Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon nor any of the characters. Also I haven't played Tree of Tranquility so I'm kind of improvising after getting hyped up and reading game summaries so any errors… were kind of planned for. I'm addicted to Harvest Moon games but I can't afford a wii.
AUTHOR'S NOTE AND APOLOGY FOR MY LACK OF BRAIN:
Eheh… well I noticed something when I was reading another fan fiction on this site. I misspelt Akari's name after the first time I used it. (Very embarrassed I am… believe me.) But regardless I don't intend to correct it seeing as it hasn't caused any problems. Akari is the real name for the starting character though I believe. I've been calling her Arika for a while. I'd rather keep it that way because it's way less confusing for me and I prefer Arika to Akari anyway—even if Arika is the name of the girl from one of the "Mai Otome" series. I'll survive. I just feel ridiculous for making such a mistake. Sorry guys.
The next day my job was to go out with Taylor to tend to the crops. We had to water them. Jiji lay sleeping in my bag as he had the morning before and I had no idea what Takeru was doing or where he was. I hadn't seen him that day yet.
"Which one of you is older?" Taylor asked at random as we walked along the rows of vegetables.
"I am," I stated. "But only by forty-three seconds."
"Ah," he sighed moving on to the next row. He was not the excessively handsome type, and he was a good bit older than me, but not enough to seem like it was weird to have conversations like this with him. "So no boyfriends then?" He smiled at me in that way that made a person's eyes crinkle up.
I laughed noting that his good humor was contagious. "No. I'm not in regret of it either," I answered finishing a row and moving on. Taylor was much faster than me at doing this.
"You seem a little overwhelmed by the change," he started. I looked up. "You miss the city huh?"
I nodded. I really did. I missed the tall buildings, the way you could get completely lost and end up in a scary part of town, all my friends, the lack of animals, my old job, the activities you could do when you were bored, and our papa.
"So are you only here because your brother is being friendly again?" Taylor asked and I was silent. "Sorry. I guess I'm being too nosy."
"No," I stated. "Takeru has been closed up for a long time and I'm happy he's happy again. I think he was angry with our father, so when we moved out here he started to act like Takeru again and stopped being hateful and cold. I didn't like to see him like that. I just wish he would have told Papa goodbye."
"You're a good sister," Taylor said finishing off his last row. "I think you and Anise will get along well when she gets back. She'll like you."
"Is Anise your sister?" I asked perking up a little.
Taylor wiped off his brow and walked over to me helping me finish off my side. "Yes. You don't seem too talkative, and what I have heard you say seems like something Anise would say. You're being selfless and that's something she does. It's very heartwarming to know there is another person in the world like her. Our parents sent her off on this trip even though she wanted to stay and help around the farm. They forced her to take a break."
"She sounds like a very nice person. I'm not really like that. You haven't spent enough time around me yet," I snickered. "Ask Takeru. He'll tell you how much of a pain I am."
"Oh I doubt that," Taylor said softly. "He'll praise everything you've ever done for him. I already spoke to him last night. By the way, he mentioned to my mother that you were hurt?"
"It's not that bad," I grumbled. "He's overreacting. I got a bruise is all. It will be fine." That morning I wore a denim skirt so I didn't doubt you could see the edge of the mark poking out in a boiling purple.
"My mom will give you ice for it when we get inside," Taylor professed watering the last crop. "Come on. That's all for this morning."
I followed the man back to the house and sat begrudgingly in a dining room chair trying to hide the fact that Rucola had forced me to remove my skirt. The bruise was just below my hip so I couldn't very well wear anything but underwear when she examined it. Soon enough I was having to sit and shiver with an icepack against my leg. The woman draped a good sized blanket on my shoulders in attempt to hide my lack of a skirt and keep me a little warmer. I huddled up in it and sat quietly watching as she went about fixing breakfast. Takeru came down the stairs yawning and laughed when he saw me. "What are you doing?"
