Chapter Sixteen: Forgetfulness

Ok another recap on the situation. This one will be pretty brief, the Goddess is angry about something involving the sun and my aura…? I know it's gibberish to me as well, so of course the only logical way to respond was a, "Huh?" The Harvest Goddess glared at me with the emerald gems that were her eyes. Her voice was harsh and raspy, something I didn't know her capable of. "I," she said while reaching for my wrist and gripping it in her hand, "sense the sun in your aura!" "Sun?" I asked dumbly. The Goddess pulled me closer, her eyes scattering around me as she examined the so called aura around me. "The Harvest King is the embodiment of the sun; I can see sparks of his power within yours!" The Goddess's grip became painful, contradicting her normally peaceful nature.

I guess even the Harvest Goddess could get angry. "Let go!" I yelled and attempted to pull myself from her clawing fingers. The Goddess released me and her hand dropped to her side. "You can't Hikari… How could he do this?" the Goddess whispered and sank to her knees. Confused, I bent down and warily put a hand on her shoulder. "What are you saying Goddess?" I asked. The Goddess shook her head and covered her eyes. "Goddess, please look at me." I gently pulled her hands away to see tears a lighter shade of green than her eyes mar her beauty. "We are just friends," I said. The Goddess pinned me with blazing eyes, the aura around he glowing brighter. "Friends? If you were just friends he would not have marked you so!"

The Goddess stood and pushed my hands away. "You will never find happiness with him." She said. I stood slowly and met her gaze. "Happiness with the Harvest King? Why would I want that?" I asked. "Do you take me for a fool Hikari? Do not deny the feelings I know you have!" I stepped back from the cold fury in her voice. "He is immortal Hikari, you know what that means right? He will never age, never die. He will watch you slowly grow older, weaker. He will have to watch the life leave you and your soul move on without him. You will both suffer." She explained.

"Goddess where is this coming from?" I whispered. The Goddess was frightening in her fury; she's never been this way toward me. "You're not listening!" the Harvest Goddess yelled. Her aura blazed around her, the cold energy bit my skin and I jumped back. The Harvest Sprite gathered loosely around the Goddess tree, all wearing a cold and calculating mask as they observed the situation before them. "You will never be able to change him Hikari." My own anger flared at that last statement. "You said yourself that it takes one heart to change another!" I yelled back. "How can you say you will heal him when you're being together will only cause him more pain?" The earth below my feet shook slightly with the force of her power. I stepped away from her, not wanting to accept the truth of her words. I felt the hated tears run hot down my cheeks before I could stop them. The Goddess's eyes softened and her aura flared less brightly than before, but the cold steel in her voice remained.

"I love you Hikari," she said "you are my dearest friend. But, I will not allow you to hurt my brother. He has already suffered once at the hands of mortals and I will not lose him again." I needed to get out of here, to escape. My feet moved for me, carrying me down the steps of the clearing and splashing through the water. I tripped as my foot caught on a stone but I got up and kept moving, my vision blurring with tears. "Hikari wait!" Finn called while struggling to catch up to me. "Hikari please stop! The Goddess didn't mean it she just…"

I turned on the little orange sprite. "She just what Finn? Told me something that I already knew? Forcing me to acknowledge it for my own good? That she only did it because she cares about me? I know all of this Finn, but it doesn't make it any less painful!" Finn was quiet, his little mouth pressed into a thin line. "What, nothing to say?" I asked bitterly. He remained silent. "I thought not." I turned on my heel and left the little sprite to his silence. I headed home, to hurt to do anything else.

Something was wrong. As I stood upon my mountain top balancing the world's energy, I felt a shift in the lands aura. As I probed the energy plane to investigate I found the cause. The Harvest Goddess's energy was in chaos, he mind had let loose its hold on her power and her turmoil was causing chaos to whirl out of control. I quickly shifted my power onto the energy plane. I slowly encompassed her whirling pool of power with my much more massive one. Slowly I eased her power's tight grip on the lands life force and contained it. As I siphoned the power within her she didn't fight me, knowing I would subdue her in a second.

