Storm Clouds and Grey Skies

Author's Notes:

Hi everyone! University's started once again, but I'm going to try has hard as possible to get these chapters going!

I've opened two forums focusing on original characters and discussion of my current and future fanfics, as I'd love to chat to everyone and discuss these things! So please drop by and leave a post!

Summary

Leia's been there for Claire ever since she took over the farm at Mineral Town one year ago and the two thought they'd remain friends forever. But Leia's wondering if there's more to life than just the sea and in the distance, storm clouds are brewing.

Based on MFoMT/BTN/HM DS Cute

Rated teen for more mature themes in later chapters!

Disclaimer

I do not own Harvest Moon, nor any the characters.

This is purely a work of fiction; if you take this seriously then please go to a psychiatrist and have your head checked.

If there is anything that offends you, please hit the back button.

Chapter Seven: Turning

"Well, that went...well..." I commented as I walked beside Leia towards the beach.

She just giggled and looked at me, "It did! I think he likes you."

"It felt like I was being interrogated by the police," I replied, crossing my arms.

Leia had insisted on cooking dinner for her, Daryll and me to try and convince him that I wasn't a bad person. Apparently she had told him all these wonderful things about me before I broke her heart and after that he quickly decided not to trust me. I don't think fighting with him against the door helped.

"What is he anyway? You're father?" I joked. Leia giggled again.

"He's starting to feel like it. He didn't seem all impressed when I told him you asked me to move to the farm," she replied, adding reassuringly, "But I'm sure I can convince him otherwise."

It was already halfway through the week of my stay in Forget-Me-Not Valley, and things between Leia and I seemed to be getting better. In fact...the entire kissing incident felt more like a dream than before.

"So, if I move into the farm with you, will I get to help you with the animals?" she asked, kicking off the purple slipper shoes to walk on the sand bare foot.

I smiled at her, "I could show you. More help on the farm is always appreciated."

We walked down to the shore, sitting down on the dry sand. The stars were already starting to appear even though the sun hadn't even fully set.

"Forget-Me-Not Valley really is a beautiful place," I said, closing my eyes and feeling the breeze.

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" replied Leia, "I've already explored the entire place and the people here are so friendly...they made me feel very welcome and at home..."

I nodded. A few of the villagers had called me to the side, asking where I was from and how my farm was. They told me a girl around the same age as me was running the farm here and had been for nearly five years now. Her father left the farm to her, and she literally had to build it up from scratch. That was more than what I'd done, but it still gave me the confidence to push on with my own farm.

"Say Leia...?" I muttered; my eyes cast out towards the ocean, "Do you like having legs and being able to walk around?"

Leia beamed at me, with a bright smile, "Oh, I love it! The land is so much more different than the sea!"

I was glad that she was happy with her current predicament, but still...I couldn't help but think about her mother and how worried she must be for Leia's safety. If she didn't know where she was...

"Say, did you tell Daryll you were a mermaid?" I asked, glancing back to her occasionally. She kept smiling and nodded.

"At first he thought I'd just hit my head during the storm..."

Well, you sort of did, Leia...

"But I just kept telling him it was true and I had no idea how or why I had legs," she finished.

"And he believed you?"

"I'm not sure. He hasn't bombarded me with questions..."

Well, if he had believed her, being a 'mad scientist' and all, I'm sure he would have bombarded her with questions. And I still can't shake this creeping feeling he'd keep her as a science experiment. Still, Leia trusted him and I suppose that's all that mattered.

Looking back up to the stars growing in the sky, I couldn't help but smile. It was strange; at first I was actually really worried about Leia's predicament, but this way it meant I could finally show her all the things I told her about.

"Oh, don't you have a boyfriend, Claire...?"

I blinked and blushed, looking to Leia, "You mean Gray...? I...I suppose so..."

I'd never really thought about it. We spent a lot of time together nowadays, and we had slept together but...I just never really looked at it that way...

"You suppose so?"

