Author's Notes: Wow, the chapters keep getting longer and longer. I hope you don't mind. Feel free to tell me if you feel that they are too long and I'll divide them up.


Chapter 6
Hikari

"Your field is organized so neatly now," Renee laughed. Lunch had been much livelier since Renee had joined them. The rancher had shifted her schedule so that she was able to tend to Hikari's animals in the morning rather than the afternoon, stating that she couldn't allow Hikari's animals to wait that long to eat. Her parents took upon the task of caring for the animals at Horn Ranch for the time being.

"I don't understand how Wizard is able to run a farm better than I can," Hikari grumbled as she stabbed her boxed lunch with a pair of chopsticks. They were once again sitting under the cherry tree and eating lunch. A beige picnic blanket was spread out underneath Hikari, Renee and Wizard.

Renee smiled comfortingly as she patted Hikari's shoulder while Wizard quietly ate his lunch. Since he had taken the role of caring for her crops, her income from her farm products had increased significantly.

"Tell me how you are so good at farming!"

Wizard continued to silently eat.

"Please?"

"I'm curious as well," Renee admitted.

"Through observation... and practice," he finally replied.

"Why were you working on a farm though?"

"I prefer... not to say."

Hikari sulked. She was really curious but whenever she would ask about his farming experience he would ignore the question. The question was really bothering her and she spent many evenings thinking up bizarre theories to explain the odd phenomenon. Perhaps he accidently lit a farmer's field on fire while using a spell and... then volunteered to help him to repay for the damage? No matter how she looked at it, her best theory still didn't sound right as it couldn't explain the voluntary part.

She glared half-heartedly at Wizard, making sure he knew that he was keeping her up late at night thinking up theories. He had told her that it was none of her business. And he was right. She was just really curious and didn't see how something like working on a farm was private –which was why her current theory was that he messed up a spell in an embarrassing way.

Renee decided to take pity on Wizard and changed the topic. "Julius and Candace's wedding is coming up. It's been a while since we've had such a celebration! Are you two excited?"

"I'm happy for them," Hikari smiled. They were her closest friends. Even though their wedding was quickly approaching, they had set time aside to check up on her and see if she needed any help because of her injury. Other islanders visited as well. Jin and Owen often dropped by to see if she needed any help despite her assurances that she had all the help she needed. Chase would also visit her occasionally with dishes in his hands while on his way to work, stating that he had cooked too much. Hikari was happy that she had such wonderful friends.

Fortunately for Hikari, she was able to fully recover half a week earlier than Jin's predicted time. She was glad since she had felt so guilty pushing her work onto Wizard and Renee. At the same time, she would miss the afternoons the three had spent together.

The days passed by so quickly. She attended Candace and Julius' wedding. It was a beautiful event, fit for the beautiful couple.

Though she and Wizard had grown closer during the past week, she still had a difficult time understanding the man. She had given up on asking him about his mysterious farming skills, but was still curious. She supposed she had to stick with her magical accident theory. Lately, he seemed lonely whenever she visited him. When the Animal Festival arrived she decided to drag him to the event.

"Why am I here?" he asked calmly as her sheep began to nibble on his robe.

"It's good to participate in festivals," Hikari answered brightly. "Besides, you can cheer for Renee and me."

He turned to look at the participating animals. "I don't see... how my presence will help."

"Well, I'm happy that you're here," the farmer grinned.

Shaking his head, Wizard walked towards the fence encircling Moon Hill.

"You can't have fun while standing way over there," Hikari grumbled as she followed him. Sighing she pushed herself up to sit on the wooden structure. She looked over the wide field and the various animals that were strolling around. Despite the competitive nature of the festival, it was also quite relaxing.

"The islanders... are beginning to... question your character."

Hikari tilted her head to the side. People on the island always had something to say about others. "How is that different than before?"

He frowned as he considered how to formulate his sentence. "Before, it was harmless gossip... things are becoming more hostile now. Jin, Owen, Chase, and Julius have all shown interest in you... and yet, you've rejected them all for an unexplainable reason."

"I have a reason," the farmer huffed. "I just can't say it to them. There's nothing I can do though. There are some things I can't change."

