This is just a series of one-shots only loosely connected to each other to be or not to be updated at my leisure. They're meant only to be a bit of fun. Remember, review and enjoy!

XXX

"Douglass," Kyle said as he entered the shop. "I understand you now."

Douglass looked up from where he was counting coins at the counter with a puzzled look. "Kyle, since when have we ever understood each other?"

Well, that was true, actually. Kyle used to have a mixture of fear and annoyance for Douglass. He hated the way the man would watch him like a hawk whenever he came within five feet of Mana, or how he forced Kyle to resort to meeting Mana clandestinely. At Kyle's wedding to Cecilia, the third worst thing said to him that night had come from Douglass. As people had come to congratulate the new couple, Douglass had said, "Thanks for not marrying my daughter. Have a happy long life…WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER!" Cecilia had handled it all rather well and patted Kyle's back comfortingly.

That only ranked below Gordon's epic laugh and promise that "You know how hard all that fighting, mining, fishing and farming is? Guess what? Marriage is SIX TIMES HARDER! HAHAHA!" That, of course, had been enough to scare Kyle almost senseless. He had been so nervous all that day about the wedding he had nearly put his clothes on backwards. It wasn't until Gordon once again laughed in his face and informed him that his hat, which everyone claimed was the traditional outfit of a groom but Kyle suspected was just another reason for Gordon to laugh at him, was on backwards that he corrected it.

Oh, and the second worst thing said that night came from Jake, who had approached Kyle with a murderous expression and swore that "I'll kill you six times with your own hoe if you even dare upset Ceci." Kyle thought a simple "congratulations" would have sufficed.

But now, after all those years of Douglass glaring at him, threatening him, flexing his bicep and promising he'd crush Kyle's head like a nutcracker, it was all coming together.

Kyle was going to says something else, but before he could, the door opened and his daughter pranced in.

"Hi, dad. Hi, Douglass," she said.

"Oh, Aria, coming to spend your allowance," Douglass said.

"Yes, I am. And I have extra allowance now!" She smiled and exchanged some money for a sleeping bag, which she set against the wall for the time being and turned to her father.

"If you're going into a cave, Aria, remember to take at least six recovery potions, that shield I especially made for you and a couple of herbs," Kyle said.

Aria made a face. "But the shield's almost as big as I am."

"It's for your own good."

"But it's all so unwieldy."

"It's either that or you won't be able to go into the caves at all."

She sighed. "Yes, sir. By the way, dad, it's the flower festival tomorrow."

Oh, that was right. Flower festival. Usually it was an event Aria didn't have much interest in, but now she was fifteen. And things were changing, and that meant the festival was going to be much different.

To Kyle, the mere mention of the festival made him grit his teeth.

"I need your advice on something," she continued. "You see, Leonel invited me to go."

It was Kyle's turn to make a face. "Why?!"

"Um, I don't really know."

"I mean why have a festival like that!? It's horrible. What, you have all the young people wasting their time staring at flowers and doing god knows what…There's gotta be a law against it somewhere."

"Oh, please," Douglass said. "I remember you asking EVERYBODY to that festival. You said it was your favorite time of year."

"Well, things change," came Kyle's terse response.

"Dad, are you going to help me out or not?

"Yes, of course, just tell me your problem."

"Okay, Leonel invited me to go. But when I was hanging around Tanya's Roy invited me to go. But then, even later, I was hanging out by the fountain Orland comes up to me and says something like 'Look, I don't have anyone else to do this with, so will you pointlessly watch the flowers with me?'"

"I see your problem right there. Boys. Now, what did I tell you? They're probably already turning around and asking three other girls to go. Because they're just like that, Aria!"

"I know. We already talked about this. But I need to go with someone."

"And why exactly? Can't you just do what you do every year?

"You mean ignore the holiday exists? That's sort of boring. I'd like to do something different for a change, and I don't mind if a boy invites me. My problem is that I don't know which one."

"Where did all these boys come from? It's almost like they're jumping out of the woodwork! They're like sharks or vultures, circling around, ready to pounce."

"HAHAHA! Serves you right, Kyle!" Douglass was pointing and laughing. "How does it feel? Huh!?

Kyle tried to ignore him the best he could, but it was hard, considering Douglass was so big and his laughter so loud.

"Which one should I take?" Aria said, as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"None. Tell them you're single and enjoy it."

"But I don't enjoy it. It'd be weird if I went to watch the flowers by myself. At least I'm asking your opinion on this, you know. I could just go ahead and not…"

Kyle sighed and said, "Roy's too old for you. Way too old. He's a nice kid…when he's not after my daughter…but he's too old so that's out of the question. Orland…NO. Leonel, well, if you must take someone, take him."

"Why no to Orland?"

"Are you joking? Can't you see for yourself?"

"I think he's nice."

At this, both men in the room laughed.

"Orland's about as nice as his father, which we both know means he's just sooo cuddly and wonderful," Kyle said. "As if I'd let any of Jake's descendents lay a hand on mine…"

"Kid," Douglass said. "There are other fish in the sea. Don't go after one as…I don't want to say jerk but I will. Don't go after jerks. You deserve more than them."

Aria blushed. "But—but I think—I think I'd like watching the flowers with him and all."

"Why not Leonel?" Kyle said, hoping she'd see reason. If she had to go with anyone, it might as well be the non-threatening and nice type…

"He's my good friend. But I really don't think I'd like watching the flowers with him as much as with Orland. No, actually, I think I know who I'm going with."

"NOT Orland."

