Harvest Moon Fan Fiction ❯ My Enemy, My Friend ❯ Rick the Rescue Ranger ( Chapter 7 )

Hey everyone! I promised it would be here on Saturday! So here is the next installment of My Enemy my Friend! Hope you guys enjoy it.

I don't own any of the characters. But still have Kai locked in the basement.

 

 

I awoke with a start at a loud banging and groggily stared at my clock…seven in the morning…who the hell came to visit somebody on New Years Day at seven in the fricking morning? After clumsily making my way to the door on crutches I discovered that it was non-other than Mineral Town's beloved Supermarket heiress with her hand pulling the ear of the local chicken boy at her side.

“Do you two have any idea what day it is…or better yet, what time,” I muttered as I glared at them.

“We've brought your spring seeds, and Rick has volunteered to plant them for you,” Karen said with a grin, snatching on Rick's ear. “Right, Rick?”

“Ow! Yeah, whatever. Geez Karen that hurts.” Rick muttered and rubbed his ear when she released it from her iron grip.

“You know Karen,” I said while I gave out a long yawn. “You're eventually going to stretch his ear out if you don't quit pulling on it like that,” I muttered and Rick nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, and frankly I have enough problems with Kai teasing me without `dumbo ear' being added to them.” He muttered and Karen giggled.

“Where is your hoe? I'll put chicken boy to work planting these turnips and cucumbers.” She said with a large smile while she tossed her cinnamon brown hair over her shoulder. I pulled my hoe out of my discarded rucksack and handed it to Rick skeptically.

“It would help me if you planted the cucumbers by the pond, and the turnips by the shipment box…If that's not asking too much,” I said quietly as I rubbed the back of my head nervously. I didn't like all this charity work I was going to be receiving for most of the spring.

“No problem, Claire,” Rick said as he pushed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose and took the hoe from me. He gave a lopsided grin as he looked at me and added “Don't worry; I know how to use this thing.”

“Geez, Rick. I'm standing right here,” Karen scolded her `friend with benefits' and pushed him out of my range of reach.

“What did I do,” he asked truly confused at Karen's reaction to his interaction to me.

“Crimaney- will you two just get married already. This `friends with benefits but we're both psycho jealous stalkers if someone looks at the other' approach is getting really old.” I muttered and smirked at their matching tomato faces. Score 1 for Claire. Rick hurried off and began to till the field while Karen insisted on coming inside to make breakfast. Score 20 for Karen.

Thank Goddess Ann showed up to rescue me from Karen's culinary skills. I ate quickly and then Ann and Karen helped me get dressed in one of the `cast friendly' dresses that Popuri had given me. Only problem was I was apparently more endowed in the bust line than my bubblegum haired friend. I looked at Mary's loaned outfit - her everyday outfit…Could I fit in that? Evidently I could.

“I refuse to wear that preppy little vest,” I muttered as I buttoned up the long sleeve white blouse. “I suppose you two are going to force me to watch everyone else do my work since Mary would most likely skin me alive if I stained up her blouse.”

“I most certainly would.” I looked at my door to see Mary walking in and placing a large sack on the table. She turned to me and studied me for a brief moment before stating “You look lovely Claire.”

“Aww, I want to fix her hair,” Popuri bounced in the door squealing.

“I want to do her make-up” Karen said enthusiastically and pulled out something that resembled a tackle box from mid air - literally. I mean I blinked and then poof! Karen was armed with make-up.

“You guys stay away from me,” I warned as I prepared to grab one of my crutches and use it as a club like my life depended on it. Unfortunately, Ann had decided she had nothing better to do but watch the two girls `beautify' me and pulled the crutches out of my reach.

“You guys just remember…pay back is painful,” I muttered as I was thrust into a chair and surrounded by two blurs that I assumed were Karen and Popuri while Ann and Mary laughed, manically in my opinion.

Awhile later I stared into a mirror that Karen had handed me. I examined my reflection - well…I think it was me. I didn't feel like me, and I certainly didn't look like me. I looked like…someone…that… maybe I used to be.

