Author's Notes: This is just a little oneshot I came up with, and it's in Finn's POV. I just kept thinking, how can the sprites be so cheerful when they're probably just as old as the harvest goddess?

And so, this popped up! It might be a little OOC, but I'm trying to make Finn just a teensie bit darker. I mean, after all those years out in the world, he can't always be a crybaby, right? Anyway, read on and tell me what you think.

Edit: I just had to switch Hikiri to Hikari... I can't believe I missed that! -_-'

Growth

We are immortal… our existence spans for as long as some of the oldest deities. And, yet we are weak and childish, despite our many years of living. I was once childish as well.

This is what separates us, the sprites, from the other immortals. We are shielded from the rest of the world, forbidden to leave our sanctuary. Never knowing the true plights of this wretched planet. Shielded from war, famine, sorrow, hatred, disappointment…love…

I once believed, as every sprite is taught since the beginning of our existence, that the world was good and pure. That, even as the goddess was losing her power and the surrounding nature was slowly dimming, there was some hope left in humanity…

Now…now I'm not sure what to believe…

'Love leads to heartbreak, and heartbreak is something that innocent minds should never encounter…' At least, that was what the goddess had always said. And the goddess is always right.

Harvest Sprites aren't meant to grow close to others…

But, of course, I wasn't a Harvest Sprite. Not officially, anyway. Not when I met Hikari…

Hikari let her tired shoulders slump as she looked up at the clear night sky.

"It's no use…" She mumbled, mostly to herself, "How can I make people see? Make them believe? But that's just it… I can't. It's impossible."

Walking down the familiar dirt path, Hikari rolled the bright red fruit in her hands absentmindedly as she replayed the events of that day.

Gill looked at Hikari as if she had told him that Maya had won the cooking festival. Glancing from the despised fruit that now lay in his hand, back to Hikari's hopeful face, he gave her an icy cold glare.

Sticking his nose into the air, he huffed, "Is this some kind of joke? I hate this!"

Hikari's confident expression turned to dismay. She stared at him uncomprehendingly. "But it's shining, and-!"

"And vile and wretched and not welcome here."

Angrily tossing the tomato back onto the counter, he said nothing else as the crestfallen maiden took back her precious fruit and stared blankly.

She heaved a heavy sigh and, giving Gill one last depressed glance, sulked out of the office without another word…

Shaking his head as if to rid himself the memories of that horrid plant, Gill quickly organized his stack of files and returned to the paperwork that he had been previously working on.

"Disgusting," He muttered.

She didn't understand… What had she done wrong?

Finn darted seemingly out of nowhere, a stream of golden dust trailing with every beat of his tiny wings, and started circling the girl, finally stopping to land on the hopeless farmer's delicate shoulders. He beamed cheerfully, but his smile immediately fell when he saw the miserable expression on his best friend's face.

"What's the matter, Hikari? Don't tell me you've given up! The Harvest Goddess needs us!" The miniature fairy looked up, his eyes brimming with tears.

Hikari turned and gave a small, encouraging smile to the sprite on her arm. "Of course not, Finn. I would never abandon you like that…"

She looked to her farm in the distance, a contemplative expression now fixed onto her face. The white picket fence was just within reach.

"It's just so…so hard. At first, I was fine with people hating me… I thought, 'maybe once the land is healed, they'll see what they're doing. Once I make things better, I'll be a hero.'"

She shook her head sorrowfully. "Isn't is ironic that this would be the only thing standing in my way?"

Finn listened intently as she talked, because that was all he could do. Only listen.

"Go down a mine? Sure. Collect potion ingredients? No problem. Make people like me…?" She sighed and hung her head lower. "Houston, we have a problem."

That was my first taste of how…cruel humans can be.

Not many people in the town liked Hikari. The witch was somewhat indifferent, but warmed up to Hikari after being constantly showered with gifts. And Candace would listen on occasion.

But I could see people's reaction when she walked down the street…the aversion in their eyes. They were scared. Scared of something new.
Scared of something that might actually make them diverge from their precious routines.

There were days when I wanted to pummel every last idiot on that island. Some nights, when I watched her sleep and heard the fearful cries of her nightmares, I felt afraid and powerless.

I suppose letting myself get attached was the first mistake…

Of course, Hikari was eventually successful in rescuing the land. I had never doubted that she would.

Gill had ultimately said yes to her constant proposals. I still wasn't sure that I trusted him… But, of course, Hikari was happy. And Hikari had a funny way of spreading her happiness on to others.

They had two sons; both just as cheerful as their mother. And I loved them, too… Almost as much as I had loved Hikari…

She eventually grew old as well. I knew that this was coming, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Her death was a huge blow… I had never experienced this feeling. Death. Such an ugly word…

But I stayed cheerful. Every day, I forced myself to pick myself up and keep going. For Hikari… for the Harvest Goddess…That was what she would want. Humans are fragile creatures. Death comes easily to them, after all.

Gill, in time, passed as well…and I remained.

I guided over Hikari's children. And their children as well.
And they all left me… Every one of them.

Death, the hideous creature, was always lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to take my happiness. And he did…Death won.
He took his prize and walked away, as mysteriously as he had come.

Soon, I decided that the game was too tiring to play.

The goddess...she tried to console me. It was a nice gesture, but it was far too late. The other sprites never understood, and probably never would.

Sprites…live a long time. We are immortal. Our existence spans for as long as some of the oldest deities. But no sprite should ever be exposed to these things. Death. Love. Heartbreak… Our hearts remain pure so as not to corrupt our innocence.

I don't think the goddess knew what she was doing, sending me out into the world. She didn't think of the repercussions. Didn't think of how a poor, innocent fledgling sprite would be affected by this crooked world.

But those were desperate times, and she did what she had to.
I don't blame her. Although I think maybe she blames herself.

I'm different now. More cautious, maybe. I've learned my lesson. I won't let these fragile creatures into my heart any more...
People say time has changed me…though I don't think time has anything to do with it.

I hope you liked it! Oh, and review too! :D