Chapter 1: The Rancher Princess

Disclaimer: Don't own it. If I did, I'd put pictures on the loading screens and invent a more complex interaction system with the characters.

I've always wondered why the farm's default name is "Green." It seemed strange when everyone else had instruments. Here's my take on Harvest Moon: Animal Parade's story.


The Green Family ruled the produce world. Farms, ranches, and grocery stores comprised their vast and regal empire. Green, standing as the produce brand in every family's home, boasted "affordable quality" in glittering letters beneath its Turnip emblem.

Lord and Lady Green were deeply proud of this magnificent company, which had humbly began as a small, family-owned farm. With natural skill and stubborn dedication the Greens had transformed its few acres to hundreds of international holdings.

However, in the summer of Lord and Lady Green's grand career occurred one life-changing event. The object of their pride was no longer success, or wealth, or devotion to a cause, but the birth of a baby girl. She was named Molly.

Molly Green, heiress to the Green Farming Estate.

Baby Molly cooed in her mother's arms. Her chestnut hair, curling softly round her pink face, was brushed aside by Lady Green's delicate finger.

"Yes," Lord Green affirmed proudly, raising Molly high where she squealed in delight, "She shall make a fine rancher! My baby girl, you will change the lives of many, as you have changed ours." Then, cuddling Molly in his arms, he kissed her forehead.

X

"So you came here," Molly began in a tone between skeptical and sympathetic, "to pick me up because I'm the most suited for this job?" The seventeen-year-old skipped over the bicycle rack without breaking stride. Head down, eyes forward, sweat trickling, Molly was currently in 'quick getaway mode'; obviously, Molly realized, the rack won't stop the thing bobbing in midair behind her, which had already been keeping up fairly well.

"Yes!" it yelped in relief. "Oh, thank the deities you understand! Now we should leave as soon as possible-"

"Hang on." Just a few more yards to the gate where her limousine was waiting. The teen picked up her pace. "I haven't agreed to anything yet. Please understand." She stopped suddenly, making the creature stumble midflight, and met its eyes. "I can't go anywhere. I've got responsibilities here." She gestured to the clock tower of her private academy and its uniformed populace. "I've got school, as you can see-"

"But-"

"And my parents-"

"I know-"

"-and my friends and-" her voice cracked, "a company to inherit. I'd love to help, but asking me to go someplace I've never even heard of before when we just met is just... it's asking too much. I'm really sorry." With that, she bowed quickly and, before the creature could say more, set off on a dead run.

"Wait, Molly!" It flew after her, and smacked face-first into a tinted window as she slammed the car door shut.

The limousine drove away, leaving the creature tumbling to the asphalt.

Finn rubbed his flattened nose and grumbled. "This's harder than I thought. But I'll prove myself! I won't fail you, Goddess." A memory made his stomach churn: that of a once beautiful tree, now pale as bone. "Please don't give up." Finn rose to the air dizzily, thinking: He had crossed the Cymbal Sea, endured the toxins of city pollution, searched every school and household for a youth that could see him, and now that he'd finally found her, he'd be damned if he gave up now. "Wait for me, Goddess." Finn whispered as he watched the limo turn a corner. "I'll be back with Molly Green, or perish trying!"

X

"Excuse me, Mayor... Molly dear, you're home! How was school?"

"It went well, Mother." The uniformed teen kissed her mother's cheek.

Lady Green was cross-legged at the long mahogany dining table, a phone on one ear; papers on company finance strewed the tabletop. "Did you learn anything new today?"

"Actually, I did." Molly skipped up the marble stairs. "Did you know fairies exist?"

"Oh really? How so very interesting." Lady Green perused a file.

"Isn't it?" Molly said cheerfully. "I always thought they granted wishes though, not asked for them."

A door shut forcefully upstairs. Lady Green paused to consider her daughter's words, then shook her resplendent head. "I'll never understand kids' humor these days... My apologies, Mayor, tell me again what the trouble is?"

X

With her back against the door, Molly took a deep breath. Surprisingly, the appearance of a strange creature had shocked her less than she expected.