I shot a glare at him. "She's treating her bruise," Rucola answered for me.
"Ah," Takeru sat beside me and leaned on my shoulder. "I'm still tired," he mumbled. He must have stayed out late last night. I wondered why. Perhaps that was why they chose me to water crops this morning.
"Good morning," Taylor said to Takeru as he waltzed into the kitchen and stole some sausage before his mother caught him and pushed him out.
Our breakfast was good. I hadn't had a mother-cooked meal in a long time so you can imagine how Takeru and I loved it. Our mouths were very satisfied with everything and maybe it didn't taste as good as Chihaya's pancakes (though I would never tell him that) it was one of the best breakfasts I had eaten in a long time.
Later that day—after a lot of toiling away with work which sucked—we were showered and in town under strict orders to meet the rest of the residents from Rucola. Cresson was fairly distant from what I could tell. We only spoke to him during work or at the table when he graded the jobs we had done. I wasn't thrilled when Takeru announced he was going to visit the people who owned the Chiffon Tailoring. That little girl made me nervous. People like that were the type I tried to keep away from Takeru. Kotomi though, she would be no problem. So in the end I vouched to go with him.
The bell dinged and once again that same girl showed up her face like the sun when she saw Takeru was with me. She practically ran the counter she was behind over in her hurry to get nearer to us. "Hello and welcome to Chiffon Tailoring. My name is Roomi, how may I help you?" The curled pigtails she had still swayed from her erratic movements.
Jiji clung to my neck completely terrified by her. "She's creepier than that cat," he squeaked. I was inclined to agree.
"You must be Takeru," she stated eyeing up my brother. "I have the perfect outfit for you."
"Is Kotomi here?" I asked stopping the smaller girl in her tracks.
She turned and looked at me for a moment before nodding and proceeding into another room through a door. Soon she came back out with clothes in one hand and a pale wrist in the other. She drug the quiet girl out with her. "Here she is," Roomi announced.
I smiled at the timid girl. "Hello again. I wanted to visit you."
Her cheeks flamed but she offered a small smile in return. I found that really Roomi wasn't anything I wanted to deal with and that I would sadly have to leave Takeru to defend himself. He didn't seem too put off by her which was reassuring none the less. I approached Kotomi and leaned on the counter watching her fidgit. "I love the coat," I told her.
"I'm glad," she replied softly.
"I was wondering if maybe you could teach me how to do some of this," now I was being shy. I never asked for help—for anything.
"Oh no, I couldn't," Kotomi was flustered all the sudden. I laughed at her reaction.
"If you're being modest then someone needs a wakeup call," I muttered. "You don't have to teach me if you don't want to, but don't try to say you aren't good enough to be a teacher."
Behind me I could hear Roomi torturing my brother and sighed. "Does anyone else work here?" I knew we had to be thorough in meeting everyone.
"Other than my sister and myself, there is my mother," Kotomi murmured.
I looked behind me. "She's your sister?"
Kotomi nodded. I sighed feeling confused as to how siblings could be THAT entirely different.
"I'll go and get her if you wish to meet my mother," she offered bringing my attention back to the reserved girl. I smiled and nodded.
Their mother's name was Shelly and she was a very nice woman, just seemed tired after having to tell Roomi three times to restrain herself. I wondered how old the kid was. Middle school maybe, but that was right. There wasn't a school on this island. All the kids just worked for a living.
Next we headed to the Rusk Supermarket. Upon entering we were greeted by an assortment of items. Jiji released a little trill of delight from my shoulder. "Look at that machine!" he chirped. I couldn't help but to smile at his excitement.
"Hello there. You two must be the Yumei twins yes?" a man from behind the counter asked. "I'm Simon and my wife and daughter are in the back I believe. You can go introduce yourselves if you want. I look forward to doing business with the two of you.
"Hey, do you see that watering can Human?" Jiji pulled on a lock of my hair and pointed to the left. "Can you get that? Please?"