Popuri had French braided my hair, which I hate to admit I liked. I wish I knew how to French braid, or hell, even braid regularly. My hair was really long, so the braid ended up going down past my shoulders. I should really cut my hair from its regular length of lower back to maybe up to my shoulders…but I just didn't have it in me to cut it.

Karen had surprisingly put natural colored make-up on me…the only thing was it made my eyes look a lot darker…oh wait - They slipped the damn blue vest on me when I wasn't looking. My eyes had darkened because of the shade of the vest. My eyes tended to change shades depending on what I wore, fluctuating between a darker shade of grayish blue to a deep bluish green…or so I was told a long time ago. I couldn't see any freckles on my face, so Karen had just lightly done my makeup to make me appear…flawless?

“Flawless…you're just as flawless as this rose,” a familiar male voice echoed in my head…and for a moment I saw a pair of vibrant sapphire blue eyes sparkling at me over a red rose.

“You do realize that this rose has many flaws? Sharp thorns and disproportioned. It's warped as well, trying to find the light…the stem grew crooked” then more silently…”perhaps it is like me.” I heard my reply in my distant memories.

“Sometimes…it is the flaws that make something…someone…beautiful…” The deep voice that stated this was quiet and husky. It was a voice I had known most of my life, which belonged to a man with bright amber eyes. A voice that I yearend to hear again, but just the memory of this voice caused my heart to tighten painfully. I shook my head, banishing these thought to the back of my mind from whence they came. That part of my life was gone, and there was no point in thinking about it.

“Well Claire?” I came out of my daze and saw four faces staring at me expectantly.

“I look nice…to nice for working on a farm,” I said while shaking my head at them.

“You're not doing any work today. Cliff and Gray are coming over later to take care of your animals,” Ann said with a smirk. It was about this time that I heard my dog raising cane outside, and decided to go investigate. It was also at this time when Rick burst through my front door and slammed it behind him.

“Your dog…is trying to eat Cliff and Gray…and then when I tried to help them it tried to eat me!” he screamed as he panted. I opened the door and was nearly knocked down as Ann and Karen ran past me to get a look.

“Oh my Goddess! Cliff and Gray are in your apple tree,” Ann began to laugh so hard she was soon on the ground, rolling about in delight. I rolled my eyes and put both of my index fingers in my mouth, giving a long, loud, shrill whistle. My large bulldog came galloping towards me.

“Sit down, girl,” I said sternly and she obeyed.

“Now Cassie, leave everyone alone, got it? These people are here to help mommy,” I said and raised an eyebrow while Cassie lifted her large brown ear up skeptically. She then walked to her dog house and laid down in it, going to sleep almost instantly. “Lazy bullie pup,” I murmured with a small smile. “But at least she tries to earn her keep.” I turned back to the tree and saw that Popuri, Mary, Ann, Karen, and Rick had made it to the base of the tree and were laughing as Cliff attempted to jump down. I shook my head at them and hobbled slowly - as I was without crutches - to Cassie's dog house. She opened her eyes and wagged her tail happily when I knelt down to ruffle her ears. I gave a soft smile as the motion cause her extra skin to wrinkle around her face. “Good girl, Cassie-sue. Good girl.” I wanted Cassie to know I appreciated her trying to protect me.

I heard footsteps behind me and stood up, turning quickly. My eyes landed on Gray and I gave a big laugh that caused my eyes to squint shut. “Sorry about that, but she was just doing her job.” I said and shrugged my shoulders. I opened my eyes to find him…starring at me. I was shocked at first…but his intense gaze had me subconsciously freaking out. “Is something on my face?” I asked warily, my hand coming up to my face immediately. Why was he starring at me? Geez…oh look, here comes Cliff!

Gray's P.O.V.

I don't think I was capable of a coherent thought when Claire turned around to talk to me. I had thought that night when I saw her in her pj's was bad enough, but to see her, a woman who annoyed me to the point that I fought with her at nearly every given opportunity, standing there in a dress, looking damn hot…wait, those were Mary's clothes! How come they looked….tighter on Claire? Oh Goddess, she almost looked like one of those school girls in the fantasy outfit magazine Cliff and I had stolen from Kai's suitcase this past summer. Speaking of Cliff, he'd just walked by me.

