Storm Clouds and Grey Skies

Author's Notes:

Hey everyone! After a long hiatus (again) I'm finally done with university for the summer and thus have all the time in the world to get on with this fan fic!

Also, thank you, Awesome Rapidash for checking over this chapter for me! Hopefully you'll all enjoy this chapter and I can't wait to hear your comments!

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 Nine: Choice

I found myself wandering around the valley aimlessly, instead of returning straight to Daryll's house to see Leia. The rain was still pouring down; I'd probably catch a cold later.

But the entire event concerning the Harvest Goddess was surreal. I felt like I was in a dream; at the time I felt like everything was so real. An hour later, and I wasn't so sure. But it wasn't what was bothering me. It was what the Harvest Goddess told me.

"Please, listen to me. Tell Leia how you feel..."

That's what she said.

But how was that going to cure Leia? Was the power of love going to break the wicked witches curse? I couldn't help but think sarcastically and a little bit bitterly. This was a serious matter. And right now, so many thoughts were flying through my mind; it was like a pile of neatly organized papers on a desk had been blasted by a sudden gust of wind.

Speaking of wind, didn't the Goddess say this was that Witch's doing...?

I had two choices. I could go to Leia and proclaim my undying love for her, which by the way, I was still a little bit unsure about despite the Goddess encouraging me to do so. Or I could go to that Witch's hut and demand to know what the hell was going on! But what should I do about Gray? If I told Leia I loved her, and chose to be by her side for the rest of my life, what about him?

Maybe I didn't love him the way I believed I did. Maybe I was fooling myself, that this is what I wanted. But regardless, I still cared deeply about him and I was afraid of losing his friendship above all else.

I swallowed hard; I had to put on a brave face. I had to tell Gray the truth, starting from the very beginning. Leia was a mermaid from the ocean. She has a tail instead of legs. And a magical hurricane somehow turned her into a human. I raised my hand to my face. Goddess, was he really going to believe that excuse?

Standing outside of the witches hut, I swallowed nervously.

Before I admitted anything to Leia, I wanted to know what the hell happened in that storm, and why it had affected Leia as it had.

I raised my drenched hand and banged my fist against the door. No answer.

I banged harder and louder the second time.

The door opened, revealing the young woman with the long wavy hair. She seemed to scowl when she saw me.

"Oh," she simply said, her expression softening for a split second, before hardening once more. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else."

My throat seemed to dry up almost instantly. I tried to swallow and then speak, but the words just wouldn't come out. I must have been opening and closing my mouth like a fish, because she raised an eyebrow at me.

"Do you want something from me?" she asked, a little impatiently, her hands moving to her hips. I nodded.

"I need help," I finally managed to croak out; "A friend of mine was caught in a storm not long ago. Now she's sick."

"So go see the resident doctor," the Witch snapped back. I shook my head.

"I was told she's sick because of a spell you screwed up," my voice raising. I bit my lower lip, I had to stay calm.

The Witch raised her eyebrow again and took a step back, "My fault? I have no idea what you're even talking about."

"A storm!" I exclaimed, "A while ago, a sudden storm hit Mineral Town! No warning or anything! My friend, Leia...a mermaid...she disappeared during it and when I found her, here, in this valley, she had legs."

She said nothing. She only stared at me. Finally, she stepped back, holding the door open, "You'd better come in and sit for a while."

So after explaining the entire, full story to the Witch, she seemed extremely shocked at what I'd told her.

"And how long ago was this?"

"A few weeks ago, I think..."

It seemed like forever, and at the speed things were going lately, it had me confused.

The Witch bit her lip, looking deep in thought. "I was testing out a potion a while back; to make it stronger I cast a spell on it...the spell went out of control and made a fine mess of my hut..." she explained, reaching for the glass of juice on the table. She took a sip and placed the cup back on the table, her crimson eyes meeting mine, "I think...some of the magic must have escaped into the atmosphere and created that storm."

