Autumn Air

It was the first day of fall and Violet was in high spirits to start the season. In fact, the farmer was proud of herself for finally acting on her feelings and not preoccupying herself with negative "what-ifs." Violet felt a mixture of giddiness and disbelief that she and Sebastian had kissed at the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies. The atmosphere had been so dream-like that she almost doubted the memory.

The farmer smiled, deciding that she should text Sebastian so he was the first person she interacted with that morning. *Good morning! ❤ *

Violet immediately panicked upon sending the message, however. Was the heart too much? They just started dating. The thought of saying "I love you" had not even crossed her mind yet. Would Sebastian read into it? The farmer groaned and flopped back onto her pillow before she heard a chime from her phone.

Glancing toward the screen, Violet saw that Sebastian had replied already. Oh, no! Did I wake him up?! It was only six in the morning and Violet knew for a fact that Sebastian did not usually wake from another few hours. The farmer opened the message.

*Good morning :) * Oh, good. Violet sighed with relief. He wasn't mad. She allowed the warm fuzzies in her chest to blossom as she texted her reply.

*You're up early. Everything okay?* the ellipses on her screen pulsed, indicating that Sebastian was typing.

*I've got orientation today* He explained, then added. *I had a really nice dream, but I don't think I rested well* Violet flushed. She had been so exhausted when she got home, the farmer fell asleep as soon as her head hit her pillow. Violet felt guilty that Sebastian would be tired for his first day of class. *You're single, right?*

"Wait, what?" Violet was floored. Was he messing with her? That punk! Here she was trying to be cute with Sebastian and he pulls a stunt like this! *Sam and I are dating now. Abigail and I decided to share him :P * she countered sarcastically.

Sebastian seemed to get the hint. *So… last night was the real deal? You really want to date me?*

The pastel-haired woman was not sure if she was flattered or annoyed that Sebastian assumed last night had been a "nice dream." *If kissing you under the pier last night doesn't convince you, I'm not sure how else to do it* Even with Sebastian nowhere in sight, Violet felt flustered.

She pouted, tossing her blankets aside, and the farmer rose from her bed and got ready to start her day.

*You never actually said "yes"*

Violet laughed a little, despite herself. It was endearing to know other people could be just as insecure sometimes. *Of course I want to be your girlfriend, dummy* she assured him. *And while I'm sorry whatever plans you had to ask me out got ruined… I liked how things ended up*

*Me, too* Sebastian agreed with a smile emoji. *It sucks I don't have free time to hang out for a while* he whined. *It feels weird getting together and then not being able to see you for a few days*

*It's okay. I have a lot to do to keep myself busy* While the farmer was slightly disappointed, Violet knew that honestly the first few days of the season were the busiest for her. Hopefully the time would pass quickly and she could stop by to visit Sebastian on the days he did not have class. The pastel-haired woman smirked and decided to encourage her new boyfriend's academic endeavors. *And if you pass all your classes this semester, I'll treat you to sushi somewhere in the city*

*I can eat a lot, you know* Sebastian warned her jokingly. *I'm not sure you can afford me*

Violet thought to return his teasing with an easy opening for innuendo, but she also did not want to make the banter sexual when she knew she was not ready to take that step just yet. *I'm sure you're more affordable than Sapphire* She tittered to herself as she put up her hair and stepped outside to start clearing the fields for the season.

*You're dead to me*

*I've died so tragically young* Violet played along, pausing from cutting away the remnants of last season's crops. With the exception of the corn stalks, which were still alive and well, of course. *I guess you've got a zombie girlfriend now. Or are you more into ghosts?*

*I'm not really into rotting flesh, so ghost it is, I guess* before long, Sebastian added. *I would find a way to revive you, though. I prefer to date the living.*

*Such a high bar, I forgot to swoon!*

*That's probably for the best* Sebastian informed Violet. *You're kinda heavy from all that muscle working on the farm. I can't guarantee I wouldn't drop you accidently*

*I can't decide if that's flattery or an insult* Violet reacted.