"Well, I've never really thought about it," I admitted, "I...I think it's a pretty casual relationship if anything."

It was true though. I'd never really thought about how serious my relationship was to Gray, if it was...He was there when I really needed someone and he'd dealt with my crap up to this day.

"Oh, so do you love him?"

I flinched. It had never really crossed my mind. Looking to Leia, you could tell by the extremely curious look on her face that she wasn't asking out of malice. I couldn't help but giggle and blush in embarrassment.

"It's...never crossed my mind, really..."

"Well, what about now?"

"I-I like him...I wouldn't say I'm prepared to have him drop on one knee and propose to me..."

I wasn't all that interested in marriage or children at all, I was still young and I still had a life ahead of me. Besides, Gray was just a boyfriend, right? We'd never even uttered those three words to each other, not even when we had sex, so...In fact, how did Gray really feel towards me? The topic was beginning to make the world spin.

"Could we move to another subject?" I replied, pressing my palm to my forehead. Leia looked worried.

"Oh, of course! I...didn't offend you, did I?" she asked, meekly. I laughed at her and moved my arm over her shoulders, hugging her tightly.

"No; of course not, silly."

As I lay in bed that night, our conversation haunted me. I just stared up at the ceiling, biting my lower lip until it was practically raw.

I wondered if I should go downstairs and phone him. Now that Leia had brought it to my attention, I was really curious to know how he felt about me. But at the same time, a part of me didn't really want to know. And suddenly, I was afraid.

Was I leading Gray on?

I could taste blood on my tongue as I bit into it, wincing at the pain.

"Do I love Gray...?" I whispered, to nothing in particular, closing my eyes. But all I had was this nagging feeling in the back of my mind. And I couldn't will myself to fall asleep. With a frustrated sigh, I sat up, pulled my clothes on and set off for a nightly walk.

The moon was full, the sky clear; it was a perfect night, really. Every single tiny detail was perfectly outlined in the silver lighting. It was probably the early hours of the morning, no hint of artificial light from any house nearby. I found myself drawing closer to the mansion up the hill. Even the lanterns had been put out. As I drew closer to the gates, I could hear the soft tinkle of the fountain as I got to the top of the hill.

"#### #### ####...####..."

I paused, my body tensing. What the hell was that...?

I followed the voice towards a small hut down the side of the mansion, the voice more clear and loud. Well, as clear as it could ever be. The owner of the voice was speaking with a thick accent in another language, I more or less assumed. I noticed a light shining onto the grass from the side, so I quickly walked around and peered through the window. And nearly fell back.

A young woman, with wavy, dirty blond hair stood by a rather menacing looking cauldron, speaking those weird, garbled words. Her eyes were closed, and it kind of looked like she was praying. She looked like a witch. She probably was a witch. And I was not spending a single minute more here.

I panted heavily as I slowed down, arriving at the beach and being welcomed by the sound of the waves. I caught my breath, standing up straight, when out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of green hair in the moon light. My head automatically turned in the direction, and for a moment I forgot to breath.

With her clothes neatly folded on the shore, Leia was swaying about in the water, naked.

And for a moment, I swear my heart skipped a beat, heat rushing to my face.

There was something about the way she moved in the water, twirling and giggling, humming in-between, that almost seemed...magical. I was hidden in the shade of the trees, and I was afraid to move or make a sound, in case I startled her.

She looked so much like a nymph and the moon outlined her body so clearly. Her body was slender and smooth, her stomach flat; long, strong lithe legs, like those you'd see on ballet dancers, with small, perky breasts.

My face turned redder; I'm starting to sound like a creepy pervert.

But she looked so innocent; so fragile and frail.

And then something stirred inside me, and I could feel my heart slowly growing stronger with each thud in my chest.

Something was changing, and I think that's when I realised something important...

Sorry for the short chapter everyone! But I feel like this chapter is perfectly cliff hung!

I feel my quality of writing has gone down. I'll try much harder with the next chapter.

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Until next time!