Chasing Hopes.

This is a Harvest Moon Animal Parade fic, I don't own HM or characters, apart from Molly's personality and animals. I hope you like the fic! The title is from a song, review which one! Review if you can!

(Prologue)

-Did we Chase the Rabbit into Wonderland?

The sun was sinking low in the sky...

The golden rays bounced off of the aquamarine ocean waves as they weakly rippled against the shore and river banks. Only a few fish swam about, all of them slow and loathsome. A boy with silver hair who brandished a fishing rod sighed and retracted the bait from the water, he rolled up his line and tied it neatly around the rod. With the fishing equiptment under his arm, the boy glanced out at the sea. It was a pitiful sight to behold. And things weren't going to get better, Toby knew that soon enough, there would be no fish left, and his father and him would be forced to sail further to find a shoal, or worst of all, they'd have to close down the fishery and move to the massive mainland, away from this gorgeous place, forever.

He shook his head, and prayed for a miracle as the night began to set in. He glanced momentarily at the full moon in the velvet black sky before closing the fishery door and disappearing inside...

He was hastily packing, it was getting darker, he'd be leaving soon. He'd decided it would be best to leave in the cover of dark, afterall, the lighthouse would light the way for them. He quietly grabbed his bag and creeped out his front door. A black and white collie dog slept peacefully on the patio on top of the house.

"I'll be back, Father." He murmured, his gold hair wafted about in the cold air as he closed the front door.

His crystal blue eyes observed the city in the glory of night time. Hardly any streetlights were turned on at night. Especially with the moon being as bright as it was. The boy walked past the Brass Bar, which was rather quiet for a change. But that was because they had had to close up until times were better. That was one of the reasons he was leaving. He tiptoed past the Fishery. A ginger and white striped kitten peeped from the roof at him with wide green eyes.

He reached the dock, and listened in worry to the weaker lapping of the waves, like they were dying. He turned to see that the lighthouse was glimmering over the calm waters, the little white silhouette of another stray cat could be seen on the little island. As he turned, he watched as a boat began to sail over to the dock he was on. It stopped beside him and the engine died down. All was quiet again apart from the swashing waters. An old man jumped onto the deck of the ship and climbed down onto the dock. He pulled his sailor's cap off and reached out a hand.

"I am Pascal, the captain of this ship. Were you the one who summoned me?" He asked in a gentlemanly voice, smiling at the boy as they shook hands.

He nodded and smirked, "The name's Gill. I wish to go to the mainland." Gill explained, his blonde bangs dancing in the wind.

She watched as Pascal's ship disappeared into the horizon out of sight. She leant against the balcony, she knew it was ridiculous to be out this late, but, she couldn't leave him. She turned away from the sad waters and walked back over to a new tombstone. Her mauve hair was fluttering and mixing with her tears of despair. Mira knew she should be with Julius, the other shopkeeper at her husband's jewellers, but he would have to cope by himself for awhile. A small beagle watched her from the top of the stairs, it's small eyes scanning the scene with curiousity. It was soon joined by a large pyrenees with shaggy white hair and a lolling tongue and a small, midnight black cat with stunning emerald eyes. The wind blew weakly in sorrow.

Another mug of lukewarm coffee landed on the oak desk where he stood. His tounge tried to poke from the corner of his mouth, but he held it back as it would have looked unprofessional. He took in a sip of the cool, revitalising drink. He then trapsed over to the large telescope which stretched out of his roof and into the sky. He bent downwards slightly, and adjusted the telescope so he could stand normally. He glanced down the telescope with bi-coloured eyes, one a dazzling green and the other a silvery-brown, he scratched his head, sending silver locks everywhere. His tanned face glowed in the moonlight that filtered through the gap in the roof. Two twin white star-shaped tattoos adorned themselves under his eyes. Concern filled his face and mind as the stars showed a certain weakness, he had not surveyed before.

He huffed, and stared around his small kitchen in his home. A few pots, clean of course were resting on the cold hob. A large ladel hung above the pristine oven, glinting in the candlelight of the room. A baguette in a small, wicker basket sat comfortably in the center of the little table with it's red chequered blanket draped over the table. An empty picture frame hung on the wall beside the door. He really needed to fill it... The problem was... with WHAT?