“Don't mind him Claire. He's been spacing out a lot recently,” Cliff said with a chuckle and Claire nodded slowly. She reached out and touched my forehead with the back of her hand.

“You feel alright? I don't want you collapsing on one of my chickens or something,” she said with a small grin. Her face then gained a serious expression and she studied me for a moment. “I know you don't really want to be here, Gray. You're only here because Mary asked you. I appreciate it, but if you're feeling ill go home.”

That wasn't completely true. Truth be told, I volunteered to come…I felt like it was my fault her leg was broken. If I hadn't have been so persistent in the fight, she wouldn't have pushed me, and we wouldn't have fallen. I was here to take responsibility…and Mary had casually mentioned how thrilled she would be if Claire and I would start getting along.

“Look,” I muttered as I took a step back and removed my hat, pushing my bangs back. “I'm alright…and it's not just that,” I returned my hat to my head as I continued. “I feel….responsible…for your leg. I…shouldn't have followed you.” I looked her in the eyes as she took in what I'm saying. “It was your business…and I shouldn't have pushed the issue.”

“Gray,” she began but I turned away from her quickly and walked towards her house.

“Your tools are in the house?” I asked not turning around to look at her.

“Yeah,” she answered quietly. But as I entered her house I heard Cliff laughing and he said to Claire:

“I think you were just apologized too.”

Nice way to point out the obvious Cliff. Good old Captain Obvious Cliff. I saw her tool box and opened it, grabbing her brush, milker, water can, and clippers. When I came back out, Claire appeared to be in a one-sided conversation with Ann.

I looked around the farm and saw Rick still tilling the fields and planting the seeds. Cliff was standing by Claire and Ann when I approached them. I wanted to hurry and get the animals taken care of so I could spend some time with Mary.

“So what needs to be taken care of first?” I asked as I shoved the brush at Cliff. Last time I had been around that brush I had gotten a large bump on the back of my head. Claire looked confused for a moment and then shook her head.

“Oh…well, since Cliff has the brush, he can take care of my horse. Darkwing Duck can be brushed down and put into that enclosure by his stall,” she pointed towards a small enclosed area on the far side of the field. Cliff nodded and walked towards the horse stall. “ You can call him D.W., he'll listen to that!” She called after him with a smile.

“Well, I guess since he has the brush I'll go feed your chickens,” I said with a shrug and turned around.

“I really think you should let Rick handle them…I have three weird ones, Hughie Dewey, and Louie…they like to peck at your feet. But Launchpad is crazy,” she said and I turned around to see her giving me a serious face.

“They're just chickens,” I muttered with an annoyed scowl. “If Rick can handle chickens, I can to,” I added with a huff and began to walk towards the chicken coop.

“Fine. Just…watch your head, alright. You can't say I didn't warn you,” she muttered and rolled her eyes at me.

Like I was scared of chickens…I laugh at the idea…they're just birds that are waiting to join some dumplings on the stove. Watch my head? What was that supposed to mean? I stepped into the chicken coop and as soon as the door closed behind me I felt small pecks at my feet. I looked down to see the three said chickens pecking away and rolled my eyes. I scanned the coop, ten feed boxes and 9 chickens…so, where was the crazy one?

Suddenly I heard a loud crow from behind me, above the door way and I felt a wait on my head as wings flapped noisily around my head and the chicken's talons dug into my shoulders painfully. I could feel it pecking at my head through my hat and it didn't take long for my hat to be pulled off as I began to run around the chicken coop.

The commotion caused the other nine chickens to start clucking and running about, and I eventually made my way to the ground as I always seem to do when I'm around Claire or anything that has to do with her…like her psycho chickens.

“Gray, stop moving,” I heard a voice say calmly and was helped to my feet. I looked at Rick and was amazed by the calming effect he had on the chickens. I glared down and the balls of feathers and saw my hat being pecked at by one that looked larger than the others. I stomped over towards it and smirked as it ran away clucking. Peck my hat will you! I'll turn you into dinner if it's the last thing I do.

“Damn, chickens,” I grumbled and grabbed some chicken feed, tossing a little into each been as Rick stood there like a king as his loyal subjects stared up at him in awe. King of the chickens…who would want that title?

