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Chapter Text

Ishimaru Kiyotaka's life was unfulfilling and tiring. He worked a job that just added to his sadness, and he had failed at becoming Prime Minister as his grandfather wished.

He needed a break from the noisy city, the high expectations of his elder.

That's why he moved to Hope's Valley.

When his sweet grandmother passed, she had left her old farm to him. It took him a while, but eventually he decided to take up her on the offer.

The farm was rather overrun, a result of not being cared for in a long while. That was okay, though. With a bit of hard work, he would get this farm up and running in no time!

When he arrived, he was met at the bus stop by the mayor, Kirigiri Jin, and his daughter, Kirigiri Kyoko.

The mayor seemed like a pleasant man, as did his daughter, though she was quiet. She gave him a gift of parsnip seeds and sent him on his way.

His first day on the farm, he decided to get a bit of work done before he headed out to introduce himself to the townsfolk. Planting and watering all of his crops, cutting down trees and breaking open rocks left him a bit tired, but he got resources and more land out of it, so it was worth it!

He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he decided to hit the town. The second he entered the small village, he was greeted by two people - a tall, muscular woman, and a shorter, energetic woman.

"Oh my gosh, hi!" The shorter bounced towards him excitedly, "You're the new farmer guy, right?"

"Ah, yes, I am! Ishimaru Kiyotaka, it is a pleasure to meet you!" He bowed to them.

"I'm Asahina Aoi, buuuuuut, you can just call me Hina!" She smiled, "I'm kinda bad with names, soooo, you mind if I just call you Taka? We already have a Kiyo around here, so that'd get confusing!"

"Oh, yes, that would be fine!" He smiled in return. The taller approached him, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Ishimaru-kun. I am Ogami Sakura."

"Ah, you can call me Taka as well, if you'd like, Ogami-kun!"

"Well, then it's only fair if you call me Sakura, isn't it?" 

"I... suppose it is!" The farmer chuckled. Hina grabbed onto Sakura's arm, "I guess you've gotta introduce yourself to everyone, right? I'm kinda sad that we can't hang out more, but... we can meet up later!"

"Ah, yes, that would be lovely!" Taka nodded. "We can meet at the Saloon! Alot of us go there, so it'd be perfect to meet everyone!" She beamed.

"That's a wonderful idea, Hina!" The farmer agreed. "We can see you around 6 then, yeah?" The tanned girl proposed. "That would work well." He agreed. "Alrighty! See ya later!" The trio waved to each other as they parted ways.

Kiyotaka spent the next few hours going around town and introducing himself to the villagers.

He met the eccentric Yamada Hifumi and his "lady", Celeste. They seemed nice, even if Hifumi was loud and Celeste was a bit unnerving. Then, there was Shinguji Korekiyo and Fukawa Toko, the quiet, introverted characters that he met in the library. He didn't speak much with Toko, but they both seemed fine. He assumed they just needed to warm up to him.

He met with Naegi Makoto and Komaru in the Lucky Clover store, where they were talking with Togami Byakuya. The siblings were very nice and welcoming to him, whereas Byakuya didn't say much to Taka, and appeared rather rude. He could understand, though - he was a stranger, after all.

There was also the musical trio of Kuwata Leon, Maizono Sayaka and Mioda Ibuki. They were joined by Nidai Nekomaru, who they referred to as "Coach", and Owari Akane. They all were very nice to him, well, except Leon, who seemed a bit wary of him.

The day seemed to fly by, and with a glance at his watch, he realised it was almost time to meet Hina and Sakura, so he walked to the Saloon with a quickness in his step.

"Ah! Good day, my fine sir! You must be that new farmer!" The short, chubby man at the counter greeted, putting down the cup he was cleaning and jogging over to shake his hand.

This drew attention from some of the other customers. This was when he met the tipsy Soda Kazuichi, the loud Iruma Miu and the much more respectful Kiibo.

"Oh, Taka! Hey!" Hina waved to him from a table in the corner. He smiled as he went to sit with her and Sakura.

Talking with them was pleasant, the majority of the townsfolk he had met were nice people, but he couldn't shake the thought that they were judging him. Talking about him behind his back.

He wondered if they would truly accept him.

Honestly, they were all still strangers to him. He didn't know how they felt or what their beliefs were. He just had to hope that he wouldn't have to feel the same way he did back in the city.

"Oh my, look at the time!" He exclaimed as he looked down at his watch. He stood and bowed apologetically, "I'm sorry to cut our conversation short, but I should probably leave."

"That's perfectly fine. It is getting rather late, after all." Sakura nodded in understanding. "Yeah, what Sakura said!" Hina smiled, "You probably have to get up early to take care of your farm and all that, right?"