He sighed tiredly and slumped into his table side chair, his head resting on his small, yet surprisingly muscular arm considering his job as a chef. His elbow dug into the table's fibres. A few loose bangs of strawberry blonde hair hung across his face, he swept it back with careful fingers and clipped it back with two hairpins. His eyes, a hue of violet scanned the sky outside the window. The moon was bright in the sky, and a couple of stars glimmered hopefully around the silver orb. But life was just as dull as it had been for months now, without signs of improving. He leant against the open windowpane, and closed his eyes, allowing a cooling, soft breeze to caress his face. His long apron flapped slightly. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open as a slamming of Marimba farm's door echoed through Flute Fields. The boy watched with interest as Anissa, Ruth and Craig's daughter, and Taylor, their young son stormed down the path, bags on their backs. Anissa's dark chestnut hair was swept into a tight, meaningful bun. Taylor skipped ahead, a look of determination on the little kid's face.

As they walked past, the boy watching them tried to hide from view, but failed as he smacked his head against the wooden frame of the window. Anissa and Taylor turned to face the boy as he cursed and rubbed his poor head.

"Chase? What are you doing?" Anissa asked in wonder, watching Chase grumble to himself as he brandished a sore head.

Chase looked at them. "Wondering what you were doing." He replied.

Anissa and Taylor exchanged worried looks, and the sister faced Chase once more. "You must not say anything, Chase. We are leaving to find a way to increase our crop growth for the farm and our parents." She explained.

Chase yawned and when he looked back out the window, the two children were gone from his sight.

At least someone was doing something about the situation at the moment. Or trying to...

The Inn and the Bar weren't selling food, so Chase didn't have a job to go to at the moment. But not having to work just meant he made more failed dishes at home than in his paid hours with Yolanda. He just didn't understand... There wasn't enough of a fire or gas to cook proper food. And he didn't know when there would be. He closed the window as a chill made him shiver slightly. A clock ticked quietly on the wall, he yawned and sat in his chair again.

Wizard continued to stir his coffee with a small teaspoon in what seemed to be concern. His pupils were dilated in the darkness, this allowed the viewing of the stars to become clearer. He climbed down the small ladder to the ground floor of his house and rummaged through his many magical books until he found the right one. With triumph, he clambered back towards the telescope and perched on a stall and opened the book expectantly. He began hastily flicking past pages until he came to the one he wanted. His eyes studied each word carefully.

Finally, a theory, a reason, but not a good one...

There was a bright twinkling beside the tree where five tiny sprites were gathered. One wore a red hat and jacket, the next a blue one, then a yellow one, then, green, and finally, a little crying Harvest sprite wore purple.

A glinting light appeared before them, before the Harvest Goddess appeared. Her turquoise hair wafted around serenly and her clothes clung perfectly to her mystic shape. A pair of matching, glittery eyes fixated within a few seconds on each one of them.

"Alan, Ben, Collin, Daren and Edge." She greeted them, watching them bow and smile. "The time has come." She announced.

All the spirtes nodded, and released a stream of melody and energy towards the small orange ball in the goddess's hands. All of a sudden, the light went, and in it's place, floated in her arms, a small harvest sprite. It had an orange coat and pointy hat with green hair. It was smaller than the others and awoke as the goddess called to it.

"Finn... O' Finn..." She whispered as the sprite's eyes sprung open slowly.

Finn was released from her grasp and he floated aimlessly in front of her.

"I have a mission for you, our entire lives and the well-being of Castanet depends on it." She explained.

Finn nodded, and opened his mouth to speak. "Oh yes Goddess. I will do you proud, and bring the human who can see our kind to you!" he exclaimed.

"But, how should he know who that human is, Goddess?" Alan asked as all the sprites, including Finn turned to hear the answer.

The goddess merely smiled. "You shall know. They are pure of heart."

"A name might help!" Collin chipped in.

Finn listened attentively as one word left the Harvest Goddess's lips.

"Molly."

"So, where you from then?" Cain asked, cracking the whip as the horse moved on faster.