"Hm..." He furrowed his brow.

"Anyway, the animal race is about to start," Hikari stated, hopping lightly off the fence. She grabbed onto Wizard's arm and dragged him back towards the crowd. "Cheer for me, okay?"

"Are you trying to seduce the fortune teller now?"

Hikari stumbled and Wizard had to grasp onto her arm to keep her from falling onto the ground. The farmer turned to see Selena and Kathy glowering at her.

"I'm not," the farmer answered as firmly as she could.

"That is what you told me when I asked about Owen," Kathy countered. "It's been two seasons, and he still only thinks about you. You say that you're not interested, but during those two seasons, you still visit him and give him gifts. Tell me how that works."

"I don't see anything wrong with giving friends gifts," Hikari argued.

"Not even if those friends are evidently interested romantically in you?" Selena questioned, raising her eyebrow elegantly.

"Am I supposed to cut off all contact with the males on the island then?"

"If you clearly are unable to communicate your intentions, then yes," the dancer drawled as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You're not doing anyone any favours by clinging onto their affections."

"You can't deny this fact," Kathy said angrily.

Hikari felt her nails digging into the palms of her hands. No, she couldn't deny Selena's accusation.

"All the men may think that you're an angel, but what you're doing is cruel. Choose a bachelor and stop leaving everyone hanging." The blonde shook her head and spun around to head towards the race track. Her companion gave one last disdainful look in Hikari's direction and followed Kathy.

The farmer felt her eyes stinging and quickly headed towards the exit of the ranch.

"Don't follow me!" she yelled upon hearing Wizard's footsteps behind her.

Hikari broke into a run.

They were right.

Before she had come to the island, she had no friends and had no idea how to befriend strangers. However, with Wizard's help, she had been able to earn the trust of ten individuals who favoured items that she had easy access to at the time –Candace, Jin, Anissa, Owen, Chase, Julius, Mira, Renee, Perry, and Irene. Never before had anyone asked her to do something fun together. So when Jin, Owen, Chase and Julius had started giving her gifts and inviting her out on picnics, she had been over the moon. As she realized their romantic intentions, she couldn't bring herself to give up on her friendship with them. For the first time in her life, there were people that she could just talk to for fun. She couldn't give that up. So her continued visits deepened the hole that she had dug for herself and she floundered for excuses. Hikari told herself that on such a small island, it would be impossible to stop all contact with the four men. Thus, she continued living her life normally. She was selfish. She was weak.

And she wanted to feel more than inadequate.

Renee and Cain returned with her animals later during the evening. They didn't comment on her rather disordered appearance as she cracked open her door. Hikari apologized for running off, stating that something had come up. They assured her that it was alright and said that if she needed any help, all she had to do was give them a call.

She stayed on her farm for the rest of the season. Her crops and livestock were doing really well. She would undoubtedly have a heroic title tomorrow when summer began. This was like how life was before she had come to the island. Just focusing on her work and achieving perfection. Perhaps that was how she was fated to live.

Hikari placed the last lettuce head into the shipping bin and smiled sadly.

"Hey, Hikari, we're going to save the Harvest Goddess tomorrow!" Finn exclaimed, spinning in the air.

The farmer nodded. Saving the island was the least she could do for the islanders that had welcomed her so warmly to their home. The next morning, the farmer briskly finished her work and headed towards the mountain top. Finn chattered excitedly throughout the entire journey, barely able to contain his joy.

After hours of climbing the mountain, they finally reached the top floor. Hikari winced and brought a hand up to shield her eyes when they stepped out of the cave and into the bright sunlight that bathed the top of the mountain. She carefully made her way up the narrow stair case and was greeted by five excited sprites. The Harvest Goddess smiled in welcome as she joined her on the platform.

"Hikari, you're here! Let's summon the Harvest King," Alan said excitedly. He turned to examine the other sprites around him. "All right! Is everyone ready?"

Their joy was contagious and Hikari found herself smiling as well. The Harvest Sprites summoned their bells one by one and the lonely mountain top was filled with music that vibrated with power. Each of the bell's individual melodies weaved perfectly together, as if they were parts of the same puzzle.