"Yes, Orland."

Kyle closed his eyes, rubbed his temples and simply had to ask the question that was eating at him, "Why?! He's almost like a mini-Jake. I've never seen that boy take an interest in anything past his books. He's cold and condescending and rude to everyone…so why? Just answer me that."

"But you don't understand at all! When I'm with him, he's different. He smiles and all…and it makes me happy."

Kyle stared at her.

Douglass was on the ground, rolling with laughter, but Kyle barely heard him.

"Of all the boys…"

"Dad, there're three."

"Then pick Leonel, for the love of all! I like his parents. Dorothy's a sweet girl."

Douglass piped in. "Yeah, you certainly knew her so well, didn't you, Kyle? What was her favorite fish again?"

"How'd you know anything about me and—"

"I was watching you, boy, making sure you didn't make the wrong move. I know you fished char out the lake every day, alongside collecting gemstones for a certain person. It wasn't until you got married that I stopped."

"Oh, great," Kyle said. "Douglass, this isn't about my glorious past. And, Aria, you can date anyone you want who isn't Jake's son, a bigot, cold or calculating."

"But—"

"End of story. By the way, if you do date, I have to meet the boy first and approve of him."

Aria folded her arms and pouted, defeated by her tyrant-father. "I don't want to date anyone. I just want to…to go watch some stupid flowers."

"Flowers lead to other things!" Kyle said.

"What other things!?"

"Things I—I won't mention but do happen, don't they, Douglass?"

Douglass held his hands up. "Not getting involved. I have a daughter of my own to deal with. Besides, I've put all this arguing with teenagers behind me when Mana turned twenty."

There was a silence for a moment, before Aria kicked her feet, hung her head, and said, "It's not like he likes me at all, anyway. He said he didn't hate me but…it doesn't matter." She sighed, turned and walked from the shop.

"This is penance, isn't it?" Kyle said.

"Nah. It's just life." Douglass was already at the shelf, reorganizing the merchandise.

"Yeah, well, sometimes I wish these things were a bit easier. Why can't she go for the right type of boy? Or, better yet, skip the drama associated with all this dating stuff. I mean, it was like yesterday that she was just a little girl and now…" He made a face. "These boys are circling her like vultures around meat. I don't like it one bit." Kyle thought for a moment, then said, "Hey, teach me your secrets, Douglass. I want to make earthquakes, too."

This stopped Douglass cold and he turned, giving Kyle a glare that could wilt flowers. "What makes you think you are worthy of them?"

"Well, I didn't marry your daughter. And now I understand you and why you hounded me so much."

"Kyle, do you want to know my exact reasons for hounding you?" Douglass leaned across the counter.

"Tell me."

"There are seven reasons."

"Okay, what are they?"

"Rosalind, Mana, Alicia, Dorothy, Cecilia, Yue and Julia."

Kyle groaned. "I'll never live that down, will I?"

"Not for as long as I live. But, seeing as how you have a daughter now and seem to have ended your former ways." At this, he glared at Kyle long and hard. "I will teach you the tricks of the trade."

"Awesome. I'm ready to make earthquakes whenever you are."

"First you need to start an exercise routine that'll make you tough and pumped. None of this stick stuff you're pulling now. Look at ya, yer scrawny! Buff up, man!"

"I work the fields morning and night and wave around a sword almost as big as I am. Trust me, I am strong."

"But you don't look it. And that's all that matters. See, you need muscles like this." He flexed his massive biceps.

Kyle had to smile, remembering how intimidated he had once been by Douglass.

"You need to be so pumped no boy would DARE talk to your daughter, look at her, think about her…because you'll be there, ready to squish some teenage boy heads. And to get a good earthquake...well, first you have to channel all your anger and just let it out in a great burst! Like, this. BAM!"

Nothing shook, nothing happened. "Um, where's the earthquake?"

Douglass scratched his head. "I guess I'm getting a little rusty. I haven't had to use it in a while...what, with you married and all."

"Are you saying I'm the only one you used the earthquake on?"

"Yes, so? You were a persistent little twerp. Most of the others just ran away and hid under rocks like little mice if I so much as looked at them funny. Anyway, forget the earthquake, just flex your muscles and look threatening."

"So, what does this exercise routine consist of, anyway?"

"About two-thousand push-ups. But, for you, I'd say about five hundred."

"The things I do for love. Anyway, thanks for the tips, Douglass. I'll be sure to put them to good use."

Unknown to Kyle, Cecilia was standing in the doorway of the shop, listening with an annoyed expression. "Or maybe you could allow her to grow up and learn all of these things for herself," she said, hands on hips. Kyle turned abruptly as she continued, "She's a teenager. There's nothing wrong with her growing up."

"Shows how much you know about the perversions of teenage boys, Ceci. No offense, but it is for Aria's best interest."

"Kyle, please." She shook her head. Then she grabbed him by the hand, dragging him from the shop. She so hated arguing in front of other people.

"Bye, Douglass." He said as he was pulled through the door.

"Yeah, bye." Was the reply.

Now outside the shop and with no one around, Cecilia felt they could continue. "She's grown up, Kyle. Accept that. Please."

"No, seriously," Kyle said. "I want to make earthquakes."

She said nothing and looked very demure until she bopped him on the back of his head and walked off. He rubbed the bump. It sure did hurt.

But maybe he deserved it.

Maybe.

XXX

As you can tell, a lot of this hints at what could be an interesting longer story involving Orland and Aria. I'm actually toying with the idea of writing said story. It could be fun.