A/N: Wow, only 2 reviews on that last chapter. I am not feeling the love right now :( And I even put Gill in this one for you guys. Oh I am so hurt!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon but to quote my favourite movie: "If only, if only, the woodpecker sighed"
Angela knelt on her bare, muddy knees. A large field spread out before her. The earth appeared lifeless at a glance, without any grass or common weeds and only a row of trees spaced neatly at the edge, but small green sprouts were peaking through the rich, carefully watered soil in neat, precise rows. An old, but well-maintained well was located at the side of the field, the ducklings splashed about happily in the clear water. She knelt in the field, examining shoots of bluemist Flowers for any harmful parasites. Smiling in satisfaction, she stood and gently sprinkled the contents of her watering can over the lush, green shoots. Stretching and putting a hand to her sweaty forehead, she looked into the cloudless, azure sky, noting the height of the sun with a keen eye. Midday. 'That didn't take as long as I had expected,' The rancher thought pleasantly, pushing a strand of short, chocolate hair from her face. Brushing damp earth from her knees, the young woman put her metal watering can away by the well and smiled, relishing in the reward of finishing work. She giggled as Amber nuzzled her long nose into her shirt. "Want to go for a ride, girl?" She asked, stroking her. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You already have your saddle on and everything. H-how?"
"We could hardly have a fair race if only you were riding bareback, Angie." Kathy grinned, appearing from behind a cherry tree. Frowning, she reached behind the tree next to her to reveal a yawning Renee.
"Oh, sorry!" She rubbed her eye and scratched her hair. She then added a little too quickly, "Carmel was giving birth last night so I didn't get much sleep."
A blonde eyebrow twitched in annoyance. Angela giggled and shared a look with Kathy. They knew a lie when they heard one. "You've been spending way too much time with Toby!" They chorused. A faint, pink blush came to the other brunette's cheeks, but she didn't deny it and remained in a playful sulk until they reached the race-track.
X.X.X
The three young women sat on the springy grass of Moon Hill talking easily of anything that crossed their respective minds and occasionally throwing small pieces of cheese at each other when they ran out of things to say. During a rather 'spirited' debate over who was the victor of the race, Cain (who was suffering from a headache because of their so-called debate) had given them a loaf of bread and a wheel of cheese and requested (ordered really, though he would not admit it) they head off and have a picnic (preferably some far, far away).
"You know they're having the third ball in Fugue Forest?" Kathy said, leaning back against her elbows, staring at the dark forest. "Luke wouldn't shut up about it. Extreme this, extreme that! Bo told me the Prince calls him an idiot."
Angela giggled into her hand. "That sounds about right."
"I don't like how they're holding the ball there. It's dark and creepy and maze-like and," Renee leaned in and spoke in a low tone, as if she were telling the latest gossip. "Dad told me a witch lives there and she'll turn you into a pink frog if you cross her!"
Angela's interest was piqued by that, but decided to remain silent. Kathy rolled her emerald eyes. "And the fortune-teller in town is actually two Harvest Sprites in disguise!" She snorted.
"It's true!" Renee insisted. "Years and years ago she stole the bell from the windmill!"
"I heard about that." Kathy said, clearly unimpressed. "Somebody found it lying around in Fugue and gave it back. There's no such thing as witches,"
Angela had to bite back a snicker at her friend's last remark. 'You don't know the half of it, girl,' She thought, realising that only a day or two before she would have agreed with the blonde wholeheartedly.
"I'm going to prove to you there is no witch in that forest." Kathy said firmly, grabbing her hand.
"No. Please Kathy! Don't make me go in there." Renee pleaded, trying to remove the barmaid's hand as she was slowly dragged down the hill by her stubborn friend.
The brunette rancher's hands flew over her mouth in shock. She realised how frightened her poor friend was, but unfortunately when Kathy set her mind on something, she would seldom give up. She frowned nervously. "Wait!" She called. The other girls stopped and turned to her. "...What if I go into Fugue and tell you if I see anything?" She asked; her fingers were crossed behind her back. The blonde barmaid contemplated this option for a moment before nodding contentedly. Out of Kathy's sight, Renee mouth a relieved 'thank you'.
