Bare-Back Mountain

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Natsume's glorious work, Harvest Moon: Magical Melodies.

Prologue:

I cast my line, hearing the satisfying thunk of the bobber hitting the calm lake waters. Stewing in my misery, I reminisced a better time, a safer place, an era when fishing wasn't my life, when my world had nothing to do with muck brought from the bottom of a lake.

I wanted something more to this life. A something I once held in my hand, a something I had once tasted, sweeter than fishing and twice as fulfilling.

The line grew taught and I reeled in my catch slowly. All of a sudden, the line snagged and a dark shadow swam off, back into the black murk. I pulled up my pole, feeling as empty as the hook dangling at the end.

Chapter One:

I was fishing. Always fishing. The winds picked up and the world was calm, life was singing an amazing tune as nature chattered about the new season. Oncoming rain filled the air with sweetness. I smiled and began to hum an old fisherman's song about life on the sea.

Grinning, I pulled in a carp, its rusty scales glistening from the cool waters from which it had been pulled. The fish was heavy in my experienced hands.38 pounds... no... 40...I laughed at his unwillingness to lie still in my firm grip. "You're a new fish... Let's see... what to name you?" I turned the fish around in my hands, its mouth gasping for air, eyes bulging. He's got about seven minutes. Maybe more. "How about... hrm... my, aren't we difficult to find a name for..." Deciding against naming this special fish, I placed it back into the rushing waters. It flipped its tail, crystal waters splashing up and falling onto the dried earth. The milky-whiteness that was the fish's underbelly glided along the bottom of the rocky river, the muck sliding easily off its underside. Then, it leapt, throwing its writhing body into the air in a sparkling array of water. Catching a fly in its mouth, it plunged back down into the mesmerizing waters, its tail flipping about behind it.

"This... is why I fish." I propped the pole onto my shoulder and wiped off a small trickle of sweat. The sun was setting in the oncoming twilight. "Time to head to the Moon." I walked slowly down towards the town, making my way to the Moonlight Café.

"Hey Ray." Eve sat across from me, her dark eyes glinting in the low lighting. Her golden bangles shimmered as she shuffled a deck of cards nimbly.

"Evenin' Eve." I said peaceably. I took another bite of my sashimi, which I had previously been simply shuffling around my plate with my chopsticks.

"You aren't eating much..." Her brow furrowed. "Listen, Ray... you... you know you always..." The deck was being shuffled rapidly now.

"Always what." I snapped back, placing my chopsticks down and wiping my mouth. I knew the answer.

"You always have..." She trailed off, her eyes showed how hurt she was by my attitude but honestly, I didn't care.

"Listen Eve, you're a really great person. But honestly, I just... I'm not..." I struggled with my words. Damn, girls are confusing! "I'm gonna go fishing..." I managed to grumble, standing up and shoving money onto the table. "See ya."

"Bye..." I didn't turn to see those eyes. They weren't meant for me. I knew she liked Dan... maybe she was just trying to make me feel better? With free friend sex? I kicked a stone as I walked, hearing it skitter across the path. The air outside was much cooler than the air in the Café. I sighed, feeling absolutely melancholy. I didn't want to fish.

I stopped in mid-step. What was that?

I. Didn't. Want. To. Fish.

I blinked, stopping in mid-thought.

"Hey Ray?"

"Eve- I told you!- Oh." Upon spinning around, I discovered my follower was not in fact Eve as I had thought, but a much quieter character. My eyes softened. "Sorry Maria..."

"It's alright Ray." We stood in silence, her chestnut eyes lowered to the pavement, my own sky-blue eyes staring at the heavens.

"I-" We had both spoken at the same time. She blushed and I frowned.

"No you go first." She insisted, looking into my eyes.

"I just wanted to say... uh..." Shit. What was I going to say? "Bye." I paused. She'll probably need an explanation. "I'm going... up to the mountains."

"Not to fish again?" Damn fishing. Damn girls. Damn puberty!

"No actually." Smooth. What an award winning explanation. Well done. I mentally slapped myself.

"..." Silence. Ah... something I could work with! I nodded and continued up the path, never once looking back.

I slept staring up at the sky. That night, a dream flooded my mind.

"Ray... kiss me..." Eve leaned over my body, stunning pink eyes seeing into my soul.

"I want you so badly, Ray." Maria was working her lips against my neck. I groaned.

"Hey fisherman." Gwen straddled me, loose hair falling over her crimson eyes. My body was on fire, my mind screaming out.

"JESUS!" I sat up. Aww shit, I had fallen asleep on a damn rock again. I rubbed my head, a small bump already swelling on the back of my skull. No straddling, horny girls rubbing themselves against my body.

"Hey, uh... you ok?"

"Oh great... I'm seeing stars..." I moaned. First naked chicks, now the American flag. Damn those girls.

"Actually... that might be the bandana." Joe smiled and pulled me up. "Why are you sleeping on the mountain?" Damn. I was asleep on the mountain. Another mental slap.

"Uh... no reason actually. Just... sleeping on the mountain." Never have been a magician with words. "Why are you here?"

"Tuesday." He shrugged. Yeah, that was awfully clear.

"Can we pretend you're Captain States-the-Obvious?"

"It's my day off."

"More obvious."

"I'm fishing."

"There we go." I rubbed my head, looking down at my feet. Joe laughed and I blushed, feeling really dumb.

"So you're good at fishing right?" I shrugged.

"Maybe." Best god-damned fisher in the free world and you know it.

"Can you give me a few pointers?" Can I?

"Maybe when I'm not seeing stars." Sure I can. Problem is, don't want to.

"What do you got against the 'dana, man?" I stared. Then I got the joke. If it was a joke.

"Oh! No, I really am dizzy." I laughed and he actually joined in. I've never actually shared a proper laugh with people. More of the silent type. Yet here I was. But soon, silence descended again like an eagle swooping down to eat baby rats.

"Well, I'll see ya then." I brushed myself off and straightened my clothes out.

"Right." He nodded and slung the pole from his back to his front, fishing ready.

I walked away, feeling gloomy, and still not wanting to do much fishing at all.