Hikari closed her eyes as the beautiful melodies washed over her.

Suddenly, a strong burst of heat rolled past Hikari and she opened her eyes to find a tall and regal looking being standing in the middle of the platform. Power radiated off the god in waves and Hikari was monetarily made breathless. He slowly uncrossed his arms.

"Are you the ones who summoned me with the bells?"His eyes flickered to the Harvest Goddess before turning to rest on the farmer.

Taking a deep breath, she explained the situation and he led them to the Harvest Spring. Hikari watched worriedly as the Harvest King examined the Goddess Tree closely. The air around the tree rippled as he summoned his powers and then the tree was enveloped in beautiful green specks of light. It was as if a thousand fireflies were dancing around the tree. Hikari watched in amazement as leaves slowly unfurled from the once dying plant.

The sprites were overjoyed. The land's strength had finally been restored and the Harvest Goddess had regained her powers. Hikari watched gladly as the sprites danced around the goddess.

"Remember, restoring the Goddess Tree does not bring true peace," the Harvest King reminded her in a deep voice that reverberated in her head. She turned to her left and gazed up at the towering magical being. "Nurture this tree so that its power grows, so that it may be shared with other lands."

Hikari smiled and nodded.

The farmer returned home. Finn floated happily by her side, having decided to remain by her side instead of staying with the Harvest Goddess. She was glad. Hikari didn't know how she would spend the rest of her days if she lost Finn as well. The little sprite chattered happily about how the goddess had thanked him specifically for saving the island and the farmer allowed herself to become lost in his excitement.

Her happiness didn't last long though since the next day she had received a letter from the Harvest King asking her to seek him on the mountain top. She found him worriedly pondering over finding a person with a pure heart.

"Do you know anyone who fits this description?" he asked.

Hikari considered the question and shook her head.

"I see... Well, if you think of someone, please bring them here," he stated. His expression was a mixture of worry and contemplation. "I will create a special path so you can travel here quickly."

Raising his arm, he directed a warm ray of light at the stone beside the entrance of the cave. Hikari watched in fascination as the stone itself seemed to ripple as it was engulfed in the light. She assumed that she could now use the stone to transport herself between the base and the top of the mountain. The Harvest King lowered his arm and turned to look down at her.

"I shall be waiting. Remember, bring one with a pure heart here to see me."

Hikari was deep in thought as she returned to the farm. The islanders were kind people, surely one of them had a pure heart. The problem lay in who he or she was and how she would convince them to travel with her up the mountain. Hikari shook her head. She didn't think that it would be a good idea to bring every islander to the Harvest King with her, even if it was the fastest way to solve the problem. The farmer stopped in front of her farm and nibbled on her lip.

"That doesn't make sense though," she murmured. The Harvest King could tell with a glance that she didn't have a pure heart, so it would be much easier if he simply looked at each of the islanders himself rather than ask her to bring a person to him. Hikari groaned as she slowly pieced the problem together. There wasn't a person on the island that had a pure heart then. How was she supposed to find such a person?

The farmer found herself changing direction and made her way to Wizard's house.

He turned in his seat when he heard the door creak open.

"Um... hey," Hikari greeted nervously. She stood awkwardly by the door as he continued to scrutinize her. "Sorry for not visiting lately. I've been busy."

"It's fine," he answered as he turned away and focused on his book once again.

Hikari smiled and clapped her hands together. "I'm glad. Sorry for yelling at you as well. I had a few things to sort out."

He nodded absently as he flipped a page. "You shouldn't be bothered about what others say... especially if they aren't true."

The farmer's smile fell from her face and she nervously clasped her hands together in front of her. "No, everything they said was right."

He turned his head once again to stare at her.

"Except for the part where they said I was trying to seduce you!" she exclaimed, her face bright red. She brought her hands up to cover her face. How embarrassing. The farmer brought her breathing under control and slowly removed her hands to find Wizard still looking at her. Now that she had his attention, she might as well tell him why she was here. "Do you know how I can find a person with a pure heart?"

