The fresh spring breeze carries with it the dawn of a new season, marking the end of a long arduous winter. As you stroll through the bustling streets of Kamura Village, you notice there is an air of excitement about. You can't help but smile as you take in the sight of giggling children playing amongst the fluttering cherry blossoms. Men and women, both old and young alike, wear excited and nervous smiles on their faces as they go about their day, trailing about like frenzied Shutterflys.

For as Spring nears, it has brought about one of the village's most celebrated festival: The Koi Festival... or better known amongst the village as... The Festival of Love.

Yes, this was a yearly event that had the town more up and about than any Rampage ever could. You catch sight of glistening pink scales in the hands of almost every villager you see. In the festival's tradition of the holiday, one presents a carved Mizutsune's scale along with a gift to another person as a declaration of love. Carved onto the front of the scale is the name of the person receiving it and on the back is your name. It is a long passed tradition that was inspired by the habits of Mizutsunes who exchange scales in their mating ceremonies around this time of year as well.

A tug on your sleeve interrupts your train of thought as you turn around to lock eyes with a, particularly nervous-looking Iori.

"Iori? What is it? Is everything alright?" you ask, an expression of concern washing over your features as you kneel to his level.

The young boy clears his throat and glances to the side and it is only then you catch sight of his positively red glowing ears.

"I-I-I'm fine, it's just... um... I didn't know who else to ask, but... um..."

The youth nervously glances around the vicinity before pulling out a small wooden carved figure of a chibi palico holding what seemed to be several dangos in it's hands, alongside a glistening pink scale.

"D-Do you think Yomogi will l-like it? I... I didn't know what else to do so I... I made her a wood carving with the help of the buddies. I... I figured maybe she could use it as decoration for her shop and... u-um...!"

You can't help smile wider at the sight of the usually composed and intelligent Iori stuttering over himself as his cheeks flush a deep red.

"I-It's not weird, is it? Please say it isn't! The festival ends tonight and I probably won't have enough time to make something else, a-and I-!"

"Iori."

As you say the young boy's name, he seems to shut up and jolt up tensely causing you to let out a chuckle in laughter. You plaster on a huge grin as you place a hand on his shoulder before motioning towards the doll.

"She's going to LOVE it. Trust me." You grin.

"R-Really? You really think so?!"

"I know so. Have some faith in yourself and what you've put together. It's an amazing gift anyone would be honored to receive." You shoot the young boy a proud smile as you ruffle his hair lightly. "You should be proud of yourself for making something so special... and I'm sure Yomogi will feel the same way."

Iori's eyes seem to fill with sparkles as he lets out a goofy smile. Suddenly, his nervousness and fear seem to have completely washed away as pride and confidence take its place. He glances down at his wooden figure before shooting you an appreciative smile and taking a few steps back, bowing his head.

"T-Thank you, chief! Thank you so much! W-Well then... I still have some things to do before the festival ends tonight so... I'll see you later!"

Without another word, Iori quickly waves before running off. His palico and palamute, who had been patiently waiting for him a short distance away, cry out excitedly as they run after their master.

Heh. How cute. I really hope it goes well for him.

A satisfied smile seems to make its home on your face as you peacefully return to your normal patrol walk. You muse that even the cherry blossoms themselves seem to dance joyfully in the air as another spring breeze passes you by.


After finishing up your daily tasks and enjoying a nice afternoon tea, you make your way over to the pier for a spot of fishing.

Just as you hum a small tune and are about to walk through the wooden gates, an unsuspecting force pulls you upwards and covers your mouth, preventing you from yelling. You look next to you to catch sight of Master Utsushi as he silently puts a finger to his lips, beckoning you to be quiet as you both land on the roof of the gathering hub.

"Utsushi?! What's the big idea?!"

Master Utsushi flashes you a sheepish grin as he motions over to the dock of the pier, making you follow his gaze to see two figures standing not far from where you previously were.

"Sorry, ace. My newest pupil's down there confessing his love to Hinoa right now and... well, I didn't have the heart to let you walk in and break his confidence."

Your mouth turns into "o" shape as you turn to face the figures again. Sure enough, you catch sight of a beet-red man flailing about next to a smiling, patient-looking Hinoa. Suddenly, something shiny catches your eyes as you squint to see Hinoa hiding a batch of at least a dozen scales in her hands.

"Are those really all hers?! How many are there?!" You exclaim as you turn to Utsushi who only chuckles, taking a seat next to you on the roof.