Slowly her power receded within her and her mind calmed. "Thank you." She whispered. "What has caused you such sorrow?" I asked. The Harvest Goddess answered me by closing her mind. I shrugged and receded back onto the physical world. If she wanted it to remain unknown then so be it, it was none of my concern. I turned my attention from her and returned to the task that was always at hand, balancing life energy of the world. I briefly noted that just the night before it was Hikari's energy that had gone haywire. Was there a possible connection between the two females raging energy? I shrugged again, probably not. On impulse and sifted through the lands energy till I found that familiar blue. Her aura hummed with the force of her negative emotions, humans were so complicated. I saw the flecks of copper red sparks flash in her aura, and I smiled to myself.

At the time I had not meant to mark her so, my power merely moved without my direction and merged slightly with hers, I had immediately pulled it back but the damage was already done. I didn't regret it though. I felt an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind, as if something was going on that involved me and I was unawares. I cast it off, nonsense. Whatever came my way I was sure I could handle it. I saw the red sparks in her aura glint. I laughed, she looked good in red.

I heaved at the eggplant that refused to come off its vine. Frustrated I yanked again; the vegetable remained stubbornly in place. After the incident with the Harvest Goddess I had run home and into the barn, not really knowing what to do. I gave a sleeping Lemon a heart attack as I leaped on her and cried into her thick neck. The cow had simply lain down beside me and let me sob into her neck. I awoke that morning to see five other cows, a sheep, and a horse staring at me with hungry eyes. I had hulled myself up and fed the beasts. Now back to the present.

Thanks to my lack of control over my emotions last night Lemon had become my stalker, following me to the coop and around the ranch as I watered and harvested my crops. The cow was still shadowing my steps as I pulled again at the eggplant. I gave a great heave and was surprised when the vegetable snapped off of its perch. I fell back and landed heavily against Lemon's flank. The cow turned lazy brown eyes on me and bellowed an annoyed moo.

I grimaced and threw the eggplant into the shipping bin. "I'll be more careful." I told her. Lemon flicked her tail which whacked my arm. Yeah right, she seemed to say. It was well into the afternoon by the time I finished. I wiped my brow and headed in the house, stopping Lemon's attempt to follow me inside. I headed towards the fridge and rummaged around till I found my goal. I pulled the apple cocktail out and inhaled its sweet scent. I froze, should I go see him? He wasn't aware of what happened last night but I wasn't sure I could face him just yet. A knock sounded at the door and I ran to it, hoping Lemon wouldn't shishcabob whoever was there.

I opened the door to see Bo feeding Lemon a lettuce leaf, spoiled cow. He looked up and smiled brightly. "Hey Hikari." He said. "Hi." I replied, eyeing a happily crunching Lemon. "Just stopped by to tell you the bridge is broken and it won't be fixed till tomorrow." There was my excuse. "So don't walk across it and take the mine cart if you really need to." He said. "Thanks Bo." I replied. He waved goodbye and headed off. As I moved to place the cocktail back in the fridge I glanced at my watch. CRAP! I had to meet Chase in an hour! I stashed the beverage into my rucksack and bolted outside. I called Lemon over who was still munching on her lettuce. I hopped on her back and adjusted my legs around her girth. The cow lunged forward and ran toward Harmonica town, still managing too munch on that dang lettuce leaf.

Lemon quickly passed the bridge and then the peer. The turned right and walked across the rickety bridge that led to the lighthouse. I slid off Lemon's back and looked around. I glanced at my watch, I was a bit early. I sighed and slumped on the bench. Lemon plopped down in the grass beside me and I used her back as a foot rest. I dropped my head back and stared up at the sky. As I relaxed thoughts drifted through my head. What had the Harvest Goddess meant when I shouldn't lie about my feelings? The Harvest King and I were just friends. Well we did share a kiss, a really nice kiss. Ok so I liked him, but it's just a crush, besides he'd never take a serious interest in me.