He momentarily closed his eyes, appearing lost in thought. "At this point in time... you can't do anything. I'm afraid I can't help."

"Oh... is there anything at all that you can tell me?" the farmer asked, completely lost as to what to do.

He closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Finn..." he answered shortly. He opened his eyes and directed his gaze in the direction of her farm where Finn currently was. "He would have more knowledge in this area than me. He may sound slightly... clueless but trust what he says."

"Huh?"

He made no reply and merely continued to stare in the distance.

"Alright, thanks," Hikari smiled gratefully. She felt a tinge of concern as he nodded absently. "Um, have a good night."

Hikari exited the building. The sun was setting and the sky was tinted in crimson red. The farmer gazed at the unfamiliar color and wondered if it was normally like this in the summer. Shaking her head, Hikari slowly made her way back to the farm.

Finn grinned happily when he caught sight of her approaching and darted towards her.

"How was your visit to the Harvest King?"

"I need to find someone with a pure heart," Hikari answered with a sigh. She smiled as he spun excitedly at the prospect of taking on a new quest and proving that he was a capable Harvest Sprite. "Do you have any idea what that means?"

The little sprite hovered thoughtfully in front of her as he contemplated.

"Pure at heart? Does that mean we're not adults yet?"

"Not adults yet," Hikari repeated. The farmer closed her eyes.

"Hikari?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking," she said, shaking off the frown that had formed on her face. "Where can I find a child with a pure heart?"

"I'm just as clueless as you."

Hikari tilted her head to the side. "Wizard said that you would have an answer of some sort."

The sprite crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. "That doesn't make sense. I've never had to find a person with a pure heart before."

"He's never been wrong though," Hikari offered. He wouldn't ask her to look to Finn for advice if Finn didn't know what he was doing. At the same time, Finn looked completely honest when he said he didn't know the answer. Knowing how to find a person with a pure heart wasn't something one just forgot.

"Yes, but... I really don't know."

"Try to think about it," Hikari requested. "It's really important.

The sprite brought his hands to his temples and scrunched his face in concentration as he tried to think of the answer that he was supposed to know.

"I-I think I remember something. Someone with a pure heart is extremely rare, even among children." He appeared slightly surprised at the words that had come out of his mouth. The sprite furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out how he had such information.

"That doesn't help much," Hikari responded. She leaned back to sit on the shipping bin and examined Finn. He had been able to retrieve information that he wasn't aware that he had before. Was there something wrong with Finn's memories? From the expression on his face, he was suspecting the same thing. If Finn really had found a person with a pure heart before, then his knowledge would be extremely useful. "Can you think harder? I think we're getting close."

The sprite nodded and closed his eyes tightly, focusing on retrieving the information she needed. He seemed twice as determined as before, having discovered that he did have memories stored in his mind that he wasn't aware of. Minutes passed by and the sprite struggled to come up with an answer.

"You can do it, Finn," Hikari encouraged.

He beat his small, translucent wings more rapidly.

"I-I think I remember something useful."

"Focus on what it is," Hikari said softly.

"We figured that... at least one of the parents... had to be able to see Harvest Sprites... and had selflessly aided the land in some way. Such a parent would be able to raise children with pure hearts."

"We?"

The sprite tilted his head to the side and frowned. "In my head, I see Wizard and... a woman with a warm smile."

Hikari's interest was immediately captured. "Who is she?"

"I don't know," the sprite admitted. He drifted agitatedly back and forth as he tried to call up more memories. "She seems important. I should know who she is."

Finn rubbed his temples and closed his eyes.

"Why can't I remember!" he cried in frustration. "I should know this."

"Can Harvest Sprites lose their memories?" Hikari asked. The normally faint orange glow surrounding Finn had intensified as he paced. She furrowed her brow, wondering if this was normal when sprite became agitated. "Perhaps you flew into a wall and lost your memories."

"No, such things don't happen to sprites. The only thing that can influence us is magic."

Finn stopped pacing, and his hat toppled off his head. He made no move to retrieve the item.

"What is it?"

"The only ones I know that have the power to control my memories are the Harvest King and Harvest Goddess," he stated. His face fell. "Why would they do that though?"

