Author's Note: Sorry… I just got Rune Factory, playing on a faulty DS, and I'm in a bind with both getting enough wood for that House Update, and deciding between two of the bachelorettes. (I can now assure you, neither are Mist.) And… I've been working a little on some completely original Fiction, too. And you still might not see some work from me for awhile after this, sadly. But hey, if you want to pass the time before my next fanfic chapter by taking a look at my original looks, contact me in a way I can send you the link or something. My characters in "Prophet Destiny" deserve some love and recognition, but I'm too lazy to post it on fictionpress. Anyway, let's do this.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon. Oh, and "Street Fighter" references abound… again. Capcom Ownership, baby.

Harvest Moon:

Shoreline Showdown

Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the shores at Mineral Town beach were turbulent.

In the middle of Rose Square, a panicked young farmer held his dying friend in his arms.

The farmer had short, jet-black hair and shocked sapphire eyes. He wore a light-blue jean jacket over a casual white t-shirt, a pair of jean pants, and a flame-patterned handkerchief around his neck.

The man cradled in his arms had messy black hair, and wore a long white lab coat.

"Doctor! DOCTOR!!!!" the farmer cried in a panic.

But the dying man could not answer. There was little he could do with his final breaths, and so he collapsed, accomplishing little.

With nothing else to do, the farmer did his best to perform his own amateur autopsy.

"No signs of weapons… and is neck is fine… but… so many cuts and bruises… looks like well-blaced blows for a fighter, just like the last one. This could only be the work of---"

The farmer cut himself off as he saw a still figure at Mineral Beach.

"Of course… this IS that time she'd be looking out at the waves" the farmer growled under his breath.

Fueled by hatred, the farmer rushed out towards the shore to catch clearer sight of a blonde girl in a violet jacket.

"KAREN!!!!"

The blonde turned around to reveal spiteful emerald eyes that stared back.

"Heh, Mitch… figures we'd meet here." She scoffed.

"You dare speak lightly to me after all you've done, traitor? That's it… Tonight, I'll make you pay for your slaughter-fest!" the farmer dubbed Mitch proclaimed.

The lady named Karen spat off to the side and again scoffed in contempt.

"As if. Today it'll be you who's paying this crap, farm boy. You think I'll just take your little blame game and kill myself? No, cuz' I'm taking out the little liar here and now." Karen answered.

"DON'T SCREW WITH ME!!!" Mitch cried. "The Doctor just died before my very eyes in your little killing spree, not to mention Elly, Doug, and nearly everyone else in this whole damned village! You even killed…"

The poor young man hesitated to cry out the name most precious to him.

"-… DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP TELL ME I IMAGINED ALL THOSE DEAD BODIES!!! THEY'RE REAL, AND THEIR LIVES ARE NEVER COMING BACK!!!"

"Then maybe you developed some psycho split-personality, or are sleep-killing or something. Whatever the hell's going on, it sure ain't me… because I'd never as hell include my parents in the killing spree." She growled.

"You told me you hated your parents! Especially your "strict-ass" Mother!" Mitch retorted.

Karen growled deeper. She tightened her right hand into a fast and nearly slammed the sandy floor with it.

"Not…. That… much…" she snarled.

"More and more lies… and you can't even take responsibility for taking HER from me… what? Next thing you're going to tell me is that you know nothing of the sacred art we practiced together, the one you used to MURDER the villagers, just to preserve your "innocence", right?" Mitch cried.

"So what?! As you said, you know our martial art as well, so you're just as much a suspect in this! And you know what? Who says I'm going to deny it?! Under the honor of the "Assassin's Fist", I'm going slay your murdering ass for taking away my friends and family from me!" Karen shouted back as she got into a fighting position.

"How DARE you, traitor?! No… it will be ME who takes revenge for murdering my loved one!" Mitch cried back as he went into a similar fighting stance.

"NO!!! STOP!!!" a voice interjected.

