Hey everyone! Now I know I said I was going to update on Friday, but I decided to update on my favorite day, Thursday instead! So you get it one day early! Hussah!

Once again, thanks to xMiyumiChanx for editing!

!Disclaimer I do not own Harvest Moon or any of it's characters!

Chapter 1

Several hours had passed since the devastating earthquake and rescue boats were now arriving to help the survivors on the island, who had all accumulated in the only surviving building, the general store.

Chase was at a makeshift fire stove cooking some cheap ramen from the store for the survivors. Jin was going around, taking care of minor injuries and comforting those who had lost someone in the earthquake.

Chase poured some of the instant meal into a small bowl and handed it to Candace to pass around to other people to eat.

Candace looked around to see who still didn't have any of the food, and found Julius sitting alone at one of the corner tables, with his head laying on it and his eyes closed as if he was asleep, but she could tell he was awake none the less.

"Umm, Julius?" Candace muttered uncomfortably.

Julius acknowledged that he heard her by slowly opening his red eyes and looking at her.

"You should eat something, you're, umm, hungry right?" Candace asked nervously.

"Not really", Julius muttered as he closed his eyes again.

"But you haven't eaten since yesterday", Candace mumbled quietly, "Uh, I'll just leave it here and you can eat it later", she finally said as she sat the steaming bowl on the table next to him.

As Candace walked away one of the search and rescue team member from the mainland walked over to Julius and cleared his throat to get his attention.

"I'm sorry to wake you but, I need your name and that will be all", he said.

"Julius", he quietly replied.

The man seemed taken aback by this, obviously thinking Julius was a girl and the shock of his voice and name being male, but for the first time, Julius didn't care what he thought. He was too engrossed in his own thoughts to think clearly about anything but that of which he didn't want to think about.

Jin noted that Julius wasn't touching his food as the man quickly walked away while muttering 'country folk', and walked over to Julius.

"Eat your food", Jin ordered as he walked over. Julius simply shook his head in denial.

"Julius as your doctor, I'm commanding you to eat", Jin said, kinder this time, but stern nonetheless.

Hesitantly Julius pulled up his head and grabbed the nearest par of chop sticks and reluctantly crewed on one of the noodles but stopped eating once Jin left to go check on the other patients.

Gill gradually limped up to the center of the store and clapped his hands three times to get everyone's attention.

"Good morning everyone. Now, I realize that we have suffered many tragedies and have lost most of our homes in this terrible, terrible earthquake, as such our town has no choice but to leave for the main land and start a new life there", Gill announced to the crowd.

"Start a new life? Won't we start rebuilding Waffle Island?" Chase asked as he looked up at Gill.

"I fear that the damage is far too great. It would be best if we all went our separate ways on the main land and continued to live our lives", he answered to Chase.

"We are all leaving tomorrow. Return to what's left of your homes and get whatever you can", Gill said as he summoned Luna to help him with his twisted ankle.

Time past as many people went to see what they could find and eventually, Julius went to see what he could find in the remains of his household.

As he walked out to the desolated street he found Ebony lying down and he walked over to the young black filly and patted her neck few times before mounting her and encouraging her on to the remains of the farm.

As she slowly walked by the members of the Maple Lake District Julius turned to see many people searching through the remains of their crumbled homes. Quickly he urged Ebony on to a trot to move towards the demolished ranch.

The other boys had removed all the deceased from sight so Julius could rummage through the lot without the worry that he would run across anything ghastly.

Hesitantly he got of Ebony and tethered her to the nearby post. After he walked over to the demolished house and leaned down and started brushing around the broken glass and fallen wood.

Thankfully he found the hidden money stash, and most of the money had made it through unscathed. As he dug through the other things he found a collection of vanity products that he quickly discarded in a moment of rage and grabbed the surviving clothing and put it aside for the journey to the main land. Finally, something caught his eye: a broken glass picture frame, with a family portrait inside of it. Quietly he reached for it, not looking at it once and took it out of the frame folded it and stuck it in his pocket, to hide it later in a jewel box.

As Julius guided Ebony back to the main town square and tied her up out side of the general store. He gradually pushed open the door to find most people had also returned carrying similar items and trying to find a soft spot to sleep in the dusty, worn down building. Families were snuggled up together and those who suffered losses still seemed to have someone to be with. Apart from, Julius who just didn't want to be with anyone at all at the moment. He randomly grabbed two of his winter coats and made a make ship bed using one to sleep on and the other to cover his body from the cool fall air.

Jin looked at him with annoyance as he closed his eyes to fall asleep, knowing fully well that he hadn't finished eating before he had left to gather what ever he could from his household.

Jin looked worryingly at his check board, knowing what Julius was going through. Sadly he recalled the face of his late wife, but he feared something else. Jin had been able to get through his sorrow because his late wife had told him on her death bed to not fall down that dark road, and Jin used everything in him not to, but Julius didn't have such a luxury. Jin seriously feared that this could cause him to fall into deep depression, and Jin knew first hand that pulling some one from that void was near impossible to do. Recalling an old villager who was dumped by her boyfriend for another girl. She ended up commuting suicide, despite the combined efforts of him and her family to pull her back.

Jin laid down on a table cloth and sent a prayer to the Harvest Goddess that he wouldn't have to see such a thing happen to another person. As he did he couldn't help but realized that almost everyone else was praying as well.

"But, Goddess you can't be dieing!" Ben wailed out scared as he watched the beautiful women in front of him pale out.

"Without the tree, I cannot continue on. So many people passed away today. Such negative energy, I join them", the Harvest Goddess told the little sprite sadly.

"But if you die what will become of nature?" Alan squeaked as he ran up to the bottom of her dress to try and pull her back into the living world.

"I am afraid that nature will collapse and the balance will never be restored, unless humans choose to live life like the people on this island, but we all know that the humans in the cities are different, nature will collapse my friends", she murmured quietly.

"No…" they all whimpered as she faded into the void.

"But, but what about Akari? Can't she help with the world?" Alan begged.

The Harvest Goddess smiled sadly as she faded into nothingness, mouthing 'she is no longer here'.

The five sprites didn't know how to take this message in till Ben fell down in shock and wailed, "It can't be!" The other sprites could only stare as realization dawned on them as well and they fell to the ground to grieve over the death of their best friend.

Well I hope you enjoyed another chapter. Rate and Review to tell me what I can do better!