She slid listlessly to the floor, dropping her knapsack with a heavy thump. Yes. Much less than she had thought. Sure, she had always fantasized about an excuse to disinherit the company, but she never thought it would come as some... supernatural visitation. She used to imagine a handsome prince on a white horse, crashing through her window and whisking her away from the expectations of her family and responsibilities of the empire.

Then she grew older and gave up the white horse... then the crashing through her window... then the prince... until she abandoned the idea of running away and living her own life altogether.

Yet, it happened. A little orange-clad thing with pointy ears and a cap, nudging her to wake up as she dozed in math class, and recounting the dire straits of his beloved homeland.

In fact, she could almost hear him now.

Tap, tap, tap.

Molly glanced at the paneled window. Then she looked away and shut her eyes.

Taptaptaptaptaptaptaptap.

Molly sighed again. She was aware that this was a bit absurd. A sprite asking her for help? He did seem to know what he was talking about. And he genuinely seemed to be... a forest creature of some sort... although it was true that no one else could see or hear him, even when he was practically wailing and rolling about in the classroom. Was she imagining him? Did she eat something bad? Was she in the hospital right now, hallucinating, or in a coma, dreaming? She pinched herself, shook her head, but still the tapping and still the thing's muffled shouts.

Was it a prank? But how could anyone fake that size and that flying and those magical sparkles? Needless to say, she knew it would not do herself any good to speak to it. Her friends, had they known her situation, would tell her not to be so nice to stalkers, human or sprite, real or not. That was her weakness, they would say: Molly Green, rich as a princess, but such a pushover.

But all that surmising was beside another point. If, and that was a big IF, the sprite indeed had a crisis in its hands, what in the world could she possibly have to offer? Surely there were people better suited to the task. Adventurous people. More involved people. People with supernatural experience. Not young city girls whose lives were scheduled ahead of them.

...Tap...tap...tap?

Molly sighed a third time that day. "It's official. I am crazy." She made her languid way to the bedroom's tall windows and gently pushed them open. "Can I help you?"

"Finally! Molly-"

"Wait, it really bothers me that you know my name and I don't know yours. So before anything else, would you tell me that at least."

The harvest creature stared at her for a minute before replying. "My name's Finn." He stopped abruptly, as if trying to contain himself from saying more.

"All right, Finn... What did you need me to do again?"

This released a flood of words from the little creature. "The Harvest Tree is dying! And if the Harvest Tree is dying that means the Harvest Goddess is too! We can't let that happen, so you need to come with me so that we can help her restore her powers!"

"Uhh..." Molly made a conscious effort not to look too confused. "And where is this tree and this goddess?"

Finn had his answer ready. "It's in an island called Castanet. We can get there by tomorrow if we leave now."

"Listen, Finn," she began, "I can't go."

Finn stared at her. "Yes you can."

"No," Molly tapped the windowsill with an impatient finger, "I can't because, as I've said before, I've got-"

At that moment her door swung open suddenly. In panic, Molly grabbed the fairy, who protested loudly, and stuffed him under the window-seat cushions. She sat.

"Hello Mother."

"Molly dear," Lady Green said, bewildered, "Were you speaking?"

"Oh, just talking to myself. What's up?"

Lady Green looked rather worried. "Do you know Castanet Island? It's a small county down west. They produce crops and fish, but it's such a remote little place I doubt you've heard of it."

Ding.

"Um, yes. Funnily enough, I have."

Finn squirmed beneath the cushion, his small voice muffled.

"Oh," Lady Green was surprised. "Well, that simplifies things a bit."

"Why? Is something wrong?" Molly shifted her weight so she wouldn't crush Finn, who she realized had stopped squirming and might now be dead.

"You see, I just received a call from their mayor saying that the place has been having problems with... well, everything." Lady Green paused. Molly noticed her mother was distracted, her elegant brows furrowed. Molly prompted her to continue. "Does it have anything to do with the company?"

