction over with? I'm dying here."

"That was all I had planned for you heroes of The Order," the giant Wyverian hummed, "Dawn will be writing up his report soon enough. And considering that he brought you lot here without chains and bondage, I'll say you're free to go for now. You should know that accommodations will be made for you, and that you can ask any Guild Knight in the city for guidance."

Wilmarina stood first, less exhausted than the others, "I thank you for your kindness, your Immenseness, but if I can ask… is there a faster way down?"

"Of course," he chuckled, letting the serious air dissipate, "a wing drake can take you down to Dundorma plaza. There's no need to take the stairs down."

"Thank the Gods above," Mersé jumped to her feet, "Dawny boy, tell Ace I'll be getting something to eat, and that he can find me scarfing some of the local cuisine. We got a deal to settle."

All eyes moved to Dawn, laxly leaning against the wall, "Sure."

Ignoring the man's quiet nature, Mersé began cracking her back before calling for the other heroes' attention, "Alright ladies, I'mma see what this wing drake thing is supposed to be. Cya later!"

The Wyverian staff, amused with the heroes actions, watched the tomboy leave with great anticipation. Some even chuckled when her screams followed the wing drake's descent. Wilmarina staggered to her feet embarrassed and confused, "What do you mean we're free to go?"

"Harrumph, what was said was said," His Immenseness waved her concerns away, "no extreme harm was caused by The Order, so for the sake of the benefit of the doubt. I will allow you and your fellow heroes to freely explore the capital of the Hunter's Guild."

"But… but," Wilmarina groaned in annoyance, "you can't seriously believe we heroes, wouldn't… I mean, couldn't hurt anyone? If this was The Order, we would have been imprisoned! We would have our hides tanned and be paraded in the streets for crimes against God's people, and…"

"Silence child," she recoiled at the sudden outburst, "if I believed you were a danger, I would have sent you back to your people before ever letting you set a free foot in Dundorma. Unlike your Order, we of the Hunter's Guild are willing to lend a stranger a helping hand in a time of need or not. If you believe that you 'heroes' cannot and should not be trusted, you can be on your way by tomorrow morning when the rifts open again. I have spoken."

"Perfectly Your Immenseness," Wilmarina shuddered, "I.. I… I will be joining Sir Dawn and Mimil's tour of the Elder's Hall and your sky ship docks.", She fell quiet as she worked up the courage to address the giant directly, before bowing, "I did not mean to offend your sensibilities."

He harumphed once more, and watched her shamefully shuffle on over to Dawn's side. The hunter set a comforting hand on her shoulder, but said nothing else as the focus finally fell on Primera. The half elf shrunk beneath his gaze, feeling as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders before she stood from her seat to kneel before him.

"I would like to learn your ways, Your Immenseness.", Was the only thing she could think to say.

He stared down at her, contemplative, and curious. Primera knew she had blown her chance at a good first impression, she had failed at a second with her outburst, but she also knew this giant to be forgiving. She had never known the love of her people, nor the endearing nature of mankind, but perhaps she thought. This place, this world, would be different.

-0-

"What are you looking at, Kushala?"

"Nothing…"

Kushala had spent the rest of the day with Reina, his strangely indulgent guide to Dragonia. They had flown from one place to another taking in sights and views, exploring her world at whatever pace Kushala could keep up with. She wasn't subtle in her seduction, and he knew she wasn't planning on being anything short of obvious. She would take his claw in hers in some odd attempt at copying the human couples, for some reason she believed this to be a lewd act.

They had found a cliff overlooking a small village of humans and salamanders. They were a warrior race, the salamanders. They would train their human mates in the martial arts, before taking them into their homes for private relations he could only guess to be mating, and time with their children. The larger men, he noticed, had considerably greater strength than even the mamono. Some even tended to win in their contests of prowess. An act that excited their partners.

But none of that was what caught Kushala's attention. What he saw was the form of a dragon, proper, a great emerald beast rested in the plains of Dragonia, completely comfortable with the human man resting along side her. Animals, small monsters as he had known them as, wouldn't come close to them, but otherwise were also relaxed in the presence of the two.

It was a scene he had rarely seen in his world. The difference however was that while Riders were in a master companion relationship with their monsters. This was a couple, a married couple, who would eventually mate, and have children. He could only stare in disbelief at the pair, completely and utterly baffled by the mere concept of their union.

"Can I ask you a question, Reina?", Kushala got to his feet and began walking the slope of the mountain.

"By all means ask away."

He sighed, "How did you take Lilith's choice to change the form of monsters, and to make mankind your mates?"

