(MHW X Rising of the Shield Hero) The Hunter, the Handler, and the Hero

Something Carved, Something Crafted, Something Gathered, Something Forged

Hello, everybody, before we start this, I'd like to add a few disclaimers. First of all, the NPC character from MHW does NOT reflect my opinion of which character I find best (to those of the MHW community that dabble in that sort of thing). I just needed one with enough in-game interactions to build a passable personality. Second, this is not a self-insert and as such, am not including my own hunter. With those out of the way, enjoy.

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When the smoke from the tranq bomb dissipated and the Deviljho fell unconscious in the shock trap, the hunter turned to his partner, a young red-haired man in Rathian armor, and saw him grinning ear-to ear.

"Alright!" he pumped his fist in the air. "Good work out there, buddy." The hunter nodded back to his excitable companion. Likewise.

"How about going on a quick expedition before heading back to Astera?" he suggested. His fellow hunter seemed confused for a second then just shrugged.

"I don't see why not," he grinned once more. "It's not every day that you get to go on a hunt with a Sapphire Star, much less an expedition." Once the wingdrakes returned them to the southeast camp, the pair were greeted by a young woman in yellow commission gear and her brown hair in a semi-neat bun.

"Hey, partner," the hunter's handler stood up from the stump she had been sitting on. "Ready to head back?" The hunter shook his head and explained that he and the A-Lister were going on an expedition. His handler simply frowned and said, "Alright. Do what you need to do. But could you please hurry back? I'm starving."

Once the two left camp, they headed North towards the den of a Great Jagras. But before leaving the area where the Aptonoth grazed, the hunter began to speak. "There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about," he told his friend, both still walking at a steady pace. "Something rather important."

"I figured as much," the A-Lister sighed and grabbed a fistful of honey from a hive as they passed. "The last time you and I went on a hunt together was when that Arch-Tempered Kulve Taroth showed up."

"Sorry about that," the hunter chuckled. They had just entered the overgrowth that lead into the forest where a Great Jagras would normally feed its underlings.

"It's okay," the A-Lister grinned. "So out with it. What's this important thing you had to talk about that was worth going on an expedition for instead of going straight home and taking another investigation?"

Wasting no time, the hunter drew his breath and told him, "With your blessing, I would like to marry your handler."

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"You wish to do what?" the Commander asked. The hunter and his handler, the A-Lister and his, both of their Palicoes, the Commander, and the Admiral were all gathered in a private room atop the First Fleet's ship.

"I wish to take his handler's hand in marriage," the hunter answered confidently, looking to each member in the room.

"You do understand what kind of commitment this is, don't you?" the Admiral joined. "You and her hunter will be required to hunt together from this day forward if you choose not to hunt alone."

"You will also relinquish everything you own to her, should something happen to you," the Commander added. The hunter replied affirmatively with the same confidence as his first response. The Commander and the Admiral both exchanged a serious look before asking the A-Lister, "What is your take on this matter?"

"I have been well aware of their relationship and I give him my blessing," the A-Lister answered the same as the previous three speakers. "He is an extremely capable hunter and he is one of the few individuals I would trust with my life and the only one I trust with the life of my handler."