"A watering can?" I mumbled approaching it. I wasn't all that special. Just a tin watering can.
"If you buy that then we'll be even for me helping you yesterday," Jiji exclaimed.
"Um, how much is this?" I asked Simon.
"Oh that?" he scratched his head. "You might ask my daughter Phoebe. She's the one who made it."
"Oh alright, thank you." I then followed my brother to the back of the store carrying the little watering can with me. In the back room was a woman sitting at a desk going through paper work and a girl off in a corner who seemed completely oblivious that we had entered the room at all.
"Hello," the woman said looking up with a smile. "Takeru and Arika right?" We nodded. "I'm Brun." Her eyes fell on the watering can . "Phoebe, someone's here." The girl acted as though she hadn't heard a word. "Phoebe!"
A little pop and the girl turned away from the contraption she was working with wrench in hand and a smoke covered face. "Huh?" she said innocently.
Takeru fought back his grin. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Yumei Takeru," he said extending his hand.
"Oh hello," Phoebe smiled. "Oh! That watering can, did you want it?" She asked me.
"I was hoping to maybe grow some flowers," I stated quietly. Well, it was a decent lie I guess.
Phoebe smiled through the charcoal color on her face. Her emerald eyes gleaming. "Take it. You can have it on me."
Jiji did a little victory dance on my shoulder. "Yoshi!" he exclaimed. "One step closer!"
"Ah, thank you," I told her softly bowing.
"You're quiet huh?" Phoebe said with a grin. "Cute." Yet again someone who didn't know me. I saw the "yeah, whatever" look on Takeru's face too.
"Human! We must go!" Jiji tugged on my hair. "I'll show you where, but follow me." He was floating now in front of me.
"Um, I uh… need to go to the bathroom. Please excuse me!" I blurted sprinting from the room after Jiji.
"Arika!" my brother yelled. I could hear him chasing after me until I got to the edge of town. His heavy footsteps disappeared. I was grateful too.
"Good we lost him," Jiji said. "This way!" He then darted back toward the town. Jeeze, where was he taking me? We ended up in front of city hall in the square or rather near it. Over to the side near a small drop off into the sea Jiji floated by a green flower. I had never seen a green flower in my life, but hey, there's a first for everything.
"Water it," Jiji commanded.
"I don't have any water stupid!" I growled.
Jiji slapped me on the forehead leaving a little sting. "Just do it. You'll see when you do."
"Okay, okay. Chill." I knelt down looking in the can to confirm it was empty before feeling ridiculous and watering the flower with an empty watering can. Small sparkling droplets fell from the tip onto the flower. "What?" I whispered and the flower moved like it was dancing before POOF! It became a little sprite decked out in green.
"Ack! Stop it! I'm awake already!" it complained trying to escape the water.
"Dana," Jiji sang. "Give us the recipe!"
"Recipe?" I asked.
"Uhg Jiji, go away," the sprite called Dana grumbled. "I'll tell the human, but you don't have to hear."
"Fine," Jiji grumbled his good mood vanishing as he disappeared. I watched the little green sprite carefully now that my companion had left. He yawned and stretched.
"I have sympathy for you human. To think you have to endure Jiji day in and day out," he said. "Let's see if I can remember. I've been asleep so long it may be hard."
"I want you to bring me a baked yam, a koi, a seashell, an apple, and a spice bake. When you do that, I'll mix your rainbow for you, but those are the ingredients," Dana instructed before issuing another yawn. "See you when you get them then. Goodnight." With that he returned to the state of a green flower. I blinked and stood when I heard quiet laughing.
"And he thought I would actually leave. Idiot," Jiji appeared again and sat on my shoulder. "So you need to get a fishing pole then. Let's go to the Fishing Store!"
"You have way too much energy," I griped before following the little black hat wearing thing as he zoomed off again. I ignored the look on a couple people's faces as I shot past them on the street.
