Author's Notes: Hello, everyone! Well, it's the first chapter and I can already tell that this is going to be a long one... -_-;
I've had this written for a while, but I was a little hesitant to post it.. Hopefully, people still remember FoMT, or at least have a vague awareness of Mineral Town. But even if you have no clue, you can still understand the story to some extent.
Anyway, read on and let me know what you think of it! :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon. Hear that? Do. Not. Own. ;)
Second Chances
The shrill beep of the machine matched the slow, cold intensity of Trent's own heartbeat, his hands shaking as he charged the device.
"Clear!" The bitter, emotionless tone rang throughout the miniscule clinic, with only a few lone villagers left to hear him.
The trainee nurse stood to his right, tears already starting to form as she gazed down at the serene young woman, her once vibrantly colored face now a deathly shade of white. She knew what was happening…but that didn't make it hurt any less…
"Clear!" His breath became ragged as he attempted once more to revive the worn-out heart. No…she couldn't be…dead? No…no he would just have to try harder.
Trent looked up, noting Elli's flustered appearance with a weary look. They had been here for a good twelve hours, and she was likely tired and scared. She needed her sleep and, as a doctor, he couldn't let her continue unhealthy habits.
"Elli," the doctor stated, his eyes never once leaving the woman lying beside him, "Go get some rest. I'll be here."
Elli's dismal expression turned horrified, fluctuating between the doctor and the corpse below them. He knew that she didn't want to leave her friend. They had grown so close over the years…
"Oh, but Trent! She's-!" The doctor gave her a look that couldn't be argued. The look that he gave to anyone who was disputing his authority in a tough situation. The girl, taking the message, sniffled and took an additional mournful look at the woman before shuffling out of the room without another word.
Trent only sighed, watching after the girly young nurse while running a hand through his disheveled locks. If she had stayed any longer, he knew that her carefully constructed wall of emotions would come crumbling down. As much as she tried to hide it, the nurse was still very much a child in some ways. And children didn't need to see such a scene…
Speaking of children, he still wasn't quite sure how to break the news to the worried young kids waiting outside. They were both so young… What would they do without their mother?
They were sitting nearby, the young pink-headed girl already retiring for the night, resting her head on Rick's slumped shoulders. Trent didn't blame her for wanting to sleep; he was both physically and emotionally drained, and he still couldn't grasp the fact that all of his efforts were for naught…
But when he gazed down at the cold, distant cadaver of his beloved Lillia, he could still, even remotely, see a bit of a spark. In the corner of her lifeless eyes, there was something left… a glint of comprehension… the sheen of awareness…
And that was enough to fight for.
Dreaming.
She had to be dreaming.
That was Lillia's first thought when she had entered the grassy knoll, the very same field where she had first met…him…
But that was impossible… because the field had been used many years ago, now currently housing the old Hot Spring…
So then, it had to be a dream…right…?
The blue and white flowers, fall buds, as they were once called, littered the space in a myriad of combinations. It looked as though the whole thing was planned, like a scene from a movie. Or perhaps…
No. Of course this was just a dream… how could it be anything else?
"Clear!"
The first thing Lillia noticed about this strange place was the sheer energy coursing through her body. What was once a chore, like simply taking a few steps, was now an effortless task for the young maiden. It felt as though she was flying, gliding gracefully with each fluid step. It felt wonderful.
The woman face lit up as she seemed to dance across the meadow, her body moving in a way that was so incredibly stunning, so breathtakingly beautiful that it had to be a dream.
She stopped directly under the goddess pond, shimmering vibrantly though there was no sun to provide light. Which was another thing- it seemed as though continuous sunlight bathed every part of this strange place, bouncing off of the water as it normally would, and yet there was no sun to provide such a thing. Everything was bright, and yet…cold at the same time…
It confused Lillia a bit, although she was too ecstatic to care at the moment.
"Clear!"
Plucking a few stray flowers off the warm, moist ground, the older maiden began throwing a few into the fountain, as she did when she was Popuri's age. Everything in this place made her feel young…like she was starting over. Like she was rewinding the clock…
And Lillia didn't mind rewinding the clock at all. In fact, many times during her life she had wished for a redo, to press the rewind button and have a do-over…
Her life so far had been nothing but bitterness and forced smiles. When she was just newly married, a time she liked to call the 'golden years', was the time that she had contracted that dreadful illness. And from there, things only took a downhill turn…
Rod had left to find that forsaken flower, the kids had begun bickering constantly, and even moving across the house became a chore for her at times. Rick had begun dating Karen, which had left Popuri to do all of the farm work while he was gone. And although she had frequently claimed that she would do the work if she knew how, there would always be a convenient excuse, come training day, to forgo the lesson.