*Let's just say playing volleyball at the beach was distracting and leave it at that*

Violet was thankful that Sebastian could not see her blush. *I have lots of work to do* she declared, excusing herself. Though it was not a lie, she had already used up plenty of precious time on the first day of the season. *Fill me in on how orientation went tonight, okay?*

Harvey was clearly unsuited for sailing; the doctor knew that much was certain the instant he felt the ship give way beneath him to a dip in the waves. The brunet only wished that Talla had not seen him in such a sorry state. While Harvey was a grown man, he was still embarrassed to be caught in a bout of seasickness, especially by his new semi-divine employer.

At least the teal-haired syren pretended not to notice his weak constitution. Or perhaps she was generally too busy to be aware of Harvey's actions. The demigoddess certainly had the attention of everyone aboard the ship when they boarded the ship initially. But Harvey had not seen Talla for some time now. Once she accompanied the captain to escort Harvey to his sleeping quarters the night before, Talla returned to the deck and dove overboard.

Sadly, the doctor was too nauseous by the rolling waves of the open ocean and the creaking of the old wooden ship to relax enough for sleep. Though, after he returned to the main deck to empty his stomach the first few times, Harvey did eventually fall onto his hammock out of sheer exhaustion and did not stir again until morning.

Though the physician did not see her, Talla's voice rang out, as if welcoming the new dawn in a language he did not understand. Harvey had become used to the haunting quality of her voice and found it a comforting, familiar sound. He stirred groggily, his head still in a fog as he pawed around to find his glasses.

From on high, a male voice cried out into the morning breeze. His voice was clear and strong, like birdsong.

"I'm doomed, my lads, I've heard the call!"

A collective grunt came from below decks as at least a dozen strong sailors marched in unison toward their respective posts, replacing the night crew who gratefully disappeared to claim their well-deserved rest. The mob sang in low, gruff voices in comparison.

"Plug your ears boys, or she'll drown us all!"

"I've never heard such a beautiful sound!" It was the first man singing again. Harvey quickly realized this must be a call-and-response song as he heard the steady rhythm of deckhands tending to their chores in time with the music.

"Plug your ears boys, keep those sails unbound."

"I see her swimming there on port side."

"Keep a movin' boys, maintain your stride."

"She's so beautiful, she can't be denied!"

"Keep a movin' boys, maintain your pride."

"Throw me a line, I'll reel her in!"

"Moments of bliss ain't worth drownin', lad."

"Shunning such a vision would be a sin!"

"A syren's sweet songs drive sailors mad."

Unfortunately, their song did not distract Harvey enough. The doctor suddenly felt the need to throw his upper body over the railing and retch for the umpteenth time in the last twelve hours. At least he remembered to take off his glasses beforehand. Still, he felt relieved that the crew likely did not hear his unpleasant bodily functions over the roar of their collective voice that continued to rise above the swell of the sea.

"Here, Doctor," Talla's voice coaxed the miserable man, shoving a canteen of fresh water into his grasp. Harvey felt a light touch to his shoulder and turned to see the syren standing on human legs before him. "Drink." If Harvey could have paled any more, he would.

"Th-thank you," he muttered in appreciation, accepting the water and sipping it gingerly as he leaned his weight on the side of the ship, resting his forehead against the wood smoothed over by years of wind and salt. There was no questioning now whether Talla noticed his plight. "You don't have to stick around while I feed the fish," he chuckled at his own expense.

Talla leaned on the railing, facing the opposite direction as she watched the crew with sharp eyes. "It is more that I do not care to be swimming near the ship when you are 'feeding the fish,' as you put it. Even if it is only a small drop in the vastness that is my Mother's domain," she informed her new business partner. "Besides, the crew is busy sailing to our destination. I would rather us arrive on schedule." Her gaze turned toward Harvey and shrugged, "If we speak, perhaps you will not be so miserable."

"I-I suppose," the doctor relented, donning his glasses now that he was not actively getting sick. The crew had moved on from the song he did not recognize to a well-known shanty on what to do with a drunken sailor. "That song they were singing earlier… Was it about you?"