Finn's distress increased and he started pacing once again. Hikari felt slightly disturbed as well. Did Finn's memory hold some sort of dark secret that the gods didn't want known? If he did hold such a secret though, the memory would surely be harder to access than that. Finn was able to access these memories simply by focusing on them. The farmer chewed nervously on her lip.

"If it was the Harvest King and Harvest Goddess, perhaps it's best if you don't force those memories back," Hikari suggested.

"But I feel like she is really important. I need to remember!"

"But Finn..."

"You don't understand what it feels like, Hikari. These are my memories. I don't want to forget people that were important to me." Finn's eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

The farmer hesitated before nodding in understanding. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Finn nodded gratefully. "Whenever you need help with something for a quest, I somehow come up with an answer even if I don't remember ever gaining that knowledge."

"Alright," Hikari nodded and thought back to the question that brought the particular memory forward. "In that case... you said that in order to have a child with a pure heart that could help the Harvest King, his or her parent must have helped the Harvest Goddess save nature. So... the easiest method to find someone with a pure heart is for me to have a child?"

Finn concentrated. The light he emitted intensified once again.

"Yes, that would be the easiest method," he mustered.

"What if that isn't possible at this point in time?"

"Not possible...?" The sprite repeated the words to himself as if they held significant meaning.

Hikari noticed this. Did the phrase remind him of something? "Yes, not possible. Tell me what I would have to do."

The sprite began to shake.

"Finn? What do you remember?"

"It wasn't... possible back then as well," he recalled shakily in a heart wrenching voice. "Even though Akari met the requirements... she couldn't..."

The air surrounding Finn became distorted.

"So I left... left... to find a child with a pure heart... and Akari..." Tears were beginning to stream down the sprite's cheeks. "When the time came... when she was on the brink of death... the Harvest Goddess wouldn't let me return..."

The farmer stumbled backwards to avoid the scorching energy that was now whipping around Finn's small body. "Finn—"

His powers were now completely out of control. Multicoloured tendrils of light angrily spiralled around the small sprite. "I couldn't say goodbye..."

Hikari felt panic wrap itself around her, freezing her entire body. It seemed as if the sprite couldn't even hear her. What should she do?

The farmer closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She didn't understand what was happening but she needed Finn to calm down. Grimacing, the farmer staggered towards the small sprite with her arms outstretched. Pain burned across the tips of her fingers and the palm of her hand as she drew him in her arms.

"She gave me so much when I had nothing," he cried brokenly as he hugged her arm. "And I couldn't even see her for one last time!"

His pained cries echoed across the farm.

"It's okay, Finn," Hikari whispered. "It's okay."

"I loved her so much," he wept. Finn shook as sobs overtook his body. The strong energy around him slowly calmed.

Her eyes blurred. "I'm sure she knew."

"I never... properly thanked her."

Then the light around Finn disappeared completely.

"Finn?"

Hikari looked down to find Finn encompassed in a layer of gray rock. The farmer felt her breath leave her body. Though she had no idea what was happening, the situation didn't look good. She couldn't lose Finn. Gripping onto his small form, Hikari raced towards the Goddess Spring. No matter what, Finn had to be okay.

The Harvest Goddess immediately flew into action upon seeing Finn in Hikari's arms. With a few quick words, Alan had disappeared to retrieve the Harvest King.

"Lay him on the ground."

Hikari nodded and stepped back as the remaining sprites formed a circle around Finn. The stone had transformed into a darker shade. The formerly ash-colored stone was now a dark slate gray, and continued to grow darker as each second passed.

"I don't have enough power right now," the goddess said, "so I'll need everyone's help."

"You can count on us," Collin nodded.

"We need to stop Finn from completely turning into stone," the Harvest Goddess instructed. "We need to be quick. If the stone reaches the core of his body, we cannot save him."

The sprites nodded in unison and gathered orbs of energy in their hands. A strong wind whirled around the circle of sprites, throwing flower petals and leaves into the air. Radiant beams of light shot out from the orbs and encompassed Finn.