And this, of course, only fueled the fire of unhappiness and turmoil that was steadily building.
No, it was not a happy life. Not at all.
Lillia looked into her reflection, a vibrant, teenage face looking back at her, the hair pulled back into a dark headband. It reflected how Lillia wished she were, a young girl again. Maybe some things could be corrected, solved, if she re-spun the wheels of fate. If only she was given another chance…that would be her one regret in life…
The petals swirled in the water, creating a vortex that gradually sucked each petal down below the pond's transparent surface.
"Go get some…I'll… here."
The water quickened and spun, the petals swashing violently in the water's changing currents. Waves crashed on the pond's rocky shore, the liquid slowly rising to unheard of heights. And, as quickly as Lillia could blink her eyes, the fluid took the form of a person, features slowly sharpening on the woman's body.
The chicken farmer looked away, too dazzled by this strange being to see straight. Her heart was quickening, her curiosity peaking. Who was this strange water goddess…?
"You wish you could rewind the clock, hm? Bring back your youth?" cooed the voice, the water abruptly calming, as if commanded by her gentle tone.
Lillia looked up at the unusual woman, debating for a few seconds if this could be the legendary Harvest Goddess, protector and nurturer of Mineral Town, who was fabled to live underneath the pond's waters. She looked like the image of perfection, her mere being a comfort.
The woman gave a warm, alluring smile, "You are correct, Lillia. I am she."
"Really…?" she breathed, "Could you be so kind as to tell me…where I am?"
The goddess pondered for a moment, her lower lip jutted out and her eyes rolled upward. Finally, she turned down to the young farmer. "You are in 'the light', child. The plane between the living and the dead. Your time has come, but only if you feel it has to be…"
Lillia's face twisted in a combination of confusion and dread, chills running up her arms. The plane between the living and dead…of course…
She remembered now… she remembered it all.
Falling over during dinner…rushing to the clinic…Trent's calm, reassuring words, the flower, the flower…but then everything went dark, there was crying, and she could only hear faint sounds…
She remembered… Lillia remembered. But did that mean that she was…dead…? But what about her children? What about Rod… There was still so much left for her! She wasn't ready to die…to give up on her children, when they needed her most.
There had to be something she could do…
"You are not dead…yet," explained the Harvest Goddess, still hovering, "As I said, you are in 'the light'. The dimension between reality and afterlife. I am here to fulfill your wish. To have a do-over, is it not?"
"Oh, but Trent! She's-!"
The bubblegum woman blinked. "Y-yes. Yes, oh yes, that would be wonderful! But…" she looked up, her eyes questioning, "Why me? There must be someone more worthy than I am."
"No," the goddess' tone was firm, yet still managed to keep a whimsical air, "You have been a devoted follower all of your life, and I respect the wishes of those who have faith in me… And I believe you deserve a second chance."
With that, the strange entity gave a coy wink, gradually slinking back into her waters without causing a single ripple or stir.
Before consumed completely, the Harvest Goddess nodded, pointing down to the still waters below her. "Simply drop down through the pond. Let yourself go, and only then will you be able to start anew…"
As she spoke, the voice became fainter and softer until, finally, it had disappeared along with its source…
Lillia only sat for a moment, gazing down at the dark, dismal water where the goddess had disappeared, wondering what to do next.
She had her chance…a chance that any other would kill for. Everything had gone on so fast. Was this really what she wanted…? To begin again, forgetting all the wonderful parts of her own life?
No. Something in the back of her mind told her that she wouldn't forget. Not yet; she would hold on.
Lillia wasn't going to pass up an opportunity such as this, as much as she loved her old life. The woman was ready for her long-awaited change. Ready for a new start, her do-over. And if the Harvest Goddess had deemed her worthy, who was she to disagree?
Making certain her eyes were tightly shut, clutching the hem of her trademark peasant dress, she took a leap of faith, dropping directly into the menacing waters below. The waves engulfed the young mother, spiraling the farmer deeper into the chasm with every stroke of her arms…
Kicking and stroking was all that the frantic farmer could register, her mind slowly becoming consumed by darkness.
The blackness became a part of her vision, blurring the lines of reality and unconsciousness, and after some time, Lillia could scarcely tell the difference between the two…
"She's… gone…"
"Popuri? Poppy, wake up."
"Hunngh. Five more minutes…" The fatigued maiden mumbled, rolled onto her side and giving a deep yawn. She snuggled her face onto her support before settling to sleep once more. So tired…
The voice above sighed, "Come on, sis. The doctor says he has important news for us. About mom's condition."