Taka nodded. "Well, we'll probably see you tomorrow!" Hina jumped up to hug him, taking him by surprise, but he chuckled and awkwardly returned the hug.

"Night, Taka!" She and the taller woman waved to the farmer as he left. He sighed as he opened the door, feeling the cold breeze of the night against his skin, and-

"Hey! Watch it, ya fuckin' idiot!"

He heard someone yell as he smacked them in the face with the door, falling back onto the concrete.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry!" He exclaimed, scrambling to help the man up.

"Don't fuckin' touch me!" The man snarled, pushing him away and getting to his feet on his own, "Ya fuckin' blind or somethin'!?"

"Well, I couldn't exactly see you through the door-" Taka argued, but the man grabbed him by the collar. "You think yer smart, huh!?"

"Mondo, let him go!" He heard someone else say. Reluctantly, the taller let him go, shoving him with a grumble.

It was then that Taka could examine his features. This man, Mondo, was taller than him, about 6'2. He was well built, as proven by his large, muscular chest, partially visible through his white shirt. He had messy hair, predominantly a light brown, that was short but relatively long on the top. His skin was tanned, and his eyes a beautiful lavender, though they were brimming with rage, like a storm.

Despite his annoyance, Taka couldn't help but stare for a moment. This man was...

...

No.

He shouldn't be like that.

...

He realised he was probably staring for a bit too long, as "Mondo" gave him a confused, enraged glare and retreated into the Saloon.

"I'm sorry about him... That's just how he is..." The smaller sighed. This was a shorter, meek man, dressed quite formally.

"Apologise, you're that farmer, right?" He asked.

"Hm? Oh, yes! Ishimaru Kiyotaka! But, please, call me Taka!" The farmer snapped out of his thoughts, extending a hand.

"I'm Fujisaki Chihiro. It's a pleasure to meet you, Taka." The shorter smiled, shaking his hand, "Again, sorry about Mondo..."

"It's fine, really! It was my fault." He assured.

"It wasn't really..." Chihiro muttered, "Oh, by the way, if you ever need anything to do with animals, our farm is right below yours! We're open from 7 til 10, so just drop by whenever!" He beamed.

"Ah, thank you!" Taka smiled back.

"Chi, hurry up, will ya?" Mondo urged, annoyed. "Ah, sorry, I've gotta go... I'm sure we can talk more tomorrow!" The smaller said as he hurried inside the saloon. Taka bid farewell to him, sighing as he headed back to his farm.

His life was very different now, and hopefully it would only get better from here.

Chapter Text

Kiyotaka had made a habit of spending his mornings tending to the farm before heading into the town. He was more than content with how it was coming along, a result of hard work and dedication, of course.

It was about 10 A.M when he hit the town, rather tired from all the work. He saw Mondo trudging along, looking tired, and he decided to greet him. "Good morning, Owada-kun!" He waved with a smile.

"Go away." He growled, not even sparing him a glance. The farmer frowned, but he supposed that was understandable. They didn't really know each other, and he did hit him in the face with a door... accidentally, of course!

... He should probably apologise for that.

He sighed as Mondo sped up his pace and walked away, and decided to make his way to Chihiro's ranch.

A bell above the door rang as he opened it, and Chihiro immediately turned to face him. "Oh, Ishimaru-kun! Hello, did you need anything?"

"Well, I just had a question for you, Fujisaki." He scratched the back of his neck, "Do you, erm... Do you know what Owada likes?"

The smaller blinked at him, before a small smirk made it's way to his face. "Oho? Got a little crush on the tough guy, eh?" He giggled.

"Gah! No, of course not!" Taka felt his face heat up. "Don't worry, I'm only joking!" Chihiro laughed at his reaction.

"I only wanted to know because, well... I thought I should apologise for what happened yesterday." Taka admitted.

"Oh, that?" Chihiro hummed, "Well, he does like a good pizza. But, don't take it to heart if he's rude to you. He's just like that, really." He told him.

"Ah, yes, he is... In any case, thank you for the advice!" The ravenette smiled. "He's at work right now, but we go to the saloon together at 8!" He said.

"That does seem to be a popular place, hehe..." Taka chuckled, "Well, I suppose I'll be off. You probably have work to get on with, and I still have a few people to introduce myself to!"

"You should probably get on with that then." Chihiro smiled, "I guess I'll see you in the saloon later then, yeah?"

"I suppose you will!" The farmer said as he walked to the door. "Oh, by the way, Taka?"

"Hm?"

"You can call me Chihiro, y'know?"

