March 2, Spring, Year 20

Well, this is rather surreal. It started with a knock on my door this morning, and a visit from the Witch Princess. (I call her Winny.) She gave me a letter from the Harvest King…

Claire hadn't intended to get up too early. It was, after all, only the second day of Spring. But sharp knocks on the door at just past six made her get up, if only so that she cold tell the person to go away.

"What- Oh…mornin Win," she yawned, opening the door to the Witch Princess. "What're you doing here so early?"

"There's a letter for you from the Harvest King," she replied. "I think something big happened last night involving a lot of magic."

That didn't sound good. Claire nervously took the letter from Winny, and scanned it once, twice, and then a third time, her face going progressively paler with each read through.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Claire sank into a chair, shocked.

The Witch Princess floated over to the stunned girl, and read the letter the she held loosely in one hand.

Hello, this is the Harvest King.

The Harvest Goddess and the Harvest Sprites were punished because you didn't work. They've been sent away to another world. If you work hard and achieve your goals, I will return the Harvest Sprites and the Harvest Goddess to this world

Do you understand?

The three Sprites at the Harvest Sprite Station, and Guts at Harvest Sprite, Inc. are still in this world, so they should be able to help you get started.

Well, do your best.

Sincerely, the Harvest King.

"Well, it's going to be lonely now that I have no one to argue with," Winny sighed, poking Claire on the shoulder. "Work hard, will you? I'm counting on you to bring them back so that I have someone to fight with again."

She waved a hand in front of Claire's still shocked face, then shrugged and flew out. Claire took another few minutes to collect herself, and shook her head.

"I have to rescue everyone?!" she murmured weakly. "But… I don't even know where to start looking! What does he mean, accomplish my goals, I don't have any goals!"

She dropped her head into her hands, and sat there for a long moment, thinking. It seemed like she wasn't going to get a choice in the matter. Leaving the Valley Goddess-less wasn't exactly an option, not with the way she was needed to bless the lands.

"Well… Alright," and she clenched her fist, crumpling the letter. "Alright then, I will rescue the Harvest Sprites and the Harvest Goddess! Just as soon as I figure out how…"

Which was easier said than done, but inevitably she'd figure it out. Pushing blonde hair out of her face, she went to start her morning with a bath.

So I spent most of the day going around the Valley pulling weeds and grasses from the ground so that I could start making money to repopulate my farm. About half way through—I was down near Galen's and Nina's—Karen found me.

Claire had just uprooted a particularly stubborn herb when she heard her name being called. Straightening she saw her cousin Karen waving at her. She grinned and waved back.

"What're you up to?" her cousin asked, as she walked within hearing range. "Are you doing actual work now?"

"I have to," Claire replied. "Uncle Takakura asked me, and if I don't, the Harvest Goddess will be stuck in another world!"

"What?!"

Karen looks so surprised that Claire stopped working for a bit, and explained the situation to her. Once she was done, the green-eyed girl let out a low whistle. It was a known thing in their family that Claire, Jack and Jill could all see Harvest Sprites and the various Goddesses scattered around the farming island.

"Does this mean you're not coming to Mineral Town any more?" she asked. "Dad said that he got the books in you wanted, and you could come and get them next festival day."

"Oh, I'll still come over," the blonde farmer nodded. "I mean, 'all work and no play,' right?"

"Well, Pony certainly works hard," Karen tilted her head slightly. "But then, she's been over in Mineral Town for a couple of years now, so she's got everything set up to her liking."

"Yeah, well, Pony's always been the better farm worker," Claire sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Which is why Grampa Evan left her his farm. I almost wish she was here now, you know? She'd be able to help me figure this out..."

"She's got her hands full at home," Karen grinned. "I think she's got a crush on Gray."

Claire blinked, thought about this for a second, then laughed.

"She's going to have an uphill battle with that, isn't she? What does Mary think about it?"

"She's actually being very philosophical about it. But then, she's still wanting to go to school off the island, and getting married to Gray would kind of put a stop to that plan, no?"

After a moment Claire nodded.

"Considering how old fashioned the folks are, yeah it would. Poor Mary," she grimaced in sympathy. "Tell Jill I say hi when you go back and I'll see her in a couple of days for the Sowing festival!"

"Will do," Karen whacked her companionably on the shoulder, then meandered back up to Vesta's farm to talk with Celia.

Claire bent back to her gathering with a tiny groan. Already she was regretting the vow to save the sprites and Goddess… but she couldn't go back on it now. Still, there had to be a way to make money that wouldn't turn her into a bowed woman before she was twenty-one.

She sighed, thinking as she worked, and blessed her near-bottomless backpack, a gift from the Harvest Goddess to her family when they'd settled in to be farmers almost one hundred years before.

It held her tools, and everything she was gathering, yet somehow remained as light as a feather. But it didn't solve her problems, unfortunately.