Reina paused mid-step to ponder the question, before quickly following after him, "I didn't understand it at first. I thought it was repulsive at the beginning, but over time I started to see the appeal in men. It was actually Lilith's argument with Deonora that changed my mine."

"Funny that you speak in the third person."

Reina paused again, amused she moved closer, and asked, "How long did you know?"

"I pieced it together…"

"From what?!", Deonora chucked, "Am I that bad an actor, or did my persona simply remind you of me too much?"

"You're a fine actor," Kushala snarked, "but you acted carefree. No one acts in such a way, unless they know they have nothing to lose… or they're stupid. You in particular strike me a conservative female, one that cannot mingle with your lessers. A curse royals like yourself must live with."

"Well, I was testing your waters," she smirked, "you said you didn't like lusting, but I wanted to see how you would react in person."

"Did my reaction, amuse you?", He asked as a boulder tumbled down the mountain.

"I thought you were getting into it," Deonora shyly willed her magic illusion away, revealing her true form, "most men I've heard from… the ones that complain about that sort of thing. They tend to actually enjoy the attention."

"I am not a man."

"Excuse me?"

Kushala stopped, turning back to her with a serious expression, "I am Elder, not a man. I am not a human, I am not a mate for your kind, and I am most certainly not someone you want to dedicate yourself too."

"Oh," she gasped confused and hurt, "is this what rejection feels like?"

"I suppose so."

Deflated, Deonora continued to follow him as they made their way around the cliff side, "What was it? Was I not women enough for you? Am I ugly to you?"

"I've told you once, and I suppose I will tell you again.", He scolded, "I am not a suitable mate for the mamono. I am old, I am dying… I can't offer you children, nor a companion. I am not a mate worth having."

"Well, that's no reason to ignore a woman," she scoffed, "why not live the last of your days in loving embrace, hmm? We mamono even share our long lifespans with our husbands. If you're scared of leaving a widow, I assure you your loving wife, that being me, won't be without you for long."

"If it was so simple as age, then maybe," Kushala grinned, "then maybe I would consider it, but my death comes in another form."

Deonora, with a flap of her wings, took to the air beside him, and landed in front of him with nothing short of a smug click of the tongue, "I can take it," she leaned against the cliff side, blocking his path, "I don't care if you don't have long… you're the first male I've found interesting in years. No one else gets excited like you do."

Kushala's wing current flushed from his scales in annoyance, "Then you would do yourself a service by forgetting me."

"Oh," Deonora grinned a lecherous grin, "I do like how you play hard to get, but it's not like it changes anything. I've chosen you."

"And you can choose another," Kushala flicked her nose playfully, "don't get your hopes up, my queen."

And with that final sentence, Kushala leapt from the cliff side, taking flight with storm and wind beneath his wings. Deonora followed shortly after, the flames coating her body giving her tail of flames from behind.

"Where to now," she called, "I'll take you wherever you want!"

Shaking his head with a chuckle, Kushala sighted a rift opening in the afternoon sky. With a quick flap of his wings, he rocketed toward the tear between worlds. With only a distant, "How about I take you somewhere instead!", to follow his rushing winds.

They flew through the portal between worlds. And in a flash, they were there. Deonora marveled at the climbing colossus of a tower, while Kushala could do nothing but stare in horror. He had never wanted to return here. His personal hell.

AN: Sorry that it's shorter than usual but I felt that this was a good point to end the chapter... Now onto the reviews!

Reviewer Responses:

Scully1337:

Elt could become a hunter, but mind you he is still just an unblessed MGE human at this point. At best he could hunt small monsters, maybe a drome, or he could make coal trips into volcanos for resource quests. He doesn't really have the strength to wield any of the MH weapons without unleashing his true potential as a human.

So, in short… we'll see where I choose to take him.

Omppusolttu:

Why is that? I made no plans on perma hiatus.

Guest02:

Top of the food chain before getting punted back to the stone age by Black Fatty mind you. : P

As for the new mamono I'll just say that Krampus tickles my fancy for monster girls. No, it didn't say they used teeth, just that it was like a beast was going into a feeding frenzy, so I can assume that I will keep my lower me's health. And meh, Pyrow is just another fire girl.

Bucio:

Nope, you got everything right?

Prazda:

You're very much welcomed. I hope you continue to enjoy the story moving forward.

Violagameboy:

I think everyone already knows…

Draconic guest:

The idea that I'm going with actually follows the lore of MH. That being that Dragon is the prime element from which all elements stem from. And considering that Dragon causes enhanced strength in monsters, and due to the glow of power focusing around a Hunter during combat. I believe that all things in the MH world have innate Dragon or at the very least a portion of it running through their "souls" / blood.

bop:

That's because the old fight was in a much more limited engine / system.