"Well, if you call me Taka, I suppose it's only fair, Fuji- erm, Chihiro!" The farmer admitted.

...

He spent the rest of the day going around town, introducing himself to any residents he may have missed the day before. They were definitely a... colourful bunch.

As the sun was starting to set, he decided to head into the Saloon. Alot of others had started gathering there, anyway.

'How can Hanamura-kun keep up with all of this?' He pondered.

He ordered a pizza for Mondo, who he saw walk in with Chihiro. Teruteru handed him it to him about 10 minutes later, offering him a discount that he didn't accept.

He took a deep breath as he went over to Mondo, who was watching Chihiro and Leon play pool. 

"Erm, Owada?" He cleared his throat. Mondo looked over and scowled, "What do you want now?"

"Well, I just wanted to give you this..." Taka presented him with the pizza box, and his eyes seemed to light up momentarily.

"I thought I should apologise for yesterday... You know, smacking you with the door..." The smaller said.

"Tch. Fine, I'll accept your damn apology. Now, go away." He grumbled, taking the box. 

"Oh, be nice, Mondo!" Chihiro scolded. "Hey Taka! Fancy a drink? I'll buy it for ya!" Leon called over to him.

"Oh, that's kind of you, Kuwata-kun, but I'm not much of a drinker." The farmer politely declined. He stepped back slightly as Mondo glared at him, and his foot moved a can.

He looked down, seeing the discarded beer cans around Mondo's feet.

"Goodness... You should drink responsibly!" He said. Mondo rolled his eyes, "Shut up... Who the hell hangs out in a bar just t' complain that we're drinkin'?"

"Mon!" Chihiro slapped his arm. "What? I'm right!" The taller grunted. As they began to bicker, Taka decided to take his leave.

He wasn't quite sure what he expected, but he thought Mondo would be a little nicer...

He frowned and went to slink away, heading back to his farm.

Chapter Text

Kiyotaka awoke to another sunny Spring day, feeling rather upbeat and energised as he tended to his farm. He watered his crops, as per usual, noticing how they were nearly ready for harvest.

Time seemed to fly by, it was nearly 10 before he'd even noticed. But as he was about to head out to town, he noticed something...

He'd been neglecting his mailbox. The letters were staring to build up. He felt a tiny pang of guilt, so he decided to read them. What if his family had been writing to him, and he'd been ignoring them?

He took out the letters and began reading them. The first was a letter from Mayor Kirigiri, simply to tell him about a few events that were coming up and to wish him luck with the farm.

The second was one from someone he didn't think he'd met yet. The town was bigger than he'd expected... This person, who was apparently named "Kuzuryu", mentioned that he knew a man who could upgrade his tools for him, should he choose to have that. He'd definitely keep it in mind.

The last... Was from his father, Takaaki. He opened it quickly, hoping he wouldn't start to tear up at the thought of his dear father.

"My dear Taka, 

I hope you're doing well so far on the farm. I know I wouldn't be of help, I don't know the first thing about farming. But I'm sure you probably know what you're doing. You always were a bright one, just like your grandma and your mother.

Your grandfather's been up in arms about you leaving, but we don't care about him. Unfortunately, it's been a while since I've heard from your brother...

Ah, I'll cut this short, otherwise I'll be sending you an essay in the mail. Be well, my dear boy, don't hesitate to visit if you ever want to. You're lucky the city isn't far.

- Dad."

He wished he hadn't cut it short, he wished to hear more. Well, he could always write to him.

...

He decided to head into town, checking for any residents he may have missed, catching up on the ones he knew. However, it wasn't long before he stumbled upon his Mayor. He was standing before a dilapidated building, looking disappointed. Kyoko stood with him.

"Mr. Kirigiri?" He approached the older man.

"Ah, Farmer Ishimaru." Jin nodded in his direction. Kyoko looked at him, her arms crossed.

"What's this?" Kiyotaka asked curiously.

"The old Community Centre." The purple-haired girl responded, "It's become run-down as of late, as you can see. It's sad, really."

"Yes... There's talk of knocking it down." Jin admitted, "Here, I'll show you inside." He unlocked the door (giving it a push as it was jammed), letting him inside, "To think this place used to be so full of life..."

Kiyotaka frowned, "It's a shame. I'm sure people enjoyed this place."

"They did, quite a lot." Kyoko nodded, "I hope there is some way to restore it..."

As she continued speaking, Kiyotaka accidentally zoned out, as some movement caught his attention. Suddenly, something small, round and green in colour appeared, like a sentient apple. It waved at him, seeming to want to catch his attention. It made him jump slightly.

"Ishimaru-kun?" Jin put a hand on his shoulder, looking concerned, "Are you okay?"

