Blanket disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. I do not claim any rights to Harvest Moon Animal Parade or any characters associated with the game. No money was made from this fan fiction.

Author note: My thanks to Andi for taking the time to beta. I appreciate your help.

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That night Finn and Hikari both laid awake staring at the ceiling. Tentatively, Hikari asked. "Finn?"

It had been awhile since Hikari had tried to start a conversation with him. Their relationship had been strained since Wizard's punishment for saving her. Remaining still, the little sprite answered. "Yeah?"

Hikari took one shaky breath. "I'm sorry I've been so hateful recently. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't with me."

Finn smiled, it wasn't a happy smile. "I'll stay beside you as long as you need me to, Hikari, but someday, I know, we'll both grow up. You'll figure out your heart and find that one person you were meant to spend your life with. Together, the two of you will raise a family and live." Rolling over, Finn used his hand to brush back her hair from her temple. He'd known from the beginning that he wasn't meant to stay with her forever. "I'll grow in power, enough to prove I'm worthy of being a full-fledged Harvest Sprite, and I'll spend the rest of my eternity protecting this world." Knowing what your future was didn't make it any easier to accept at times.

Glancing over, Hikari met Finn's gaze. "You'll be the best Harvest Sprite ever."

Propping his head up, Finn's smile turned into a smirk. "You better believe it. After everything we've been through together, I'll be a genius when it comes to humans. No one will be able to deny my awesomeness."

Rolling over, Hikari chuckled at her friend. "So I guess after we save Wizard, we have to help King find this person with a pure heart he's looking for."

Shaking his head, Finn pushed himself up. "I'm sure that King has searched over the world himself. If the person isn't here, it must mean that person doesn't exist yet."

"So what am I suppose to do?"

Sighing, Finn just gazed at her for a moment. "Live. You've done what you set out to do. If you are meant to find the one Harvest King wants you to find, you will. If not, well. . . I know everything hit at a bad time before, but it really is time to look at your own heart and follow it."

"Ugh." Rolling onto her back, Hikari folded her arms over her face. "This was not what I wanted to do."

Walking onto her chest, Finn pushed her arms up. "You don't want to share your life with someone else? I would have thought you'd want a family."

"I do." Hikari admitted. "But this isn't like choosing which calf I want."

Pressing his lips together so he didn't laugh in her face, Finn couldn't help but picture Luke and Wizard as cows. "Who'd be the third calf?"

"Huh?"

Unable to hold it in anymore, Finn turned laughing. "I don't know which is funnier, a cow with a bandanna or one with earrings."

Sitting up, Hikari watched Finn roll into her lap, still laughing. She tried to look angry, but it was kind of funny. "Are you picturing them as cows?"

"I wonder how hard they'd be to milk?" Finn gasped out, pounding his fist against her leg.

"Finn!" Covering her mouth Hikari blushed.

Looking up, Finn wiped his eyes. "Maybe you should be kinder to them, and milk them by hand instead of using the milker." The look on Hikari's face had Finn face down in the bed laughing again.

Picking Finn up, Hikari leaned over and deposited him onto the floor. "No more looking through people's stuff for you, Finn. I knew it was going to be trouble when I found you reading Owen's magazines." Dropping Finn's blanket on his head, she added. "You sleep else where tonight."

"Aw." Fluttering towards the table, Finn asked. "Where do we start, Hikari?"

Turning to face Finn again, Hikari sighed. "I figured it would be easier if I could get Mayor Hamilton to gather everyone at once, and then explain what was going on. If everyone doesn't want to give something, we can work on them individually. Then we'll wait for the first snowfall and look for Rob Frost."

Covering himself with his blanket, Finn nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Night, Hikari."

"Night, Finn."