Heritors of Hereafter

Book 1: Hearts of Pride

By: Thomas A. Hawk

Edited By: dashboardgecko

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Monster Hunter, nor do I own Capcom. If I did I would probably be doing something else with my time instead of writing fanfics. All the characters that appear in this story belong to me unless otherwise stated.

Chapter 8: Rise and Ruin

The air over the Aptonoth-drawn cart heading back to Ran Fos was awkward and silent for a good long while. The Felyne driver wasn't asking any questions, and neither the hunters nor the handler really knew what could really be said. What had occurred was… well, certainly something. No one had gotten too badly wounded or anything. Not physically, at least.

The quiet was definitely starting to get to Mila, though. She hated awkward silences and wordless gazes. They were just too melodramatic for her. Deciding that enough was enough, she planted her hand assuredly on Elliot's shoulder, giving him a sympathetic smile and a thumbs up when he glanced up at her.

"Hey, chin up, tough guy! You were doing really good out there today!" she grinned. "So the end got a bit dicey. So what? That's just how things are! Fact is you were really handling yourself out there for a while, and that's something to be proud of!"

"I-I-I…! that… you… blurb."

Mila's expression shifted to one of perplexity when the young hunter abruptly passed out and slumped over in his seat, thumping his head on the wooden bench. Her eyes darted sideways to the figures of Falia, Ignatius, and Jylian seated across from her—all three pairs of eyes were also glued to the unconscious hunter.

"Is... he dead?" Jyl asked, cocking her head to the side and reaching a hand over to feel for a pulse.

She was a huntress of about average height, with short reddish-orange hair and a pair of wide-open blue eyes. She was pretty cute, with rounded facial features, fitting for her fairly high-pitched voice, though a prominent half circle of scars caused by a Jaggi nipping her left jaw did mar her appearance somewhat. She still wore the wound with pride though. She was outfitted with a set of high rank Wroggi gunner armor (which reminded Mila quite a bit of Val Habar Guildmaster Maynard's 'cowboy' outfit) while a bow crafted from parts of the same monster was mounted on a short rack to her left, beside Elliot's Great Jaggi sword.

"…Yup, he's alive. Just passed out. Darn it."

"Darn it?" Falia repeated, turning her gaze sideways to look towards the huntress. "Listen, I get that his showing was a lot less than spectacular, but did you actually want the poor kid to die? That's kinda harsh."

"No, no! Not at all, no! I meant, like, imagine how crazy of a story it'd have been if Mila actually killed someone by complimenting them!"

"I think I'm okay with non-lethal praise," Mila chuckled, patting the hunter's leg. "I don't think my dad or brother would last very long otherwise!"

Elliot was definitely worn the most ragged out of the lot of them. She had thought a hunt for a Great Wroggi and its pack that had been antagonizing a nearby village wouldn't be too much of a hassle for him, and initially, she'd been right! While the other two were off gathering flower nectar for Ignatius' kinsect, Falia and her had watched Elliot work from a distance with binoculars. The short sword wielder had dispatched most of the pack with surprisingly adept sneaking and throat slitting—something Mila had suggested he do after a failed hunt some months ago, as she herself had once used sneaky tactics before the whole Radiance thing happened. Of course, all it took was one sighting him to alert the rest, but even after that he'd managed pretty good, downing a few more of the small monsters with precision stabs to the neck or chest and even managing to get some deep cuts in on the pack leader.

Then things immediately went sideways when he failed to dodge a blow that knocked the face plate of his Hunter's helm clear off. Poor kid had such terrible performance anxiety that he could hardly fight without his face covered, and all that skill he'd shown before just evaporated. Mila leapt into action the moment the young hunter had gotten hit by a poison cloud, and despite her speed she hadn't quite been able to get to him before he'd gotten roughed up by the pack, but with her long sword Manami she very quickly cut through to the young greenhorn and warded off the poisonous bird wyverns, using the weapon's water element to dispel their toxic clouds. As that was happening, Jyl and Iggy wandered onto the scene, specifically stating they thought they'd heard a young girl squealing in panic. The three of them pretty effortlessly finished the hunt, with Jyl attempting to end the fleeing pack leader's life with an arrow to the back of the skull, only for Ignatius to swat the arrow out of the air with his glaive before it could reach its target. The archer had made sure to voice her displeasure about that, but Mila had made it clear enough from the start that if Elliot couldn't repel or slay it, they'd let it go. And after the beating it and its pack had just received, they definitely wouldn't be bothering that neck of the woods again.

"So long as he maintains this meek attitude of his, I fear this will only continue to happen," Ignatius sighed, breaking another long pause. "It is unfitting for a hunter."

He was tall and slender, with long platinum-blonde hair he kept bound behind his head to run down his back. His cool greyish-blue eyes were almost always narrowed and focused, fitting for his sharp features (Mila thought he was a pretty solid eight-and-a-half, borderline-nine). His skin was also more of a yellow shade than any of the others in the carriage, and if that wasn't clue enough as to his heritage, the long, pointed ears were—he was half-Wyverian. His armor was the 'exotic' Skalda armor made from scorpions called Toxic Kumoris. That was about all the information Mila really needed for the chills to run down her spine. Bugs weren't really her thing.

They absolutely were Ignatius', though. His black chitin armor, with all its hooks, claws, stingers, and other odd jabby bits made for a veritable playground for Krushetta. The large black-and-blue Alucanid was currently resting on his shoulder, occasionally nipping its pincers but otherwise keeping still… which just made Mila feel like it was staring at her. Why did bugs have to have eyes that didn't have pupils? It was just so creepy, like abyssal black voids of endless dark nothingness. She wasn't sure if that was worse than the glowing murder-eyes some larger bugs had, but least kinsects were bearably small, unlike Seltas Queens or Nerscyllas or... whatever other kinds of ginormous undiscovered bugs were still out there. Ignatius had pointed out that it seemed hypocritical that she adhered to an 'all lives have value' principle yet found insects disgusting. Of course she felt that they were important parts of the ecosystem and that made them valuable and important, blah blah blah. Just because she respected their position in the ecosystem didn't mean she had to like them. Fortunately she and Ignatius could simply agree to disagree on that particular point. Otherwise he was perfectly charming!