The syren laughed, the curve of her mouth stretching unnaturally far in her human-like disguise. "I am unsure. It could be any of my sisters - or even my Mother," Talla admitted with amusement. "I do not care for most shanties involving syrens, but at least these men acknowledge that the chase can only lead to a cruel end for the mortal." She exhaled sharply in annoyance. "Some seafarers act as if we are nothing more than animals to be hunted." Talla leered at the open sea as she spoke. "Those men usually do not last long in our waters, however."

Harvey felt a slight chill from her tone of voice, but curiosity still got the better of him. "Well, your father is mortal, isn't he? That's why you're a demigoddess..."

His companion's lips pursed slightly before she decided on an answer. "He was… once," she conceded with a bob of her head, her teal hair shifting with the breeze. "But he would not be alive now if not for my Mother's grace."

The mustached man tilted his head. "You don't seem to care for your father much," he observed.

Talla shrugged. "He is a necessary nuisance, I suppose."

"How did they meet?" Harvey asked. To clarify, he added, "Your parents, I mean…"

The syren glanced at the doctor doubtfully. "The sea is everywhere. Mother simply took notice of him as he and his brother were sailing in a hurricane."

"So she saved them?"

The merchant pondered the inquiry. The color of the syren's sea-blue orbs shifted to a darker shade, as if a storm were alive in her eyes. "No…" Talla finally answered. "They made it through on their own. My Mother was impressed, so she granted them a single request."

"What did they ask for?" Harvey wondered aloud, trying to get Talla to elaborate.

The syren smirked, "Do you intend to ask my Mother to fulfill a desire as well?"

Harvey shook his head vigorously, denying the accusation. "I wouldn't dare!" he assured the merchant. "I was just curious…"

As she turned her head, Talla's curly hair fell to one side and her focus upon him made the physician anxious. "What would you wish for, Doctor?"

"Me?" the mustached man was caught off-guard by the inquiry. "Oh, I don't know… I doubt that even a goddess would guarantee that all my patients live."

The vendor recognized the truth in his statement, "True…" But Talla scrutinized him like a shark determining whether or not to strike. "Isn't there a dream you have been unable to achieve?"

Harvey considered the subject seriously for a moment. "I once dreamed of being a pilot," the medic shared with his fellow traveler, staring out over the open sea at the sky. He gestured to his thick glasses, "But you need perfect vision for that and I'm blind as a bat, so I decided to become a doctor instead. Patients don't mind when medical professionals need corrective lenses so much."

Talla seemed to ponder his answer before she nodded thoughtfully and changed the subject. "It seems the winds will be in our favor today." She observed the man in the crow's nest, who closed his eyes and inhaled slowly as the sea breezes tousled his wavy, sable hair. "Diode is in a good mood."

"You know that sailor?" Harvey inquired, tilting his head upward to watch the man as well. Despite his height, the dark-haired man appeared completely at ease. It was a silly question, the doctor thought. Of course Talla knew plenty of mariners as a traveling merchant.

"That man is no mere sailor," the syren tittered in amusement, as if she knew something Harvey did not. "He is a good friend of mine. Diode, the Great Albatross."

The crew's voices swelled in song with Diode harmonizing alongside them from on high. "That man…?"

Talla's sea-blue irises glinted mischievously. "Not human?" her soft chortle somehow still audible over those of the noises of the crew and the creaking of the old ship. "You will find that many of my associates are not mere mortals, Doctor." She patted him on the shoulder as she approached the mast and called Diode down to join them. The syren turned back to face Harvey as a giant white and black bird descended and in an instant, feathers yielded to flesh and the man Diode now stood beside Talla. The man's human-like face winked at Harvey. "There is much about the world to which most of the humans are ignorant..."

Violet got a lot more accomplished that she expected with Shane to help her. The husky man joined her about ten minutes after she got started, hauling all the tools from his guest cabin because he was unsure which ones would be needed for the work. The farmer made a rough estimate of how much space would need to be tilled for the season's crops and the two set to work. As Violet demonstrated what to do, Shane was a bit hesitant at first. But the new farm-hand quickly realized the work did not require finesse and found an opportunity to let out some pent-up frustrations.