The two mortal enemies turned to see a spectacled girl in green sweater vest and dress run out. Her black braids appeared to flow against the violent wind.

"This fight is pointless! Clearly, if both of you are accusing each other, then none of you must have committed these murders! If you just listen to reason and halt this fight---"

"No, that's impossible. That very stance she holds, the knowledge of the infamous arts in her mind… with what I've seen, that's proof enough that the liar before me committed those atrocities." Mitch answered back.

"Mitchel!" Mary shouted. "How… could you? Karen's been your friend since childhood! You should know better than this! How… how could you think that she's capable of such things?"

For a moment, Mitch turned his head and sighed.

"It's… because of the dark secret Karen and I have been taught about the "Assassin's Fist" Martial Arts. It's… a destructive instinct called the "Murderous Intent". It slowly changes those with ambitions of victory to be ruthless killing machines. Obviously, it has started to consume my former friend." Mitch explained.

"Wh-what?! B-but… that kind of thing is… it sounds ridiculous…" Mary cried dubiously.

"Maybe to you, but you haven't lived in our world… the world of Martial Arts and Warriors. Mary, you're so kind and gentle, and maybe it's best you remain ignorant of our ways." Mitchel said with a bittersweet smile.

"My ass! You were the one that was always the more violent and driven between the two of us, Mitch! If anything, the "Murderous Intent" must be corrupting your weak mind!" Karen retorted.

"SHUT UP!!!"

"Calm down, both of you!"

At this point, Mary stood in the way of both combatants.

"I know how hard it is for both of you… I lost my parents to this mysterious massacre, as did you Karen… and we all lost our friends. And Mitch, I'm so sorry that Poppuri became a victim in all this when the both of you were in love, but you mustn't give in to impulsive anger! You have to---"

"She meant so much to me…" Mitchel uttered in a weak voice. Both of his fists clenched even tighter as his teeth grit with malice.

"I LOVED HER, YOU BITCH! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" he shouted in a frenzy.

"SHE WAS MY FRIEND, YOU IDIOT! STOP GIVING ME THAT LYING ASS-CRAP AND FESS UP!" Karen replied.

The anger within both of them built up at an enormous rate. The trembling Mary was desperate to remained wedged between the two of them, yet part of her knew that rationale could no longer reach them.

Eventually, the two fighters were at the peak of their bloodlust. A mutual fire burned in both their eyes as they prepared to face each other to death.

"YOU'RE DEAD!!!" Both foes shouted at each other.

Immediately, Mitch and Karen rushed at each other, with Mary refusing to move. Once both fighters reached striking range, they simultaneously pushed the cowering librarian to the side and began their battle in earnest.

Mary could only watch in regert as her two friends released wave after wave of fatal techniques at each other.

"You two…" Mary spoke softly as she clutched her pounding chest.

"Interesting… for Woody's students to fight so passionately." A deep voice growled.

Mary slowly turned around… to her horror, she found an older man with ruffled black hair and an unkempt beard sporting a sleeveless white shirt. His beady eyes glow a demonic red as he grinned with savoring sadism.

"G-Gotz… what are you---"

"None of the villagers satisfied my bloodlust. Perhaps one of these two will finally be able to test my limits." The grizzly man interrupted solemnly.

Mary gulped.

"G-Gotz… the rampant deaths... it… was you?" she stuttered.

"I did not expect such anger to be stirred up in the pupils of a man with a weak philosophy such as my brother. I am intrigued… hopefully, I will soon be elated." Gotz continued.

Mary's miniscule body continued to shake violently. Her eyes flowing with tears as she stared sheer terror in the face.

"N-no…n-no… somebody… Mitchel…Karen… h-help me. H-h-help me… HE---"

The stalwart lumberjack immediately covered the helpless girl's mouth to keep her from crying out.

"I will not allow you to get in the way of a battle between warriors. This must be done to determine my worthy foe." Gotz explained.