"Well yeah, we're trying to get to that point," she explained with a quick shrug. "It's… a work in progress, but he'll get there!"

"I do not question the possibility, but perhaps another instructor may be of more help to him."

"Hey, hey! My methods are great, thank you very much!"

"For you, perhaps. But for Elliot, it would be wise to consider his… personal predicament."

"You mean his super massive totally not-subtle-at-all crush on her?" Falia dryly replied with a roll of the eyes. "Yeah, that's definitely one heck of a predicament to be having. I hear it's becoming an epidemic."

"You're just jealous that all the boys notice Mila more than you and your big boobs," Jyl playfully scoffed, jabbing a finger towards the handler's chest only for Falia to swat her hand away before it even came close.

"I don't want attention. Especially not about… that."

"Up! Better lay off, Jyl! That's a touchy subject for her. Specifically, a subject she only lets me touch."

"Wha-?! You—just… quiet!" the handler hissed, cheeks lighting up a fiery red hue while Mila and Jyl laughed.

"Ooh, I have gotta hear this one!" the archer giggled devilishly, tapping her fingers together eagerly. "C'mon, what's the story? Leave in allll the good bits!"

"Sorry, but I made a solemn, and more importantly sober oath not to tell! More for Falia's sake than mine. She just gets so embarrassed! It's honestly kinda adorable. Isn't that right, Sweetheart?"

"I hate you."

For the remainder of the trip the hunters occupied their time with an oddly philosophical debate on the finer points of Poogie fashion, while Ignatius poked at Elliot's ribs with his foot in an effort to rouse him, eventually getting the young hunter to awaken with a start. After a few more miles of traveling, the carriage neared the massive walls of western Ran Fos. The barricades stretched about a hundred feet upwards and were often coated in a steady cascade of rainwater flowing down the slight incline, giving the illusion that the city was 'rising' from the ground below. At least, that's how Mila saw it. It was just so much cooler that way.

The hunters' wagon passed beneath the massive arch of the Guild gate, where the team disembarked to submit their reports on the hunt and items gathered in the field while claiming the quest reward. Each gate had a reception area for hunters to claim their rewards after returning from quests, even the lesser-used north and south gates. The western gate they had returned through led out to the Flooded Forest grounds, and the eastern one was the quickest path to the seemingly-endless Everwood, the great forest that made up a massive portion of eastern Maglea (and also one of Mila's favorite places ever). These reception areas were all opposite from the offices that city officials and Guild employees did their work in, all that boring paperwork and city affairs stuff. Well, at least the southern gate had the surveyors, so she supposed they were alright.

Their team was one of many returning from assignments. It was easy to tell at a glance who had failed and who had succeeded. Some hunters wore battered armor and grim expressions, while others were cheery as can be. Some walked slouched and tired, and some were practically bouncing off the walls, adrenaline still fresh in their veins. Old and young, hunters of all shapes and sizes could be seen in these walls.

While her group was finishing up with receiving the reward for the Wroggi pack quest, though, an older hunter in well-worn Diablos armor a couple windows down began cussing harshly at the liaison working there. Most eyes turned that way as the man's voice raised to an echo in the chamber.

"You can't tell me it ain't real! Look at it! There's the bloody stamp!"

"Sir, those were put out without the Guild's knowledge. A statement was made-"

"'Without the Guild's knowledge' my ass! What doesn't the Guild know about in this day and age? They shove their noses into every little thing that goes on!"

"Sir, please-"

"Don't you 'sir' me! I paid good money for that meal voucher! Money that you Guildies are probably getting in your paychecks! And now you're telling me after I work my ass off over the last four days on this blasted quest that I can't use it?! This might as well be robbery!"

"I'm sorry, but the Guild is not responsible for those vouchers, so we will not accept them," the liaison said matter-of-factly, raising her voice while maintaining an in-control tone. "Our surveyors are investigating the matter as we speak, but until we receive further word, there is nothing I can do."

Mila and the rest of the team got their report submitted and received their rewards during the veteran's next rage-fueled outburst, though they scurried on out of the building before really catching the rest of what was said. The huntress had seen a few similar instances occur around the city by now. The Guild had issued a statement a few days ago regarding the illegitimacy of the vouchers, but many either didn't hear about it, refused to acknowledge it, or weren't in the city for it, resulting in quite a few angry hunters blowing their tops off over the 'Guild's attempted robbery'. Causing huge scenes like that didn't really do much for anybody.

"I can't help but feel bad for that guy," Jyl sighed as the group made their way into the city proper. The sky had begun to darken during their return trip, and with that came slightly less-crowded streets for them to walk through. "Those vouchers really did seem real... and the promised rewards were really nice. It'd have been a nice chance for those struggling hunters out there to make a better living, if it wasn't too good to be true."

"It is easy to see how so many hunters fell for it," Ignatius agreed, glancing to his shoulder as his kinsect moved into place there. "It was rather similar to previous events the Guild has approved, at least in practice... those rewards always made me feel suspicious though. An extra carve I can understand, perhaps even removing the limit on gathering in the field, but doubling the zenni earned from a quest? Anyone who believed that was practically asking to be scammed."

"Or they were just desperate. I know my dad would have jumped on that opportunity if he had the chance. Hunting alone just isn't enough to earn a living for a hunter's equipment, home, and family these days..." the archer frowned, looking towards Mila. "Isn't your brother a Guild investigator now or something? Does he know anything about the case?"

"Uh... lemme think, we talked about that a few weeks ago. Or was it a week and a half? Meh, I dunno, the days all kinda blend together. Anywho he thinks someone higher up has a hand in all this. Cuz of the official seals, y'know?"

"So... someone in the Guild is... corrupt?" Elliot asked, lifting an eyebrow. Mila, Ignatius, and Falia exchanged a glance and a frown when he turned back towards them.

"Eh… I doubt it. All the real higher ups are pretty reputable," Mila shrugged. "Falia's dad is one of them, and Iggy's dad is—"

"I would prefer we not get into that," Ignatius cut in swiftly.

"—and the others all have real good PR, so I'd say they're pretty trustworthy. People are reeeal careful about not letting villains into high governing positions, so it's prolly nothing big."

