A/N: Hi again. I'm sorry for the slow update, but it's pretty safe to say that this story is one of my highest priorities. I have the most plans for this one, and, well, it's one of my proudest. So thank you so much to everyone who's reading and reviewing. I would love concrit as long as you're not a bitch about it. Haha.
Disclaimer/Warning: I don't own Harvest Moon. Get ready for lots of confusion.
By the way, there will be two crossover characters from another Harvest Moon game. See if you can guess who they are:D
A Threnody of Sorrow
Elli wrapped a cold towel around her neck, not caring that water might make it sting worse. She pushed harder just to spite herself, gritting her teeth when the area grew fiery. Her skin was red, from upper-chest to lower-face, and she could only breathe in large gasps. Right now, she was sitting on the closed toilet seat, staring into her lap.
Knock, knock. "Elli? Are you in there?"
It took her a few moments to realize Doctor was talking to her. Stifling a hack, she muttered, "Yes." Then, with one hand massaging her throat, she asked, "Is Gray here yet?"
"He was running an errand when I arrived at the blacksmith's. I left Saibara a message to notify him when he returned."
Elli felt like she'd just been slapped. A message? A message? "It's urgent!!" she practically shrieked.
Realizing how shrill she sounded and that she'd never get answers that way, she levelled her voice, trying not to scream. "Why didn't you go look for him?"
There was a small, offended pause. "I am a doctor, not a paper boy," he said with utmost authority, cold dignity dripping from his words.
Elli tried ever so hard to refrain from slamming her fist against the wall. "What happened to the patient?" she averted topics.
"She has fallen asleep."
"Asleep!?"
"Is that a surprise? If you have not realized, that is usually all a patient does…" A knife was heard within his words. "…Sleep."
Elli held her head, feeling a migraine coming on. How do I work with this bastard? "Understood," she seethed through bared teeth.
"Good," came a neutral response. Feet echoed as he brought himself away from the nurse, loud and deafening to her ears.
"Ass!" she hissed when he was a good distance away. Before she could say more, a disgusting bile quickly rose to her throat and she crumbled to her knees, lifting the seat and vomiting. Her skin was pale and cold, trapped in an internal inferno. Then, in a futile attempt to leap to her feet, she stumbled into a wall. "Ugh…"
Consciously collapsing, she hit the floor.
xoxo
What just happened…?
Dia lay frozen on the bed, her eyes sealed. I'm awake. Why can't I move? She thrummed up all her energy and tried to send it into her fingers. Even when she tried to lift her thumb, she failed. Am I awake? Am I… dead?
She waited desperately for noise; the silence was making her ears ring. A cat meow, a bird crow, a girl speak… nothing came. She tried to kick and thrash her feet but they were beyond numb and paralysed. The only thing she was able to control was her thoughts, but right now, she wanted nothing more but for it all to shut down. She wanted to close off her emotions, break away from her conscience…
What would life be like without emotion? she pondered, her mind dark. Would it also be without thought?
Now zapping her energy to her eyelids, she tried to pry them open—but it was no use. She couldn't see. There was no point. Would we feel what we felt now? Would we have any purpose? Though her mind spoke in her own voice, she couldn't remember what she sounded like. What is one to one million?
Though numb, she felt pain. A twisting sensation curled into her spine, culling through each bone selectively. Dia felt the scream shoot into her throat and explode there, wishing she could do anything to show or quell the pain…
What would life be without thoughts? Again, life was shattered from her body. She went completely still, just alone with herself, and closing her eyes. Then, as if searching for her, she saw a little sphere somewhere in the abyss of her head, lights streaming from it. Reaching for it, with not her hand, but with her soul, she felt overwhelmed with wonderment. Would that be life without pain and suffering?
She was almost there. The light was growing with more and more clarity. It seemed a dull and murky blue—yet at the same time vibrant and shimmering pink. Would the world be filled with colours, both burning bright and dark? Her sights ceased advancing once she was within arm's reach. Staring into its brilliance, she didn't even feel awed.
Would the colours light up the darkness, or the darkness overpower the light? Would it be beautiful or ugly? Dia stopped. And she looked straight into the sphere, its projecting light incessant. Is what we see worth seeing? Do I close my eyes to shield them?
With one final movement, her mind pulled forward and touched the orb. There was a great explosion, a blinding white flash; her thoughts ended, all colours blanked, and all went completely numb.
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"Damn it, I can't believe we got caught." Dia's eyes circulated from each disgusting face to pampered disgusting face, her lips drawn into a tight frown. "Could someone please tell me why we're here again?"
"You mean, why you're here?" the boy with ruffled hair asked. "Your mother never said I had to be."
"Oh, come on," she hissed, "just stay. I don't want to be alone—"
"Children," interrupted a woman with a wry, fake smile. "Are you feeling hungry?"
