Chapter 1

This cart sure is bumpy...

My first thoughts upon entering Castanet.

The Harvest Goddess must, um, have her work cut out for her... I thought, my eyes wandering over the barren land that was meant to be a wonder to the eye, a botanical paradise, forever a beacon to the soul; that was what Castanet once was. Why the Harvest Goddess had sent me to start my life in a dump like this one, I had no idea. Anywhere away from the quarrels of my parents, my loveless past and my dead-end future was a haven for me, however, so this "dump" called Castanet would have to do.

But it wasn't a dump. My city-living eyes transformed Castanet's fleeting beauty into a sight for very sore eyes. They told me that bright green, fertile bushes were stone gray rocks; boring, unmoving, unloved. That is me... I thought. My thoughts came to a screeching halt.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING SLEEPING, MOLLY?"

"Ugh, shut up, Fin... You didn't HAVE to come.." But every word I said just made Fin angrier and angrier. You see, Fin was a Harvest Sprite created by the Harvest Goddess to specifically assist me with my farming. However, her seemed to think that he was born to SAVE the woman... Well, okay, I admit that maybe it was my MAIN job to save her, and not just run a farm on the land. Fin sure did enjoy harping on this fact that I simply would not acknowledge.

"I will NOT!" The little orange Harvest Sprite steamed as he circled my head in an angry motion. "You already know why we're here, Molly! To-"

"'Help the Harvest Goddess! Help the Harvest Goddess!' Look, Fin, I get it." I mimicked him, hand-motions and all.

Fin angrily darted right between my eyes, little hands on his little hips. "Then why aren't we TALKING TO HER RIGHT NOW? Hmmmm? Hmmmmmm?"

Why did Fin do this to me? He made it sound more about HIM than anyone. "Look, Finny, we haven't even arrived at my new HOUSE yet. We aren't even CLOSE to the Harvest Spring in Castanet, wherever the hell THAT is..." I gingerly laid back against the cushiony hay in the wheel-barrow I was being towed in. "Relax, ya little ball of steam. Lay back. Take a chill pill, or whatever the kids are saying these days..."

Little Finny was not impressed; this was made clear by his rapid yet failing attempts to hurt me by kicking my nose with his little sprite feet. I quickly waved him away, shaking my head in disgust.

"Don't act like you're all old and stuff now that you're living on your own! It's not cool! You're only, what, 18?"

"AHEM, turning 19 this SUMMER, stupid sauce. Get your facts straight!" I smiled slyly and flicked the little guy away. Glitter shook from his flimsy little sprite garments, and fumes of frustration erupted from his tiny-tiny sprite body.

"FINE! Well, when we get to the ranch, we're going STRAIGHT to the Harvest Goddess! We have to get a start on our quest!"

Now Fin was beginning to get a tad bit annoying. OUR quest? What did he think this was, a start on HIS life? Was it HIM moving to a totally new place and starting a farm, or was it ME? I pointed this out.

"Ya know, Fin, this isn't about you! This is MY life!" My eyes closed with a quick and pointed blink. "I decide what paths to take, where to go, and when we decide to pay Miss Harvest Goddess a visit, kaput?" The decision was final.

Before little Finny could respond, a deep and rolling voice was being directed at me.

"You okay back there, little lady?" It was Cain.

"Um, yes sir! Why would I not be?" I giggled sheepishly. I could tell already that I'd soon be known as the nutcase of Castanet if I kept up the way I talked to Fin as though everyone could see him.

"Oh, it's nothing... Just thought I heard ya talking back there... Difficult to hear with the horses a' clompin' down this here dirt road. Now tell me, little lady, what brings ya to our little town?"

Cain was a broad shouldered man with thin brown hair cut neatly, and a nice, firmly set jaw with the kind smile of a father. I liked Cain, but Fin thought he was a flake. I didn't really understand Fin's reasoning, but well, Fin is Fin and that's all there is to it. There's no use questioning the little guy; he was one hell of an arguer.

The question that Cain asked me was not one that I could answer truthfully- it might have been because my mission to save the Harvest Goddess was supposed to be top-secret, OR it could have simply been the fact that I didn't truly know what it was I was looking for in little Castanet. It was... An island of opportunities? Well, I sure didn't think so at the time, so that couldn't be my response. How could I be honest with Cain without blowing my cover? I finally decided that simple was always better.

"Getting a start on farm life!" I responded genially, even though my hesitation was clearly (and awkwardly) apparent. "Ya see, I'm 18, and now that I'm out of the dreary days of high school, it's time for a change! No more city life for me, no siree!" While I tried to sound as joyful as possible, my heart ached for home. For Cranston. Missing my family was easier to dismiss than the fact that Fin was annoying. As if I would miss those constant fights! The conflict! The divorce! I wanted nothing of it. And, it wasn't like friends were abounding or anything. So, with no friends and a family I was glad to leave to their own problems, what did a little city girl have to miss? Maybe it was the rush of the city streets, the speedy pace that never changed, no matter how slow a person you were. Perhaps it was the smell of hot dogs selling on street corners, or the thrill of looking through the windows of "Chanel" and seeing that pair of shoes you'd wanted for forever. It could have even been walking to the Technology World Center and purchasing the video game that you'd been waiting 5 months for, and being able to buy it early because, well, it was CRANSTON; the biggest city in the world. Everything new released there first. Cranston, my home, and it was gone now.