Yeah that's it, I just liked him. I liked the way his voice sounded, strong and calm. Or how his eyes seem to burn when he looked at me, it was like gazing into the heart of a flame. Oh and how he smiled when I gave him his favorite treats, anything apple based. His lips would tilt up slightly at the corners and his eyes would glow like the hot embers of a warm fire, transforming his normally stony mask of calm. Even though he was an arrogant ass, I suppose he was charming in his own way. Well more like his overwhelming confidence and ego was infectious. And there were those oh so rare moments when he seemed… gentle. I would get a glimpse at what would suggest a potentially sweet nature.

I felt a warm fuzzy feeling well up inside me, and I couldn't help the goofy grin that tugged at my lips. "Someone looks happy." A familiar voice said. I nearly jumped off the bench and out of my skin. I looked up to see Chase crossing his arms and watching me with an amused grin gracing his lips and eyes. "Don't scare me like that." I said while standing. I stretched and he walked up to me and stopped a foot away. "Your right on time." He said. "I'm early actually." I replied. "I think you know what I want to talk about." He said. I nodded; already prepared to take the brunt of the sarcasm I knew was coming. "I've been thinking a lot about you." He said, smiling uneasily and a blush tinting his cheeks. Was he still mad?

"And I wanted to tell you how I think about you." He rubbed his neck awkwardly and his gaze went from his feet to my face in frantic movements. Wait a minute… "I like you, what do you think about me?" OH NO! Red light, slow down, pause, and rewind! "I… uh…" How do I respond to a confession? I thought about Chase, and about our relationship. He was sarcastic and rude, but a kind person deep down and a loyal friend. But just a friend, I knew I didn't love him that way. Love…! Is that what this warm fuzzy feeling is? Why I think of the Harvest King so much, why I get nervous around him, why it hurts not to be near him?

I'm in love with the Harvest King. I felt my heart skip and all the blood rush to my brain. I placed a hand on my head and staggered with the shock of the realization. "Hikari are you alright?" Chase asked while placing a hand on my shoulder to steady me. "Yes." I said weakly. He jumped back in shock. "Yes your ok or yes you like me to?" he asked with barely held excitement. I felt happy, so happy I became oblivious to my surroundings. I didn't realize just how deep my next words would cut. "Can we just be friends? I have to go…" I called Lemon over and hopped on her back. "Where?" Chase whispered. "I have to get ready and go see him! I can't believe I only just now realized this!" I said more to myself than to him.

"See you!" I called without looking back as Lemon took off. At the time I didn't know just how much trouble those few words would cause. I ran into my bathroom to take a shower, attempting to wipe away the grime of today's labor off me. From the shower I ran to my dresser, trying to find something nice but not over the top. As I held a blouse before me and gazed in the mirror I smiled in amusement at my own fretful behavior. I suppose falling in love could make even a girl like me worry about her appearance. The Goddess's words echoed in my mind. You will both suffer.

I shook off the nagging doubt that crept into my m thoughts. No matter the outcome, he would at least know how I felt. As I pulled a red blouse over my head my fingers brushed against the edge of the wound that ran along the side of my abdomen. It had healed enough to where Jin said I could stop wearing those suffocating bandages, but he left a few stitches in for safe measure. He told me to take it easy, putting emphasis on how the wound could reopen if put under to much stress. I pulled the top down over the ugly mark and pulled on my nicest jeans, making a mental note to visit the Tailor's next time I had money to burn. I could see the dollar signs in Luna's eyes already.