"Riiight. A scam involving every tavern in the city isn't 'big'," Falia muttered with a roll of the eyes. "I think she's trying to say it isn't as big a deal as it could be, but that it's still a cause for concern."

"Exactly! You know me so well."

"After twenty years, I probably should," the handler smirked before turning towards the Wroggi-clad huntress. "In any case, hopefully the surveyors will get this figured out so it'll stop being an issue."

"They'd better, before the veterans decide to start a riot or something," the archer shrugged before coming to a pause at an intersection. "Anyways, I gotta get home and make sure Talim hasn't clawed up anything out of anxiety again, so I'll catch you guys later!"

After seeing the huntress off, the rest of them began to head southwest, towards the Eagle's Perch. While the sky had grown a lot darker during the return trip, the streets were well illuminated by the glowstones placed sequentially throughout the city atop tall poles. The light reflected off the rain-soaked ground and cast a sort of hazy yellow glow onto the walls, split only by the long shadows of signs and parked carriages. Given all the old rumors of that shadowy killer that plagued the region Ran Fos had a pretty poor reputation after dark, but aside from the occasional drunken hunter looking to square up with someone, or small time mugger complete with bandana over the mouth, Mila hadn't really seen anything that qualified as 'dangerous'. Then again, that very well could have been because of her reputation too. People understood that Mila the Untouchable Huntress didn't get into fights—she ended them.

However, when the group neared the tavern, she did feel a twinge as a large group entered Awareness' radius. The Perch was definitely packed... but in addition to the bargoers, there was a lone figure atop the structure. Though lying mostly still, the figure pushed itself up just as they approached. Mila's eyes trailed skywards as the figure stretched, then strode forwards, hopping off the edge of roof and dropping right in front of the group. Everyone else immediately jumped in surprise or took a combat stance, only to relax once they realized the drop-in was Makiyuma.

"Gods, can't you ever just walk up to us like a normal person?!" Falia huffed, sliding a slinger pod back into its pouch on her belt.

"Yes, but I'm not going to," the Hybrid replied shortly, turning his gaze towards the kinsect mounted on Ignatius' shoulder, clicking its mandibles angrily at him. "Halfling, do tell your bug to silence itself. That incessant chittering is giving me a headache."

"Some might say that headache is deserved, Hybrid," Ignatius retorted, though with a short brush of his hand the kinsect quieted down, shaking droplets of water from its shell. Satisfied, the Hybrid's gaze trailed straight over Elliot without a second thought and landed on Mila—immediately his expression lit up.

"Welcome back, Lady Mila. I trust your performance was as beautiful as ever."

"You know it!" she grinned. "How was your nap? You rested up enough to join me on a quest tomorrow?"

"But of course! A leisurely snooze in the rain does wonders for my scales... and my prowess." Among the Hybrid's more peculiar traits was his love of dozing on the roof of the Eagle's Perch—he might as well have lived there, considering the small space Mila's father set aside for him up there and all. Fortunately the city didn't seem to have a problem with it.

"Good to hear! We're gonna grab a bite—come on in and join us!"

"If you wish it, then I shall gladly do so. But, before it slips my mind, someone came by looking for you earlier," Maki said, stepping to the side to allow her to pass. "Quite the crowd had formed around him."

"So it seems," Mila noted, nodding eagerly and stepping towards the door. "Well, let's see who's callin'!"

The air between the three surveyors was tense and frustrated. Each wordlessly pored over the various papers laid out on the table between them, the information they had collected, and yet nothing was adding up.

Shortly after their meetings with the governing officials of Ran Fos the previous week, Ricard had affirmed that the seal press in Kilroy's possession had properly fitted onto the wax prints without flaw, which immediately narrowed their suspect list down to those in the Governor's employ. They'd spent almost every moment since interviewing the staff they figured were the most suspect, and while plenty of them had acted difficult towards Corvus and Dominic, the older surveyor proved quite good at handling those types. They'd just finished the last of those interviews, and now they were compiling what they had discovered in a small break room Kilroy had set aside for their private use, drawing lines between testimonies and figuring out which stories didn't line up.

And yet, they were still stuck in a standstill with the investigation. The threat of the vouchers bringing in anymore money was gone now that the Guild had issued an official statement stating the tickets were counterfeit. Their timing probably could have been better, but according to Viper the idea was to make sure that the stolen funds weren't being funneled through Guild channels. That would just make it seem like the Guild was lying to everyone's faces, which they understandably didn't need to have happen.

But, as good as it was that the funds were no longer flowing, it did mean that the team's time to find the ringleader behind it all was growing short. Chances are they would be trying to smuggle the zenni out of the city as soon as they could, so the surveyors had their work cut out for them. Each pair of eyes dragging across line after line of hastily scribbled ink, the only distractions in the room being their coffee mugs and the occasional comment or recommendation from one of the others.

"Maybe we should double up the interviews on the ones that still seemed suspect," Dominic suggested, scratching at the side of his head. He was a fairly average fellow. Average height, short brown hair he kept high and tight, rounded hazel eyes… even his age seemed very average, being just shy of thirty years and appearing exactly as such. Corvus couldn't help but look at the guy and just think 'average'. Fortunately he'd been at it long enough to be better than average at his job, which was about what they needed right at the moment.

Ricard let out a weighty sigh and shook his head. He was easily twice Dominic's age, though he got real touchy about the subject whenever anyone asked. His hair had long grayed though, and he kept the length out of his blue eyes with a simple side part. While he hadn't aged terribly, the years hadn't exactly been too kind to the old surveyor either, leaving him with a perpetually tired and 'done-with-this-shit' expression. Captain Viper always called him 'Sunshine'.

"We can double up, but I doubt we'd get much of anything out of it aside from wasted time," he said, rubbing his brow irately. "Our suspect list went down the drain real quick. Everybody's either got an alibi that checks out, or doesn't know where Kilroy keeps his press."

"And we're positive Kilroy isn't on this list still?"

"Cool the hate-boner for the guy, Corvus. Pinning this on someone important like Kilroy might make for a big front page story, but it's way more likely to backfire on us. The tracks point elsewhere."