A voice answered from the cart of hay that they were pulling.

"Ah, a Main-lander." He sighed, glancing around at the crisp morning.

Molly ignored the annoying little creature floating around her, like it had been doing hastily since she'd left the mainland, and popped her inquisitive head up from the cart as they continued through the countryside. She had sparkling russet eyes and light, almost red, brown hair cut in a messy bob. She wore a casual yellow tee and shorts. The hay scratched at her bare legs annoyingly, but not nearly as annoying as the little sprite, Finn, was it? Flying around her head yelling in a squeaky voice.

"Shut up!" She yelled finally, breaking the bird's song as they travelled.

Cain gave the girl a wierd look, "What?" he asked.

"You're the only one who can see me you dolt!" Finn hollered, he bonked her on the head and became obviously amused as Molly flushed beetroot red in embarassment and apologised to Cain.

She rubbed her head afterwards and glared at Finn.

Later on, Molly sat up now in the cart as they neared the valley of Castanet slowly but surely. Finn finally got her to comply after two hours to take part in the mission.

"Now, we must go and see the Harvest Goddess as soon we get there!" Finn exclaimed, but Molly wasn't listening.

She was excitedly watching as the cart pulled up beside a hill with a small stream. A few blackberry hedges sat beside a white sign on the path.

"We're here!" Cain announced, stopping the cart.

"Moonlit Farm..." Finn whispered, almost questioningly.

Molly hopped down and breathed in the foreign air. Finn followed her, still nagging. She thanked Cain and he galloped off with his horse and cart into the fields ahead, down the right-hand path as to where he had left her. As she glanced up the hill, she saw a small, plump man's silhouette, he waved for her to join him.

"Now, the Harvest Goddess should be... Hey! Come back!" Finn cried as Molly ran up the hill.

Panting, she reached the top and set eyes on the man.

He was small yet friendly looking, he waved gleefully.

"Welcome! I am the Mayor of Harmonica Town." He introduced himself.

"Whoa, he could almost be a harvest sprite himself!" Finn giggled, only to be silenced by a look from Molly.

"This is your house, and vegetable patch." he explained, showing Molly her house.

Molly's POV

"It's, nice." I meekly reply as I glance at my house.

It needed some work, but I guess it would have to do.

"Looks like a shack." Finn butts in again.

Gosh, he's so irritating sometimes! I'm just glad the Mayor can't hear him!

"And this, is your land plot." The mayor explains, pointing to a garden patch where I would grow crops, hopefully.

Finn's eyes grow wide. "Wow! All for free? How kind!" He yells.

"However, you can pay me 5000G when you get it for the garden patch." The mayor then says.

I grumble.

Nothing is free nowadays, is it?

"What a tight-wadded bunch!" Finn wails in my ear.

"Thank-you, Mayor." I stutter, scratching behind my head as I notice some turnip plants and cherry trees in my garden patch.

Once the mayor had gone, Finn turned on me again.

"Let's go find the Harvest Goddess, Molly! Uh, Molly? Hey! Come back!"

That little sprite cries as I ignore him and run into my first ever house!

It's so small, but cosy. There's a little bed in the corner which I can tell you will be probably where I live in the winter. There's a bedside cabinet! I immediately put my diary and notice there's already an alarm clock ready for me! Then, there's a cuboard, and kitchen area. I sit on the bed and sigh. Finn begins bugging me once more,

"Molllleeeee!" He cries.

"Later." I reply, only to hear a knock on the door.

As I open it, a tall girl with blonde hair in a ponytail and green eyes grins at me. Gosh, she's wearing a tank top and jeans! At least Finn has shut up...

"Hi! I'm Kathy! You're the new farmer, right? I work in the Brass Bar." She then winks at me.

I feel myself get embarassed, "Uh, I'm Molly, y-yes. I am the new farmer."

Another face pops out from behind her. It's a boy with dark blue, messy hair. It is uselessly pushed back with a blue bandanna. He grins.

"I'm Luke!" He yells, leaping forwards with, is that an AXE?

I jump backwards and scream as the axe swings downwards and gets stuck in my porch step. No matter how hard he then tries, it won't budge!