Lady Green looked up. "Oh yes, yes. I don't think we've ever told you but," she sat down beside Molly, who desperately tried to inconspicuously reposition Finn from one butt cheek to another, "Mayor Hamilton," Lady Green began, "is an old friend of your father's. He used come visit on your birthdays, remember?" Molly shook her head. "Anyway, he helped us out when we were just starting. He and your father went to the same business school together, but Hamil fell in love with Castanet as soon as they graduated and has been living there ever since." Lady Green took a breath, "The mayor is going to withdraw from our partnership contract because of these... problems..."

Finn was squirming again. Molly relaxed. "It's not the contract you're worried about, is it?"

"No, it's their 'problems.' I can't fathom what sort of trouble their area is having and it worries me! The truth is," Lady Green turned to Molly confidingly. Pride was sparkling in her eyes as she regarded her daughter, and Molly could almost feel, at the back of her mind, the pull of stars and the throbbing song of choir angels. "The truth is, your father and I have been talking, and we feel that it's about time you test out everything you've learned about being a rancher."

Molly blinked. "Huh?" She blinked again, the information sinking in. It eclipsed the natural question which was, What does that have to do with Mayor Hamilton and their trouble? Instead she blurted out, "You mean... like, field work?"

Lady Green nodded. She was smiling now. "At Castanet, there is an open farmland for sale. It's a complete set - house, coop, barn, and field. We've been intending for you to go live there as soon as you graduated high school to get some practice with actual farming. You know, so you'll have some experience once you inherit the company."

Molly was dumbfounded. Lady Green continued excitedly. "Oh we've had it planned out for months now! You'll live there alone, of course, because it's fewer distractions and you'll be forced to act solely on your wits, but Mayor Hamilton will keep watch over you where we can't. Isn't it thrilling? You'll finally get to experience the wonders of the countryside. Castanet's a beautiful place, the fresh air and clean rivers-" Lady Green noticed her daughter was just staring. "Molly, dear? Oh my, did I say too much too early?"

Molly swallowed, but let out gladly, "N-no. I just really... was not expecting it. I thought I was only going to learn how to fix papers and attend meetings... I didn't think I would actually..."

"Nonsense." Lady Green laughingly kissed her daughter's furrowed forehead. "Your father and I want you to know what we went through; how it all started. You can't be a respectable leader if you're leading something you don't know about. It will be good. This experience will shape you the way it has shaped us." She gently tucked a strand of Molly's chestnut hair behind her ear. "And you do like gardening... and animals... don't you?"

The Green family's heiress was floating in a dream. Molly clasped her mother's hand reassuringly and nodded. "Yes. I do."

Lady Green smiled. "I'm glad. Well!" She intoned lightly, getting up. "This conversation has made me realize how silly I was being. Whatever problems they have on Castanet shouldn't change the plans. Problems are, after all, part of the trials of being a rancher. And with you there, and the obvious natural talent you possess, I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's wrong and help them. Or, at the very least, let us know what the company can do... yes, very good. Let's continue this when your father gets home. In the meantime, I believe supper is ready."

"Oh, uh, I think I'll stay here for a bit and mull over everything you just tossed at me. If that's okay."

"Of course, dear, of course." Lady Green laughed. She paused at the doorway, grinning at her befuddled spawn. "Don't worry about it too much. You still have some weeks before graduation."

"I'll try not to."

Lady Green smiled at her daughter, then left.

Finn popped out wheezing from the cushions. "Puuahhhhh! I nearly suffocated down there!"

"Be glad your island's savior doesn't weigh two hundred pounds. Or you really would've suffocated," Molly said distractedly. Her eyes were still glazed from the news.

Finn was unimpressed. "You didn't have to hide me, you know. I can't be seen by non-chosen humans."

Molly blinked. "Oops." She smiled sweetly, hands clasped together in apology. "Sorry, Finn. I forgot."

"Hmph! And what'd I keep telling you? We had it all covered. You can go!"

"Yes. Lucky for you Mayor Hamilton was friends with my father. Otherwise- wait..." she turned to the small sprite slowly. "They were friends, right Finn?"

"Behold," Finn announced dryly, moving his arms like a magician, "the powers of nature."

"That doesn't make any sense. It's not natural at all. You didn't tamper with their memories, did you? Because if you did..." Molly advanced on the small fairy darkly.

