I am here by changing this story to rated T for FLUFF! Here it comes!
Chapter Thirteen: WHAT?
A cow. The common beast of burden that was domesticated by man. Good for meat, milk, and labor. However there are the few acceptations to thee common animals, because this particular cow had one other occupation. Bodyguard. The Harvest King frowned, completely calm even though a nine hundred pound enraged female cow was charging at him. The Harvest King raised his hand, halting Lemon in her charge. She levitated momentarily before he dropped her. She fell a foot from him, unconscious. Hikari pushed past him and dropped to the beast's side. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY COW?" she screeched. The King mentally cringed from her shrill voice. "I didn't kill her, if that is what you're asking."
Hikari glanced at the apple she had clutched in her hand. Its shiny red surface gleamed up at her invitingly. Ever since she was little Hikari could never throw something and hit her target, except when she was angry. She threw the apple, the red missile hit the deity's face with an audible smack. "You put my cow into a coma!" Hikari pointed down at Lemon's inert form. "Fix her, now!"
Humans were beyond confusing. The Harvest King was too shocked to be angry. He reached up to feel the already fading welt. "You struck me." He was confused, why was she lashing out at him so fiercely? A moment ago she was smiling at the gift he'd presented her. The Harvest King bent to pick up the apple, examining its bruised surface. Such a waste. "Do you not like apples?" he asked.
Hikari crossed her arms, resisting the urge to stomp her foot like a child. "You did some kind of hocus pocus on my cow and your asking me about apples?" "Why are you so angry then?" he said to her, his agitation showing in his eyes. Hikari was about to release the full force of her rant, till she finally realized. His eyebrows lowered over his eyes in confusion. He truly didn't know what the cause of her anger was. "Fix her." Hikari repeated. The Harvest King passed his hand over the air above the cows head. Lemon's eyes slowly opened. She leaped up, startled by the change of events. Hikari grabbed the Harvest Kings hand and placed it on Lemons head. "He's ok Lemon."
The cow eyed him wearily, her brown eyes then softened in recognition. The beast bumped her head against his leg in affection. He stroked her head gently. Hikari was looking at him in question. "She didn't recognize me at first. But now that she has felt my energy she is a peace. She is very protective of you, especially weary of males." He explained. "Are you still angry?" he asked.
Hikari took the bruised apple from his hand and held it gingerly. She swallowed her fear and raised a tentative hand toward. She placed her fingers on his cheek where the welt had once been. "I'm sorry." She said. Hikari expected him to pull away or smack her hand; instead he reached up to engulf her hand with his large one. He trailed his fingers slowly across the back of her hand, making those little butterflies dance inside her. "It's a strange thing. In all my time existing on this Earth, I never had much contact with humans. It's an odd sensation to feel skin." He said.
Hikari felt her throat run dry, her cheeks flaring red. "You've never felt your own skin?" she asked. The Harvest King shook his head. "I mean skin against skin; it's an oddly pleasant sensation." He said innocently, not comprehending the other meaning of his words. Oh My Gosh. Hikari nearly died of embarrassment. "You have no idea what you're saying!" She tried to pull her hand away but he held her in place. "I'd wager the thoughts in in your head aren't so different from my own." He said an absolutely evil grin on his face. One that meant he was up to no good. Hikari felt those annoying bugs in her stomach whirl like a hurricane, her heart beat sounded loudly in her ears. After a brief moment of silence he spoke. "What is this?" He hissed through clenched teeth. His head lowered slightly, eyebrows lowered over hurt eyes in pain.
Before Hikari could ask what he meant, a voice broke the morning calm. "Hikari!" It was Chase, waving and yelling in greeting. A burst of warm air flashed across Hikari's skin, the warmth under her fingers vanished. She looked to see empty space where the Harvest King once stood.
Lemon jumped back in surprise, the being that was the newest object of her affection was gone. Lemon turned her head in response to the shrill sound of a human yelling. So he was to blame. Lemon ran down the road at Chase, not intending to hurt him but to vent her anger at the intruder.
Hikari stifled a laugh as Lemon chased Chase. He ran with fright, running faster than Hikari gave him credit for. She smiled evilly, waiting a few moments to call Lemon back.
The Harvest King was once again atop the mountain. He was angry at himself. He despised humans, so why had he gone to her and given her something. He didn't quite understand. He just knew he had felt genuine joy when she had accepted gift. The Harvest King also noted the advanced pace of his heart when she touched his cheek. It did it again as he thought about the moment. He shook his head in frustration. What was it about her that stirred him so? Just as he felt joy in her existence he felt hatred that he was changing. She was changing him. The Harvest King shook off the disturbing thoughts. I am the Harvest King, Giver of Life, Holder of Sun. I will not be swayed.