She wasn't quite sure what the strange voice was talking about, for she hadn't had a mother since she had turned sixteen. Oh, that was about the age that she had met Rod, wasn't it? Yes, those were some good times…so sunny all the time…mmm…
A sudden jarring broke the teen out of her stupor. "Come on, wake up!"
"Alright," she said, popping her head up from her cushion, "Alright, I'm up…"
Strange… her voice felt so squeaky. And energetic, although she had just woken up. Where was she, exactly…?
The bubbly bird-lover took a tired glance around the room, which she found to be the town's clinic that she had grown used to over the years. This was like her second home, now. Ever since the illness, at least…
So then, she must have gone in for a check-up and fallen asleep. That would be understandable, after all. She was getting so tired as of recently. Odd… she could remember, faintly, seeing a strange water goddess in her dream. So beautiful, it had almost moved her to tears.
"You ready?"
The teen whipped her head around, appropriately startled by the sudden appearance. A young boy smiled down at her, his eyes holding a bit of sadness. But she knew him…
"Rick…?"
The man nodded, shrugging his head in the direction of the Trent's office. "Should we go see what's up?"
"Uh..." Rick had never come to one of her appointments, before. How thoughtful of him…
The touched young teen beamed up at her relative, nodding her head as she rose. Her joints felt so lively and young…she hadn't felt this good in years. "Yes, I suppose we shouldn't keep Trent waiting. He's a busy man, after all."
Rick blinked for a moment, gazing up at her curiously. "You feeling okay, sis?"
"Sis…? Oh, is Popuri coming, too? You kids are so sweet, coming with me today!" She smiled, folding her hands and she talked.
The bewildered farm boy kept his stare at the young woman, giving a strange sort of look that she had never seen him use.
Her tone turned concerned, bringing a hand up to the blonde's forehead and checking for a fever. "Rick, darling, are you sick? We should buy some medicine for you while we're-"
"Stop it!" Rick snarled, smacking her hand to the side. "Is this some kind of sick joke? It's not funny, Popuri!"
"Eh…? Joke? Popuri? What are you…?"
"You wish you could rewind the clock, hm? Bring back your youth?"
Lillia gasped, taking a few steps back. She remembered… her dream… She had promised to rewind the clock. But it wasn't a dream, was it? She had died, hadn't she?
"No…" the adolescent rancher murmured, "N- no…that couldn't have been real… Just a dream, right? Just a dream…"
Rick stood up, watching his sister with a cocked brow. "Popuri…? Are you-"
"I-I'm not…I'm not." The baffled young woman took another step away from the boy, glancing down. Her skin, so healthy and flawless… Her hair, swept back behind a headband, was well kept and…and pink.
This wasn't her skin, and it surely wasn't her hair… The dress that she was wearing… Lillia remembered buying something similar a few years back. But it was a bit too small, so she had given it to… Popuri.
The gears in the girl's head clicked and, fearing for her child, she bolted toward the mirror in the corner, her heart racing almost as fast as her feet. Rick watched after her, still debating whether he was more confused or angry with his sister's antics.
Taking a glance at the wide-eyed beauty staring back at her, the girl's mind went blank. This wasn't Lillia. This was someone familiar, but not her. This wasn't her body.
Beneath the glassy surface, the mother watched, horrified, as she saw Popuri's face mimic her expression of pure terror.
From below the churning waves of the goddess pond, there rang a vengeful laugh. The goddess stood her ground, her hands circling the water in rhythmic motions as she gazed upon the familiar scene. Sea foam hair turned a wavy corn silk, the airy light clothing morphing into a dark, dismal black. An empty potion bottle lay broken in the corner.
The deity watched as her 'faithful follower' went through the motions, the confusion and discord bringing a gleam to her eye. Yes, this was too perfect.
All was going according to plan…
No one would forget this act, most certainly not her air headed rival. The play had just begun, the characters in motion, the curtain rising.
A slow, scheming grin spread across the witch's face.
"Showtime."
Cliffhanger? Sort of? Well, I'm not very good at creating suspense, but I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading, and sorry about all of the skipping around... Hopefully it won't be so bad later on. ^^;
Oh, and I had a little confusion when it came to the name issue. The game spells it 'Lillia,' but I've also seen it spelled 'Lilia' (and the spellcheck on my Word processor seems to think it's Lilia, too XD) I just went with the game's spelling but, if I'm wrong, please let me know! I'd hate to be misspelling the main character's name this whole time! :D