Phew. Glad I managed to finish chapter four before I left for my stupid family vacation (yes, this is three, but it's my policy to finish the next chapter before the one before it is posted if that makes sense). With that being said, there probably won't be an update until my return, but you never know. Ugh. I don't want to go. Anywho. Again, I'm very sorry about the inconsistency in Chase's character (he needs more lines, darnit). I think this one's more accurate than last chapter. Also, I apologize for grammar mistakes and the like. I hate proofreading, and I don't like bothering others with it. btw, I've learned that now I must be 100% happy with a chapter before upping it. I apologize for the people who had this on alert and it sent them two emails because I tweaked last chapter.

Disclaimer: Ceray does not own Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility characters or concepts.

Just Like Losing

Chapter Three: Rainbow

After the disaster at the Harvest Festival, Chase had made the mistake of assembling the ingredients to make herb bread, making five different versions of the dough, running to Akari's house to bake it and then tasted the two different loaves only to find how Akari's was, somehow, superior. He should have known better. Cooking shouldn't be about making the better product, cooking should be about making a product that the consumer would enjoy. Chase, in his anger over losing, had forgotten that, and, went in making that bread with the worst of intentions...

Well, it wasn't like he was aiming to murder or anything, but still.

Chase was still sure he had put his heart into making that bread... But his heart just wasn't in the right place. Not only that, he had been a bit ruder to Akari than he should have been. Sure, she wasn't the politest of hosts either, but that was probably in response to his behavior.

And the way he had left was just plain rude. Naturally, it would have been worse if Chase had just left without a word, but that was no excuse.

Then Chase came to wonder.

Why the heck was he worrying over that stuff? He hadn't ever really cared that much before so...

It was probably because it went against he was taught. He was always told to be polite to people, which Chase managed to do, even if the person he was speaking to was some horrible, annoying person. But this time the anger had just taken over.

Why?

He wasn't so sure. Maybe it was because it was a cooking competition. Maybe it was because the farmer girl beat him without even trying. Yeah, that was probably it. Looking back, she had been right. It was just a small town cooking competition. It wasn't like there was anything major on the line and no one would have thought less of him if he had lost. There wasn't anything that Chase actually had a viable reason to be angry over. So why had he just lost control of his emotions the way he did?

Chase stared at his ceiling. The answer was simple. Manly pride. All Chase could really do was cook and being beat by someone who didn't seem to cook regularly was a huge blow to that pride. And Akari? She probably deserved an apology, or something. Of course, he wasn't planning on offering something to her in order to get on her good side since it wasn't like he had killed her cow or anything, a simple apology would suffice. Yes, it would. The girl didn't seem like the type to hold a grudge either, so he wouldn't have to worry about her coming after his life or anything.

With that thought in mind, Chase resolved to apologize to Akari in the morning. It wouldn't be some large dramatic production or anything, just a simple sorry for being such a sore loser. Then she would forgive him and all would be well. He'd simply just work harder to become the best cook he could possibly be and win next year's contest.

The peach haired young man let out a somewhat content sigh and squirmed so that he was on his side, facing the other wall. Now that that was all squared away (or at least as squared away as Chase could possibly make the situation on his on), he could finally get some shut eye without having any other thoughts interrupt him.

"Yay! You brought everything!"

Or so he thought.

The digital clock on the table beside his bed read that it was a little past one in the morning. Ordinarily, he'd still be up at this point, on his way home from work, but since today (or perhaps, more accurately, yesterday) was a festival day, he didn't have to work. And no work meant that Chase could go to bed early. Though to Chase "early" was at least around midnight or so. He'd always be up til then thinking to himself. He closed his eyes again and hoped that perhaps he was just hearing things. Or maybe he was already asleep and this was part of a dream.

Yes, he would go with that.

"Sorry, I took so long," a second voice sounded, slightly quieter than the first, but still audible.

"It's okay~!"

Chase twitched. It sounded like this conversation wasn't going to end any time soon. He grumbled as he rolled out of bed. He'd give these jerks, whoever they were, a piece of his mind, that much was certain.

Not even bothering to put any shoes on or anything, he stomped out of his house to yell at whoever was wandering around at one in the morning. Whoever it was was over by Ben's Tree which was closer to Toby's house than his own. He scowled a bit. These people weren't even bothering to be quiet and luckily for them, Toby could sleep through anything, though, Chase wasn't sure if Toby was even capable of getting mad, but it didn't matter.

"…They were being sold at the Harvest Festival. How lucky, right…?" the second voice sounded again. Chase quickly strode closer the source of the noise. The voice was strangely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. He decided to; instead, examine what they had said… Whoever it was had to have been at the Harvest Festival…

Suddenly, it clicked. It was Akari!

Chase ducked behind a bunch of bushes that were next to Toby's house and peered behind them. He didn't see anyone else but the farmer, so where was the other person she was talking to? …Maybe he was right and she was some sort of alien contacting the mothership! Chase shook his head. Aliens didn't exist, and if there was an alien, he thought that maybe Luke was more likely to be it than Akari…

But still, who was she talking to?