"This isn't as bad as I thought it would be," Shane admitted, straightening his stance and wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Especially with help!" Violet agreed with a smile, tossing her farm hand a water jug. "This would have taken me at least twice as long." The woman with floral-hued hair took a swig of her own water. "To be honest, I feel like I'm getting the better end of the deal with you moving into the guest cabin."

Shane looked at her with a grave expression. "Violet, you literally gave me a free place to live so long as I spend a few hours a day watering some crops and clearing weeds. This is infinitely easier than working at Joja." The stubbly man looked a bit guilty. "I may not be making any money, but Marnie's still paying me a bit for doing stuff around the ranch. It's not much, but I'm kinda glad for the change of pace and a clean slate."

The farmer considered Shane's words. "Well, once I get paid from a business deal I made recently," Violet articulated as she thought of the funds Krobus promised her once she made the remaining majority of the mutant crops into wine and ale, "I'll be able to get you a coop to tend and a daily wage. So long as I get some eggs when I need them, the rest of the profits from the coop are yours, too."

Violet flashed an assuring smile at Shane when she noticed the surprised expression on his face. She wondered if he had not expected any payment at all for his help. Sure, he was living in the cabin for free, but from what she understood from Robin about the Agricultural Society's contributions toward building the house, someone needed to live there or they would ask for their money back. In Violet's opinion, the whole arrangement still leaned in her favor, even when she paid Shane for his help. Halving her farm work meant that she had more free time to spend doing other things, or spending time with friends… or her boyfriend.

The farmer realized that she had zoned out and Shane was staring at her questioningly. Violet brought her focus back to the original conversation. "Besides, when you win the mayoral election, you're going to be a lot busier doing other things."

Shane reflected on the farmer's words. "You… really think I have a chance?" he wondered audibly.

Violet beamed, "Of course I do! I think a lot of us are looking for a fresh new face to represent Pelican Town and make some changes around here."

"I'd hardly call my face 'fresh,'" Shane replied in rebuttal, but Emily scolded him.

"Now what did Dr. Lynn say about the self-deprecating jokes, Shane?"

Shane jumped and held his arms defensively in front of him at the sound of his girlfriend's voice and his wide eyes stared at her. "Emily! When did you get here?"

The sapphire-haired woman grinned. "Only just now, silly," Emily assured him, lowering his arm away from his chest and planting an affectionate kiss on his cheek.

A tinge of color painted Shane's face when he realized that Emily just engaged in a public display of affection in front of Violet, but he did not voice any complaint. Violet thought it was adorable and her smile only widened.

"I'll bet you're going to be late if you don't head out soon, Shane," the farmer realized Emily's appearance on the farm must mean it was time to head to ZuZu City for Shane's weekly appointment. She shooed the couple off her property with a wave of her hoe. "I'll get the rest of this, so don't worry. You've done more than enough to make the planting easier this season. Now scram!"

Shane left his equipment leaning against the farmhouse and gave Violet a quick "thank you" and "good-bye" before he and Emily disappeared along the trail off the farm. Violet wondered if Sebastian might blush like that if she kissed him in front of other people. Would she?

A slight chill in the air made her shiver, but it also reminded Violet of her promise to herself. Fortune favors the bold, she told herself. And if her decision to kiss Sebastian last night was any indicator, the farmer knew she would have to take more initiative in regards to her own life. Perhaps there was something about the beautiful, warm hues of the fall leaves, but Violet felt inspired to make some changes herself.

Sebastian loathed forced socialization and this first-year orientation was a living nightmare. He tried his best to remain on the fringes of his tour group. He could only handle so much school-sanctioned puns and pride for the shitty athletic teams. Sebastian had to admit with a name like ZuZu University, the prospects were grim at best, but it did not make anything better.

So far, Sebastian disliked his fellow students more. While there were definitely some sticks in the mud among them, with their freshly ironed clothes and their notepads, most of the students were just out of high school and tasting their first flavors of freedom from parental supervision. It was obvious in their suggestive attire - both men and women were showing off - and their experimental personalities. Sebastian nearly gagged at the phoniness of it all. Guys trying out deeper voices and flexing unnecessarily, some of the girls attempting higher, bubblier tones and pushing up against the guys on purpose. It made his stomach turn.