"Every lead points somewhere else. Fact is, he's the only one with unrestricted access to that seal press."

"And I don't feel like risking my career based on that assumption. You don't go after a key governing official without a lot of evidence. And in case you didn't notice, we have nothing on him apart from the seal press matching the stamps. So, literally any employee could have done this if they tried hard enough."

"Unless someone on the outside did it?" Dominic suggested, though the older surveyor sighed at that remark as well.

"We've been over this. Security detail in the Guild gates is top notch. If someone on the outside was breaking in, we'd know. If someone on the inside was corrupt, the others would hopefully catch on sooner rather than later. There'd at least be a paper trail… but since the money isn't going through the Guild's channels, there's none of that here. We have to be missing something…"

"Well, it's gotta be someone who works in this building, or who did work in this building. That much we've agreed on. So I guess that means we probably need to branch outwards. Get some records on previous employees, make a few house calls?"

Ricard groaned at the suggestion. "That's the last thing I need… more talking. Alright, we've spent enough time busting our heads over this. It's late, and I really need a drink. We'll meet up tomorrow morning and decide on a proper course of action then."

"So long as you don't show up with another hangover," Corvus scoffed, receiving a scowl from Ricard in return.

"If it gets me through the night, you have no room to complain, shrimp."

Corvus and Dominic shared a glance and a shrug, then set about pulling their documents together. A quick glance at his watch showed that it was already half past nine—another late night. Corvus had plenty of those lately… The surveyors finished packing up and left the room, finding themselves greeted by mostly quiet halls and dim light filtering in from the glowstone-lit streets outside the windows. A janitor Felyne was busy mopping the hallway opposite their heading, so fortunately Corvus didn't have to get his handkerchief out, but that was one of maybe half a dozen souls they saw before he neared the exit. Dominic decided on taking the track cannon back to the southern Guild gate while Ricard just insisted on heading to the nearest tavern. The surveyor was about to call for a taxi carriage when he realized the familiar presence of his reading glasses in his breast pocket was missing.

He groaned with irritation before turning around and heading back into the Guild gate. The second he was through the door though, his expression was all cool and collected—he casually strode up to the receptionist gal, resting an arm across the top of her desk and shooting her a friendly smile.

"Hello again, gorgeous."

"Hello to you too," she smiled, glancing up from her work only to raise an eyebrow. "Didn't you just leave?"

"Well, yes, but I forgot a couple things. Namely to ask if you might join me for coffee sometime, perhaps? Maybe a fine dinner for two?"

"Oh. You're one of those types."

"At first glance you'd think that, but I assure you I'm much more than just a flirt with a charming voice!"

"I'm so sure. Well Mister Charming Voice, as dashing as you must think you are, I'm going to respectfully turn that offer down. Now, if there's nothing else, I have work I'd like to finish."

Corvus' shoulders slumped as he let out a short sigh in defeat, but he shook his head and pushed up from the desk.

"Alright, alright. I left my readers in one of the breakrooms. Can I run up and get 'em? Shouldn't take more than a couple minutes."

"…Glasses, hmm?" The receptionist paused in thought, staring intently at him for a few seconds longer than was normally comfortable. After some deliberation she nodded, procuring a key and walking out from behind the desk to unlock the door leading up to the other floors. "Well, the rules normally say no after-hours entry to non-gate personnel, but I suppose a surveyor of all people can be trusted that far. Just to the break room and back, alright? And if it's not too much to ask, let me see you wearing them before you go. To… confirm that's what you're actually doing."

"Heh, you got it," he smiled, making his way up the staircase to the floor the breakroom was on. Based on her tone, she must've had a thing for guys with glasses. Maybe he should wear them more… sure, they were a pain when it rained, but if they got him more dates, who was he to complain?

That merry thought in mind, the surveyor stepped off onto the floor and made his way down the hall towards the room he and the other surveyors used. The lights were still on inside, and a sign had been placed to prop the door open. He instinctively went for his handkerchief—that janitor Felyne was probably in there cleaning. Stepping into the room, he found it was a veritable flood of soapy water already, which the cat-like creature was clearly not too pleased to be walking through bare-paw while handling a mop clearly way too large for its hands. Its ears twitched as his boots splashed into the floor, and the creature turned to face him. It had a black and white two-tone coat and a large pair of orange eyes.

"Can I help you, nya?"

"Just looking for my glasses," he said, voice slightly muffled beneath the white handkerchief over his mouth and nose. "Seen 'em? They should be in here."

"Oh, so these sparkly things are yours," the creature said, reaching a paw up for the collar of its vest where Corvus' glasses hung. "I find lots of shiny stuff after hours, but mewed be surpurrised how much of it people just furget about the next day, nya!"

Setting the mop handle against the table, the Felyne pattered across the soppy floor towards him, holding the glasses out the whole way. About three quarters of the way there though, the Felyne slipped on the wet surface and face planted into a puddle with a bubbly yowl, sending Corvus' readers skidding across the floor towards him. He let out a short sigh as he stooped down and plucked the soaking, cat hair-covered glasses off the floor, holding them at arm's length.

"N-nya! Apawlogies!" the Felyne blubbered, scrambling to get its paws underneath it only to slip again, do a full rotation in midair, and land hard on its back with another splash. "Me-owww…"

"Well, at least they aren't broken," Corvus grunted, trying to wipe the glasses clear with the piece of cloth he held and pluck the hairs out of the joints. What an incompetent cat... He felt his nose twitch irritably as his allergies began to kick in, though fortunately the fur was wet enough that it didn't seem as bad as it could have been. At least his eyes weren't watering yet. "Are you sure you're qualified for this, cat?"

"I'll have you know I graduated near the top of my class at the Guild Meow-cademy!"

"Really now? Same here. Even graduated a year early. Course, I'm a surveyor now… why are you scrubbing floors?"

"A Felyne's gotta start somewhere, nya! This janitor job will give me the expurrience I need to move up! Meow-be someday I'll even get to go to the New World like Simon!"

"Hm. That's a good goal to aim for. My sister mentioned wanting to join up with the Fifth Fleet before they head out in a few years, so maybe you'll end up swabbing the deck of the ship she's on."