"Ah, um, yes..." He nodded, looking down at the floor in slightly embarrassment, "I just thought I saw something, that's all."

"Probably a rat." Kyoko shrugged.

"Yeah..." The farmer agreed.

With that, the trio took their leave, as Jin turned back to the farmer, "Well, feel free to come here if you want. You never know, you might find some way to help the place." He chuckled softly, "And I'll see to that 'rat problem'."

"Yes, sir." Kiyotaka nodded.

"Please, there's no real need for formalities." The mayor stated before leaving with his daughter. Kiyotaka took a moment to look at the old centre in silence, before heading back inside. He tried to look for the strange thing he saw, but could only see what looked to be golden scroll, written in a language he didn't know. With a defeated sigh, he went back outside.

"Um, excuse me?" An unfamiliar voice said. He looked up to see a blonde woman staring at him.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"I apologise, I did not intend to 'eavesdrop'." She bowed, "But I couldn't help but overhear of a 'rat problem'?"

"Erm... Yes?"

"I have a few friends who may be interested in your problem, Mister...?"

"Ishimaru Kiyotaka."

She smiled and extended a hand which he shook, "Sonia Nevermind. My acquaintances may be able to resolve this issue of yours, Ishimaru-kun."

"... Okay?" He wasn't sure he followed.

"Do you know the old castle in Cindersap Forest? Southwest of Fujisaki's Ranch?" She inquired.

"Well... Now I do."

"Please, come there at 8 P.M. The Supreme Overlord would be delighted to meet you!"

"The... what?"

Without answering him, Sonia left with a smile on her face. He shook his head, confused. Maybe Chihiro would know more...

...

Chihiro turned quickly as he heard the door open, currently in the process of moving boxes.

"Taka!" He beamed. The ravenette returned the smile.

"Hello, Chihiro!" He approached the counter, "I hope it's not a bother, but there's something I must ask."

"It's not a bother at all!" The smaller moved closer, "What's up?"

"Well... Is there a, um... 'castle' around here?"

Chihiro blinked for a moment before answering, "'Castle' is a bit of a stretch... It's an old manor house, a bit southwest of here. I think Celeste and Hifumi live there... But I see a few others come in and out."

Hifumi lives in a manor house?

"It was a bit of a fixer-upper, but she persuaded Mondo to help, and some others too. It was a pretty harsh winter, so she offered us quite a bit of money that we used on the animals." Chihiro explained.

"Mondo did the house up?" Taka blinked.

"Oh, did I not mention? Mondo's basically the town carpenter. He's been practicing for years, he's really good at it!" He smirked, "Y'know, I'm sure he'd gladly build something for your farm~."

"N-No he wouldn't..." Taka felt his face heat up.

"He would! Ask him!" The smaller urged, before noticing the time, "Oh! Gosh, I need to head out! Sorry, Taka!"

"It's fine, really." He nodded. Chihiro closed up before bidding good night to Taka and heading on his way. Feeling the chill of the night, he tugged his coat closer as he ventured towards the manor house.

...

"Ah! Lord Ishimaru! Please, come in!" Hifumi bowed as he opened the door, stepping aside to let Kiyotaka in, "Lord Tanaka awaits you!"

Before Taka could even answer, he guided him to a large room, where a small group of people were gathered.

"Ah, so you are the new member Sonia has been raving about?" Celeste giggled as he entered, petting the cat in her lap.

"Er... I am?"

"You sure as hell are!" A tall scruffy guy approached him.

"I did not expect you, Ishimaru-kun." Korekiyo mused.

"Okay, introduction time!" Sonia jumped up.

"I'm Hagakure Yasuhiro, bro!" The scruffy man gave him a goofy smile, "You want your fortune read, I'm your man!"

"Erm... Hello." Taka felt out of place, a bit overwhelmed.

"Hey, man! I'm Momota Kaito! The Luminary of the Stars!" Another man gave him a thumbs up.

"Name's Hoshi Ryoma." A tiny man added, seemingly uninterested.

"And I am Tanaka Gundham!" The final man announced loudly, "The Supreme Overlord of Ice! The King of the Underworld! The Conqueror of the Nine Realms! The- You get the idea."

"W-Well... It's nice to meet you all, but... Why am I here?" Taka asked. Suddenly, four tiny hamsters emerged from Gundham's scarf.

"The Four Dark Devas of Destruction see potential in you!" He stated, "And so do I and my subordinates."

"Sonia informed us of your findings in the Community Centre." Korekiyo fiddled with one of the accessories on his chest, "I assure you, it is no mere rat problem."