One blonde in the group immediately clung to him, noticing that he looked a bit older than the other guys and requested he buy her alcohol. Even after multiple attempts to politely rebuke her, Sebastian could not shake her off.

Honestly, Sebastian was convinced he would not be able to get rid of her if not for their tour guide. "Makayla, don't be a creep! He said 'no,' now leave him alone," the woman barked from the front of the crowd. The blonde flushed from embarrassment for being called out so publicly, especially because most would assume she had been trying to solicit him for sex, but she retreated to the center of the crowd so that not everyone could stare at her anymore. Sebastian sighed with relief.

Sebastian felt like a fish out of water with the age gap between him and his fellow first-year students. Even if it was less than ten years, the divide seemed abysmal - even more so since he was a commuter student and most of his classmates opted to live on-campus. While Sebastian was trying to pay attention to their tour guide, he kept zoning out from boredom. After getting a bit lost on campus while trying to find his advisor, the hoodie-clad man felt confident he knew the location of his classrooms. The only thing Sebastian felt worth noting out of the tour so far was where to find the cafeterias on-campus. Sure, the food probably was not great, but apparently he got a discount just for being a student and Sebastian had a tuition bill to think about now.

Lost in thought, Sebastian was caught by surprise when heard the familiar flick of a lighter beside him. Through his dark bangs, he saw movement. The programmer turned his head to find a young woman clad in a black leather jacket and torn, dark wash jeans beside him. Her earlobes had small gauges in them and her nose and eyebrow were pierced on the side closest to him. The woman's dark orbs watched him intently as she took a drag of her cigarette and exhaled a plume of smoke off to the side.

She fished an abused carton from her pocket and pinned the lighter against the box as she offered it to him. "You smoke, too?" she asked casually.

Sebastian felt a troubling urge to accept the offer. The scent of tobacco on his presumed classmate was tempting and comforting in this stressful situation. It could help him take off the edge. Maybe… He reached out his hand and his fingertips brushed the carton, but Sebastian stopped short of grabbing a cig.

He exhaled heavily and brought back his hand to rub the back of his neck. "I actually quit like two weeks ago," Sebastian answered in a strained voice.

The leather-clad woman shrugged and inhaled through the cigarette once again. "Suit yourself."

Fuck, that was close… Sebastian could not believe he had nearly undone two seasons' worth of pain, discomfort, and effort so easily. He had already replaced a lot of his clothing, sheets, and any other fabrics he could to get rid of the scent of tobacco that still lingered. Maru called it "carcinogenic residue," but whatever the hell it was, it was not going away anytime soon and that meant more drastic action. After all that, why did his fingers still instinctually twitch toward that open carton?

Sebastian scowled to himself and continued walking behind the rest of the orientation group. A few minutes later he noticed that the girl was still in step with him. "Why are you still hanging around?" he demanded grumpily.

Her attention flickered toward his face. "I'm in this group too, it's not like I want to hang with a grouchy old man," she snapped in reply. She pursed her ruby-stained lips in disgust. "Besides, I need to be in the back to smoke or Alyssa will get on my ass again."

"I'm not a 'grouchy old man,' I just… hate people," Sebastian huffed in a low voice, so not to talk over their guide, who was explaining the history of a campus building.

"Sounds like something a grouchy old man would say," the auburn-haired woman jeered, finishing her cigarette and stomping it into the concrete with the thick heel of her boot. "Well, even if you're an assuming ass on some level, thanks for not ratting me out," her gaze rested on his nametag and she barely stifled a snort of amusement, "Sebastian." She disappeared into the center of the crowd before Sebastian could defend himself. He felt his body relax a bit when he realized all the girls had gathered toward the front. The programmer exhaled noisily, releasing some tension from his muscles.

Why had that girl gotten under his skin so much? It's not like they knew each other. Though her style was pretty cool, Sebastian had to admit. He had always liked the biker look, especially on women. Did she have a motorcycle too? Hm… Maybe Sebastian would bump into her more often than he originally thought. It was then that Sebastian realized he had not caught her name.

