A/N: Welp, I was bored and wishing I could play STH (PS2 isn't reading half the games) and so I wanted to write this. Yay for bored HM/FFX geeks:D

Note – Harvest Moon: Magical Melody crossover with Final Fantasy X (X-2)

Chapter I

A long, narrow road wound its way between steep cliffs stretching from the mountains, through barren fields and eventually a fairly thick forest. It ran along the area, containing sharp bends and turns, making its shape like that of a twig. It was for this reason, probably, that it was called Twig Road, and yet in Gwen's mind it was still a bit of a ridiculous name.

On this side of the country, hardly any town or such landmark had a substantial name. In fact, Gwen was leaving a village simply titled Flower Bud Village right now.

She guided a young mare along the road, gripping the reins while walking ahead of her. The mare's glimmering, auburn coat on her back was partly covered by the bags it was hauling.

It was like this every time she and her uncle Doug came into town for the Horse Races. They would stay for the race, then camp in the forest for the night, and afterward leave. She had been doing this for years, ever since she could remember.

Uncle Doug had told her that this year, though, he would be opening an Inn in the village. Gwen wasn't really ecstatic about the change in residence. She loved their ranch out in the country. Uncle Doug had said he would save up to buy a stable in Flower Bud Village, but it just wasn't the same to her.

But, there was no getting past it now. At the end of the month, the ranch would be sold and they would move into the new building. The move was inevitable. Gwen supposed she would make the best of it, and yet still it made her feel badly.

She continued to walk across the packed dirt and gravel, the mare following her, both ambling along lackadaisically. Beyond the line of dark treetops in front of them, the sky glowed with light, preceding the sun just as the scent of rain would precede a storm. After traveling for some hours, they would arrive at the ranch. Uncle Doug had stayed behind to finish some business back at the racetrack.

At one point the horse veered off the path slightly, lowering its head towards the grass jutting out from the edge of the road. Gwen stopped and turned.

"Hey, Bitsy, what are you doing?"

She already knew when she said that that the mare had begun to eat, taking locks of grass in her jaws lazily. Gwen sighed.

"Oh, Bitsy, couldn't you have just waited until we got back?"

The young blonde shook her head and let go of the reins. She let herself fall to the pale Spring grass and sighed again. She figured she could just sit and watch the mare until she was finished. It wasn't long, though, and Gwen was bored to death.

She stood and began to wander aimlessly around the patch of grass. After strolling in a couple of circles, she went toward a small grove of trees, seeing that the mare hadn't finished her snack. Again she sauntered around, apathy setting in, when she spotted something on the ground. It appeared to be a lost piece of jewelry, or at least a shard of metal, from the way it glimmered in the dawn light.

Gwen slowly kneeled down to the ground. She reached out, fingers spread slightly, and let her hand brush the shining object. She was surprised to find that even when she touched out, she didn't feel anything.

Of course, common sense told her she hadn't reached far enough, so she put her hand forward some more. She was shocked to see her entire hand sink into the gleaming thing. She still couldn't feel anything on her hand – not even the movement of air.

As her mind moved sluggishly to create a valid reason for this little miracle, she began to see slight glowing ripples flowing from her wrist, as if her hand were in water instead of the ground. Feeling very confused, she tried to pull her hand back.

As she did so, the light that her hand had been submerged in spread, creeping out toward her leather boots.

"Ah! What the – " she spluttered, still trying to get her hand out. Yet, that action only seemed to make the light come still faster, like a wave. Soon it reached the toes of her boots and as it went from toe to heel, Gwen could feel her feet sinking and the rest of body going down with them.

"Ah! No, no! Go back, go back!" she barked to the light, still seeping outward as she went down up to the hem of her jean skirt. She tried to climb up onto the solid ground next to her, but her legs were just as trapped as her hand.

"Not working… not working…" Gwen murmured to herself. The mysterious light had begun to swallow her arms now… She couldn't feel her body from the elbows down… Her throat blocked up as she tried to think of what might happen to her. What was beyond that light? Would it be as if she were under water? Would she die? Would she find herself in empty space and go insane?

As she pondered, she finally went into the light as far as she could descend, and in that instant there was absolutely nothing. No sensation, no sights, no colors or sounds…

Gwen didn't see Flower Bud Village, Bitsy, or anything of her home for a year afterward.

And so this story begins…