"Mew think so?! I really hope so, nya!" the cat purred, finally getting its feet underneath it and striking a proud pose ruined by the soap bubbles still clinging to its fur.

"Mmhm… Well, thanks for finding my glasses. I'll be—" Corvus paused as he began to walk out of the room, a thought occurring to him. Despite its sheer incompetency, maybe it could have some useful information... He swiveled back towards the cat with a raised eyebrow. "You say you find things after dark, yeah?"

"Meowf course! It's impawsible to clean when efurrybody is coming and going during the day, so I work with the late crowd. That way meowbody tracks mud onto my purrfect floors."

"Pft, right, yeah, 'perfect'… Anyways, you want to move up in the world, right? Well, if you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

"You sure about that? Beclaws my granddaddy was a Palico and I inherited his razor sharp—"

"Figuratively!"

"Aww… I always like a shoulder rub. Meow can I help?"

"Me and my fellow surveyors are investigating a… certain matter pertaining to the Governor. Have you seen anybody going into Kilroy's office after he leaves? Or do you know anybody that stays after hours even if they don't necessarily have the clearance?"

"Uhm… meowbe? I at least know the ones I've seen plenty these last couple weeks, nya. Mister Kilroy stays late sometimes. I've seen him come back late beclaws he furgot something. Scared me something meowful once while I was cleaning his office! Mister Uther has access too, but that's cuz he's the Vice-Governor. He doesn't really stay late very much though. The twin secretary sisters Shelly and Shelby have keys too, nya. Oh! And that shady prosecutor guy. I think his name's… Edgeworth? Edison? Edison! Yeah, that's the name. He furreaks me-owt. Always works real late, sometimes even after I go home fur the night."

"That's at least a decent list… anyone else?" Corvus asked, hastily scribbling the names into his notes.

"Nope, that's efurry one. At least, efurry one that I've seen, and I see lots, nya! Especially shiny things. Purr…"

Corvus nodded with a pleased smile. That list narrowed down the inquiries substantially… he couldn't believe they hadn't thought to ask about after hours workers before! Then again the day workers alone numbered well over a hundred, and there were only the three surveyors currently on this job… regardless, this cat was the best kind of janitor.

"What's your name, kitty cat?" he asked.

"Jim, nya."

"And how much do you make working here, Jim?"

That question made the Felyne's ears fold against his head. "Unpaid internship, nya. Furtunately my roommate doesn't mind covering expenses fur me. And he gives great shoulder rubs."

"Well, if this all works out, maybe I'll see if I can do something to bump you up to something paid. Till then…" he reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean three-hundred zenni coin, flipping it off his thumb towards the cat, who meowed in surprise and leapt up to catch it with pupils as big and round as the coin.

"Nya-ha! Thank you, Meowster surveyor!"

Corvus smiled before stepping out of the room, stifling a sneeze as he tucked his handkerchief away. Helping out the little guy felt nice. He wondered if the southern Guild gate had a janitor… in any case, he'd have to look into those names he'd written down later. They'd be crucial moving forwards. Until then, he was more concerned with making sure his glasses would look decent enough for the cute gal downstairs.

About an hour later, the surveyor found himself stifling a yawn while walking up the short flight of stairs to the front door of the Adler's home. The lights were still on inside from what he could tell… he wasn't sure if that meant Mila or his father were still awake, but he was at least able to tell that his sister was indeed home just by proximity. Readying himself for either eventuality, he pushed his way inside, only to be greeted by the sound of Mila's laughter coming from the kitchen. He lifted an eyebrow when he heard an unfamiliar voice speaking, and after hanging his coat up and pulling his boots off he strode down the hall, poking his head around the corner.

Sure enough, Mila was seated at the table in her black under-armor wear with a cup of tea before her, and across the table from her was a man with parted black hair and violet eyes. Judging from his build alone it was clear he was a hunter, but his outfit was… surprisingly nice. Like a tailored grey and black suit with orange lining. His sister turned her head as he poked his head in, and she gave him a short wave and a smile.

"Hey howdy hey, li'l bro!"

"Mila, does Dad know you're bringing guys back home this late at night while wearing so little, or am I supposed to keep my mouth shut about this?" he smirked, stepping into the room. The two hunters both just laughed.

"If a good-natured chat counts as scandalous for your household, mine must not be as bad as I thought," the dark-haired man chuckled, taking a drink from his own cup. "Every time I brought a lady home it was always 'so when's the marriage?'"

"Still?! Oh, you poor thing!" Mila giggled. "Your mom was so insistent on us getting hitched that one time I stopped in for a visit! I don't think I've ever seen someone's mother get that upset when I dropped the 'just friends' line!"

"Oh, don't remind me… she was complaining about me 'letting you get away' for weeks. It got so bad that my father almost disowned me again."

"Wait, you were disowned?"

"No no, almost disowned. Like, multiple times of being nearly disowned. Always walking the line, but never quite crossing it. I figure they at least want to keep the heir around until they can make a more suitable replacement out of one of my younger siblings."

"Gotcha. Oh, right! Li'l bro, this is Lowell! Lowell, this is my younger brother Corvus," the huntress said, sweeping her arm towards Corvus with a mischievous smirk. She then leaned over the table and raised her hand to the side of her mouth as though walling Corvus off from the conversation, only to not hush her voice at all. "Feel free to point out that he's short. Everyone does."

Corvus nodded his head with a peevish expression, slowly folding his arms. If that's how she wanted to play it… "So is that a go-ahead to mention the smut stash under your bed, or…?"

"Didn't care last week, and I don't care during this one neither!" she laughed, making Corvus throw his arms up with a disgruntled sigh. Of course. Unflappable as always. Lowell, meanwhile, had been watching the short exchange with initial interest, then amusement, then shock. Currently he was sitting still, wearing an expression of pure deliberation.

"Well, it's plain to see you both are close," he said with a short, slightly perturbed smile. "Learned something I wasn't quite expecting either, but I suppose the hunter's life is chock full of surprises."

"Hang around that one for a week and you'll have your fill of 'surprises' for years. Just ask Falia. Poor girl can barely keep up with Mila as-is, and that's her job."