Chase tried to get closer while remaining in hiding; however, he accidentally bumped into a cooler next to Toby's house knocking it over causing a loud noise. Thank the Goddess that Toby could sleep through anything.

…But that didn't mean that Akari didn't hear him.

She turned around and looked at the cooler that Chase had knocked over while Chase ducked behind the bushes.

"Who's there?"

Chase didn't answer, hoping that she would just ignore it. After a moment, Akari turned back toward the tree. Chase breathed a sigh of relief until he heard the other voice.

"Maybe you should still check it out… I-it might be a ghost!"

"Well, we are near the cemetery…" she paused. "Are you afraid?"

"…Well, kinda! W-what if it's a mean ghost that doesn't want the Harvest Goddess to come back?"

Chase was dumbfounded. Where was that voice coming from? Was it the tree? Was he dreaming? Yes, he had to be dreaming, there was no way that trees could talk… but the Harvest Goddess? He remembered that silly old story, but that was just some stupid folktale that some of the villagers (mostly the mayor, his son, and the few children inhabitants) believed in, just like the thought that the rainbows were special. To Chase, it was just a load of bull. The island's recession wasn't because of the disappearance of some rainbows, and anyone who wanted to say so was obviously trying to blame it on something other than themselves.

"Would it make you feel better if I went to look?"

"Y-yes," the tree sniffled. Akari let out a soft sigh and turned around, heading towards where Chase was. He cursed under his breath and tried to crawl away before she got to him… But, unfortunately, he was unable to.

"Chase? What are you doing out here at this hour?"

"Just sleeping," Chase responded coolly. There was no way that she'd fall for that one, but it didn't hurt to try.

"Outside of Toby's house?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Your house is just over there."

"And?"

"Are you… stalking Toby?"

"Don't be stupid." Chase rolled his eyes before glaring at the farmer, who snickered in response. "And what about you? What are you doing out here?"

"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

"Oh? Try me?" Since it was a dream, there was no harm in being seen anyway, right? Akari stared at Chase for a good long moment before she let out another sigh and motioned for Chase to follow her to the tree. When the two were both in front of it, the tree's voice spoke.

"Oh, who's this?"

"This is Chase. He lives nearby."

Chase looked at the plant skeptically. He lived in the same area of the tree, it should know his name. But then again, it was a tree, and this was a dream. "Hi there… Tree."

"I'm not a tree!" the voice protested. "I'm Ben!"

"If you aren't a tree then what are you?" Chase couldn't believe that, even in this silly dream, he was talking at what seemed like nothing.

"Harvest Sprite!"

"Uh…" Harvest Sprites were part of that local folktale too. Besides the tree was known as Ben's Tree, no one really knew who or what Ben was, so it could have been that he was assumed to be a Harvest Sprite... If they really did exist.

"I don't think he can see you," Akari interjected.

"Oh..."

"It's not like it should matter anyway. I'm probably dreaming after all," Chase stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You're not dreaming."

"Whatever."

"Well, let's make the rainbow!" Ben's voice exclaimed. Akari reached into her rucksack and pulled out a bunch of seemingly random objects. After a moment, Chase realized that everything she pulled out was food. Was she making some sort of offering to this "Harvest Sprite?" Ben started chanting something, what exactly, Chase didn't know; he wasn't paying any attention. In fact, he didn't know why he was sticking around and was about to leave when a bright light caught his eye. Chase turned and saw a small rainbow over the patch of dirt in front of the tree. Wide eyed and slightly disturbed, he watched as the rainbow enlarged and moved so that one end was on the edge of the lake where it stretched off towards Mt. Gelato.

"Okay, so now I give you my badge…" Ben's voice continued as Chase stared blankly at the rainbow. Toby really could sleep through anything. "Wait, where is it?"

Chase turned back towards Akari who was staring down at the dirt patch in front of the tree… That must have been where the Harvest Sprite was, since she could clearly see it when he couldn't.

"I lost it! I lost it!" Ben started crying.

"Oh! Please don't cry!" Akari reached out to try to soothe the thing.

"I-it must've been when I fell in the river! ...And now… now, it's probably washed up on the Gulf Islands!"

"Well, if that's the case, I'll find it!" Akari promised, but the sprite didn't seem to listen to her as he continued bawling.

Chase saw that there was a soft glowing light around the dirt patch and heard the crying sounds slowly fade out. When the light was gone there was a blue flower in the patch of dirt that had not been there seconds earlier.

"Well, that was an interesting," Chase remarked after a moment of silence. Akari turned to him; a very serious look was on her face.

"Do you still think you're dreaming?"

"Yes."

"You're not."

"Right."

She frowned and moved closer to Chase, who instinctively backed away. "What do you want?"

Akari reached out and pinched Chase's arm. Hard. He winced, but didn't make a sound. He didn't want to cry out because of a little pinch. "What was that for, huh?"

"See. It's not a dream," Akari huffed before turning on her heel to walk away. Chase did nothing but stare at her retreating back. Once she was out of sight he looked back to the rainbow. He didn't know how long he was standing there, but eventually the sky got lighter. However, the rainbow's light didn't fade and, slowly, but surely Chase began to realize.

This wasn't a dream.