"I've only been around here for the last hour but I've watched her go through at least 12 confessions thus far. Between her and Minoto, I think they de-scaled a whole Mizutsune, haha!"

You let out a snort as you shake your head in disbelief gazing back out towards the two.

"I guess we don't call them 'The Wonder Twins' for nothing, huh?" You grin as Utsushi laughs out loud at your remark.

"I'm telling you, we should list them as one of 'The Seven Wonders of Kamura', it'd be great for tourism and sales! We could have merchants sell merchandise of them!" He adds in, eliciting a small laugh from you in return.

Suddenly, a wry smile appears on your lips as your expression suddenly changes.

"Speaking of markets and merchants... so... how are you and Kagero these days, huh?"

If it wasn't because he was a Master Ninja and quick on his feet, you would've sworn Utsushi would've fallen off the roof right then and there as he suddenly jolts up in place. However, he tries to play it off by shooting you a casual laugh and nudging your shoulder.

"W-What the heck are you talking about, ace? Kagero and I are just good friends!"

Your eyes narrow as a knowing smile plasters itself on your face, mimicing a Tobi-Kadachi staring straight at its unsuspecting prey.

"Oh really?" You chime innocently. "Then what's this?!"

As quick as a Zinogre's lightning strike, you quickly grab a hold of sparkling scale sticking out of Utsushi's mail and hold it out behind you as a look of horror appears on his face.

"H-Hey! Not cool, yo! G-Give that back!" He cries out frantically, but it's no use, you've already turned around the scale and read the name carved on the back.

His cries all but fall silent as you, smug as Diablos in a sandstorm, playfully twirl the scale around and let it come to a pause on its backside revealing the name "Kagero" carved in messy letters.

"Just friends, huh? I didn't know you declared your love at the Koi Festival to just your friends. I'm kinda butthurt you didn't get me one, Utsushi." You wink, eliciting a loud, embarrassed groan from Utsushi and he hastily grabs the scale from your hands and stuffs it back into his mail armor.

"Alright, already! So I like him, there! Are you happy?! Jeez, Ace. I swear ever since you slew Magnamalo and became the new chief, you're totally merciless, y'know! What happened to my super cute, obedient pupil I used to train, huh?! Where'd they go?!"

You suddenly raise an eyebrow and let out a small gasp as you look behind Utsushi.

"K-Kagero?! What are you doing here?!" You let out in a shocked gasp.

"WHAT?!"

Master Utsushi whips his head around in a flash as he instinctively stands up and you take the opportunity to sweep a low kick under his feet, sending him tumbling off the roof and into the water below. A wave of maniacal laughter takes over as you hold your sides, watching as Utsushi rises from the water, now drenched. He spits out a mouthful of water as he glares daggers at you.

"You're the worst!" He groans aloud, picking off seaweed from his spiky hair.

"And you've got it SO bad!" You bellow out in laughter as you shoot him a playful wink from the roof's edge."Hurry, Utushi! Don't forget to confess before the festival ends tonight to your beloved Kagero!"

Utsushi rolls his eyes as he shoots his wire bug out, propelling himself into the air as he passes you.

"Don't you dare let me ever find out who YOU'RE in love with, ace! I promise you, you'll never live it down!"

An amused smile rests on your face as you watch Utsushi zip through the roofs of Kamura before eventually disappearing below one. As you lean back on the roof and catch sight of the golden hues of sunset beginning to color the sky, a melancholic smile dances onto your face as you stare at the horizon.

Who I'm in love with, huh?


As the night settles in, Kamura's festivities are in full swing. As you make your way down the Steelworks, you spot a band of palicos playing music in the central plaza as villagers dance, drink, and eat their hearts out. Almost everyone is in a pair or holding onto a special someone, except for a row of young men sobbing their hearts out. The men all hold their heads, muttering "Hinoa" or "Minoto" as they eat their woes in dango, only beckoned further by a beaming Yomogi raking in her money's worth.

As you continue on, hoping to find a quiet spot to enjoy the festivities from, you find almost every single one of your favorite spots is taken by lovey-dovey couples. You could've sworn you even spotted your trusty palamute walking in tow with one of Iori's buddies as you rounded yet another corner.

After fruitless searching for a quiet spot, you decide to make your way towards the gathering hub, hoping to at least grab a drink to remember the night by. As you make your way inside, you glance over the looks of starry-eyed lovers lining the outside of the hub and you can't help but feel the tiniest prick of envy.