I jumped as banging came from upstairs. "Quiet down up there I'll be back soon!" I yelled at the ceiling. I closed the door to my house behind me with one hand, a cocktail in the other. I looked up to see heavy black clouds eating the blue out of the sky. I frowned and called my animals inside. Lemon butted he head against me and gazed at me with worry. "You are not catching a cold Lemon, now march." I shoved her in the rump and she reluctantly headed inside. I closed the barn doors and headed up the path to the Garmon Mines. I glanced up at the sky again and shrugged, disregarding the ominous weather. In fact I had disregarded one to many things that day. The entire time I walked a held the cocktail gingerly in my hands. I felt giddy with nervous excitement, as if I was walking on eggshells. If only I had known that was the truth at the time.

As I came around the bend the bridge came in sight, and the downpour began. I hunched against the cold rain and covered the glass with one hand to shield it from the rain. Well so much for looking nice. I stepped up to the bridge that was swaying dangerously in the wind. Something nagged at the back of my mind, something important. I looked up to peer at the mountain peak that was obscured my rain clouds, the nagging thought vanished as quickly as it came. I carefully stepped on the swaying bridge and held the rope hand rail with one hand and the cocktail in the other. I was about half way across when I was suddenly turned around. An equally rain soaked Chase was glaring at me through the rain, his violet eyes were hooded by his dripping peach colored hair.

"What are you doing?" I asked, shrugging his hand off my shoulder. "What are you doing?" he asked back. "That's none of your business Chase." I replied while turning to continue walking across the bridge. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "That's the cocktail you bought the other night, who is it for? Owen?" He hissed. The bridge swayed and I clutched the glass so I wouldn't drop it. "It's not for Owen. Like I said, it is none of your business." I spat out as I yanked my arm from his grasp and stepped back. "What is wrong with you?" I asked. His eyes blazed with a mad sort of glee at my question. "What indeed, shall we explore that question? What could it be?" he said with heavy sarcasm.

He tapped his head in mock realization. "Oh now I remember! I told a certain someone I had feelings for her." Chase took a step toward me, I stepped back. "This particular person asked if we could just be friends, mentioned something about a mysterious 'him', and ran off without an explanation." Again he advanced, I retreated. "Well maybe you don't deserve one!" I spat back, my own anger rising. "So naturally," he continued, "I became bitter and jealous. And when I came to confront this person I found her running in the rain with a cocktail in her hands." He reached forward and snatched the glass from me.

"Give that back you orange haired idiot!" I screamed at him, he held the cocktail out of my reach. "Does all I'm saying sound familiar?" he asked. "Chase stop being stupid!" He pushed me back as I reached for the cocktail. "Tell me why Hikari!" he yelled. "You want to know so badly Chase?" I asked while I pushed at his chest. "It's because I don't love you!" The angry cast to his face was replaced by cold calm. "I see." He said slowly. "Whatever, you have your answer now give that back!" I held out my hand and his lips rose into a cold smile. "Catch."

Chase threw the drink into the air and I reacted without thinking. I took one, two, three steps back with my hands raised in an attempt to catch it. As I placed a foot behind me the wooden plank of the bridge gave way. The bridge rocked with the force of the storm and I fell. My fingers briefly brushed Chase's as he made a grab for my hand, but they were slick with rain and his grip failed. I fell into the river, my back hitting the water first and forcing the air out of my lungs. I kicked and broke the surface, but only for a moment.

The current pulled me back under as my body screamed for air. My body felt heavy and it became hard to think. It was becoming more and more difficult to kick. The river slammed me hard against a rock and my side flared in agony. I opened my mouth to scream and water filled my lungs. I tried to kick again for the surface but the energy escaped me. My body felt like lead, heavy and hard to move. I sank deeper into the water as I stopped struggling and the current carried me away. I felt so tired, if I could just close my eyes for a moment… As my mind went blank, I heard somebody calling my name. I'm sorry, I thought. I'm too tired to answer you.

Hey there my Lovelies! Just wanted to ask you if you think this chapter is good. I played around with it forever and I became somewhat content enough to post it. So what do you think? Mind reviewing for me ;D?

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