"It's here!" Jiji stated flying into the building near the dock. I stopped breathing heavily and holding onto a conveniently placed lamp post. Finally I wasn't breathing quite as hard and had the energy to walk into the shop. Inside was a man and a boy.
"Dad, we have a customer," the boy called when I walked in. I could see Jiji zipping happily along near the rafters and scowled.
"Hm, well I believe your brother was in here only a moment ago," the man said looking at me. "He's quite worried. He said you took off and they couldn't find you." They? He had people out looking for me? Oh great. Thanks a lot Jiji.
"I was wondering if I could buy a fishing pole," I said.
"It's about time you got back. We have a customer. You wait on her," the man said to someone behind me. I turned to see a lanky guy walking through the door with a sun hat on. He looked at me for a moment with half lidded eyes and smiled.
"What can I do for you?" He was polite.
"She wants a fishing pole of course," the man said seeming irritated. "Now get her a good one together." The smile fell from his face as he looked at the man, but when he turned to me it was fresh and new, warm as the one before it.
"Do you have a specific fish in mind?" he asked.
"Um, well yes. Koi? That's a fish right?" I shuffled my feet feeling ridiculous having run into this store without any idea what exactly I was supposed to be fishing for.
The man before me nodded and grabbed my hand pulling me forward across the room with him before stopping and pulling a rod off the rack and placing it in my hand. "This one is best for fish that size. It handles them pretty well." I tried to hide the blush that had appeared on my cheeks from the unexpected contact. "Now, I'll go show you how to use it and take you to your brother when we're done."
My head shot up. "Takeru?"
"I met him back by the pond. He asked if I had seen you and if I did to bring you back to the Souffle Farm. I've seen you and I plan to hold to my word."
"Tao," the man behind the counter called. "Make sure not to take too long so you can help your cousin. He's been working hard while you've been out lousing about all day."
"Of course Uncle," Tao replied with a smile. "Let's go." He took my hand again and led me from the building much to my embarrassment.
"I can walk on my own you know," I grumbled once we were outside and on land instead of the dock.
Tao smiled again. "I should hope you are capable of walking by yourself, but I don't want you to run away again." I narrowed my eyes and set my jaw giving up then. Why did it matter if I ran away? What was I going to do? Why was I suddenly being treated like a kid?
"Here we are," he said stopping at a stream. Jiji sat silently on my shoulder watching as everything played out. "Casting is the hard part so we'll work on that." He pulled my forward so that he stood behind me holding both of my hands on the fishing pole. I was scarlet by that point. "Just point to where you want, pull back, and let it go," he said calmly.
I tried to ignore him as the line flew through the air and landed with a plunk in the water a good many feet away. "Good job Arika-chan," he murmured into my ear. Out of nowhere he reached into my pocket making me scream.
I turned around so fast I surprised myself and almost fell into the water behind me. Tao grabbed my wrist to steady me holding up a piece of paper currency in the other hand. "You thought you could go without paying for it?" he asked cheerfully.
"I was going to pay for it!" I yelled a deeper shade of red than I had been all day. "Do you just reach into people's pants on a regular basis?!"
"Human's are amusing," Jiji snickered from my shoulder.
Tao looked confused before the realization seemed to dawn on him. He sighed. "If that's what's bothering you, don't worry. I'm not interested in you that way."
What the hell was with the guys here? I growled. "I'll go home on my own. I don't need a pervert with me."
"Arika!" I heard my name and looked around. On the nearest road was Chihaya. "Oh thank god," I heard him say. It didn't take long for him to approach us. "Are you okay? Is something wrong? Takeru came by the inn and he was really worried. He said he'd looked all through the woods but he couldn't find you. We thought something had happened."
I shook my head and grabbed my hair. "I'm fine, just being molested by random strangers." I shot a glare at Tao. He laughed. Chihaya looked confused.