Hikari could see the other sprites straining to maintain the flow of energy and while the stone wasn't darkening as quickly, the farmer could still see miniscule changes in color. They didn't have enough power to stop the process.

Hikari's heart beat frantically. She was going to lose Finn.

Suddenly a burst of red light enveloped the clearing and the Harvest King made his entrance. Moving beside the Harvest Goddess, he lifted his arm and with his palm facing outward, focused his power on Finn. Alan joined the other sprites in the circle and the entire area was momentarily vibrating with power.

The air crackled loudly and Hikari shivered.

Eventually, the glow dimmed and the flow of power ceased. The wind died down a few moments later and the sprites stepped back. Finn was now surrounded by a red translucent orb that glowed faintly. Hikari held her breath as the Harvest Goddess and Harvest King gazed at Finn in a troubled manner.

"How is he?" Hikari asked nervously.

"We managed to stop him from fading for the time being," the Harvest King stated calmly. "But changing him back to his original form is a different matter."

Hikari's heart sunk.

"I'm sorry," Hikari whispered. If she hadn't encouraged Finn to seek out his memories, this wouldn't have happened. She lowered her head and blinked back tears.

"It's not your fault," the Harvest Goddess assured kindly. She turned to look at the Harvest Sprites around her and motioned for them to give them privacy. They nodded and disappeared.

"Don't over estimate yourself." The Harvest King crossed his arms over his chest. "My sister is too sentimental for her own good and allowed this problem to exist."

"Um...?"

The goddess sadly bowed her head. "Pure hearts... are what define Harvest Sprites. The reason that pure hearts cannot be found in adult humans is because life consists of many things that taint the human heart. As children grow, they experience jealousy, greed, hatred, and death. Even the purest of adults, such as yourself, cannot have a completely pure heart for that reason. In order to preserve the sprites' pure hearts, I need to remove certain memories from time to time... such as those of humans they have known that had died."

"Which you hadn't done," the god by her side noted.

The teal haired being smiled. "Forgive me. Akari... she held such a special spot in Finn's heart that I couldn't bear to remove all memories of her from his mind. She had helped him grow so much and I wasn't sure how Finn would turn out if I completely erased all the experiences he had with her. I believed that it would have been better if I blocked the memories concerning Akari but allowed a hint of the experiences he had with her remain to aid him when it was necessary."

"Hmph."

"So we need to remove those memories?" Hikari asked tentatively.

"That's easier said than done." The flaming god stared down at Finn and frowned. "We can't remove memories from a stone. Only a miniscule portion of the sprite remains and that is not enough to work with."

"What do we do then?"

"We will need to wait for the Harvest Goddess and the other sprites to regain all their powers."

"I'm afraid that such a feat would take a while though," the Harvest Goddess disclosed. She helplessly gazed at the lifeless sprite.

"Please, tell me what I can do to help!" Hikari demanded.

The goddess met her determined gaze. She smiled sadly as she glided towards Hikari and gently placed a hand on her head. The farmer closed her eyes as a she was wrapped in a warm and comforting feeling. The fear and panic she had felt earlier was completely erased. "I don't wish to burden you with more tasks."

"Please, I want to help Finn," Hikari whispered.

"Tell all the wishes of the people to the wishing shrine."

Hikari turned to look at the Harvest King.

"That will speed up Edge and the Harvest Goddess' recovery."

The goddess frowned at the god beside her. He readily met her disapproving gaze. The two deities appeared to debate something briefly before the Harvest Goddess turned away to look back at Hikari again. She smiled softly, her eyes reflecting understanding and concern. "There is no need to force yourself to do this. We will all regain our powers in time."

"No, I want to do this," Hikari argued.

Her expression softened. "I understand. In that case, thank you... Harvest King, you'll have to take Finn with you back to the mountain top. The sprites and I cannot maintain the magic required to keep him in this form."

The goddess drew back, removing her hand from Hikari's head and the comforting presence that seemed to surround her. Hikari drew in a deep breath.

"Can I take him up there?" Hikari asked.

The goddess nodded and handed the orb carrying Finn to Hikari. The object hummed softly in her hands. Hikari couldn't help but wince though as the warm orb added to the stinging pain of her burns.