"You have had a spiritual encounter!" Sonia added. None of this made sense to Kiyotaka.

"What they're saying is, whatever you saw was basically magic." Ryoma simplified it for him.

"M-Magic?" He repeated.

"Fear not, the spirits you saw are harmless." Gundham stated, "Did it perhaps look like... this!?"

With a simple snap of his fingers, he summoned forth the spectre Kiyotaka saw, eliciting gasps of awe from almost everyone.

"Y-Yes, it was that!" He gawked, "How did you-"

"One moment." He clicked his fingers and disappeared with the spirit, only to reappear a few moments later through the door. It left Taka confused and stunned.

"What you saw was a Junimo. Thought to be fictional, but very much real." He stated, "You saw a scroll, correct?" He took Taka's nod as an answer, and then held out a bottle of green liquid, "This will allow you to decipher their language."

"Um..." Taka gulped, hesitant.

"C'mon, down the hatch! Won't do you any harm!" Yasuhiro urged with a chuckle. With a deep breath, Kiyotaka took a sip of the strange liquid, which unfortunately turned into a chug.

The smell was nauseating, though oddly intoxicating... He started feeling a bit out of it... Was this how it felt to get high?

...

The group had to drop him off at the farm. But hey, at least now he spoke Junimo.

Chapter Text

After the events that had transpired before, Kiyotaka had passed out in his bed. It left him feeling strangely energised...

With that in mind, he was fully ready to work on his farm. It was harvest day, after all!

However, his newfound "friend" from yesterday had decided to pay him a visit.

"Hey, Taka bro!" Hiro let himself in as he opened the door.

"H-Hagakure? What-" Taka was unable to protest as the scruffy man sat down at his table.

"Please, just call me Hiro!" He placed something on the table, "C'mon, sit down man!"

"What exactly do you want?" Taka asked.

"I'm gonna read your fortune, dude!" Hiro grinned.

"No thanks." The farmer declined, he never really had an interest in this stuff. 

"C'mon, bro!" He urged, "It won't take a minute! Plus, it's interesting, ain't it?"

Taka sighed, he wasn't great at saying 'no'. "Fine, if you insist." He sat across from the clairvoyant.

"Great!" He beamed, "Ah, the crystal ball is responding to your energy, my friend! I can hear the spirits whispering to me..."

Hiro placed his hands on the crystal ball, as Kiyotaka watched on, still sceptical.

"Okay, let's see..." He hummed, "Ah! It's a day of good fortune! The spirits are very happy today!"

Kiyotaka nodded. That's good, right?

"Okay, I'm getting something else... I can see a pier... Huh, looks like the one in Cindersap. I can see you, and... a man, sitting together. You two seem to be getting along, eh?"

A man? Who would that be...

"I think... His name starts with an 'M'?"

... Oh. No, it couldn't be...

"Ah, the ball grows dark..." Hiro sighed, "Well, that's that, then."

Kiyotaka nodded, "Well, thank you for that, Hiro. It was... insightful."

"Wasn't it?" The taller smiled, "Welp, I'll be going then. Keep what I said in mind! It's a good luck day, so make the most of it."

"I will." Kiyotaka smiled back as Hiro gathered up his crystal ball and went on his way. The ravenette sighed, stepping out onto his farm.

...

It was a good harvest for Taka. He'd get a lot of money from his crops!

From there, he decided to hit the town. He met up with Sakura and Hina, who asked if he'd like to come to the Saloon later, but he politely declined and said he'd catch up with them tomorrow.

He stopped by Makoto's store, to say hello to the siblings and buy more seeds, which he promptly planted.

He went around greeting people as he saw them, and even popped into the old Community Centre and had a look at those scrolls. He found that these Junimos required bundles in exchange for rewards, like getting the bus up and running again. He felt like he was inclined to help these little spirits, so he would keep it in mind and donate to them later.

He then made his way to the northern part of town, he'd heard that big boulder had been removed. This was where he came across the mines.

There were two people there, peering down into the mine shaft. The short man turned as he entered.

"Hey, you're that new farmer, right? Ishimaru?" He asked.

"I am. Who might you be?" Taka replied.

"Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko. You got that letter I sent you, right?"

"I believe I did." He nodded, recognising the last name. Fuyuhiko stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking at the woman at his side.

"This is Peko. She's a real skilled swordsman."

Kiyotaka noted the sword on her back, "You are?"

She didn't spare him a nod, "Do you know your way around a blade?"

"I... practiced kendo as a child, for what it's worth."

Peko turned to the smaller man, "He may have potential."

"Potential for what?" Taka inquired.

Fuyuhiko approached him, "Listen, kid. The mines are a dangerous place, all sorts of monsters down there. No one except me, Peko and a couple of our friends ever go down there, really."