A sigh escapes you, but before you can take another step, a familiar voice calls out to you.

"Jo-ho-ho! Well, look who it is! If it isn't our beloved new chief!"

You turn your head over to spot a rosy-cheeked Hojo waving his hand in the air energetically towards you, seated next to a relaxed-looking Hamon who only nods at you in greeting.

"Come over here, hunter! Have a drink with us, why don't cha?!" Hojo calls out merrily, clearly already a few drinks into the night as he motions towards two empty seats next to him.

Hamon merely drinks from his own cup before turning towards Hojo with a scolding tone.

"I'm sure the new chief has much better places to be than drinking here with us, Hojo. Let them be."

You can't help but chuckle as you walk over to them, watching as Hojo turns to refute Hamon's statement, but as you draw near, they both turn to face you. You muster out a smile as you wave an order to the chef for a drink.

"Actually, I don't have anywhere else I need to be at all. I'd love to share a toast with you both!" You gingerly beam at them, motioning towards one of the seats.

Hojo's eyes seem to widen as he points towards that specific chair you grabbed.

"Ah, wait! That seat is-"

But before he can continue, you feel a strong arm drape around your shoulders from behind, as an unmistakable laugh rings out through the entire gathering hub. You look over your shoulder to see Elder Fugen boasting his usual fanged grin as he shoots you a smile.

"Well, well! Look who decided to take part in the festivities tonight! If it isn't Kamura's hero themselves!" Fugen belows as he playfully ruffles your hair. "How many scales have you collected tonight, squirt? Here to show 'em off to these old-timers?!"

You clear your throat, a light pink hue of embarrassment creeping onto your cheeks as you slip out of Fugen's grasp.

"Actually, I'm here for a drink. Master Hojo extended the invitation to me and... so I'd like to take him up on it. That's all." You state matter-of-factly as you grab the other chair and take a seat.

Not long after Fugen takes a seat next to you, beckoning the chef for his own drink as the palico slides two large ale-filled mugs down the table and into Fugen's hands. He grabs one for himself and sets the other in front of you as Hojo lets out a pleased laugh.

"Well, if that's the case, then let's drink! A toast! To Kamura!"

"TO KAMURA!" You, Hojo, Hamon and what feels like the entire gathering hub all beckon together at Fugen's toast, as clinking glasses of ale fill the air, drowned out only by the sound of laughing and cheering.


Several hours later.

You slam your mug down with a thundering sound as you let out a victorious cheer.

"I win again, Hojo!" You giggle, rosy cheeks and a playful smile now adorning your usually composed face.

"Jo-ho-ho...ho!" Hojo mutters out as he meekly slams his still half-filled glass of ale on the counter before falling off his stool and onto the floor with drunken laughter. You can't help but laugh as Hamon merely rolls his eyes before standing up, placing his mug down before grabbing Hojo up by the collar.

"Alright Hojo, that's enough for tonight. Let's get you out of here before you start imitating a Tentradon again!"

"W...what are joo talKing abOut, hAmon?! I... urp... am just getting... sTarted!" Hojo manages to chime out before falling back to the floor again, scaring two nearby palicos who rush over to attempt to help him get up.

Hamon lets out a sigh as he shakes his head, eyeing the completely drunken guild master with a frown.

"Jeez. You'd think at his age and stature, the fat bastard would know his drinking limits." Hamon mutters out under his breath, despite his cheeks also being flushed with a warm color.

His only answer is Fugen's laugh as the Elder slams his own now empty mug on the counter before turning to motion towards Hojo with a completely sober demeanor despite being several hours worth of drinks in.

"Haha! I think it's exactly because of his age and stature that he doesn't! Don't you remember how he was when the Rampage ended, Hamon? I'd say this is pretty tame on his part compared to then." Fugen laughs out, but Hamon only shudders at the thought.

"How could I forget? I had to wrestle the bastard into his house because he was set on going to the ruins to draw a live Bishaten at 4 in the morning!"

Hamon drops a pile of coins over the counter motioning towards the chef in thanks as he grabs Hojo's collar and lifts him up with ease, making the two palicos whom were struggling so hard to simply move him to fall over.

"Anyways, I'm gonna head out and see to it that this bastard doesn't go getting himself into trouble. Have a good night, you two."