The Harvest King turned around and disappeared in a flash of light. Hikari brushed the tears off her cheeks and turned to make her way up the mountain. She looked over her shoulder at the Harvest Goddess, who was sadly gazing down at the ancient ruins in front of the tree.

Stars now decorated the deep blue sky. A chilling wind brushed past Hikari, causing her to shiver. Tightening her grasp on the orb, Hikari hurried towards the base of the mountain and touched the teleportation stone. She gritted her teeth as she was briefly wrenched off her feet. When she opened her eyes, she found herself on the dark mountain top.

Hikari had to slowly make her way up the stairs to see the Harvest King. She was thankful she had the glowing orb in her hand, else she would surely have stepped off the narrow stairway. Besides the red light from the orb, the moon and stars showered the area with pale light. She instantly caught sight of the Harvest King because of his flaming aura once she reached the top.

"You can put him there," the Harvest King directed, pointing to the spot on the dais to the left of where he stood when she had visited him earlier today. He was now leaning against a rock near the edge of the platform.

Hikari carefully placed the orb on the ground and walked towards the god. The air grew warmer as she neared the god and Hikari couldn't help but compare his presence to the hot summer sun.

"Um, thank you, for saving Finn," she said, bowing to the man before her.

"I am connected to the sprites as well. It is part of my duty to ensure they do not fade." He didn't turn to face her as he said this, his eyes still trained on the island below.

"I see... still, thank you."

The Harvest King scowled and Hikari was sure he would have berated her for thanking him again when he has just told her that it was his duty. He disliked pointlessness and repetition. Instead he shook his head and leaned against the rock.

"Um, are you alright?" Hikari asked. She felt slightly concerned. The crimson streams of light that twisted around the god's figure were fainter than she remembered.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Are you purposely trying to irritate me?" he asked, turning to look at her for the first time since she had arrived. His gaze was heavy and powerful.

Hikari flinched and avoided meeting his eyes. "No, I just feel concerned for you. Um, you look a little... tired."

"It's been a busy few days," he grumbled, after debating that it wasn't worth the effort to throw her off the mountain top. He turned away from her to watch the island once again.

Hikari guiltily nibbled on her lip. "Is there anything I can do to help? Um, perhaps there is something I can get for you."

"It's not necessary."

The farmer shook her head and slid her rucksack off her shoulder. Reaching into the rucksack she pulled out the shining apple that she had picked off her apple tree earlier during the day. She held out the object. "I heard that you liked apples."

He blinked and slowly reached out to accept the apple. "Thank you. You pay attention to detail."

"Haha, it's something I learned." She placed her rucksack on the ground and sat down beside the god. She didn't particularly want to return home at the moment. Without Finn by her side, she was sure that dark thoughts would haunt her in the lonely house.

"You should go home."

"Um, am I bothering you?" she asked, pulling her knees to her chest.

"No, but it's pointless for you to remain up here."

"Can I stay?"

"Suit yourself." He frowned as his eyes lingered on her hands and right arm. Hikari followed his gaze and blushed in embarrassment. Parts of her skin that had touched Finn were now splotchy and an angry red color.

"What happened?"

"Um... it's nothing really. Finn lost control of his powers for a bit."

He reached forward and took her small hand in his. A warm red light enveloped her hand and the pain faded away. Hikari gaped as she took back her hand, which looked like it had never been burned.

"Your other hand." He nodded towards her right hand.

Hikari hesitated. "Are you sure? You've already spent a lot of your power during these past two days."

"I know what I'm doing," he replied, still holding out his hand. "This only requires a small amount of power in comparison."

The farmer nodded and cautiously placed her hand in his. Powerful but comforting energy rose once again from the palm of the god's hand and the burns on her hand and arm disappeared. A tingling sensation danced over her skin. Hikari smiled in thanks as she pulled her hand away.

The two sat in silence. It was chilly at the top of Mt. Garmon and Hikari wrapped her arms around herself. Despite the cold, the stars were really beautiful. She gazed at the large expanse of stars and wished that Finn would recover. Smiling despondently, Hikari hoped that one of the stars would grant her wish.