"No, no, no! We did no such thing! Pshh." Finn crossed his arms haughtily, a bit offended and hurt at her suggestion. "Shows just how little you understand of us, Human. Us Children of the Earth are bound to the earth, and the earth is bound to people. So to speak, it's kind of a master-servant relationship. We are your servants. We help you and you need us. But we need you too. We sort of cooperate, but us Natural Beings are less... privileged as you humans are. Not that we'd ever want that. Humans make everything so much more complicated. Wars and violence and hatred and greed and- but anyway. Can't change people. Can't mess with memories. Nope."

Molly didn't try to hide her confusion. "Then how did you set this up?" The burning question in her heart revealed itself. "Why... me?"

"Because, Molly Green," Finn's tiny arms touched her face; his eyes held hers steadily, "you were born with the right kind of power. You're the one we need... so please." Finn's voice shook. He swallowed. "Please help the Goddess."

Molly searched his face. There really was a true dilemma. Here was a creature asking for her help, something that apparently only she could give. Molly took his tiny hands between thumb and finger and responded as steadily as his gaze, but with a force of determination that was perhaps present in her all along.

The pushover indeed. Or maybe it is better called kindness?

"Okay, Finn." She promised the small creature. "I'll give it my best shot."

X

X

X

"A new rancher, huh? Good luck to whoever she is. Worst time and place to try a for a new living if you ask me. Poor kid doesn't know the kind of misery she's in for."

"Cut her some slack, Craig." Hayden refilled the sour man's mug with gin. "I doubt she's coming in without knowing the goings-on."

"Mmm," Craig sullenly agreed, contemplating his alcohol as he spun the froth. "Yeah. Lately it seems everyone knows about the goings-on."

Hayden sighed. He knew exactly what Craig meant. The bartender looked thoughtfully over the farmer's shoulder to the familiar interior of his Brass Bar: old wooden tables, unused piano, shelves lined with glass that once sparkled with cocktail and merriness now dull with dust.

Craig was right. People knew Castanet was drying up. Ever since the wind stopped blowing and the water stopped flowing, ships stopped their coming and customers, their blessed patronage.

"I know..." Hayden mumbled. Very soon he might have to close down the place. Nobody liked talking about it. Business failure was knocking on the doors, and each and every citizen of Harmonica Town could hear it. "I don't know what I'll do. Kathy's grown up here her whole life. This is... this is home." Hayden rubbed his forehead absently. "I don't know what I'll do."

"Worse comes to worst, move." Craig made a far away motion with his hand. "Easier for you, at least." He sipped his mug and winced at the strong liquid. It was the cheapest, bitterest available, but any kind of alcohol was good if only to ward off stress. "They got bars in the city, don't they? It's farms they don't got. It's land that's hard to come by. And when I say land, I mean good land. Not this barren, powder-dry, crop-choking waste."

"True... True, that. Any new prospects? Anissa find anything?" Hayden filled up his own mug.

"Frankly, I don't know. Her letters stopped coming with the ships. No way to deliver 'em. Only word I have is she got to Ruth's ma safely."

"At least you got wind of that much. I'd be worried sick if my daughter were away... No ships. No mail. No ale for cocktails and food. This town's really going under, isn't it?"

"That rancher's in for a big surprise," Craig sang, taking another swig and wincing again. "Ruth's been shakin' her head over the news. Innit ironic our daughter leaves to find us a better place while another man's daughter comes to try and wrestle with what's left? It's brutal, I tell you... How's the kid gonna get here anyway?"

"Cain's picking her up from the docks up east."

Craig was surprised. "He's still doing business there?"

"Somewhat, I heard. You'd know better than I would."

"We haven't spoken in a while. Too busy. Been running around like headless chickens trying to figure out what's wrong. Is it the soil? The water? Is it the damned weather?"

A figure appeared at the bar's doorway. "This again?" Jake entered, coat collar up and gray hair more tousled than usual. "I thought we were over the whole venting affair."

"Jake! Just in time for another round!" Hayden filled a new mug and slid it down to the innkeeper, who took the stool next to Craig.

