Purples and pinks flooded the sky in the first light of morning. The bright hues threatened to awake the slumbering people below, yet the dense forest of Upper Yard held strong, allowing its residents to rest. One of these residents, however, was already hard at work near the edge of the island's city. The elderly man stood, watering the small patch of pumpkins with a troubled frown.
Gan Fall's thoughts drifted until he heard soft footsteps behind him. Turning, he smiled slightly at the blonde girl. "Heso, Conis," he greeted. "I didn't expect to see you out here this early."
"Su and I couldn't sleep," she explained. The little fox at her heels whined in agreement. "When I noticed your gardening tools were missing, I thought I could come help you." Conis knelt by one of the pumpkins and lightly brushed a hand over its smooth skin. "They've gotten so much bigger since you moved them to the vearth."
The former knight nodded, but his expression darkened in concern. "Yes, the vearth has allowed them to blossom to their fullest. I only hope it will soon do the same for the people."
"God?"
"It occurred to me yesterday that the season of color has arrived. The vearth has begun to paint some of its life in reds and golds, which means this should be the time when both the Skypieans and the Shandorians harvest the year's crops." Gan Fall heaved a deep sigh. "While we have gained so much in the way of peace and community, I fear that our losses will be most apparent."
For a moment, Conis said nothing, reflecting on the home she and her father had lost to Eneru's hand. She was well aware of the challenges everyone was facing and she could only imagine the responsibility Gan Fall was feeling. As a leader, he had to ensure this time of stress wouldn't damage the relations between the two war-torn societies. "What would the pirates do if they were here?" she asked.
A warm laugh shook Gan Fall as he fondly thought of the Strawhat crew. "They would probably look past their worries and celebrate!" Just then, a thought struck him and his eyes widened. "Conis, I need your help."
Conis blinked in surprise. "With what?"
Gan Fall hurried to his tools, leaving his watering can in favor of his knife. "I will explain shortly, but first, we will need another pair of hands. What was the name of your Shandorian friend? I believe her opinion could be quite useful."
"Laki? I could see if she's awake yet."
"Yes, please do!"
The two girls were in awe when they returned. Despite having been alone for less than half an hour, Gan Fall had already made quick work of the patch. Most of the pumpkins were cut from their vines and stacked together.
Gan Fall grinned and waved them over. "I assume Conis told you of our earlier discussion," he said, "I wish to bring the people together in order to celebrate this year's harvest and what better way than to throw a party of sorts! I know it may not be much, but I thought we could use the pumpkins to create a feast for the occasion."
Conis gasped, overjoyed. "That sounds like a wonderful idea!"
"Laki," Gan Fall continued, "I was wondering if you could share any dishes that have been favorites during the Shandorian harvest. I recall your pumpkin juice being exceptionally good."
"You're right. That has been a specialty." She picked up one of the smaller gourds from the stack. "Roasted pumpkin seeds are also a favorite."
"Oh! My mother used to blend and bake them into bread!" Conis added.
Gan Fall stroked his beard. "And I have a delicious recipe for pumpkin soup."
"May I make a suggestion about decorations?" Laki asked. Gan Fall nodded eagerly. "Every year, we've taken smaller pumpkins and hollowed them out. Faces are carved into the front and then they're placed around the village to ward off evil. It's become almost a game for the children."
The three continued excitedly sharing ideas, exchanging recipes and memories in preparation for the festivities.
The treetops were bathed in an orange glow as the sun dipped below the horizon. Stars appeared one by one, but were hard to see near the city's large bonfire. The people of Shandora sang and laughed around displays of food and décor, all pumpkin themed. Congratulations and thanks had been given to the three organizers, all of whom remained humble.
"Chief, would you care for another slice of bread?" Gan Fall offered.
"Yes, thank you. Tonight has been absolutely splendid, old friend. Do you suppose we could do this every year?"
"I don't see why not!"
A little girl separated from the music, dragging two reluctant warriors behind her. "Laki! Conis!" Aisa called. "Come dance with Wyper, Kamakiri and me! It'll be fun!"
Author's Note: Being that I'm most familiar with the Funimation dub of One Piece, terms and names are written in their English form. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed tonight's story!