Once she'd cleared the fields as best she could without using any tools—she was going to do wood and stone clearing later—she headed up to Carter's tent and the excavation site.

I feel rather dense that it took me another two hours to think of Van and selling the things I find in Uncle Carter's excavation site, not to mention the stuff in the four mines that Dad opened for him. I mean, really! Sometimes I really am as blonde as I look.

Anyways, Lumina wanted me to drop by after Ramona fell asleep. Said she had something she wanted to give me that would help me with farming. I'll probably crash out when I get home.

Man, for one day of work, my arms are killing me. Maybe I should take a hot bath before I go to 'Mina's

Oh, before I forget, thanks to Dad's crazy-upgraded tools—everything is at Mystrile—I managed to rescue… Wow, I think sixteen in one day. Thanks Dad, for upgrading everything up to Mystrile! It really has helped, more than you ever thought it would.

It makes me wonder what's going to happen when I haul out the hammer and axe tomorrow for land clearing…

Claire sighed happily as the bath soothed her sore body. Her back especially wasn't happy with her.

"I can't believe I got sixteen already," she mused. "Maybe this won't be as hard as I thought it would be. I wonder what 'Mina wants to give me though. She's never been to interested in farming…"

The curiosity made Claire grin, and finish her bath quickly. Dressed in clean overalls, her hair pinned back in a braid—it would dry like that and give her Flora-like waves in the morning—the farmer girl left her home and headed across the Valley to meet with her friend.

"Maybe I should wait?" she hesitated at the gate of the mansion "But she did say it wouldn't matter how late I came over… Well, since I'm already here, I might as well. I don't want to have to make this trip a second time. First though…"

She walked up to the fountain, pulling a coin from her pocket, a silly smile playing across her face. It was something she always did, even though the fountain was in no way connected to the Harvest Goddess Pond.

Blowing on the coin, Claire tossed it in the water, and closed her eyes.

"I wish I could meet someone just for me," she whispered.

As if the universe had heard her, the door to the mansion opened. Her eyes popped open in surprise, was Lumina coming out to meet her?

She stared as a young man came out of the mansion, the moonlight highlighting silver hair, and an almost-feminine face. He rounded the fountain, then smiled charmingly at Claire.

"Hello beautiful," he gave a slight bow to Claire, who's mouth had opened slightly in surprise. "Walking alone at night?"

"W-well.." she stammered, not knowing exactly what to say. "'M-Mina asked me to come here… who are you?"

"I'm quite a ladies man," he replied smoothly, sweeping some of his hair out of his face, "and a prince of the stars."

Claire's surprised turned into annoyance, a frown crossing her face. He reminded her of Damien, and that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Maybe the universe hadn't heard her, and she was just jumping to a silly conclusion.

"Hey!" Lumina darted out of the mansion, immediately interposing herself between Claire and the new-comer with a frown. "I recognize you! You're that famous thief who warns his victims ahead of time that he's coming!"

Claire sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Nope, clearly the universe was just playing a cruel joke on her, there was no way she could get close to a thief!

"I am a bit pressed for time lovelies," he replied, backing away somewhat. "I must jet."

He turned, and took a few steps, then swept back around elegantly.

"You may call me Phantom Skye," he said, saluting the two girls with a half smile. "I have a feeling we'll meet again," he seemed to look over Lumina's shoulder right at Claire, who couldn't help but blush. "It's in the stars."

"Wait a minute!" Lumina took several steps forward, ready to give chase.

"Hold up beautiful," Skye chided smoothly. "Don't let such raw anger steal away your beauty."

Claire blinked as Lumina froze, unable to see that her friend was blushing worse than she was. Skye took her moments of hesitation and left with grace and speed. The brown haired girl jolted, and took off after him.

The farm girl just sat on the edge of the fountain, trying to calm her racing heart. How in the world had he managed to evoke such a response, she wasn't certain. After a few minutes a still-blushing Lumina joined her.

"What a smooth talker her is," she sighed, smiling dreamily, "Phantom Skye huh…?"

"Did you catch him?" Claire asked, a bit more in control now.

"No…" and Lumina did seem regretful. "He got away from me. Anyways, come inside and I'll show you what it was that I wanted to give you."

I don't really think she tried very hard, but I can't blame her. He's definitely got a way with words. I don't think she gets many compliments from Rock either. He's more into complimenting himself than his girlfriend.

Phantom Skye huh…? I couldn't really tell in the dark, but his eyes were kind of pretty. I've never seen that shade of green before. I wonder if it's contacts?

Quite the smooth talker. I can't believe I'm blushing over him! He's almost as bad as Damien was when we first started going out! Ugh!

Oh, and he stole whatever it was that Lumina was going to give me, the jerk. She said it was a necklace that would make the work seem easier.

Argh, I'm going to bed now! The more I think about it, the weirder I feel, and I've still got work to do tomorrow! All those rocks and stumps won't break themselves!