This one made me ponder for a good, long time before I FINALLY came up with this idea. I hope that I didn't totally bungle it "sweatdrops"
I do not own Senkaiden Houshin Engi or Soul Hunter, it belongs to the guy who made the manga, Ryu Fujisaki. So beautiful…
Fields of Orange Gold
By DayDreamer9
The sky was completely cloudless and a pale, yet so perfect blue, it almost looked like the sea. The air was nice and cool, not hot or humid like the past three months and filled with a crispness that seemed to permeate the very sunlight that drenched the fields below. It was so perfect that, for a while, the redhead hovering above the landscape thought about staying airborne for just a little bit longer, but he realized that he was late enough as it was and he needed to go.
Whether he wanted to or not.
Heaving a sigh, Nataku took off again, heading back towards home from his weekly errands, carrying the large object carefully in his hands. Fall was coming and winter would soon not be too far behind; the redhead gave a shudder, realizing that snow was to come in about another month's time. Eyes downcast and fixated for a while on the multi-colored trees below him, leaves already changing from healthy green to yellow, brown, orange, and red. Crop and other plants would sleep soon and the cold would come blowing back in, both memories making Nataku all the more uneasy as he looked away from the trees and tried to focus on returning home.
The fields are beautiful this time of year…he thought, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on his face, but the 'sleep' will come soon too…
He soon saw his home in the distance and increased his speed, lowering his altitude as he approached the boxed gray outpost. He soon found himself almost level with the walls, taking note of one figure in particular waiting for him behind the fortifications, waving at him with his trademark goofball smile.
"Yo, Nataku!" he called out as the other drew closer, "see you got back right on time. It's almost evening light."
The redhead shook himself out of thought and slowed down enough for reposition himself in midair so that he was 'standing' in front of Taikoubou, large round object in his arms.
"Was hard to find," he said, indicating to the 'bounty' he had in his arms.
Taikoubou smiled as he leaned over to look at the large, round object, even reaching out to touch it.
"We used to have a few growing in my…old village," he said, rubbing the surface, "nice to know that they're still around this region. This is great…and just what the doctor, or in this case, your mother, ordered."
Nataku looked down at the large orange object with an expression that was borderline exasperated.
"I still don't know why she wants it," he said, hovering over the fortifications and 'onto' the wall passage, "it looks so…"
"Weird?"
"Yeah."
"A plant commenting on a plant, eh?"
Taikoubou instinctively flung his arms around his head and ducked, expecting the other to start aiming, but after five seconds of not hearing the sound of death being charged, he peeked out between his fingers and saw that the red-haired doushi didn't even seem to notice. He was staring back from where he came, almost absently, looking over the sunlit field and the glow in the trees that framed it, miles away, yet still close enough to see and admire. He'd seen it many times in the past, but this time of day always brought on the best lighting that made the whole scene acquire a heavenly look. His arms seemed to slacken a bit with his averted attention, threatening to allow the large, round gourd in his hands to fall to the floor, but someone reacted fast and managed to grab it before it slipped entirely.
Startled, Nataku turned back…and realized that he was almost quite literally nose-to-nose with Taikoubou.
"Better not drop it," the older doushi warned, "if I remember correctly, these things make a really big 'splat'."
Nataku didn't say a word; he couldn't stop staring for a few seconds as the other removed the large gourd from his arms, feeling his face slightly warm up. He tried to shake it off, but had no luck, and opted for looking away. He'd been feeling this was on and off over the past few months and it was making him feel uncomfortable; just what was going on? Why did he feel this way every time he was with Taikoubou? He'd never been so shy before, but he always seemed to get that way whenever the older doushi stood next to him or came near him or even smiled at him. It made him feel strange, but not in a bad way; he actually felt content most of the time and even though the other could be annoying at times and exasperating, Nataku realized that he was slowly getting used to such things in his life and surprisingly didn't mind.
He was getting used to having Taikoubou in his life.
"So, whatcha thinkin' about?"
The question knocked him out of his introspection as he looked back over to Taikoubou, blinking rather owlishly in confusion.
"Huh?" he asked, confused gaze meeting a warm smile.
Taikoubou, with his arms full, inclined his head towards the field that he'd been looking at before.
"Saw you looking out over that field," he stated, watching the other curiously, "any particular reason?"
Nataku was silent for a while, thinking over what the other had asked him before gazing out at the beautiful scenery himself.
"I dunno," he admitted, shrugging, "I just like it…"
Taikoubou followed his gaze, looking out over the fields as the noonday sun dyed it a beautiful mix of orange and gold, making the green fields and trees like emeralds against a sapphire sky. It was a breath-taking sight and a true sign of the coming autumn months, one of the only times that gourds like the one that he was holding could be grown. That was the main reason why Nataku's mother had asked for one, so that she could make a welcome change to her normally herbal and flower garden…
A gourd that was the same color as the fields that his friend had just recently flown over, the same exact shade, like a true omen of autumn.
"Fields of orange gold," he mumbled, absently.
Nataku caught the phrase anyway and turned to face the other, whose stare lingered on the field just a few moments longer before he turned back and smiled at his red-haired friend.
"Well," he said, breaking the trance as he hefted the gourd in his arms into a more comfortable position, "we better get this to your Mom. Maybe she can make a pie once she gets all the seeds." With that, he turned to go, but stopped after a few steps were taken, something coming to mind from earlier, something that he'd noticed in his friend all week. "Oh, and don't worry about it…"
Nataku, who was floating after Taikoubou, stopped in mid-flight to stare at the back of his friend's head.
"Worry…about what?" he asked, puzzled by the abrupt comment.
"About the coming winter," came the calm, gentle response, "you'll be fine."
With that, he continued his walk along the Outpost's wall, the large, round orange gold pumpkin held securely in his hands. Nataku didn't follow, staring after his friend in a mixture of confusion and…another emotion. How had he known? He'd said nothing, had done his best to hide it, and yet the older doushi had somehow picked up on it. The redheaded Paopei Human didn't know what to say, unable to find the words, but he couldn't just say nothing…
He didn't want to…
"H-hey," he called out, hesitantly, "T-Taikoubou…?"
More than five feet away, the older doushi hesitated and glanced at the other over his shoulder, emerald green eyes catching the light of the sun, making them truly look like emeralds.
"Yeah?" he asked, expectantly.
Unable to say anything for a few seconds, unable to stop looking into the other's eyes, Nataku faltered for a few seconds before finally being able to find the words that he needed, wanted, to say.
"………………thank you."
"falls over" My God! I just keep cutting it close, don't I? But even though I think that this one was a touch bit on the sloppy side, I really am proud of it. I hope that you all love it and enjoy until it's November's turn…and I have a little surprise in store for you all in that one! "smiles" Tootles!