"Well, you should head back before he has an aneurism." The curly headed waitor looked at the fishing pole I held and the watering can hooked to my belt purse. "Yet even more unattractive," he muttered.
"Hey!" I yelled.
"I'll let you take her then. Perhaps you would handle her better," Tao said walking back toward the Fishing Company.
Chihaya grinned. "What did you do to him little Arika?"
"I didn't do anything! He's the pervert!" I argued.
"Come on," he said shaking his head. "I'll walk with you." I didn't want him to walk with me. I was perfectly fine on my own.
"Wow, the men here are pushy," Jiji noted. He was right and I wasn't used to taking orders. I stepped back from Chihaya having totally forgotten about the stream—not a good thing to forget about. When I surfaced soaking wet and surprised Chihaya stood above me doubled over laughing. Jiji floated beside him doing the same. "Bwahahah! You look like a drowned rat!" The sprite was not helping matters either.
When Chihaya finally started to recover wiping tears from his eyes he extended and arm to help me out. I took his hand and a grin lit my face when I got the inclination to actually make the situation funny to me as well. I gave a good yank and the poor guy didn't know what hit him when he fell into the water too. I waited until he came back up for air glaring at me before I laughed. And did I laugh.
"You aren't even mildly pretty now," he growled struggling to stand up with his wet clothing.
I grinned and splashed him. "Good, I wouldn't want you to like me anyway. I'd feel bad when I had to turn you down."
Jiji was rolling on the ground now, unable to keep himself suspended any longer.
"It's cold," Chihaya sighed. "Come on, I'll phone Rucola from the inn. We need to dry off or we'll get sick." He grabbed my arm and helped me up onto dry land again. "Not that I would mind if you got sick after that stunt."
We walked down the street in silence all the way back to the Kirsh Inn. When we got their Mai promised to lend me some of her clothes to change into as Chihaya and I sat in front of the stove in the kitchen wrapped in towels trying to get dry.
"Why do you think I care whether I'm attractive or not," I dared to ask. Chihaya looked up seeming a little shocked I had spoken at all or that I had asked that particular question.
"Most girls do," he answered. "So you don't?"
"I think the situation in which I would care that much is if I had feelings for someone. I'm not sure though because I've never liked anyone really." It was an honest answer. I hadn't ever liked a boy.
"I see." Chihaya shivered and scooted a little closer to the stove. "If you've gotten me sick I'll never forgive you."
I grinned unable to control my inner child. As a kid Takeru and I had always pulled things like that on each other. Pushing him into the lake when we went swimming was a favorite hobby of mine, and Chihaya's reaction had been more priceless than Takeru's every time I had done it in the past. "I think you have an evil personality," the waitor added.
"Maybe, but you wear a mask all the time," I countered quietly. "Why don't you be yourself?"
He looked over at me with a curious gaze. His wet hair hung down in his eyes. "I am myself."
"You smile all the time and you don't feel like it. You put on a polite face and act like Mr. Perfect."
He was silent.
"I take that back." I looked over at him to see him staring at the stove. "You acted like that when I first got here, but you've dropped the fake smile routine because I made you mad when I wouldn't eat your food."
Still no response.
Mai walked in then with the clothes in her hands. "Are you dry yet Arika?" She asked.
"I'm close enough," I replied standing up as she mouthed for me to come with her. I followed her through the main room the enormous towel wrapped securely around me. Then down a hall on the first floor and into a bedroom where she shut the door and tossed me her clothes.
"I wanted to talk to you about something remember?" she asked. I nodded and dropped towel since I had my underwear on underneath. Starting to put on the sundress Mai started. "Well, I kind of have this… crush on—"
"Chihaya, I know," I cut her off.
"You did?" she seemed stunned. "Is it that obvious? He's just such a wonderful cook and he's always acting so distant from me. I wish he would like me back. He's friends with you. What do I do Arika? What do you do that makes him like you?"