"Great that you made it, considering you live across the street." Craig lifted his mug in acknowledgement.

Jake was taking off his coat. "Yeah. But these drinking nights you guys plan only depress me."

"Part of its charm; getting depressed together is what comrades do, eh?"

"Cheers!" The three men clinked their mugs.

Jake took a deep swig. The conversation moved on to how he was doing.

"Oh, you know, checkbook's been blank for weeks now. Colleen and my mother can't keep up the menu because the fire's been bad. To top it off, no one complains because - and Hayden here can tell you one boring story after another of the same vein - No. One. Comes..." He tapped the table to emphasize each word.

"Our sympathies, Jake." Hayden nodded at him. Craig pat his shoulder wordlessly.

"Yeah, thanks..." He raised his mug to them. "My sympathies to you too. Oh, have you heard of the new rancher?"

It was a girl, they said, refilling each others' mugs, barely out of high school. It wasn't uncommon to find one so young out on their own in those days, but a shared feeling of disappointment seemed to pervade the atmosphere. That poor kid. What was the mayor thinking, agreeing to let her stay? Was it the extra money? Nah. The mayor wouldn't so much as hurt a fly, let alone take advantage of a blue-bottomed kid. They had invited him to come that night, actually, but Hamilton declined saying he had work to do explaining the delay in debt payments to the State. That sombered everyone.

"Anyone know when Ramsey and Dale'll get here?" Jake asked to turn the subject around. The three of them were slightly drunk now.

The bartender checked his wall clock. "The night's young. Only ten thirty. You gotta understand; they're coming all the way from the mines."

"Hey. I came all the way from the fields."

"Oh, but it's not like you haven't got time in your hands. Nothing much you can do in the fields, is there?" Bitter laughter from all of them. "There's news going round that the only thing emptier than the Mayor's safe is Craig's shipping bin." More bitter laughter.

Craig smiled at the joke and took a deep swig. "You're all sons-of-guns."

Two figures appeared at the doorway.

"Ahh! Speak of the devils! Ramseyyy! Daaaale!" Hayden, Jake, and Craig exclaimed their welcome.

"Well, well! Aren't the young 'uns enjoying themselves." The old blacksmith entered, boots clonking on the wooden boards.

Dale entered alongside the man, his boots clonking on the wooden boards just as heavily. "Haven't heard this much ruckus since the drought."

"Roaring like animals, you were." Ramsey took off his coat and tossed it onto a nearby chair.

"Aww, c'mon, don't go pretendin' seniority. All calamities are welcome here. So long's you hold your drink, we're kindred spirits." Hayden passed them full frothing mugs. Ramsey grabbed it as he took a stool, and dunked half in one go.

"Ohh, look at him go."

"That's a hangover waitin' in the morning."

"We're all hangovers waiting in the morning."

"Hayden, you sure you got enough for this son-of-a-gun?"

The old blacksmith winced, and laughed. "This is awful." He looked at the company. "This what you upstarts been toleratin' the past hour?"

"All we can afford, friend. Seconds?" Hayden refilled the smith's mug.

"Let me show you," Ramsey said, running his eyes to each of their faces, "just how much seniority I've got over you lightweights."

"Ohoho! Bring it on, old man!" Dale took a seat.

Jake laughed. Craig and Hayden jeered at the "spicy old fart." The five men hoorayed with much jostling and shouting, already buzzed. They lifted their mugs and clinked them messily. "To seniority!"

"To Craig's empty shipping bin!"

"To the new rancher!"

A great silence ensued while all were engaged in drinking. Then, after they sighed and whistled and exclaimed, Ramsey commented. "Ahh, yes, tell me about that..."

As the men continued indoors, outside the air was cool and slightly wet. The vast dome of spring sky was an inky black. Wisps of dark cloud stretched thinly across a near-invisible moon. Pricks of baleful, yellow light dotted the contour of the docks. The sea heaved slowly, breathed weakly, as a strawberry-blonde cook leaned against the metal rails and observed the horizon.