"Goodnight, Master Hamon!" You cry out happily as you wave, watching as the blade master drags a drunken Hojo out of the gathering hub who has now started to sing.

You can't help but giggle to yourself over the silliness of the situation as you turn to Fugen.

"Master Hojo's kind of silly, isn't he? I didn't think he'd go that overboard. Hehe!"

"Hah! Silly is putting it too nicely!" Fugen laughs as he downs the last of the contents in his mug. As I watch him, a comfortable silence settles over the atmosphere. I look around to notice the once lively and bustling gathering hub has now been left empty with only a few working palicoes cleaning up from the festivities.

"So."

You turn your head to catch sight of a wry smile coming from Fugen as he rests his chin on his palm, staring you dead in the eyes.

"Wanna fill me in on why you spent the Koi Festival drinking and hanging around with a bunch of old geezers instead of an actual date?"

You feel your cheeks immediately flush in embarrassment as you once again clear your throat, quickly beckoning the chef for another refill. As a newly filled mug slides into your hand, you take a quick sip before placing it down and sticking your nose haughtily in the air.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about. I'm only here because I wanted to be here!" You state matter-of-factly, only earning a low chuckle from Fugen.

A few more moments pass in silence before...

"You didn't get a scale, did you?" He asks playfully, almost seemingly knowing the answer.

"What?! O-Of course, I did! I got plenty of scales! W-Who do you think I am?!" You refute, quickly taking another nervous sip from your mug.

"..Not even a single one, huh?" Fugen smirks as he stares at you.

You feel your frustration peak as you quickly put down your mug, before turning to cross your arms.

"Alright! I-I didn't get any, there! Are you happy now?!" You bellow as a dominant pout comes to rest on your cheeks. You hear a familiar chuckle resound from beside you as a warm, large hand ruffles your hair.

"Am I happy? More like depressed! What kind of a village have I governed all these years for someone such as yourself to have not gotten a single scale at the Koi Festival?" Fugen suddenly grabs from your drink as he pours some ale into his own mug and brings it to his lips.

"You know, if I was 30 years younger, I would have thrown a whole Mizutsune at you."

H-Huh? D-Did I hear that right? D-Did he just say-

"But you know, maybe you should start dedicating more time to putting yourself out there, kiddo. If you spend at least a quarter of the time you spend hunting on looking for a good partner... well, I'm sure you won't have to spend anymore Koi Festivals drinking with a bunch of old geezers like us." Fugen gingerly laughs out, beaming you a teasing grin as he places his now empty mug down.

Another wave of silence ensues as you feel your already warm cheeks heat up even more as Fugen's words sink into you.

But this time, it's not from the alcohol.

You clear your throat as you shyly tuck a small strand of loose hair behind your ear and look forward, refusing to look Elder Fugen in the eyes.

"W-Well... the truth is... t-there is someone in Kamura Village I have feelings for. I just... don't know how to approach the situation... and..."

You can feel your tone soften as you look down at your hands, now balled up in your lap.

"That and if... well, if they even remotely feel the same about me."

Silence follows. You look up towards Fugen to see the kind of expression he wears only to be struck in surprise as he lets out a giant howl of laughter that echoes through the whole gathering hub.

You can feel your cheeks turn crimson as you angrily turns towards him.

"E-Elder Fugen! Wh-Why are you laughing?!" You managed to get out. After a few seconds, the older man finally seems to calm down, wiping a few forming tears from his eyes as he looks over at you with an amused grin.

"How could I not laugh?! When Kamura's fiercest hunter is so merciless against terrifying monsters but so hesitant in the affairs of love! You have to see this to believe it, haha!"

You can't help but bite your lip as Elder Fugen lets out another teasing laugh. The aftermath of the many drinks in your system finally start to take effect as you feel your body begin to heat up, a sudden rush of confidence rising up your spine. And almost as a catalyst of that sudden urge rising in your chest, the sight of Fugen shooting you a wink while clearly toying with you finally sends you over the wall when he leans over and whispers...

"What's wrong kiddo? Palico got your tongue? It's not a crime to admit our weaknesses you know."

SLAM!

Fugen raises an eyebrow as you stand up straight, shoulders heaving and cheeks as crimson as a Volviron's coat as you turn to glare daggers at him.

"I-I-I've had enough of you teasing me like a child this whole night, Elder Fugen! I am Kamura's new head! The person you passed the ancestral blade down to! I-I will not be mocked anymore!" You shout at him as you turn your whole body towards him.