When Chase had arrived he wasn't expecting an angry black dairy cow to Chase him all around Castanet. When the cow finally did back off he slowly made his way to an irritated looking Hikari.
Chase had come to help Hikari with her chores, still convinced that she couldn't handle them on her own. So Hikari exacted her revenge by working him to the bone. She made him water and weed her crops, and then she made him herd her animals outside. Hikari was calmly cooking inside when she heard his muffled curses of frustration. Smiling with grim satisfaction Hikari called him inside for a break. Chase shut the door behind him and slumped into a chair. "I hate chickens." He muttered. Hikari turned to him with a smile. "Omelets?" She asked, feigning innocence. He glared at her over his arm. Hikari turned to her cooking, still smiling. "Are you ok?" Hikari looked over her shoulder to see him watching her intensely. "I'm fine Chase." Hikari said while reaching for a bowl of tomatoes she had previously sliced.
"When women say 'its fine' it means everything is not fine." Hikari shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever read what you want from it?" She placed a plate of stir fry in front of him and an omelet down for herself. Hikari finished her breakfast quickly, getting up and out the door before Chase could stop her. "If you're going to help me you have to hurry." She yelled back, flashing her teeth in an amused grin. Hikari made her way over to her small orchard. Chase quickly followed after her and helped her to gather her oranges. One apple tree stood in the corner and Chase picked it before Hikari could do it herself. He held a shining apple in his hands and prepared to drop it into the shipping bin. Hikari snatched it midair before it could fall.
Chase jumped back in surprise. "Don't you want to sell it?" He asked. Hikari took it in her hands and rubbed it with a slightly guilty expression. She looked up at Chase, then back at the apple. "No… I have a better use for it." She said. "Is it for someone?" Chase asked with suspicion. Hikari took ten seconds to long to answer. "No!" she yelled sheepishly. She looked around as if someone was watching her commit a crime and stashed the apple in her rucksack. "You want some oranges?" She asked in an attempt to distract him. Chase allowed the topic to change, but inside he didn't let it go.
Hikari waved goodbye to Chase, who was walking away with some of her best oranges. He was too sharp for his own good. Hikari didn't move until he was completely out of sight. She quickly called Lemon over and mounted her. The cow set off at a steady pace, still careful of Hikari's injury. When she made it to the mountain base she had to actually convince the beast that it was impossible for her to come with her. Hikari gave a quick glance around the mines and pressed the tablet, the runes glowed in response. With a swift gut wrenching spin or the world, she arrived at the mountain top. The Harvest King was there, calmly watching the land below as he always did. Hikari slowly made her way over to him, nervous because of this morning's encounter. She waited for him to speak. She cleared her throat, he studiously ignored her. Hikari was tempted to try her aim with an apple again but decided against it. "Harvest King?"
He heard the sound of her voice when she spoke, reminding him of water trickling over stone. He couldn't maintain anymore contact with this human. She walked up to his side, saying his name again. He kept his mind void of her voice, focusing on the energies of the world below. He couldn't ignore hers though; it was a soft blue flame that burned beside him. The human moved in front of him. "Harvest King!" she yelled into his face. When she reached to touch his arm her sent a small flare of power into his aura. She yanked back with a muffled curse, her fingertips burnt. "What was that for?" She yelled, glaring up at him.
The Harvest King didn't respond, acting as if she wasn't even there. "Why are you doing this?" she said, hating that her voice cracked. He still didn't look at her. Hikari had never been made to feel so useless by somebody else, and he hadn't even said anything, completely ignoring her. "Are you angry about this morning?" she asked. No response. She clutched the shining red orb in her hands, the fingers of her right hand throbbing in pain. "Answer me!" Hikari despised the tears that burned in her eyes; she angrily dashed them away with her fingers. "You are such an ass! Fine stay up here with your rocks!" She threw the apple onto the ground with enough force to smash it into a pile of mush. "No wonder you're always alone!" She pushed past him roughly. He glanced down as she passed, seeing the tears streaming down her pale cheeks. He didn't reach for her, didn't speak and words of apology or comfort.
With that she left, returning to the mountain base and refusing the worried attentions of Owen when he saw her crying. She hopped on Lemon, not meeting the sad cow's eyes. She used to be confident in herself, not caring what anyone thought. So why did his ignoring her hurt so much? She again tried to stop the hated tears, but they kept falling.
The Harvest King watched her leave, her blue aura growing smaller as the distance between them increased. It was better this way; he couldn't have a human meddling in his affairs any longer. But he couldn't ignore the pain that was rising in him. With her gone the old pain was coming back, biting and burning. But the pain from seeing her cry, and being the one to cause it, stung the most and cut the deepest.