Childhood Memories: Atop The Peach Tree
New
FinalFormer
Know what you're doing yet?
- Joined
- May 19, 2024
- Messages
- 147
- Likes received
- 2,366
Cross-posted From the SpaceBattles Thread.
Childhood Memories: Atop The Peach Tree
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Arc-Altan Household, Radian, Vale. Petra Arc-Altan. Age: 7
It was peaceful night. The chilly air. The chipping of crickets. It was the perfect night for the Wise Lion to make look upon her kingdom. She was currently perched upon a tree and stared at the moonlit sky. She seeked answers from the Gods, for you see, she faced a brand new enemy.
"Petra!"
...
The Vile Witch Doctor had invaded her Kingdom and decided to rule with an iron fist. She made demands after ridiculous demands. She wanted to spread her eldritch tentacles across the Wise Lion's domain. With the Rusted Knight nowhere to be found, she would have to face this treacherous foe by her lonesome.
"Petra, I know you're up there!"
...
The Wise Lion had decided tha---
"PETRA KAZUMA ARC!! YOU GET OUT OF THAT TREE RIGHT NOW!"
In truth, it was a bright and sunny day. Not a single grey cloud was in the sky. Young Petra Arc was hiding in a her family's peach tree to avoid her grandmother, Isabel Arc.
"No," Yelled Petra. "I don't wanna!"
The reason she was in the tree you may ask? Isabel had asked her to do some of the farm chores but Petra simply wanted to relax and sleep in. It was supposed to be summer vacation! She wanted to sleep in and go catch bugs with her little brothers. Not milk the cows! And to top it all off, she made wheatcakes for breakfast. Yuck.
"Little Lion, you better get down here right--"
"I SAID NO!!" Petra shouted. She then began to aggressively eat a peach.
Isabel sighed. She knew what this was really about. She had been asked to take care of Petra for a few days Jaune and Arslan had been called to Vale provide backup for Ruby and her team.
They were supposed to come back 2 weeks ago.
The poor girl misses her parents and she's lashing out. Saphron had been like that before when Nick was out on missions like these. Jaune had also been like this. It was always difficult to get them to calm down. But unlike them, Petra has been training to be a Huntress. Isabel had to be careful to not set Petra off.
Petra, meanwhile, continued eating her peach. Her father had promised they'd start working on the treehouse when he and mother came back. What's taking them so long?
Tears began to well in her eyes. No. She couldn't cry. Not in front of Granny.
"Petra, it's ok to be sad," Petra looked down, her eyes trained on her Grandmother's concerned eyes. "But you know you it's not ok to bottle up those feelings."
Petra wanted to scowl, but she knew she was right. Her mother had told her during their training together that there was a difference between being calm and being restrained. Papa had also said that there were lessons in combat that could be applied to real-life. Was this one of those moments?
"Can I join you up there?" Isabel asked. Her kind smile appeared. "Those peaches smell really good?"
Petra sat silently and then answered.
"...Ok."
And with that, Isabel got to climbing.
'Doing something like climbing a tree is getting hard for these old bones but that she needs me.' Isbael thought. Despite knowing full well that she could still take down a Goliath one-handed. When she got to the top of the tree, she took a spot next to Petra, but kept a small gap between the two to be safe. The two sat in silence, watching the sun shine over the farm and, in the distance, the town.
Petra spoke up first. "How did you know I was upset?"
"You're far more emotionally mature for someone your age, so imagine my shock when my usually stoic granddaughter started acting snippy and irritable." Isabel plucked a peach from the tree and took a bite. "I'm worried about them too. Not just me. Your grandpa, your brother, we all miss them. The worst part is always the waiting."
Petra began eating another peach. She wanted to say something, but she didnt, fearing that she would only end up crying. She missed her Mama's spiced peaches and the way she combed her hair while she ate them. Her Papa's funny stories of about Uncle Ren Aunt Nora and Pyrrha. She missed them reading the Rusted Knight and The Wise Lion to her before she went to sleep.
She felt her grandmother pull her into a hug. The warmth that emitted off her was comforting. A low purring came from Petra as Isabel started to pat her head.
"You're parents are the bravest people I've ever known. Even braver than your grandpa and I. So please, Petra. Don't lose faith in them." Isabel squeezed a bit tighter after feeling Perta hug her back.
"I will. I'm sorry." Petra muttered.
The two sat for what felt like hours, watching the sun slowly set.
"It's a nice view"
"I know. That's why I asked Papa to help me make a treehouse here."
Their silent viewing of the landscape was interrupted when the back door slammed open. Her little brother, Eustace, had a big smile on his face. He ran towards the tree with great urgency.
"Eustace, I told you to watch over Xenovia--" Before Isabel could finish, the young boy he shouted the news:
"Granny! Petra! Come inside! Mom and Dad are coming home!"
"What?" Isabel and Petra both said at the same time. Were they hearing this right?
"Yeah, they called on the CCT! They said they'll be home tomorrow! They said they were going to bring some sweets from Vale!" Eustace said ecstatically. "Come on, Petra! They're talking to Grandpa! They want to see you!"
Isabel smiled and turned to Petra, happiness shining in her eyes. Knowing her Little Lion was going to be ok, she jumped off the tree to head inside the house with her grandson. Maybe she can get Arslan to cough up that spiced peach recipe and give Jaune a good scolding for making them wor--
"Um... Granny."
Isabel looked up to see Petra was still on the tree. She looked like she was on the verge of crying once again.
"I need help getting down." Petra asked timidly.
And so, as the sun set. And the Little Lion was once again at peace.