"Potions and magic?" I repeated a little dazed. Although the hut was warm, my clothes were still drying and I was shivering slightly. I watched the Witch's lips move, but nothing made sense. She was speaking about something I couldn't comprehend or make sense of.

"It was a dream potion. It's supposed to make people's dreams come true," she explained. It was my turn to raise an eyebrow. I thought witches cast curses on people, not made their dreams come true.

"But, as I stated, the spell spiraled out of control. I just didn't expect it to be powerful enough to make it all the way to Mineral Town, let alone escape my hut," replied the Witch, "It sounds...as if the spell worked on the wishes and desires of your friend. If she's a mermaid, then I'd imagine her to want to have legs... I've heard of those kinds of tales before. Mermaid falls in love with Man. She wants legs, she gets legs. But it comes at a cost."

That sounded all too familiar with a certain fairytale. "That's from the Little Mermaid. That's a fairytale, it isn't real," I replied. The Witch glared at me.

"Girl, when you enter a world of magic, everything and anything is possible. It may take a while, but it's possible," she replied sternly, "Although your friend got what she wanted, the spell was haywire. It screwed up somewhere, and now in order to maintain the power to keep her legs, it's draining away at her health."

"So what can I do?" I replied, "There has to be a cure! Can't you undo the spell?"

The Witch looked down into her glass. She was silent.

"Please, you have to do something!" I begged, my eyes turning glassy. The Witch looked back up at my eyes.

"You really care for this girl, don't you?"

"I care for her more than anything else in the world."

The Witch nodded in response, rising to her feet and taking a book from the shelf. She returned to the table, setting it down promptly and sitting herself back down. She opened the book, finding a certain page and reading it, ignoring me in the process.

"I could undo the spell, however, like everything in the world; it would come at a cost."

"What?" I pleaded.

"She would have to return her legs for a tail. And she will be weak. Very weak," the Witch explained, "She may even be crippled for life."

My heart skipped a beat. This was serious. Leia's life was trapped between a rock and hard place. Leave her how she was, and she'd eventually die. Fix her, and she'd still end up with some form of ailment.

"Neither outcome is truly ideal, is it?" the Witch asked, as if she were reading my thoughts, her eyes never leaving her book, "But there's one more way. Give her some of your energy, and she'll eventually grow healthy and strong again."

"And what would happen to me?"

She examined me carefully, "You seem like a strong girl. What do you work as?"

"I run the farm in Mineral Town."

"Then this shouldn't affect you too badly. I take it you have good strength and stamina?"

I nodded. I considered myself well off in those areas.

"Then you'll be fine. Your strength will return to you, over time."

I sighed deeply in relief; there was a way to save Leia after all.

"However, there's one more thing."

"Oh goddess, what is it now?"

"The two of you will have to remain close forever."

"What?"

The Witch scratched the back of her hair, her cheeks flushing red slightly, "It's hard to explain. When people become close, their spirits naturally entwine and support each other. You and Leia seem close as it is, but what I could be doing is forcing you two closer together. Your spirits would be entwined for eternity. You can love no other, except for each other. You cannot part ways or else you will both die. I know it sounds complicated, this makes so much more sense in my head-"

I cut in, "No, no. I...think I know what you're saying," I bit my lip, continuing, "Will Leia remain as a mermaid forever?"

The Witch nodded. I could feel tears filling my eyes. Not for me, but for Leia. The one thing she wanted was legs, so she could explore the land. She'd be so...disappointed. I could already feel how upset she'd be and it tore at my heart. One the other hand, I wondered if this is what the Goddess meant. The only way for Leia to live was for me to pledge my eternal love for her? Cheesy as it sounded, it made sense...I think.

I was beginning to doubt whether or not I was dreaming, everything was beginning to feel surreal once more. Still, if this was the only way for Leia to continue living, then I would do it.