My thoughts shattered when Cain let out a chuckle in that rolling tone of his. "Ahhhh, I see, so city livin' was a little much, huh?"

"Oh, gosh, no, I loved it! It's just..."

"Needed to get away from the folks?" Cain asked, turning half-way to me. When I took a little too long to answer, Cain just laughed that happy laugh of his. "It's okay, little lady, don't hurt yourself. I have a daughter your age, so I'm pretty keen on what girls like you are thinkin'. And you're think' 'bout the future! How can ya head toward the future when your folks are pulling ya into the past? Gotta break free some day..." Cain said, a little tense into that last sentence. "... And get married already..." I heard him mumble, but pretended not to hear.

"I agree, gotta leave the nest at some point." I gazed, a clear frown on my face. Light brown hair fell around my face, and the wind tossed it all around. Great. Wind blown hair. How charming. At least I would look different than my boring self. Brown hair, brown eyes, pale skin, a solemn, natural frown. Nothing too special about me.

After a long silence, Cain finally offered something that peaked my interest. "I think my daughter would like to meet you. She's about your age, her name is Renee. I don't know if you are lookin' to raise animals on that there ranch of yours, but if you need tips, you can ask my kid if ya want." It wasn't so much the animal help that caught my ear's attention. What really caught me was the thought of having a real friend for once in my life.

Friends had never been the first thing on my mind growing up. It was always studies, keeping my parents happy, and making sure that my little sister Alex was taken care of. Alex was only 6 while I was 12, and my parents were always busy fighting, or working their butts off, then coming home just to fight again. It was about time they got a divorce- too bad it couldn't have been before I reached adulthood; well, semi-adulthood. Maybe I could have had a little time for a few pals every once in a while. However, taking care of your little sister as though you were her own MOTHER was a task that took a LOT of patience and organization. Ergo, there was no time for a social life. Now that I was older, I wanted friends, no, NEEDED friends more then ever. But I lacked social skills. That was all I lacked. I suppose I was an attractive girl; I was 5'4 with short, light brown hair and brown eyes, I wasn't fat, and I wasn't a stick. I wasn't flat-chested either, so I guess I was pretty average. I wasn't quite, but I wasn't obnoxious. In other words, I wasn't anything bad, but I wasn't special either. Would that attract friendly companions, or drive them away?

My thoughts were interrupted by Cain's rumbling low voice. I hadn't even noticed the awkward silence that had passed us.

"Erhm... Uh... Do you NOT want to meet her? I mean, it's fine and all, but..."

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed, waving my hands in front of my face as though he could see me. Fin gave me one of those looks- as though he was saying We don't have TIME for friends! We have to go see the HARVEST GODDESS, HARVEST GODDESS, HARVEST. GODDESS!

"SHUT UP, FIN." I shouted absent-minded. Cain whipped around, looking worried and slightly confused. "Um... You okay?"

"Oh, yes, I'm fine." I assured him. "Um, about your daughter... I'd love to meet her!" I turned around again. Fin was gone.

"Wonderful!" Cain exclaimed, thrusting the reins to the horse-drawn wheel-borough I was being hauled in. "Renee loves making new friends. And, I have a feeling you'll be an exceptional addition to our town!"

Cain's words flattered me, but I was a little worried about Fin. Where had he gone? He couldn't have possibly been offended by my sudden outburst; I had merely told him to keep his little pixie mouth closed for the time being. That was hardly a crime! But, I had to get my mind off that.

The timed passed by quickly. Cain and I got into an array of various conversations- favorite foods, when our birthdays were; the generic stuff. However, I had never had a real conversation with someone before. Thrilling, that's what the conversation was. Something new to me. If the rest of my life in Castanet was going to be full of opportunities- intelligent talks with towns people, farming experiences, adventures around every corner, and animals! Oh, animals were the best! Well, if everything in Castanet was like that, I figured I should have made the decision to move to this place long ago! Those were the thoughts that ran through my head.

Mid-conversation, I noticed the hill-side dropping immensely and looked ahead. I gazed beyond the dropping, bright green hills and rocky paths, only to set my eyes on a world I had never imagined. If the Harvest Goddess's land was really in trouble, and the island was really dying, you absolutely could have fooled me with the site of this new world. A lush-green farmland stretched for miles, sunlight filtering through the snow white clouds lighting up the country side. Ocean water scented the air with a crisp, salty smell that drew my widened eyes to the stretching world of sea, bright blue and shimmering under the Castanet sky. A gorgeous harbor town, "Harmonic Town", lie off in the distance, below towering mountains that scratched the sky.

My farmland. It MUST have been my farmland... Acres and acres of it, pastures stretching forever, a water mill, plots of land, rivers, the bright blue sea... All of it, mine? It couldn't be! But it was.

Looking back on it, back then, I knew nothing. Not a single thing. I laugh at myself, being so clueless as to what my life would turn out to be. Gazing at the never-ending sky, I really had no EARTHLY idea as to which direction my life would turn.

I was at the cross-roads; heading toward the horizon.

THANKS FOR READING! KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR CHAPTER 2!

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