"I'd bet. Every letter Mila sends my way has a very… colorful description of her most recent quest. Last one involved upper-cutting a Tigrex. Again, wasn't quite expecting that."

"Neither was the Tigrex!" Mila grinned, proudly planting her hands on her hips and lifting her chin up.

Corvus nodded with an amused huff. Mila's 'colorful' stories were a lot better spoken than written. When she got excited her handwriting become nigh-illegible, and she got excited a lot. She was certainly too excited for the hour it was. That thought only reminded Corvus of how drowsy he was feeling, and the surveyor stifled another yawn.

"Well, it's been lovely chatting, but I just worked an eleven-hour shift and I have an early start on another one tomorrow, so in the interest of my sanity I'm going to bed. I really don't care what you both get up to, but just do me a favor and keep the noise to a reasonable level, would ya? Sis, that goes double for you."

"I'll think about it," the huntress smirked deviously, only to laugh and wave her hand. "Hah, no worries! Sleep tight, Corvus!"

"Good meeting you," Lowell added, lifting his cup towards the surveyor.

"You too, Lowell."

It wasn't until well after he had cleaned himself up and turned in for the night that it finally clicked with Corvus that the man sitting in the kitchen with his sister was one of the Four Faces Mercutio had mentioned. Odd that Lowell just kinda showed up out of the blue for a visit like this… but that wasn't really a big concern to him. His thinking time was better spent figuring out how to solve the voucher case, and right now, it wasn't thinking time, it was sleeping time.

"Well, your brother does raise a good point—it's getting rather late," Lowell sighed after Corvus strode out of sight, setting his now-empty cup down. "I should probably head back to the inn soon... especially if a late night chat will get me on your father's bad side."

"Oh relax, Corvus was just messin' with you! My dad is super chill. Like, THE nicest guy ever. Heck, I bet he'd even let you crash on the couch! Sure you don't want to stay for another cup? It's really no big deal."

"Trust me, I would love to spend more time chatting with you, but I did just fly halfway across the country, and I never was a fan of airships. I think a proper bed would do my back a little better than a couch. No offense to your furniture."

"None taken," Mila snickered, pushing herself up from her seat. "Just thought I'd offer since it's late, and the city kinda has a bad reputation after dark. Oh, speaking of, want me to walk you back? I mean, you've never been to this city, you've got that big ol' case with you, and out of armor you look a little too handsome to be a hunter at first glance, so someone might try to mug you."

"All fair points—and thank you for the compliment. But what's this about a poor reputation? A man in Harth mentioned that too…"

"Oh, just some mysterious serial killer from like three hundred years ago that they never caught and who supposedly haunts the cities in the region to this day. I think it's just a buncha copycats cashing in on the myth to try and get away with it."

"That's rather concerning… have you ever seen anything like that happen?"

"Nah. Some murders still happen from time to time though. Only one really got 'linked' to our mythical baddie, and that was about a month ago I think, probably more. A hunter was found strung up dead in an alley with his throat cut, and someone used his blood to write 'Never Forget I'm Here' on the wall."

"Terrible…" Lowell muttered, folding his hands in thought. "Did you know the victim?"

"Not really. I hunt with a lot of people around the city though; guess I'm just kinda used to never seeing randoms again. The hunting grounds are like that sometimes, so no use getting hung up on it."

"This is... rather different from someone being killed on a hunt, Mila. One's an occupational hazard, the other is cold-blooded murder."

"I guess… but even still, you've got nothing to worry about with me around! I'll see any baddies coming way before they getcha!"

"Hah! Even if they got past you, I'm not exactly easy to kill. Remember that Gravios hunt? Stomped me into a six-foot crater, and I came out of there with nothing worse than a mangled suit of armor," the lancer chuckled. Mila laughed in agreement—the kinds of hits Lowell could take and keep going was astronomical thanks to his Shield Hunting Sense. He began to push himself up from the seat as well, only for a light thud to sound under the table. A look of realization lit up his face, and he gestured for her to wait a moment before reaching under the table. He emerged a second later with the long black briefcase he'd been carrying since they met up at the Eagle's Perch, setting it down on the open space of the table. "I was so caught up in our conversation that I'd nearly forgotten. These are for you."

"Aw, well that's sweet of you! But what's the occasion? I don't like accepting things I haven't really earned."

"It's the favor you asked me for after that same hunt. They've been done for a while, but I thought you might appreciate it more if I gave them to you in person. Plus… well, weapon shipping costs aren't cheap."

"Well now you've gone and got me excited!" she grinned, eagerly stepping forwards as he tapped a hand on the lid of the case and shifted it towards her. "Let's take a look-see!"

Mila quickly popped the clasps and lifted the top, eyes widening and breath catching in her throat when her starry-eyed gaze landed on a pair of dual blades, each shaped like long crescents. They had simple leather-wrapped hilts, but the gleaming silver metal edges were crafted from resembled polished slivers of the moon itself. That said nothing of the flats of the blades—dark greenish-grey metal with an orange-red mark in the center, and all of which was 'cracked' with tendrils of glowing green material within the blade that gradually pulsed with an ancient, unknowable life. She gingerly wrapped her fingers around both handles and lifted them from the briefcase to level before her, her heart nearly skipping a beat at the ever-so-gentle contact between the blades resulting in a high-pitched ring of metal that lingered several moments longer than natural, but that wasn't unpleasant to the ears.

"Oh~" she purred as her eyes ran up and down the twin blades in her grasp. They practically hummed through the air as she slowly moved them to and fro. They were weighted quite differently from most of her other blades, their design being oriented towards slashing exclusively, but that wouldn't be too big a hassle to adjust for. They were sharp, well-balanced, and by all that was holy they were beautiful. She'd been mesmerized for nearly a minute before Lowell clearing his throat brought her back to reality.

"I take it that they're to your liking?"

"Like? I think I'm in love," Mila replied, eyes darting towards him for a moment only to return to the blades. Her eyes lit up with inspiration and wonder as they trailed over the ancient dual blades. "These babies need names."