It's not like I'm here to make friends. And hanging around her is only going to make things harder for me, he thought. The ex-smoker looked down as his slightly yellowed fingers. They were finally starting to fade and he did not want to ruin that. Hell, Violet had not protested kissing him so he assumed that his mouth no longer tasted like ash, either. The raven-haired man checked his phone to see the little heart Violet had put next to her first message this morning and it made the corners of his lips turn upward in a grin. If he got lucky, Sebastian hoped he could get out of here early enough to visit her when he got back to Pelican Town.

He checked his orientation schedule. It looks like after the campus tour was just icebreaker shit before the students were free to go back to their dorms - or in his case leave. Sebastian thought it was better to duck out before anyone else bothered him. He shoved his orientation freebies into his backpack and shouldered it quickly. Then, as the group rounded a building, he simply did not follow and turned back the way they came.

It felt like a breath of fresh air to ditch early. Yeah, there were still people everywhere, but he was under no obligation to interact with them. *I'm about to head back to Pelican Town* he texted Violet. *Do you wanna hang out for a bit tonight? It may be a while before I get another free night without homework*

*I'd love to hang out!* Violet stated immediately. *I'm just finishing up all the planting before I make a few kegs for Krobus' special alcohol* she explained. *Maybe we can add some of your radioactive water to some other crops this season, too? I'm sure Krobus would love them*

Sebastian smiled. He was glad that Violet and Krobus were getting along enough that she was thinking of ways to continue their business partnership. It boded well for the two of them getting along in the future as well. He laughed under his breath. Who knew my "imaginary friend" and my girlfriend would hit it off?

*Sure thing. I'll see you in an hour or so*

When he found his motorcycle again, he shoved his hoodie into his bag as well and swapped it out for his leather jacket to keep out the crisp autumn air as he rode.

Sebastian swung his leg over his seat to mount his bike, but paused when he spied Doctor Edge approach.

"It's a little early for orientation to be over," the older man pressed Sebastian, adjusting his grip so that his helmet rested under the crook of his arm. "You playing hooky before your first day even starts?" his grey eyes shone with a mixture of amusement and mild disapproval.

"I don't need to walk around a campus I'm not going to live on," Sebastian answered firmly. "I'm just here for class and then I go home."

Edge packed his side bag and smirked at knowingly. "So, how long have you been with this girl of yours?" he queried with a raise of an eyebrow, not even looking at Sebastian.

The new student paled. How the fuck did this guy know he was dating someone? Sebastian had not technically told his family yet. "N-not long…" he stuttered in response.

The engineer cackled at the younger man's expression. "I'm not stalking you, kid. Don't worry," the fellow motorcyclist promised with a genial wink. "I just saw you smiling like an idiot while texting someone just now. It's not like it takes a genius - or a doctorate, for that matter."

"I'm glad to hear that someone else doesn't think a doctorate makes you better than everyone," Sebastian said with a mixture of appreciation and annoyance.

Mounting his glinting silver motorcycle, the professor hooted heartily. "Anyone who tells you differently is either a pretentious asshole or selling something." Edge grinned mischievously. "I've had plenty of associates who couldn't find their way out of a cardboard box, but have advanced degrees. Some people are one-trick ponies and it shows." He shrugged, "But I'm sure you've figured that out by now." He pushed the kickstand up with his heel and started his Hayabusa, but yielded to Sebastian with a gesture of his hand.

"Try telling that to my stepdad," Sebastian complained, but his voice drowned out by the engine of his motorcycle. He gave Edge a wave goodbye as he sped off south down the road toward home. For once, Sebastian did not feel that sense of dread he always got whenever he left the city to go back to Pelican Town. He knew he had someone excited to see him waiting when he returned.

Author notes: I'm back just like I promised! Did you miss me? ;D

All my planning isn't quite done, but I'm not going to spend another month tweaking little things. I think I'm still on track and I'll figure it out like always.

Today marks the second year of writing this fic. I'm excited to see where another year takes this story. As always, happy reading!