"If... If confessing my love to the person I care for is how I'll win your respect, then... then I'll do it! Right here and now!" You add, wondering and almost hoping your inebriaty doesn't wear off just yet, as if it does... you might never have the courage to do this again.

Fugen falls silent for a few minutes before he leans back in his chair, crossing his arms as a challenging smirk appears on his face, eyeing your reddened complexion. Though he knows you're way past your drinking limit, a part of him admits he's having a bit too much fun to stop now with your frazzled state.

"Heh. To have you of all people this wound up, this person truly must be something special. Alright then, tell me, brave hunter of Kamura. Who is this person that plagues your heart so?"

Of all the things Fugen was expecting that could happen at this moment, the last would've been the sight of you clumsily pulling out a glistening pink scale and deeply bowing your head while extending the scale out towards him. For a minute, it's almost as if his mind falls to catch up to the situation as he hesitantly reaches for scale with one hand as he scratches his chin with another, confusion painting over his features.

"What? You too shy to say it aloud? You want me to read the scale or something?" He mutters, turning over the scale, but his eyes widen as he does.

"I-It's you, Elder Fugen! For crying out loud! T-The person I care about most in Kamura... i-it's you!" You angrily shout as your whole body feels like it's under siege from a Rathalos' fiery breath.

You can only watch as Fugen's eyes trail over the scale over and over again as if making sure what's he's reading is real. But sure enough, you had hunted down your own scale, and on its backside was the neatly carved name of Elder Fugen while on its reverse was your own. As you take a seat, waiting for his answer... and any reaction from him at this point... you can't help but think how getting launched in the air by any monster you've ever slain in your life, has been more bearable than what you're feeling now.

After what seems like a lifetime, you only watch as Fugen's lips form a smile, yet his eyes remain clouded and unreadable as he places the scale down before turning to you.

"Is that so, huh? Well then, come closer." He says lowly, motioning towards you.

"W-Wha-..." You manage to squeak, taken aback by his reaction as an amused smirk crosses his lips.

"You heard me. Come here, hunter." He states again.

With a nervous bite to your lips, you take a seat again as you move towards Elder Fugen slightly. The warrior only chuckles as he shakes his head.

"Closer."

By this time, you can only play along with his demands as you lean forward even more, essentially a breath away from being cuddled into his chest. You can feel a shiver run down your spine as if a Barioth itself is at fault.

"Good." You hear Fugen whisper. "Now... close your eyes."

Hearing his demand, your eyes only widen as a bead of sweat trails down the back of your neck, but you relent and slowly close your eyes.

I-I've come too far to back out now, but... what does he plan to d-

Interrupting your thoughts, you can make out the sound of Elder Fugen himself closing the space between you and as you can feel his body coming closer to yours...

FLICK.

"O-OW!"

You immediately pull back in surprise as a strong and albeit painful sensation now radiates from the middle of your forehead. You open your eyes to see Elder Fugen staring at you with a particularly smug look as he crosses his arms.

"You know... the new of chief of Kamura should be better about knowing their drinking limits." He chastises. "You're lucky it was only me right now, but... you're drunk, hunter. Way too drunk."

Your mouth only falls in disbelief as you realize the implications of Fugen's words as a now sympathetic yet somewhat disappointed look flashes on his face with a troubled smile as he moves your mug away from you and downs the rest of the contents himself.

H-He doesn't believe me!

As Fugen slams down the mug, he wipes his lips with a smile as he throws over a pouch of gold coins to the chef, with plenty inside to cover the tab for the both of you.

"Now then, let's get you home before you start causing any trouble." He says, preparing to stand up, but a tug on his arm causes him to stop as he turns to look at you.

"I-It's not cause I'm drunk, okay!" You stutter out with blushing cheeks. "I... I admit I've had a few drinks, but... it's not just because of that. I... It's truly how I feel about you!"

Elder Fugen can only chuckle as he shakes his head at you.

"I know I look great for my age and all, but... I'm old enough to be your grandfather, Hunter." He chastises playfully, eliciting an amused laugh.

"AGE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!" You manage to shout, frustration now welling inside you. After holding onto these feelings for years and years, now, when you finally had the chance to come forward with them... he doesn't believe you at all?! The only thing worse than this was trying to take down a Diablos with an underdeveloped bow.