"No," Dia answered tonelessly. She plastered a beautifully fake smile on as well. "Just a little sick." There was enough emphasis on the last word to wipe the look of dignity off the woman.
She leaned in, hissing now. "Look. This is your sister's birthday dinner. You will behave and act accordingly or you will be removed. Understood?"
An unladylike snort left her. "Oh, sure. But how about I make things simpler and leave now?" She stood up and pushed out her chair.
This immediately brought attention to everyone at the table. Chatter faded in a snap and all eyes directed to her. Bright red, Dia hesitated for a few moments before quickly sitting back down. Commotion resumed.
"Let me rephrase that."
Dia bit back a retort.
"Unless you cooperate, you'll be washing your sister's clothes, fixing her meals, and acting like her slave for the rest of the week."
"Are you kidding me? No way in hell am I touching the spawn of the devil's shi—" She paused before finishing, catching the look in the woman's eyes and noting her seriousness. "…Fine."
"Good. Now start acting like the wonderful little daughter you aren't, and do it now."
She slumped back in her seat, trying hard to envision a gorilla marching into the room and pounding her mother's shrewd, pointed face in. She tried to see her make a terrible seam go off on her dress and fall to the ground in front of everyone at the table, with everyone's eyes on her…
"Rrriiip," she cackled tentatively.
The boy looked over at her wearily. "Huh?"
She blushed, realizing she'd said this aloud. "Nothing, I—" She caught her mother's warning look and shut herself up.
"What a bitch," she mouthed to the boy, who merely nodded back understandingly.
Before anyone could say another word, a traditional spoon-clattering-against-plate act roused attention to the head of the table. Also known as, to the heavy-set man a few seats to the left from Dia.
"Attention, attention!" His booming voice certainly earned that. When all were silenced, he beamed and continued. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness… oh. It sounds like someone's getting married, doesn't it?"
Even though it was obvious the joke was arranged, the audience chuckled from their seats. Dia rolled her eyes, but she too couldn't help but let one side of her lips lift.
The man waited out the laughter. "As we all know, we are all summoned here to celebrate my youngest daughter's birthday. A feast was definitely in order—after all, this is quite the occasion." He paused before loudly calling out, "How old are you again, sweetheart?"
A girl with dark, curly hair giggled from across from him. It was all it took to make Dia cringe. "Sixteen," Dia heard, before dramatically pretending to pass out. Only the boy noticed, but he stopped his chortling once the woman with rose-red lips glared at him.
"Sweet sixteen," the large man corrected, clasping his hands. "As sweet as you are, too."
Another gooey giggle. People at the table aww'd and smiled dopily. Dia merely scowled down at her empty, crystalline white plate.
A sudden growl was heard, causing people to look at each other in confusion. The man looked down at his stomach, grinning bashfully. "Let's cut this short, shall we? Because I am, how may I put this… starving."
A napkin materialized in his right hand. He waved it symbolically. "Enjoy the feast," he declared. "And happy birthday to my youngest, sweetest daughter."
A burst of applause exploded into the vast room, in which Dia nearly felt her ears burn. A round of waiters appeared and filed into the room, silver platters set down before greedy eyes.
"Hey," she heard from a small voice beside her. "Where do you think she's gone to?"
"Who?"
"—"
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"STOP!"
A woman cradled a small bundle in her hands, crying as she pressed against the wall in protection. "Please, please don't hurt my little girl!"
A man with dark, uneven hair and hollow eyes stood by the door, a short silver blade in his left hand. He intensified his grip and stepped forward.
"Stop!" the mother continued to plead, tears pouring from her eyes. "Don't take her—don't take her life." She surveyed the room tentatively until a little girl trembling in the corner caught her attention. Her eyes widened and she sprinted over to the child and grabbed her wrist roughly.
"Take this one!"
The girl stared up at her mother, feeling her throat constrict. "No!"
The woman ignored her. "Please, anyone but my baby girl. I-I don't even know this child! Please…take her instead!"
"No!!!"
But the man turned and walked away as the mother stared after him and belief. When the door swung shut behind him, she burst into relieved tears.
It was the child's turn to stare.
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"Who?"
"Your sister."
Dia fetched herself a chicken leg from the silver platter before answering.
"She escaped mother's deadly wrath just in time. Too bad we couldn't slip away as fast as she could, huh?" she muttered. Then she shovelled the meat into her mouth fondly, obviously trying to avoid the subject. "It's good. You should try it."
He put his hand onto hers, a bit shyly, causing Dia to stop her distractive chewing. "We'll live through this. Don't worry, Dia."
"Me, worry? Oh, I'm not worried," she scoffed, regaining her composure. She caught the uncomfortable look on the boy's face and let hers soften.
She gave him a tiny smile. "Okay, fine. You're right. Maybe my dearest little sister will choke on a piece of cake and die."
xoxo
End Notes: It'll clear up. Promise.