The rancher stood up and lifted her orange rucksack and shoved the remainder of the bread into it. "Be back soon. Don't let Amber near any stallions; she's such a flirt." She winked and waved as she headed for the forest.
X.X.X
The brunette walked nervously through Fugue Forest, finding the almost unnatural silence foreboding. She swerved around the thick trunk of a massive tree and looked back with a frown. Had she not already passed this area? Shrugging it off, she turned and continued on, jumping over rocks and ducking under branches and around trunks. She heard a twig snap behind her and her head snapped round instantly. "H-hello?" She called in small voice. "Who's there?" She backed away slowly, refusing to look away from the direction the noise had come from.
"AAH!" She screamed. She jumped away, only to realise she had just walked into a trunk. "Stupid tree..." She muttered indignantly, kicking a gnarled root with her boot. There was something about blaming inanimate objects for one's own stupidity that was incredibly satisfying. 'Get a hold of yourself!' She commanded 'If Witch is here maybe I can talk to her about-'
"Oooh, what's this?" Her eyes widened in amazement as she saw a sparkling object from the corner of her eye. She twisted her body round a thick, twisted branch and stumbled towards it clumsily. A purple mushroom with bright pink spots grew among the curling, dark, thick roots of a tall oak tree. It seemed to dazzle in the dim light of the ancient tree's shadow. Curiosity burning in chocolate eyes, her grubby hand reached out to touch the strange fungi. Her fingers hovered over it for moment indecisively. It looked so enchanting and magical, but, what if it was poisonous? What if it belonged to the Witch? What it caused wild hallucinations? Then again, what if it had healing properties? What if it was valuable? Maybe she should discuss this with Phoebe or Calvin. That would be the smart thing to do. But, what if she left and could not find it again?
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Two muscular hands grabbed her forearm. Her reflexes kicked in, her thick boot shot back at full strength before she could blink. A high-pitched yelp told her she had made contact. "What was that for?" A voice wheezed out. The brunette froze. She knew that voice.
"Luke," She murmured in disbelief. She spun round. The young carpenter was doubled over, clutching his stomach. "Luke, I'm so sorry! I didn't hear you coming and-"
"You've got one powerful kick," He gasped, looking up to grin at her. When he regained his breath, he told her (in his usual loud, cheerful voice) that she should stay away from those mushrooms. "They're reaaaaally bad! If you eat one then," He clutched his throat in fake horror and made (what he assumed were) painful, gasping dying noises.
The brunette smiled at her friend's antics. "Thanks for the heads up." She grinned. "Are you here preparing for the third ball?"
"Yep!" He threw an arm around her shoulders and dragged her through the trees to a clearing larger than her house where Bo was working away diligently at cutting the last of the trees in the man-made glade. "It's gonna be EXTREME!" Angela watched the young blonde bang his head against the tree's trunk when his fellow apprentice yelled that.
Sighing wearily, the younger carpenter turned to Angela and bowed offering a polite greeting before getting to the question the brunette was certain he would ask. "You wouldn't have any food would you? Luke's cooking tastes like slime and rocks." His face turned a sickly green at the thought. A moment later, he shuddered and added, "And it was just a cheese sandwich."
Angela could feel her eye twitch as she glanced to the blue-haired man who was hacking enthusiastically at a tree, occasionally roaring war cries or shouts of "EXTREME!". She reached into her pack and took out the loaf she had stored there earlier.
Bo gave her a grateful look. "So, what are you doing in here Angela? It's really easy to get lost. We haven't cleared a path yet."
Before she could reply, she heard the sounds of bickering coming from the trees. Apparently it was not only her who heard it because even Luke looked away from the tree he was pulverising.
"Father, we've been wandering around for an hour now; we're lost!" An exasperated voice remarked.