"Please, Elder Fugen! S-Stop... stop treating me like a child! You appointed me Kamura's new head and handed down the ancestral blade because you believed in my abilities as a hunter and a leader, right? So..." You can't help but bite your lip, knowing a permanently red hue has stained your cheeks by this point as you look up at him.

"S-So why can't you believe in me now too?" You muster out, locking eyes with him.

Fugen stares into your eyes for a few minutes, a whisper of an expression of surprise on his face, but just as quickly as it appears, it's replaced with his usual smile as he gingery laughs, shaking his head.

"...Heh. Alright, alright. I get it but come on... let's get you home. Maybe douse you in some water on the way." He trails off the ending as a troubled smile appears on his face as he turns around, almost as if trying to hide his face from you. "Jeez. Who knew you might give drunken Hojo a run for his money."

You slowly ball your hands into fists. An instinct flashing in your mind as you watch his retreating figure. Much like on a hunt, you won't let your target get away. You run forward at him until you close the space between you and grab onto his arm, motioning him to turn around in surprise.

"If you won't take me seriously, then I have no choice. I'-Ill make you!" You manage to get out, feeling the alcohol in your system cascade into a rush of confidence like the effects of a demon drug coursing through you.

All you can hear is Elder Fugen mutter a soft "Huh?" before you grab his chest armor in both your hands and close the distance between you in a passionate kiss.

Although you can feel him tense up in your hands, you refuse to open your eyes as your press your lips deep against his, hoping your actions will convey what your words have failed to.

But after a few seconds of not receiving any kind of reaction... you begin to feel your confidence come crashing down, as the realization of your actions quickly flash by you like a glowering Nargacuga.

I... I was out of line.

You slowly loosen your hold on Fugen's armor as your mind runs rampant with regret.

What have I done?

You can't bring yourself to look up at him as you slowly break the kiss, softly lifting your lips from his own as you keep your gaze down. But even as you do... he doesn't react at all. He only stands there, as still as a statue.

You can't help but stay close to him, only choosing to look at your own hands grabbing a hold of his armor as you bite your lip.

"Elder Fugen, I..."

Your words come out in barely a whisper but you finally catch wind of a reaction, feeling him flinch under you.

"I-I'm sorry... I was out of lin-"

But before you can finish your sentence, your chin is forced up and you're silenced by yet another kiss.

Your eyes widen and your mind fails to catch up to the situation, but your body reacts as you feel Fugen's arms wrap around your waist pulling you even closer to him as he swiftly turns you around and presses you into one of the walls of the gathering hub.

You feel his lips press against yours over and over with fervor, heat, and an almost insatiable sense of hunger as you grow dizzy just from trying to process what's happening.

In a second of brief respite, you manage to separate from him with dewy eyes as you push him back slightly, in an attempt to catch your breath. You look up between pants only to see his own eyes fixated on your lips and nothing else. They're the prey and he's the hunter and from his gaze alone, you can tell you won't be coming out of this unscathed.

As you barely whisper his name once again, he crashes his lips once again onto yours, leaving you with no room for respite as he presses his body deeper into yours, his hands traveling from your waist to down your back.

It's as if each place they trail, they leave the sear of a Rathalos' flame in their wake up and before long you find your vision begin to grow hazy.

"E-Elder Fu-"

Fugen eyes suddenly open as he catches sight of you falling into him, your body suddenly going weak in his arms. He easily catches you and holds you up, but your face falls against his chest as a worried expression crosses over his own, when suddenly...

*Snore*

You let out a low snore as you breathe in quietly. Fugen can only blink as he blankly stares at you now sleeping as sound as a baby on him. He lets out a low groan as he holds you up easily in one arm and brings his other hand to hide his face, burning just as crimson as yours was only moments ago.

As he takes in your now peaceful, sleeping expression, in stark comparison to the passion that was consuming the both of you just mere moments ago, he can't help but let out another groan as he casts his gaze over the empty gathering hub, as he mumbles under his breath, over his pounding heart.

"Man, I'm getting too old for this."


Light fills your vision as you slowly open your eyes to see the familiar backdrop of your room. Sounds of a bustling morning just like any other jolt you awake as you stretch and yawn, spotting your loyal, snoozing palamute not far away.

As you stare out towards a window, you can't help but wince, taking in the sight of a bright golden sun shining high in the sky.

It's morning already? What time is it?

As you attempt to shake off the shackles of sleep, you sit slightly upright in your bed, taking in your usual surroundings when a dull pain suddenly throbs in your head.