Desperate to get attention, Mary continued her muffled cries, but it was no use. Mitchel and Karen were far too deep in their blood rages to notice.

Gotz then snorted. His demonic eyes stared viciously into Mary's.

"You have dared to prevent a crucial fight in the field of battle, and for that you must be punished. Unfortunately, your pure heart renders the Assassin's Fist's ultimate technique, the Raging Demon, useless. No, instead you shall be practice for my newest

Art." He declared ominously.

He then raised his free hand in the air in a chopping position.

Mary's eyes dialated as it witnessed the hand crackle with dark energy. She could not divert her view as it begun to come down on her helpless head.

"Misogi!!!"

The librarian leapt out of bed in a cold sweat. Her eyes were still full of terror as it recalled what she believed to be her final moment in life. She chuckled nervously to herself as she tried hard to contain her breathing.

"O-oh… a dream. I should have figured! My dear friends doing that whole "Martial Arts Battle To the Death" thing sounded ridiculous from the beginning, anyway! And Gotz? A Mass Murderer? Of course he may be a little grumpy… but, he isn't a cold-blooded killer! At least, if he were one, he'd probably use that trusty axe of his instead of doing it like a kung-fu fighter!" Mary told herself.

The girl looked outside her window to see a terrible storm rage outside.

"Yeah, that must be it. This bad weather must be giving me nightmares. Just a side effect from the storm, that's all!" she rationalized.

She then breathed a sigh of relief as she leaned her body back into soft, warm bed.

"Still, that reminds me… Mitchel and Karen have told me all about that amazing martial art they learned together as children. Maybe I should ask them to show it to me sometime?" she proposed to herself.

After a brief moment of pondering the possibility, Mary closed her eyes once more and went into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Right outside, at the shores of Mineral Beach, two figures stood side by side and faced a third, more dominant one.

"So… you two must be Woody's Pupils. It took you long enough to find me out." A vicious voice growled.

"Gotz! You'll pay for murdering our Master!!!" a determined voice shouted back.

"Looks like I finally get my wish! I get to pay back the ruthless bastard, after all!" another voice taunted.

Gotz simply scoffed.

"Feh. I committed no transgression. The battlefield does not distinguish between friend and foe. He died an honorable, warrior's death… such is the true tradition of our ways." He retorted.

" "Honorable Death", my ass! You were just jealous of our Master, so you had to oust him to convince yourself you're better!"

"Karen, Hold it! We promised we'd take him down together!" Mitchel cried.

The fiery blonde held up a shaky fist and grits her teeth.

"I know… I know! But… I can't stand that disgusting guy daring to breath any longer…" Karen growled.

The impatient lumberjack folded his arms and shot a sharp glare at the duo.

"So you two hold yourselves back from earnest just to preserve these meaningless ethics you hold dear? How foolish…" Gotz spat.

Mitchel then removed himself from Karen's way as he prepared his own charge.

"Oh, so THAT'S what you want, eh? Fine… we'll make sure to give you every ounce of pain you deserve." Mitchel smirked.

"Normally, I don't like my buddy Mitch joining in and taking away whatever punishment I can dish out, but I guess I'll make an exception this time. I have a feeling kicking your ass with him in tow might actually make this more fun for me." Karen added.

Lightning suddenly flashed.

The fire of rage within Mitchel and Karen intensified as their eyes focused on their mutual mortal enemy.

In response, Gotz smiled back with sickening pleasure. He then unfolded his sinewy arms and stretched out a hand towards his enemies and gestured a single finger towards himself.

"…Come…"

Final Notes- Want some actual Martial Arts action? Want to a different turn of events that leads to a moment similar to this? Then look at my Summer Action Parody, "Harvest Fighter: Warrior's Dream". Mitchel and Karen kick ass in that one like no tomorrow in the most obscure of situations. And if you're a Lumina fan, you get to see her in action as well. Don't ask.