Chapter 6 - Simplicity

The foul stench characteristic of the byproduct of horses was a constant torment to Haron, one that he never grew used to. As time crawled on, thankfully, the teenage boy had run out of the harsher tasks.

"Haaaaron!" A loud, piercing voice called his name. "Heyyy!"

The young stable boy visibly tensed. The owner of the voice was just as troublesome as her voice would hint.

Finally arriving within visibility, the girl gained momentum, running over. "Great Saints! You stink!"

"Well, I have been shoveling manure and cleaning these beasts since dawn." Haron grumbled.

"Oh well, whatever. Are you coming to the gathering tonight? I hear there's gonna be a fire, dancing, and Grieya might even be there. You know, the one who has a thing for you." Her eyes narrowed. "Of course, you might wanna bathe first." She howled at her own joke.

"Listen, Poura, I..." Haron sighed, trying to decide whether or not to say the words on his mind.

"I know, I know." She grinned. "You're nervous! Don't worry, Shulk and I are gonna be right there. Meet us at the heritage tree before sundown!"

Haron watched her run off, amazed at how oblivious someone could be. He shook his head, laughing at himself. There's no way a priestess with such a future in magic would ever love a stable boy in the first place.

---

Haron nervously approached the heritage tree. Obviously, the nicest clothes his family had were rather subpar when compared to the village nobles. He figured that his friends would hardly notice, but the rest of the partygoers would likely have choice words to whisper to each other.

Taking a seat by the enormous tree, Haron studied its form. With a rugged and cracked, but equally tough and thick trunk, it supported thousands of branches and hundreds of magic fruit that cycled every year. Perhaps this year he'd even get to try one.

"Hey, he's already here!" A familiar, eager voice yelled.

Poura approached, with a boy following. He was noticeable slimmer and more lithe than Haron, although possibly less muscular.

"Hey Poura. Hey Shulk." Haron nodded. Bora sent back a smile, while Shulk only returned a nonchalant nod.

"Wait long?" Asked Shulk.

Haron shook his head. "Not really, I was just looking around." There was never too much to talk about between the two, as they had little in common.

---

It turns out that Poura was on the nose about Grieya, as the latter attempted to monopolize Haron for the night. Haron even believed that he might have felt an inkling of the same feeling.

He rested on his back, inside his room of his family's rather small house. Twirling his simian tail, he retraced the events of the night, sporting a rather goofy smile.

Maybe Sunma village wasn't such a drab place to call home.

---

The blooming flowers of the heritage tree breathed wonder into the moonlit sky. The festival had begun, accompanying the beautiful sight.

Haron rubbed the drowsiness from his tired eyes. This was a chance he was unable to pass up.

Every year, the current generation of 18 year-olds would have the chance to recieve a Heavenly Fruit from the undying heritage tree. Village acholars believed it was an important step for growing the Mana Webs of young ones.

Shulk, Poura and Haron stood together in the line, all carrying their own treasured fruit. Silently making eye contact with each other, they all immediately began eating. Oddly enough, while the fruit felt incredibly juicy, not a single drop fell during the process.

An instructor in the village paced across the line. "Now, you will all have different reactions. Those with a higher talent might have a particularly... Violent reaction." Many of those in line shuddered.

Haron concentrated on his body, searching for any discrepancies. A slow, burning feeling crept through his body. He could feel his Mana Web being strengthened.

"When you feel the nourishment of the fruit pass through your body, concentrate as much as you can on the feeling, urging it as much as you can! This will be a deciding moment in your future in magic!" The instructor commanded.

Haron could feel it, and could instinctively feel that it was mana flowing through his body. Eventually, the burning subsided.

The boy instantly felt the changes in his body. All of his senses were functioning extremely well, and he felt an unfamiliar but welcome strength in his body. Turning with excitement towards Shulk and Poura, he immediately, however, found them lying unmoving on the grass.