"If you can wield a sword, you have potential." Peko crossed her arms, "If you can get a few levels down, maybe you can be a part of our guild."

"Guild?"

"Wouldn't really call it that myself." Fuyuhiko mused, "More a small group of people who can fight. You met Sakura? She's a member."

Sakura knows these two?

"I'll let you have my sword. Consider our offer." The silver-haired girl lended her katana to him.

"Seriously, kid. The mine's got all sorts of stuff in 'em. It's worth it, if you can survive. Just don't get into trouble."

With that, Fuyuhiko and Peko left. Kiyotaka helded the sword in his hands, looking down at it. He supposed... the mines would be a regular stop for him.

Chapter Text

The day was quite uneventful so far for Kiyotaka. It was raining, which already made him feel a bit down. His crops didn't have to be watered, so he just decided to head out.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he trudged through the town, hearing the squelch of his wet shoes beneath him.

It didn't seem like many people were out, understandably, so he made his way to the Community Centre. He had gathered up a few things for the Junimos.

The run-down building wasn't warm, but was a welcome substitute for the rain. He offered up his forage and crops, to which a few happy Junimos appeared. In fact, two of them offered him gifts. A nice selection of wild seeds, and a preserves jar.

Seeing the Junimos happily dancing around made him smile. A few new bundles were added around the Centre, obviously he checked what they required.

The fishing bundle intrigued him. He recalled being told about the now-deserted fishing shop on the beach. He wondered if anyone around town had taken it over, or if they knew anything about fishing.

With that in mind, he made his way to the beach.

...

As Kiyotaka approached the pier on the beach, he noticed Ryoma standing there, under the cover of the shop roof, with what looked to be a cigarette in his mouth.

"Ah, Hoshi-kun!" Taka greeted him with a smile, recognising him from the manor.

"Hey." He looked over, allowing Taka to stand next to him.

"What are you doing out here?" The farmer inquired.

"Oh, I live here." Ryoma shrugged, "Moved in after the last guy left."

"I see." Taka nodded.

"Fukawa lives here too." The smaller gestured to the lone cabin on the beach, "She talks to me sometimes. Mainly comes over for the cats. But she says she gets inspiration for her written from living here."

"You have cats?" Ishimaru's eyes lit up. He did love cats.

"Yep. Wanna see 'em?" Hoshi offered. Taka nodded enthusiastically. The smaller opened the door to the old fishing shop, where he was immediately greeted by the meowing of a small cat.

"This here's Blue." Ryoma pet the cat, "And that's Ash over there."

"Aw, hello!" Taka smiled as the cat rubbed against his leg affectionately. It wasn't long before Ash joined.

"They like you." Ryoma smiled.

"Well, I like them too!" Taka chuckled, petting the two cats, "Do you fish? You know, to feed them."

"Sometimes. I'm not that great a fisherman, though." The smaller admitted, "You got any interest in fishing?"

"I might." Taka smiled down at the two Russian Blues, who meowed at him and purred.

"Here, you can have this." Ryoma offered him a fishing pole

"Are you sure?" Ishimaru's eyes widened.

"I don't really need it, I have my own." Hoshi thrust it towards him.

"Well, thank you, Hoshi-kun!" Taka beamed, taking the pole.

"Just call me Ryoma." The smaller stuffed his hands in his pockets.

...

After a considerable amount of time spent fishing, and of course petting Ryoma's cats, Taka went back to the main town. He met up with Hina and Sakura at the Saloon, where he had to ask the latter about what Fuyuhiko had said yesterday.

"Sakura," He started, "Are you acquainted with someone called Kuzuryu?"

"Indeed I am." She nodded, "Why do you ask?"

"I met him yesterday... He mentioned a 'guild'?" 

"Ah, yes." She smiled fondly, "I am apart of their guild."

"Is there anyone else?"

"Chabashira, Ikusaba, Nidai, Owari."

He'd met them before, and they all were definitely fierce.

"Are you a member now too?" She asked.

"Peko says I could be." Taka informed.

"You'd be a good addition." Ogami grinned.

"Why, thank you!" Ishimaru returned the smile.

...

As it started getting late, Kiyotaka decided to head back to his farm. He bid good night to his friends and left the Saloon. He decided to make his way up through Cindersap Forest, which was arguably the best decision he could've made.

He came across Mondo, sitting on the pier by the pond. Against his better judgement, he decided to talk to him.

"Hi." He said. Mondo glanced at him over his shoulder. 

"What do you want?" He grumbled.

"Nothing." Taka moved closer, "Are you okay?"