You grimace suddenly holding your forehead as memories of the night before resurface in your consciousness, one by one.

"That's right. Yesterday was the festival. I ended up drinking with Master Hamon and Hojo and Elder Fugen at the-"

Your eyes suddenly widen as you feel yourself freeze mentioning Fugen's name, as memories of the latter half of the evening suddenly begin to emerge.

You can feel your face light up in flames as you softly touch your lips.

That's right, I...! I confessed to him and then... then I, I kissed him..!

Embarrassment, regret, and doubt all begin to well inside you instantly like Magnamalo's blight.

And then..! Wait... what happened then?!

As you desperately search your memories for the answer, only hazy darkness is what you can remember from that point on. You let out a loud, frustrated groan as you slam your face into your pillow, loud enough to jolt your palamute awake.

What have I done?! To such an important person in the village and just after being appointed as the new chief to boot?! It's unforgivable!

Suddenly, a terrifying thought crosses your mind as you look over to a large blade resting against the corner of your room.

What... what if he takes back the ancestral blade?! What if he revokes me as chief?! W-What if... what if I get kicked out of Kamura?!

Feeling your situation only growing worse with every passing thought you fail to notice your housekeeping palico enter the room with a tray of warm food.

As soon as he notices you writhing about, he beams a giant meow as he catches your attention and waves over at you.

"Good morning, meowster! How are you feeling? Not too bad from your hangover, I hope!"

At the sight of your palico, you can't help but settle down a bit as you let out a sigh.

"G-Good morning. No, I'm fine... I..."

Suddenly, you turn your head in surprise.

"Wait... how did you know I was hungover? I didn't tell you where I was going last night when I left..."

You can only watch as the Palico meows in amusement quickly setting down a tray of hot soup and side dishes next to you.

"Oh, that's cause Elder Fugen told me when he brought you home last night. You got home pretty late and he said to fix you up some of this soup before you woke up. Said you'd probably need it!"

At the mention of his name, you can feel your cheeks go pink as you look over at your palico, brows knitting together.

"E-E-Elder Fugen brought me home?!"

"Meow! That's right! You were sound asleep by the time you got here. It was so nice of the Elder to carry you home personally! It's great to see such a sense of camaraderie between Kamura's two chiefs!"

You can feel your stomach turn into a knot as you cast gaze down at the piping bowl of soup next to you.

Chief? Forget being a chief! I'll be out of a home, friends, and a career at this point!

After a few minutes, your palico starts humming as he sets the tray in front of you and begins serving you side dishes, but your mind is far from being focused on the food.

"U-Um... did... did Elder Fugen s-say anything, by any chance?" You mumble out, hesitantly motiong towards your palico once again as you touch your lips.

Your palico turns to look at you with a curious expression as he raises a paw to rub his chin.

"Hmm... did he say anything? Mmm, no, not that I can recall in specific." Your palico mutters.

You can feel your heart fall slightly as you turn to pick up your chopsticks.

Suddenly, your palico meows in alarm as he quickly turns to you.

"Meow! Oh, wait! He did! He said to give this to you when you awoke."

You can only watch as your palico quickly hops over to a shelf and rummages through it for a bit before pulling out a small, worn leather pouch and handing it over to you.

"This?" You mutter, your eyes trailing over the worn pouch's tears and seams coming undone.

"Yup! Now if you'll excuse me, meowster, I'm gonna go ahead and get started on the morning chores. Do let me know how the soup tastes!" Your palico cheers happily before trailing out the door to your room.

Your brows knit together as you gently turn over the pouch that seems like it might fall apart any second.

"This? Why would he give me this? It's basically almost coming broken."

Just before you can finish your thought, you catch sight of something glistening from inside the pouch. As you manage to find its opening mechanism, your eyes widen as a beautiful, glimmering pale blue Mizutsune scale falls gently into your palm.

"A blue Mitsuzune scale?! This is an incredibly rare find, but... why would he-"

As you gloss over the scale, you suddenly realize that your name is carved neatly into the edges of the pale blue material. As you fingers trace over the markings, you can't help but quickly turn it around and feel your heart skip a beat.

Gently carved into the back is the name "Fugen" on the opposite of your own.

As the realization dawns upon you, you can't help but feel a smile break out onto your face as a warm feeling nestles itself into your chest.

Guess you didn't end up going home empty-handed after all.