"Like me?" I was confused. "He's always being rude to me, I don't call that liking someone. When you like someone you're nice to them."
"But that's how he is," Mai looked at me desperately. "He acts like that to hide it. He doesn't ever pick on me. He never hardly ever talks to me except to scold me. We grew up together and I've liked him for a long time. I just want to know what I can do so that he'll like me more."
"I really don't know what I'm supposed to tell you," I admitted. "I wasn't exactly aiming to make friends when I moved here. I'm only concerned about Takeru. I mean yeah, friends are nice and I would like some, but I honestly thought the guy didn't like me at all and that was why he was being rude. When people are rude to me it normally makes me lose respect for them and dislike them, so yes I don't mind him, but I don't enjoy him. Maybe if you don't try so hard and just ignore him that will work. That's exactly what I've been trying to do for a while."
"That sounds like it might be a solution actually," she smiled suddenly hopeful. "Thank you so much Arika!"
"Sure," I stated flatly. I was dressed and dry somewhat now. My hair was still damp, but I would bathe when I got back to the farm anyway. No way would I sleep when filthy outdoor water with fish poop had dried on top of my head. That was disgusting.
Jiji flit about the room for a bit before coming to perch on my shoulder as I sat on Mai's bed. She followed suit except she threw herself onto it looking exasperated even though I had supposedly given her a "solution" as she had called it. I wondered what she saw in Chihaya… not that I expected to understand. When girls got like this over a guy I normally was thrown for a loop entirely. I understood how some guys were very attractive, and I understood that people had lust and love and hormones confusing the two quite often. I also knew very well that while I had experienced urges to crush on someone I had never gone to limits like this. It baffled me when all of my girl friends would have a phase like this… or more than one phase. I still did not understand it. Why get so worked up? Why care? What was the point? Falling in love was a fairy tale meant to keep little girls happy. Not saying I wasn't hopeful, but come on. I held hope in the back of my mind and kept it there… WAY back there. That way when I found out my suspicions of life being as crappy as I believed it was were true there wasn't as much of a shock, depression, ect.
Even if it was rude I couldn't help myself. I had to ask. "What is it that's so great about that loser?" Perhaps I could have been a little nicer about how I worded it. I didn't really think he was a loser, but I wasn't too thrilled with his attitude. Yeah, after a little while he would crack and we would probably get along fine. I just wasn't happy now.
"Chihaya is just himself. I can't describe it. He's just him," Mai answered my snarkiness seeming to go unnoticed. Uhg, the emphasis she put on his name made my stomach churn and not in a good way at all. I did not feel comfortable in a room with a girl who though herself love-struck.
"Well, thanks for the clothes," I said standing. "I'll bring them back tomorrow. I appreciate your help. A lot actually." The sun dress was to plain in this case to be my thing… and it was a little baggy as though it were a good two sizes too big.
"It was no problem. I didn't mind at all," Mai smiled sitting up. "You listened to me too. Thanks for that."
I nodded and left. The stairs creaked heavily as I descended. The only noise that could be heard was Chihaya cleaning up. I assumed that there weren't any customers so I figured I could easily slip outside. The guy had been so unsociable about the topic before Mai stole me away that I doubted he would say anymore to me for fear of it being released on him again. He just seemed that type of person to me. Ironically, I was right. I walked right past him as he swept under a table and he didn't even flinch. It was as though I didn't exist anymore. Well, good then. I reached the door and lifted my hand to pull down the handle.
"Sorry."
Freezing I stood stunned. How could I have been wrong? What was the world coming to? I was always right about people. And was this guy seriously apologizing? To me? After THAT? I turned timidly around wondering if it could possibly be true and as though he hadn't uttered a word the waiter was taking a dust pan and heading back toward the kitchen again to empty into the trash bin by the back door. I shook my head. I was imagining things. I then allowed the weight of my hand to press down on the handle the door swung open and chilly air blasted right up the baggy dress to my collar bone. Just lovely.