"The Guild has taken to calling relics of that design the Enduring Schism. Ancient Civ weapons all get showy names like that. There's Divine Exodus, Mundus Altus, Deus Obelisk…"

"Blah, those are just catch-alls! No, these need personal names. Something that speaks for them, for the souls these swords have!"

"I don't, uh… what?"

For the time being she ignored Lowell's confused look while staring intently at the twin blades. They appeared as fresh as any newly-crafted blade she'd seen, and yet she could feel the history within these swords. They practically seemed alive to her the way the fractured, broken glass-like web of lights pulsed, like they were drawing breath. For a few brief seconds she nearly felt as though she was being pulled far into the past, to the time when some warrior of the Ancient Civilization held these blades in battle against a magnificent dragon. So great a society, only to become lost to time… Her eyes snapped open, and Mila grinned wide, brandishing the blades overhead.

"Rise and Ruin. Yeah… that's what they want to be called."

Lowell just stared blankly at her while she lowered the blades and again took to fawning over the blades. Eventually he shook his head and cleared his throat. "Okay, kinda completely lost me a couple minutes back. I know you like naming your swords and all, but I don't think I've ever heard you say why."

"I didn't? Must not have ever come up... Ah well, it's not like it's a big secret or anything. See, when I'm out there in the field, roughing it on my own and facing down wyvern after big ol' wyvern, the things I rely on the most are the swords in my hands. They aren't just tools to me. They're partners. Friends. I look out for them, and they look out for me," Mila explained, lifting Rise closer to her face so she could inspect the glowing pattern on the side closer. "And I take good care of my friends."

"Uh huh… Well, I guess if you named them then you have to like them a lot, so that's good enough for me," Lowell shrugged. "Have you ever handled a dragon element weapon before?"

"I wish! Dragon element weapons are not easy to come by. Best things available in these parts were these disgusting bug dual blades, and you couldn't pay me to use those."

"Hah! Good thing these ones aren't made from bugs then! Though I suppose the rust removal process…"

"What was that?"

"…Well, nevermind that part," the hunter smiled. "No bugs at all."

"Perfect!" Mila giggled, returning her gaze to the twin edges with renewed interest. "So, these have dragon element? What's the whole deal with that? I heard that it just kinda messes with a monster's brain while zapping them or something."

"That's more or less the consensus. In actuality though, those are separate components. The element itself is like electricity mixed with fire. Both very painful on their own, but together, they're even worse. Not many monsters can resist something like that, so it's usually a good element to fall back on if you don't have anything else. The 'high intelligence' thing only really applies to elder dragons, and Guild researchers only uncovered how it does that recently. I believe they officially refer to the property as 'elderseal', as it literally seals off some of an elder dragon's abilities if enough is applied. By their words, it 'sets a mental blockage'. It certainly goes hand-in-hand with what historians say about the weapons forged during the Great Dragon War. So, they're decent enough against most everything, and against elder dragons they are top-notch."

"Huh, well that's pretty cool! Wish I'd had these when I met Tempest…"

"Speaking of… I think you'd appreciate knowing ahead of time that Zeke is on his way to Ran Fos as well."

"Really?! Well dang, what's the occasion? Did I forget an anniversary or something?"

"No, no, it's… well, let's just say Zeke hasn't really changed much. Can you keep a secret?"

"I can count the number of people I won't keep secrets from on three fingers."

"…That doesn't really—"

"Yes, I can keep a secret! Now tellmetellmetellme!"

"Gods, I'd nearly forgotten how sporadic you can be… Zeke apparently has information on Tempest. It'll be coming to an area in the Everwood not far from Ran Fos, and he wants to use that chance to hunt it down with the rest of the Faces."

"Hunt… Tempest?" Mila repeated slowly after a moment, setting Rise and Ruin back into their case and lowering herself into her seat as she took in the lancer's words. "I heard you right, right?"

"Trust me, I was as shocked as you. Zeke's always been a glory hound, but setting his sights on a named elder dragon is insane, even for him. Honestly I was thinking about talking him out of…"

Mila half-consciously tuned the lancer out as that news baked in her head. Tempest, a Kushala Daora of incredible power and ferocity. The very same dragon she'd encountered no less than twice during her five-year career, and on both occasions she'd been forced to flee for her life. Those brief encounters had taught her just how strong it was. Its winds could completely alter the weather, its steel scale hide was hard enough to deflect most blades and bullets with hardly a scratch… and its speed was impressive even by her standards. She'd only managed to wound it a single time, which had required the first-time burst of her signature Hunter Art, Lunar Star Slash, to do. The dragon bore a cross-shaped scar across its face ever since—Kushala Daoras shed their scales frequently to prevent their bodies from rusting over, but according to all the reports she'd heard on it over the years, that wound remained even still. Based on their second encounter, Tempest very clearly remembered that Mila was the one who did it.

She still remembered that meeting clear as day. She and her partner at the time, a gunner by the name of Devon, had been trudging back to base camp after a long hunt to curb an explosion in the Khezu population that had been threatening the Frozen Seaway's ecosystem. Their surroundings masked by a fierce blizzard that had blown in after they arrived on the grounds, legs buried up to their knees in thick snow… had it not been for a hot drink and the added layers of Popo fur she'd packed into her armor she probably wouldn't have even been able to make it up the mountain, it was so cold. As they fought through the storm, though, a focused squall swept through the area, far more powerful than any of the natural winds of that snowy mountain. An explosion of air blew the blizzard away from the area entirely, exposing blue skies and sunlight to what was once as dark as late evening, sweeping away much of the snow like it was nothing more than dust.

And there, standing across from them in the midst of that snow-covered field, was the shimmering, silvery body of Tempest, the only imperfection across its whole body being the dark grey cross between its eyes, stretching from the sides of its snout back to the slightly curved horns on its head. Blue eyes as piercing as the very skies it had just revealed as if on a whim, towering yards and yards above her head… and the presence she felt through her Awareness was practically stifling! Tempest was a ferocious as it was beautiful. The sight of it alone made her breath catch in her throat.