"What's it to you?"

"You seem a bit down, that's all." The farmer noted, "May I sit with you?"

Mondo sighed, "Knock yourself out."

Taka sat down a bit hesitantly, not sure if Mondo really wanted him around.

"So, are you okay?" He asked again. Mondo didn't respond immediately.

"What do you care?" He eventually muttered.

Taka looked down at the water, "I'm only asking."

After a few moments of silence, Mondo held a can of beer towards him.

"Sorry, I don't really drink." He refused. 

"C'mon, just have a sip. Your mom won't tell you off." The taller huffed.

Taka took the can from him and took a sip.

"Weren't so bad, was it?" Mondo snorted.

A beat.

"I still feel I should apologise for-"

"Don't worry about it, I already accepted your apology." Mondo interrupted. Taka bit his lip awkwardly.

After another pause, Mondo stood.

"I ain't much company right now."

"I understand..." Taka nodded, standing as well. As he went to leave, Mondo stopped him.

"Look, I... I'm sorry I was a dick to ya at first. I don't warm up to people that quickly."

"It's okay, I get it." Taka smiled. Mondo looked down at his feet.

"I... guess I'll see ya around then?"

"I do hope so."

Chapter Text

It was raining again in the valley. Kiyotaka was conflicted on it; it dampened his mood, but at least he didn't have to water his crops. It was also a Sunday, so a lot of people weren't out and about as usual, and all the businesses would close earlier.

He had had planned to go to Fujisaki's ranch, as he'd been thinking of getting a chicken coop built (and it gave him an excuse to talk to Mondo again), but they weren't open on Sundays... Not that Mondo worked on weekends anyway...

He didn't really know what to do with himself... Until he remembered the meeting he had Fuyuhiko and Peko.

"The swordswoman told me to get down a few floors, didn't she?" He said to himself, "And she did lend me her katana... I guess I could have a look at those mines."

With his mind made up, he gathered everything he might need, putting on his coat and grabbing the sword, before stepping out of the farmhouse and heading up into the mountains. 

He couldn't quite say why, but the mines really unnerved him. The whole atmosphere was just... off. But he pushed past the feeling and lowered himself into the mineshaft anyway.

It was actually rather beneficial for him to do so, as he managed to gather tons ore and minerals that he wouldn't have been able to otherwise. 

Although, he did underestimate the ferocity of the monsters that were hidden in the mines.

He handled the strange slime monsters well enough at first, easily getting the hang of using the katana. But the further down he went, the more aggressive and frequent the attacks became.

He managed to get down a few floors (he lost count pretty quickly) before he started to feel exhausted, and the attacks were starting to wear him down. Monsters that resembled moles would pop out of the ground and leap at him, while bug monsters would attack in the air.

Eventually he found himself surrounded by the creatures, and his legs were starting to give out on him...

As he started to lose consciousness, he heard a voice...

"Oh, you're the man Gundham was talking about, aren't you?"

"Don't worry, I've come to get you!"

"You'll be okay, Ishimaru-san!"

...

Kiyotaka's eyes cracked open, adjusting to the light shining down on him. For a moment, he thought he'd died in those mines and gone to Heaven, even if he didn't necessarily believe in it.

"Are you awake now, Ishimaru-san?"

Something came into his view, but it took him a minute to see it clearly. It was... small, and round, and had two, long ears.

When his sight finally, adjusted, he saw... a white rabbit? And it was... talking to him!?

He jumped when he saw it, surprised at the prospect of a talking rabbit dressed like a magical girl, causing the creature to jump as well.

"There's no need to be afraid of Usami."

He snapped his head in the direction of the voice, seeing Gundham sitting beside him.

"T-Tanaka...?" Taka rubbed his eyes, looking around, his gaze eventually landing on the four hamsters sitting on the bed he was in, "Am I in... Tsumiki's clinic?"

"Indeed. Usami found you in the mines, she came to me for help. You were gravely injured and unconscious, so I brought you here." Gundham explained.

"You should be careful in the mines... It's really scary down there." The magic rabbit told him. He still felt weird upon seeing... her.

"What... are you, exactly?" He questioned.

"Me?" Usami squeaked, "I'm Usami!"

"... That doesn't explain anything."

"Usami is a mystical creature, simply put. I met her on one of my travels to Jabberwock Island." The animal lover told him, "A few residents of the town know her."

"Jabberwock's a lovely place! You'll have to see it one day!" The rabbit smiled.

The door opened, and the meek nurse stepped in, "O-Oh, Ishimaru! A-Are you feeling any better?"

"Well, I'm still alive, which is better." He joked, though she didn't laugh, "To be honest, I do think I'll be alright now."