Chase had been standing there for - he didn't know how long. His shift had a whole three hours before it was over, but he knew, and his boss knew, and his guests knew, as did everyone in Harmonica, that there really was no point. No customers in the previous night. Fewer than none the night before that. Except, of course, the occasional visit of a disgruntled villager, who was considered family, and they were more like guests using the bar as an extension of home than paying customers. They partied then like they partied now.

Why should that night, or any of the nights forthwith be any different?

Chase found he had stopped caring. A feeling of melancholy was coming back, not unlike the kind the men inside were trying to forget.

Maybe, he thought, he should go join them.

"You know your shift's not over." Kathy said quietly, taking a spot beside him and leaning against the rails.

"Neither's yours."

Kathy glanced at him. Chase did not move from his position in the slightest. "Not that it really matters." Kathy continued a little cheerfully. "They're having a lot of fun in there without us. Dad's really good at turning bad things on its head. He did this during that awful summer too. Remember, the drought? Everyone came in the night and tried to forget..." She giggled a bit. "But then they all had horrible hangovers in the morning... I swear, I've worked at a bar all my life, and I still couldn't get used to smelly drunk men, wandering the streets, asking why I don't take my blouse off it's so hot."

No response. Kathy cleared her throat. She fixed her eyes at the horizon. At length, she asked seriously, "Ships aren't gonna come through anymore, are they?"

Chase didn't really want to answer. His coworker normally talked with rhetorical questions or answered them herself. Though it seemed she wanted a response from him for this one.

"If they did, we wouldn't be out here."

"No. I suppose not." Kathy paused. "What are you going to do, Chase, if the Bar closes down? I don't know what we'd do... Dad keep saying thing'sll get better but I don't think-" she shook her blonde head exasperatedly. "I mean, look! Nature's whacked! I think the ocean is refusing to carry boats across and you think the fire's too weak! Who's ever heard of that kind of thing happen?" She gripped the rails shakily. "If nature itself is against us, then... then..."

The cook was still looking boredly at the sea. Waves crashed. Kathy's statement only finished in her mind. She did not dare say her fears out loud because that would've given it a more tangible presence when its shadow was remarkable enough.

Then the young chef wordlessly put a hand on her shoulder. Their eyes met. Chase's violet eyes held her blue fear-filled ones with what looked like a bland acceptance of the world. Then the young chef made his way back inside.

Kathy felt the gesture more gloom-inducing than comforting. But she felt he had a point: there was no use worrying about their current crisis if they were indeed being pitted against nature; the best they could do was pray.

Kathy stared at the disappeared horizon. Then, realizing that the sea was indistinct to the inky black sky, walked quickly away from its empty sound and absolute darkness into the comfort of her father's bar.

X

The sun shone cheerily upon the eastern docks. A few ships floated their great hulls against the walkway. Sailors unloaded crates and carts, passing them along until they built up like piles of rusted Lego. Gulls cried overhead, looking for scraps.

A young girl waited at a lamp post, watching men carry, joke around, boisterously mock-fight, play cards, and shoo the seagulls that tried to snap at their fish sandwiches. Women and men passed, some pulling disinterested children along, some dragging carts full of vegetables or fruit or chickens, some haggling and coaxing and shouting and pointing. All this under the wind and the heat and the sound of sucking ocean. The journey took only a few hours. Now that the young girl had arrived, she was overwhelmed by the sheer humanity of such a small, rural island.

So this was Castanet.

"Molly, was it?"

"Sir!" Molly jumped at the muscular man that suddenly appeared at her shoulder.

He laughed. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He was jaunty for a man in his forties and had a friendly face. "I'm Cain, your ride to Harmonica. I assume you've been told?" Cain held out a hand and the apprentice shook it immediately.

"Ah, yeah, I've been told. Nice to finally meet you, sir."

"'Sir!' I like that! Good to see politeness still exists these days." Cain adjusted the feed bags on his shoulders and smiled. "Listen Molly, I've still got some business to attend to, so if you'll just follow me make a couple of purchases, we can get on our way."

"Okay."

"Good girl."

