The Road Less Travelled
Author's Note: Inspired by several anime films incorporating nature themes and/or examining the intersection between urban and natural spaces, most prominently Studio Ghibli movies. Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Rockman EXE series.
Summary:
Not even a quiet afternoon hike is safe from the noisemaker that is Hikari Netto.
"Tohru-kun! Over here! Over here!"
Hikawa Tohru picked up the pace, the heft of his daypack bouncing against the comfortable, dewy breeze. He drank thirstily from his thermos, swallowing in large gulps. It'd been a solid twelve minutes since his last swig, only because his excitable companion kept dashing ahead on his own.
"Slowpoke! Come and get me!"
Regret disbelieving her yet? he ragged on himself.
Sakurai Meiru absolutely forewarned him about Hikari Netto's extra reckless behaviour on vacation, like the summer prior, when she and Netto allegedly rode a flying carpet and evaded serial killers while the other members of their friend circle were off in various parts of the world, spearing sailfish, studying falconry, and learning to build violins. Netto, she said, would probably cause a scene again, and they'd end up lost somewhere nobody would find them.
Foolhardily, Tohru dismissed her concerns. Netto never kept it together, regardless of what time of year it was. He didn't think this afternoon alone would be any different.
How naïve he was. No wonder Meiru and Yaito couldn't stop snickering.
Even so, it was nice to step outdoors and unplug for a bit. Novel not having Rockman and Iceman around (in Rockman's case, to lecture Netto on everything his operator was doing wrong).
Their hike had taken them onto an old mountain road, and subsequently into the bordering woods. Netto swore he spotted a butterfly that looked at him funny (don't ask him how he came to that conclusion), and tore through the brush pursuing it.
"IT'S A BUG HUNT!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, waving a net and scaring the local wildlife.
Letting Netto have his fun, Tohru removed his socks and the three-sizes-too-big boots he borrowed from Dekao – stuffed with cotton gauze to fill in the gaps – then relaxed his sore feet in a stream.
He noncommittally spied Netto disappearing behind a cover of trees and reappearing a ways down.
The elusive butterfly landed on Tohru's nose.
"Tohru-kun, don't move!" Netto advanced, stiffening his neck.
Diaphanous wings dappled blue, the insect sprinkled pixie pollen onto the schoolboy's sensitive schnoz.
A childish taunt.
"BUG HUNTING!"
Netto trapped it. Trapped Tohru.
"Um…" he tried negotiating the best method for preserving his catch.
Tohru crinkled his nose, which the beastie still squatted upon. "I'm not walking home with a net over my head, so you can forget it!"