----------------------------
At first, this was supposed to be a silly story, but about
midway through writing it, it changed into a story that explored something I'm sure most of the children of Jaune and one of his potential brides can relate to: the Away Missions. The ones that take too long. Hope you guys enjoy.
Childhood Memories: Atop The Peach Tree
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Arc-Altan Household, Radian, Vale. Petra Arc-Altan. Age: 7
It was peaceful night. The chilly air. The chipping of crickets. It was the perfect night for the Wise Lion to make look upon her kingdom. She was currently perched upon a tree and stared at the moonlit sky. She seeked answers from the Gods, for you see, she faced a brand new enemy.
"Petra!"
...
The Vile Witch Doctor had invaded her Kingdom and decided to rule with an iron fist. She made demands after ridiculous demands. She wanted to spread her eldritch tentacles across the Wise Lion's domain. With the Rusted Knight nowhere to be found, she would have to face this treacherous foe by her lonesome.
"Petra, I know you're up there!"
...
The Wise Lion had decided tha---
"PETRA KAZUMA ARC!! YOU GET OUT OF THAT TREE RIGHT NOW!"
In truth, it was a bright and sunny day. Not a single grey cloud was in the sky. Young Petra Arc was hiding in a her family's peach tree to avoid her grandmother, Isabel Arc.
"No," Yelled Petra. "I don't wanna!"
The reason she was in the tree you may ask? Isabel had asked her to do some of the farm chores but Petra simply wanted to relax and sleep in. It was supposed to be summer vacation! She wanted to sleep in and go catch bugs with her little brothers. Not milk the cows! And to top it all off, she made wheatcakes for breakfast. Yuck.
"Little Lion, you better get down here right--"
"I SAID NO!!" Petra shouted. She then began to aggressively eat a peach.
Isabel sighed. She knew what this was really about. She had been asked to take care of Petra for a few days Jaune and Arslan had been called to Vale provide backup for Ruby and her team.
They were supposed to come back 2 weeks ago.
The poor girl misses her parents and she's lashing out. Saphron had been like that before when Nick was out on missions like these. Jaune had also been like this. It was always difficult to get them to calm down. But unlike them, Petra has been training to be a Huntress. Isabel had to be careful to not set Petra off.
Petra, meanwhile, continued eating her peach. Her father had promised they'd start working on the treehouse when he and mother came back. What's taking them so long?
Tears began to well in her eyes. No. She couldn't cry. Not in front of Granny.
"Petra, it's ok to be sad," Petra looked down, her eyes trained on her Grandmother's concerned eyes. "But you know you it's not ok to bottle up those feelings."
Petra wanted to scowl, but she knew she was right. Her mother had told her during their training together that there was a difference between being calm and being restrained. Papa had also said that there were lessons in combat that could be applied to real-life. Was this one of those moments?
"Can I join you up there?" Isabel asked. Her kind smile appeared. "Those peaches smell really good?"
Petra sat silently and then answered.
"...Ok."
And with that, Isabel got to climbing.
'Doing something like climbing a tree is getting hard for these old bones but that she needs me.' Isbael thought. Despite knowing full well that she could still take down a Goliath one-handed. When she got to the top of the tree, she took a spot next to Petra, but kept a small gap between the two to be safe. The two sat in silence, watching the sun shine over the farm and, in the distance, the town.
Petra spoke up first. "How did you know I was upset?"
"You're far more emotionally mature for someone your age, so imagine my shock when my usually stoic granddaughter started acting snippy and irritable." Isabel plucked a peach from the tree and took a bite. "I'm worried about them too. Not just me. Your grandpa, your brother, we all miss them. The worst part is always the waiting."
Petra began eating another peach. She wanted to say something, but she didnt, fearing that she would only end up crying. She missed her Mama's spiced peaches and the way she combed her hair while she ate them. Her Papa's funny stories of about Uncle Ren Aunt Nora and Pyrrha. She missed them reading the Rusted Knight and The Wise Lion to her before she went to sleep.
She felt her grandmother pull her into a hug. The warmth that emitted off her was comforting. A low purring came from Petra as Isabel started to pat her head.
"You're parents are the bravest people I've ever known. Even braver than your grandpa and I. So please, Petra. Don't lose faith in them." Isabel squeezed a bit tighter after feeling Perta hug her back.
"I will. I'm sorry." Petra muttered.
The two sat for what felt like hours, watching the sun slowly set.
"It's a nice view"
"I know. That's why I asked Papa to help me make a treehouse here."
Their silent viewing of the landscape was interrupted when the back door slammed open. Her little brother, Eustace, had a big smile on his face. He ran towards the tree with great urgency.
"Eustace, I told you to watch over Xenovia--" Before Isabel could finish, the young boy he shouted the news:
"Granny! Petra! Come inside! Mom and Dad are coming home!"
"What?" Isabel and Petra both said at the same time. Were they hearing this right?
"Yeah, they called on the CCT! They said they'll be home tomorrow! They said they were going to bring some sweets from Vale!" Eustace said ecstatically. "Come on, Petra! They're talking to Grandpa! They want to see you!"
Isabel smiled and turned to Petra, happiness shining in her eyes. Knowing her Little Lion was going to be ok, she jumped off the tree to head inside the house with her grandson. Maybe she can get Arslan to cough up that spiced peach recipe and give Jaune a good scolding for making them wor--
"Um... Granny."
Isabel looked up to see Petra was still on the tree. She looked like she was on the verge of crying once again.
"I need help getting down." Petra asked timidly.
And so, as the sun set. And the Little Lion was once again at peace.
----------------------------
At first, this was supposed to be a silly story, but about
midway through writing it, it changed into a story that explored something I'm sure most of the children of Jaune and one of his potential brides can relate to: the Away Missions. The ones that take too long. Hope you guys enjoy.