The docks were swarming with chattering people. It smelled of sea spray and animals and fish. The sky was a brilliant blue above. Molly tried to keep close to Cain, which wasn't difficult because he was tall and wide as he easily pushed through the crowd to the different stalls.

He stopped at one that had rows of bleating sheep tethered to a large wagon. Cain put the feed bags down and spoke with the stall's owner. Together, the bent over lists on papers.

"What are they doing?" Finn whispered, settling on Molly's right shoulder.

"Probably making deals." Molly observed her guide's serious expression. "Why are you whispering? No one can hear you except me. It wouldn't even matter with all the noise."

"I don't know. Force of habit, I guess." Finn whispered back. "Sprites are naturally timid, you know."

Molly rolled her eyes.

"He doesn't look too happy."

"No," Molly agreed, adjusting her backpack as Cain waved goodbye to the man of the stall. "He doesn't."

They went to a few other stalls; in each one the old rancher made some transaction. Finally, when they were done, Molly heard him sigh heavily.

"All right! All done. Do you wanna get going or do you wanna take a tour around the docks? Let me say that there hasn't been any interesting stuff here these days, so as your guide, I'd recommend we just go. Your choice."

Molly smiled. "Yeah, we can just go."

"Ugh, great! Glad you agree. My shoulder was starting to feel numb anyway."

"I thought the stalls were interesting."

"If you liked the stalls here, wait till you see Flute Fields on the Animal Festival. Sheep, cows, horses, you name it, all on the open grass ready to be petted, which is always the best part."

The sky became less obscured by trees and rooftops as both veteran rancher and understudy tramped their way along a dusty road to the outskirts of dock town. As far as Molly could see, the road speared ahead to an endless green.

"How are we gonna get to Harmonica, sir?"

"My trusty wagon and my honorable mare, Lightning."

They stopped by a cart with a white horse. Molly had seen and ridden many horses before; nevertheless, her excitement when faced with a new animal was seldom diminished.

"Haha! Yes, you can pet her." Cain then, grunting, began to load the wagon, as Molly scratched the back of Lightning's ear.

"Actually," the rancher said after tossing in the last sack and dusting his hands off, "that's my daughter's honorable mare. Otherwise I would have named her something more friendly... like Betsy, or Clara."

"Your daughter has good taste. Lightning's a cool name." The apprentice grinned, giving the mare a final pat and clambering onto the back of the wagon among the sacks.

"Think so?" Cain mounted the seat at the wagon's front. "You two will get along great, then. She's about your age."

With a whinny from Lightning and a few bumps, the wagon got going.

"Does she work at the ranch with you?" Molly settled atop the pile so to see down the road. It stretched far, far ahead, she observed, up and down hills, with sheer green spreading out from both sides.

"Yes she does. In fact, she does a better job than I do. But maybe you can teach her a few things. Starting your own ranch takes guts, kid. I salute you."

"Oh, well I'm not really starting it all on my own," Molly said stiffly. "I mean, I probably wouldn't have done it if my parents didn't decide for me. They used to be ranchers. I'm following in their footsteps."

"Mm," Cain began thoughtfully. "But do you like farming? It'd be a shame if you were doing it just to please your parents."

"I do!" Molly replied quickly. "I do like it... I mean, I've raised my own garden at home and taken care of a few animals, and it was fun..." The truth was she'd held her first gardening shovel when she was five and had taken care of her own seven-floor greenhouse ever since.

There was a long silence. Cain said nothing, but he was listening.

"Yeah..." Molly finished rather lamely.

"That's good!" he said encouragingly. "So you've had some experience before. If you ever need any help, you can come visit our ranch. My wife and I will be glad to lend a hand."

Molly released her breath. She didn't know how long her body was tensed. Now she relaxed a bit. Finn looked at her for a moment, then zoomed into the sky to see how far they had left before arriving.

"Thank you," Molly told the rancher sincerely.

The heiress, who felt quite out-of-place until now, was restored to her original confidence. She sat back, resting herself comfortably against the sacks, and put her arms behind her head as she let her boot-clad legs dangle over the shortening road.


Next chapter is Kasey. Yuuki and Hikari are better names, but I'll use the the English version for consistency's sake.