At the time, the newly-promoted high rank huntress wasn't entirely sure why she even drew her swords. Maybe she'd thought she could wound it as she had before to cover their retreat, or perhaps she even felt she was skilled enough to drive it off. Fortunately for her, her sensibilities kicked in after her blades had uselessly clashed off its hide the first time, and she'd narrowly avoided a blast of wind powerful enough to cause an avalanche off the cliff far behind her. She knew that was a fight she couldn't win. Fortunately Devon had taken advantage of the brief distraction she had made to turn tail and run—that encounter alone scared him thoroughly enough to make him quit hunting altogether. Mila didn't exactly blame him. Most would consider it a blessing to have survived an encounter like that at all.

Two times now she'd miraculously escaped encounters with one of the most powerful known elder dragons in the country, encounters that had should have thoroughly convinced her it would be smarter to stay as far away from that dragon as possible…

Yet, here she was, her heartbeat quickening, her blood was chilling, and a tense excitement was building up within her. The thought of facing Tempest down again was thrilling. She wasn't sure what it was, but she wanted to fight it again, for real this time. Mila had always come back to challenge monsters that forced her to flee before, to prove to herself that she could overcome them somehow, in some way. Tempest was so far the sole exception… and oddly, she wasn't seeking to prove anything to herself by fighting it again. She didn't quite understand where this incredible desire to cross her blades with its talons came from, but it burned within her even fiercer than the legendary dragon fire forges of Harth.

"...Uh, Mila? You listening?"

"Mm? Oh! Sorry, just got wrapped up in some old memories. So, uh... right! Zeke's on the way too?"

"Yeah, and if luck was on his side he'll be bringing Alastor along too."

"Ooh, Alastor too?" Mila's expression lit up with a wide grin at the mention of the charge blade user's name.

She and Alastor had actually been paired up during the doubles portion of their Hunter's Exam in Loc Lac five years prior, and while that had interfered with a little wager they had going between them, it was without a doubt the best showing of the entire event. Even if it was just a Daimyo Hermitaur they had fought, the way they had just perfectly synced up their movements and attack patterns, relentlessly battering the large Carapaceon with a combined assault as if they were one mind in two bodies... and after a particularly high-flying stunt she had performed to deliver the coup de grâce went slightly awry, he'd managed to catch her right out of the air! The bright desert sunlight gleaming heroically off of his metallic mask, the wind dramatically tousling his long scarlet hair... It was literally the most romantic thing ever, with a capital 'R'! That memory made her swoon every time she recalled it. Now if only she knew what he looked like without the mask. And if he would just respond to her letters more often than once in a blue moon. Seriously, that was about the only thing keeping her from the storybook romance with a mysterious masked badass hero guy that she had always not-so-secretly wanted.

"This party is really shaping up, isn't it?" she giggled mischievously, a light blush illuminating her cheeks. "Come to think of it, this'll be the first time we've all gotten together as a team! Oh man, this is gonna be legendary!"

"Well, at least one of us has high hopes," Lowell chuckled. "Having two dragon element weapons will at least help even the odds a little, if we actually do encounter Tempest. Ancient Civ weapons aren't referred to as 'dragonslayers' without reason."

"Yeah, but like... couldn't those Guild nerds have thought of something a little more original than 'elderseal'? That's literally just… what it does. It's like calling a sword 'stabby slashy'."

"Well, we can't all have your talent for conjuring up names, Mila. But who knows? Maybe you'll get a chance to name something like it in the future."

"Now there's an idea! Man, you are really moving up on my good list today, you know that?"

"Gotta make up for lost time," Lowell grinned. "I don't leave Ancile too often these days, so why not leave an impression on the lovely Blade Princess while I'm here?"

"Oho! Consider me impressed," she winked with a slight blush, pushing herself up and cocking her head towards the hall. "But you can keep impressing me tomorrow when we go on that quest with Maki and Iggy. How about we get you back to the inn now?" She paused for a brief moment when Lowell raised an eyebrow at her. She then recalled her relative state of undress, glancing down at herself to both appreciate her shapely figure and to let out a short laugh. "Oh right, underwear probably isn't the best for walking around out in the rain, huh? Lemme change into something a little better first, and then we can get moving! Just gimme like… twenty minutes."

"Heh, yeah, no prob—" The lancer's smile faltered and was replaced with a confused expression, then he balked and stepped forwards. "Wait, twenty minutes? Why do you need that long just to put something on over that?"

She spared a short glance down at the two blades she had once again grabbed, smiled cheerfully, then looked back up at him.

"No reason."

Author Notes: Please review! I hope you found the chapter enjoyable. Happy December by the way!

I've been having a lot of fun coming up with the side characters for this story, to be honest. In the past I just kinda threw a name onto someone wearing an armor set and left it at that, while a couple ended up getting fleshed out a bit further. This time around, I've put a LOT more effort into these side characters to make them all stand out a bit more. I feel like it'll help flesh out the world a lot better, and make the cast overall more personable. So, faithful reader, who's your favorite so far?

I'm still having a lot of fun with the Kitchen arc here... like, just based on the games it really shouldn't be so big of a deal, but writing about something in a universe where there are actual ramifications just makes it seem like Serious Business. At least our short little friend is getting closer to the end of this investigation.

...Or is he? Muhaha.

The Tempest arc begins to move along as well with Lowell's arrival in Ran Fos. Mila's 'rivalry' with Tempest is probably one of my favorite plot points in all of Heritors, so I'm really going to have fun writing this arc out and introducing perhaps the most badass monster I've ever come up with. Well, maybe not the MOST badass, but the most compelling one that also happens to be badass. You get what I mean.

I also am really enjoying the conversations that occur between the Faces. I'm kinda modelling them off of the Supplementary Chapters I wrote for TMC, which were in turn based off of support conversations from Fire Emblem. I think it's a fun way to expand on the characters by delving into their history, allowing me to tell a story both in the past AND in the now while moving forwards. Backstory details like Alastor and Mila's team-up during the Hunter's Exam wouldn't really be relevant otherwise, but it adds a bit of history to the characters AND hints at more stuff down the line. I don't know about you all, but I love me some foreshadowing.

Anywho, that about does it from me! Remember to leave a review down below so I can see what you liked or disliked, or hell, if you just wanna make a comment about something or ask a question, go right ahead! I always like to hear from my readers, so I'll be sure to get back to you. Till next time, faithful readers!