A part of me did wonder if I was making the right choice. I never would be able to be with anyone else. I could only love Leia… for the rest of my life.

Could I do this? I was more or less taking some kind of marriage vow that ended in death if that vow was ever broken. I chuckled darkly, my eyes misty.

Until death do us part...

It was fitting.

"Claire! Where the hell were you?" Daryll leered at me from the door frame.

I shook my head, smiling tiredly. "I'm sorry. I had to clear my head. How is she?"

"Not well," I heard Hardy reply in the background somewhere, "She's getting weaker."

"At this rate..." Elli sighed, "She may end up in a coma."

I was surprised that neither Tim nor Elli were bombarding me with questions, but I was going to assume that either Daryll explained it to them, or they knew now wasn't the time.

"Well, I'd better get to work then, hadn't I?"

The Witch pushed past me, earning raised eyebrows and confused expressions from the others.

"Claire, what's going on?" Hardy asked, "Why's she here?"

"Where is she?" the Witch cut in, ignoring his question. Daryll stumbled forward, motioning to the basement, to which he led her down into.

Hardy's gaze returned to my eyes, as did Tim and Elli's, who were standing off in the background, helping to clear up the mess of broken glass and whatnot.

"Leia's under a spell," I replied softly, smiling strangely as they cast unbelieving glances in my direction, "It's true. The spell's draining her energy, and the Witch is here to set it right."

Daryll came clambering back up the steps, Leia in his arms. She was wrapped tightly in a bed sheet and her face was paler than before. Dark shadows were beneath her eyes. Her breathing was so shallow, I could barely hear it.

"Let's go," the Witch simply said, leading Daryll out of the door.

"D-Daryll!" Hardy called after him, before getting up and following after the three. Elli and Tim continued to shoot questioning glances at me, never speaking. I didn't give them the satisfaction of an explanation; I simply shrugged my shoulders and started for the door, after Daryll and the Witch.

The pair followed the rest of us to the shore. The Witch and Daryll stood at the edge the ocean, the waves lapping at their feet. Hardy stood a few meters away from them; I continued past him and stopped beside Daryll.

"Claire, take Leia and go sit in the ocean," the Witch commanded. I simply nodded as Daryll handed Leia to me. He said nothing. He simply fixed his eyes on mine for a moment before he walked back up to where Hardy, Elli and Tim were.

Leia felt light as I carried her into the ocean. When I was far enough out, the Witch told me to stop and sit in the cool water, which I complied with. I kept Leia's head nestled against my breast, my arms protectively wrapped around her frail body.

I wanted this to end. I just wanted Leia to get better. It was proven that I couldn't live without her; all those weeks I spent moping, wondering where she'd disappeared to. At least this way, she'd never be apart from me again.

I heard the Witch muttering, the sky growing darker. Time seemed to slow down almost to a stop.

"Leia, it's me, Claire," I whispered, moving my face closer to hers, brushing some strands of silky green hair from her face, "When this is all over, we'll go get the horse cart and I'll take you all over Mineral Town. I'll even take you up Mother's Hill, and we'll have a picnic. I promise."

I could see Leia's eyes moving slightly underneath her eyelids.

"We'll be together forever now, so you don't ever have to worry about someone taking me away from you," I assured her. I don't know if she could hear me, but I liked to think she could, "I'm sorry for breaking your heart Leia. You know I never meant to hurt you."

I could no longer hear the Witch, the waves, or the gulls in the sky. I closed my eyes, pressing my nose to hers, "You mean everything to me, and I never want to lose you again… ever! So please stay with me, don't die. You just have to hang on little longer now."

I moved one of my hands to hers and clasped it gently. I felt her squeeze it, ever so slightly.

And in the smallest, most soft and gentle voice, she whispered, "I love you, Claire"

I smiled, feeling some stray tears rolling down my cheeks, dripping onto her face, "I love you too, Leia."

And everything went black.