"Nonsense!" A cheerful voice replied. "We've made a few wrong turn here and there, but I'm sure it's right through here."
"You already said that. Six times." The first voice drawled dejectedly, seeming to realise that arguing was pointless.
"GILL!" Luke bellowed and waved his arms wildly, even though the trees blocked any view. "Over here, buddy!"
The brunette's body suddenly became rigid. '...Prince Gill?' Acting quickly, she sprinted to the nearest edge of the clearing (from which the voices of royalty weren't coming) and his behind a tree. It was a terrible hiding spot and she knew it; parts of her remained completely unhidden by the coniferous tree. 'I feel like I'm four again.' She thought with a hint of mirth. Still, it was better than nothing. She pressed her face against the rough bark and listened intently. Luke's and the Prince's conversation consisted of an overly-excited Luke trying to impress his 'new best bud' and a frustrated Gill trying not to commit homicide. She bit down on her knuckle to stop her laughter at one point.
"The tree was twice this thick! She was all like 'Oh no! I have so much to live for!' and I was like 'Don't worry, I'll rescue you!'. Then, I pushed her out of the way and the tree fell like Crrrrrrrsh-pow! That's how I saved the day, right Bo?"
"Um, Luke... That was just a branch," The sandy-haired carpenter laughed nervously.
The Prince let out a sigh then paused for a moment. "Who's that over there?" He asked, making Angela cringe in fear. She shuffled behind the tree more and shoved her rucksack over her head. She heard footsteps growing steadily louder and steeled herself.
X.X.X
Gill was rapidly losing all hope for the future of Lumber-Jacks and Carpenters on the island. First (as if he alone was not insufferable enough), an immature man who stuck extreme into every other sentence; then, a bottomless pit of a man in terms of hunger; finally, a girl who appeared to be sniffing the bark on a pine tree. This really was too much, though he supposed it was only common courtesy to at least introduce himself to her.
Sighing, he made his way over to the tree. Perhaps she was just shy? He supposed he could grant her the benefit of the doubt. He stepped around the trunk with a hand outstretched, only to be greeted by the sight of the woman with a battered and old faded orange rucksack over her head, still clutching the tree tightly. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Were there fumes of some sort in the forest to evoke such odd behaviour? He was getting sick and tired of this nonsense.
"What are you doing?" He demanded sharply.
The woman seemed to freeze for a moment, then replied slowly, as if she were speaking to an imbecile "Cutting down this tree."
He looked around for any sign of an axe. There was none in sight. He clenched his fists. His theory of poisonous fumes seemed to be more and more likely. Deciding to humour her, he asked, "With a bag over your head?"
She grabbed his shoulder and pushed him down to what was probably her eye-level. "Are you a lumber-jack too, your highness?" She asked sweetly with innocent curiosity lacing her voice.
"Of course not!"
"Then don't question my methods!" She roared, spinning him around and pushing him back into the clearing. He stood, staring blankly ahead of him in pure shock. That did not happen. It could not have had. Maybe the fumes were getting to him to? He needed to get out of here. Soon.
The blue-haired man came over to him, throwing an arm around his shoulder and grinned. "Don't worry about it, bud. Ang is just shy. EXTREMELY shy!" Gill bit back a groan. He needed to get out of here. Now.
X.X.X
Angela slumped back in relief against the tree and let out a long breath. She took the bag from her head and fanned herself with her hand. Her heart was in her mouth from it. She had done it. He probably thought she was utterly wacko, but thankfully he still didn't know who she was. Then again, she realised glumly, he probably had already forgotten about her. She then scolded herself for being upset about that.
She was broken from her thoughts by a mischievous voice. "Oh, Angie, I'm touched! You came all the way to the forest just to see little, old me?"
A/N: PHEW! That was a biggun'. Okay so please review and give your opinions. I'm always open to suggestions! (I'd like about 3 reviews before I post again. It's mean, I know, but still)