"That's good..." She sighed, "B-But you should take it easy for a bit and give yourself time to fully heal."

"Yes, will do." He nodded.

"Y-You should try to be careful in the mines from now on..." Mikan warned.

"Don't worry, if you get into trouble, I'll help you!" Usami announced, going to help him stand up.

"W-Well, thank you, rabbit." Taka looked down at her, still trying to get used to her.

After being dismissed by Mikan, Gundham and Usami accompanied him back to the farm, ordering him to "replenish your energy supply, mortal!"

A knock at the door interrupted Taka's rest a few hours later.

"Who could that be at this time?" He asked himself, getting up from his bed and opening the door.

"... Owada?"

Mondo stood at his door awkwardly, holding something in his hands. He quickly dropped his gaze to his feet, "Ya can just say Mondo, y'know..."

"What brings you here at this hour?" The farmer asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Well, uh, I- ... Chi an' I heard about ya gettin' hurt an' all that, so, uh... He wanted me t' give ya this." The carpenter thrust a thermos into his hands, followed by a bag of something.

"It's soup. 'S meant t' give ya energy an' shit... Should probably eat it soon though." Mondo mumbled, scratching the back of his neck.

Taka smiled as he took it, "Did you make it?"

"Uh- Um- N-No! Chi made it, h-he jus' wanted me t' bring it here..." The taller man sputtered, his face heating up a little bit.

"Then I'll be sure to thank him later." The farmer nodded, his wide eyes scanning the other man's face, "And thank you for bringing it to me."

"Y-Yeah, sure..." Mondo stuffed his hand into his pocket, the other running through his hair, which drew Taka's attention. He didn't leave after he was done talking, making the interaction a lot more awkward than it had to be.

"Would you like to come in? I can put the kettle on." Taka offered as he felt the chill of the evening air.

"Oh, uh, n-no, I'm fine, thanks. I gotta head back an' help Chi out at the ranch anyway, so... yeah..." Mondo muttered, his words going off into unintelligible grumbles at the end.

Still, he didn't leave.

...

"Uh... Yer farm's lookin' better."

"I would hope so, I put a lot of work into cleaning it up."

"That's good... Yer house is a bit shitty though."

"Well, I can't really argue with that... Though it makes sense, it being old and abandoned."

"Uh... Y-Y'know, if ya want, I can do it up a bit for ya... Maybe expand it a lil'..."

Taka couldn't help it, his eyes light up in response to Mondo's offer, and a wide grin came to his face, "Oh, that would be lovely! ... But I'm afraid I might not be able to pay for that..."

"W-Well, ya don't have to!"

"B-But that would just be wrong! I can't have you doing hours of labour for nothing! Besides, unpaid labour is illegal!"

"Then just have a discount on it! 99% off!"

"Th-That's absurd! I can't accept that!"

"Yer killin' me here..." The carpenter groaned, slumping against the wall.

"W-Well, I was meaning to ask you a favour earlier, but I didn't want to bother you on your day off..." Taka admitted, shuffling his feet.

"Oh yeah? What is it?" Mondo seemed intrigued, cocking a brow.

"Well, since this is a farm, I was thinking of having a chicken coop built. Chihiro did mention that I should get a few animals on the farm, and chickens seem like a good place to start."

"If that's what ya want, I can start on it tomorrow mornin'." Mondo offered, shrugging.

"Really, you'll do that!?" Kiyotaka beamed, flapping his hands with excitement (though he hoped Mondo didn't notice it...)

"Yeah, an' don't worry about payin' me until after it's done. I'm a fast worker, heh."

"Thank you very much, Mondo!"

"Don't mention it..." The carpenter tried to hide the slight blush that came to his face.

He turned on his heel to head back down to Cindersap Forest, but stopped after a few steps as he remembered something.

"Oh, uh, by the way... The Flower Dance is comin' up soon, so... I was, uh... wonderin'... um... Nevermind, forget it." He stuttered before turning back and speeding away, pulling the collar of his jacket up to hide his face.

Taka tilted his head to the side a bit like a confused puppy, before shutting the door and going back inside. He sat down at his table with the thermos and bag of crackers, turning on the TV. He found himself thinking about Mondo as he did, subconsciously rocking his body back-and-forth slowly, tapping his foot under the table.

'What was he going to say? He mentioned the Flower Dance... But there's no way he was going to ask me to go with him. He was probably going to ask if I have someone to dance with, if I'm going at all. Yeah, that's it. He probably has someone already, a lot of the girls probably want to go with him... And I don't have anyone... Maybe I'll just skip it.'

...

Either way, the soup was really, really good.