I stormed out of the chicken coop and saw Ann point and laugh while Karen and Popuri snickered. Mary placed a hand over her mouth as she tried to stifle her own laugher. I felt myself blushing as I approached Claire. She was hobbling around watering the tiny seed mounds Rick had planted. I stopped in front of her and she straightened. I expected her to join in the laughter but she just looked at me blankly for a long moment before placing the water can on the ground and reaching to my head.

“You know, if you want to stuff a pillow, there are better ways to take the feathers home.” I felt my eyes widen as she removed my hat and began to pluck feathers from my hair. Her concentrated gaze had me looking at her…in a way I really shouldn't be. I noticed she was biting her bottom lip and her face was turning red. It was the same look she had on her face when she had tried not to laugh at the dinner Karen had made for the slumber party Ann had on her birthday.

“I…uh…”she shook her head as she gave out a small giggle.

“There…you don't have any more feathers in your hair. You can get the ones on your clothes.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled and placed my hat back on my head quickly.

“No problem. Cliff is in the barn, you can go help him with the cows and the sheep. I'll be right in to help.” She turned towards Popuri and Karen. “Will one of you take over for me so I can make sure they're doing everything right? And will someone please bring me my crutches?”

“Alright, Claire,” Popuri said and skipped towards her and took the watering can.

“I'll get your crutches,” Karen replied and went into the house. I went ahead and walked into the barn seeing Cliff brushing a sheep.

“I saw Rick running to the chicken coop. Did he save you?” I glared at Captain Obvious and didn't give him a reply as I grabbed the milker and approached a cow. It wouldn't let me anywhere near its udders, and I think it even tried to bite me.

“You're doing it wrong,” I looked towards the barn door and saw Claire approaching. “Give me the brush Cliff. You can shear the sheep.” Cliff handed Claire the brush and I watched as she leaned her crutches against the feed box and began to hum softly as she brushed the cow. “You're a good cow, Chip.” She whispered soothingly as she brushed.

“Are you humming the Rescue Rangers Theme song?” I asked while trying to hold back a chuckle.

“Well, yes I am. My Cows are named after the rescue rangers. Chip, Dale, Monty, Gadget, and Zipper.”She pointed at each cow and when the name left her lips the cow with that name looked at her for a moment. “Isn't it appropriate that I sing them their theme song?” She was looking at me like that was a reasonable explanation. I just shrugged and tried to milk the cow again. This time, I was successful. All hail Gray, the King of cow milking!...On second thought I didn't really want that title.

I was surprised by the genuine tenderness Claire held for her animals. I just seemed to realize that Claire wasn't the fiery demon she could be when we argued all the time. She had other sides…sides that I found very endearing…and I scolded my mind for the thought. It's just Claire, nosey Claire. The annoying little brat from down the lane.

When we finished taking care of the animals it was late in the afternoon. Claire leaned against the wall of her barn exhausted and gave a tired smile. Cliff and I stood in front of her as she was thanking us for helping. I was vaguely aware of Popuri and Rick arguing in the background and rolled my eyes at their sibling squabble.

“I really appreciate all the help.” She whispered.

“It's no problem Claire. And we'll be back to help tomorrow,” Cliff was saying lowly and for some reason when she smiled at him it really pissed me off. Cliff is so dull…why would she smile at a guy like that?

“Yeah,” I muttered as I agreed with Cliff's statement. The fighting behind us was getting ridiculous and I was about to turn around to tell them to knock it off when I heard Rick yell as I was pushed forward by something large and heavy hitting my back.

I stood there wide eyed and motionless as a jolt sent a shiver from my lips down my spine and just stared into her wide stormy eyes. I had hit Claire head on, face to face,…lips to lips.

 

Alright everyone! This is that last chapter until like…ummm…2 weeks! I have finals to study for but if I get a lot of reviews I might make it a super long chapter. Please wish me luck or light a candle or something that I pass my finals! I need all the help I can get. XD As always comments, suggestions, and what not are appreciated. I will try to work request in eventually- some way. This is going to be a very long story by the looks of my notes….Now I'm off to read Accidents Happen because Reim-chan is such and uber writer!

Jeannie-chan