"Damnit!" Luke screams.

Even Finn's ears are covered...

Dear Goddess, I think I've just gone deaf...

How am I going to fit in here?

Kathy is nice, as is Luke, I guess.

Even after he accidentally nearly ended up decapitating me with his stupid axe.

He's nothing like...

Well, that guy from main land. Just thinking about that scares me. I'm a little wary of boys anyway, back at high school, I got bullied. I remember once, hiding down in the foot well of a bus seat with a lunchbox lid over my face as some older boy tried to spray dehoderant in my face...

It was never ending.

But, I hope I can leave everything behind now. I have to help Finn find the Harvest Goddess. I hope, I can leave behind, him.

(Normal POV)

"She seems, nice." Kathy agreed, swirling her beverage in it's glass as she chatted with Toby.

The fisherman rarely came to the Bar, what with it being closed. A closing of the door announced the arrival of someone else.

Kathy waved at Chase as he wandered over to Toby and the blonde.

"Won't Hayden be mad you're drinking when Bar is closed?" Chase asked, going over to his kitchen behind the bar and cleaning up.

Kathy shrugged her shoulders, and Toby began to talk about fishing, again.

"The goby are barely alive." He sighed, sipping his grape juice.

Chase sighed as he realised the fire power was getting worse. He left the bar, waving bye and headed up to the church grounds. He warily slinked past the large pyrenees dog and leant against the balcony. It overlooked the beautiful ocean, well, the water looked tired. The black cat climbed up onto the balcony frame and sat close to Chase, enjoying the cook stroking her back. All of a sudden, the cat darted off, into the hedges of the graveyard. Chase saw a person's silhouette, an unfamilliar one.

Molly had walked everywhere, greeting everyone she saw. Of course, Finn still annoyed her, but that seemed to be his job anyway. She arrived at the church grounds, and saw a black kitten dart into the hedgerow. That was when, she spotted Chase. He turned to face her, a sour look across his face.

"Hello."

"Hi."

"You must be the new farmer, are you running it all by yourself?" Chase asked boredly.

Molly gulped in nervousness, "Well, I-I, yes as a matter of fact."

Chase didn't say anything for a few moments, finally, he spoke again. "I work in the Brass Bar and at the Ocarina Inn at times. But I haven't worked for what? Five months now. There's not enough fire power or gas to make proper food worthy of eating."

Chase moaned his mind to the stranger, he just needed a good old grumble...

"I should probably introduce myself, I'm Chase, I'm a chef." Chase said, his mouth not even twitching into a smile.

Molly felt her face become flushed in awkwardness.

"Molly, I'm Molly, the farmer." she explained, scratching behind her head.

Finn suddenly pitched in, " He might be grouchy, but that I would say that this guy is one tasty dish!" Finn giggled at his own pun.

Molly became even redder, and rolled her eyes at Finn's pun.

(Chase's POV)

"You should stop by the Bar sometime, when it reopens of course." I advised.

Why was she blushing?

Or was it just embarassment?

She nods at me and

begins biting her fingernails. She reminds me of Candace, the blue haired girl who lives and works at Sonata Tailoring...

"Anyways, I better get going." Molly sighs, waving only timidly and walking away, her finger's still wedged in her mouth.

She seems ok, not the sort of person I'd usually talk to though.

"Oh, and I suppose Maya who cannot cook and talks way too much is then!" My conscience yells at me.

I sigh, it's getting dark, Molly has gone now...

Maybe I should check the bar again?

I stroll down town. I am surprised to see candlelight filtering from a singular window of that strange wizard guy. As I carry on, I see someone slam the door to the Sonata Tailoring.

"Luna?" I whisper, watching the pink haired girl head for the docks, a boat ticket in her hand.

I highly doubt Pascal's ship will be able to make it back here...

He slurped his coffee and rubbed his bi-coloured eyes. Wizard looked at the stars that night. He looked again, then looked through a text book. He looked up in confusion. Something odd, was going to happen...

To Be Continued...

That is the prologue finished! The story begins soon! Yes, that example of Molly being bullied, happened to me once. But whatever! Hope you liked it! review please?

-AAML:)