Conflicting Loves

Chapter 1: Carrying on the Tradition

A/N: Legal disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon: Back to Nature or Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life. Natsume does and I respect their work far too much to infringe upon their copyrights. Every character used within this story belongs to Natsume and as such, is under the protection of legal statures which I cannot surpass. This legal disclaimer also applies to any other game, movie, anime, television show, play, etc. that I make reference to.

With the legal issues taken care of, here's the description. This is a Back to Nature/A Wonderful Life crossover. Jack lives a happy life helping his grandfather on their farm in Mineral Town. One day, Jack receives a letter asking for Jack to take over the farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley in order to carry out the family tradition. Jack is forced to leave behind everything he cared for, including his girlfriend, Elli, and set off for Forget-Me-Not Valley. There, he becomes involved with Nami, almost forgetting about Elli until she shows up in Forget-Me-Not Valley, wanting Jack to come back to Mineral Town with her. Jack is faced with choosing between the two women that he loves. This idea is the result of a contest I was running on a different site. I hope everyone likes it, especially the contest winner!

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Jack was up at the peak of Mother's Hill, enjoying the early morning peace. The view from Mother's Hill was as close to perfect as one could possibly get. From the peak you could see for miles in every direction. Off in one direction was the dazzling ocean, with its blue waters disappearing off in the distance where water joined with the sky to form a perfect blue background. Little ships floating carelessly over the water's surface added to the serenity of the magnificent view.

Between the ocean and Mother's Hill was the tiny village of Mineral Town. Mineral Town was full of the friendliest people in the entire land. Everyone partook in joy-filled festivals celebrating the seasons and the love of nature that the people had. Most of these festivals were tributes to the Harvest Goddess, who protected the people of Mineral Town and enhanced the output of the many local farms.

It was on one of these local farms where Jack made his living. The young lad, who had just turned eighteen, loved this place. His family had been farmers for untold generations before him. It was part of the family's tradition for the eldest son of the family, upon his sixteenth birthday, to join his grandfather to learn the ways of the trade, eventually taking over the farm from his elder.

Jack was definitely not the typical farm child. It could be expected that a child who was raised on a farm to be a rough, down to earth person. Jack was hardly close to this stereotype. The young man was a dreamer, imagining what the future would bring him instead of focusing on the present. His brown eyes twinkled with a glow that told everyone that he was a kind person who could be trusted. A tuff of his dark brown hair stuck out from underneath his blue baseball cap, which he hardly ever removed. Jack never gave anyone an explanation to the purpose of the hat, just saying that he liked it.

Mineral Town sported many great achievements. The tiny town was the location of several annual festivals that showcased the prestige of the local farms, especially Jack's and his grandfather's. There was a top of the line clinic, an extremely beautiful church, well run market, a well stocked library, and a friendly inn for visitors to stay and drink themselves happy. Mineral Town also laid claim to an excellent blacksmith, winery, ranch, poultry farm, and a summer restaurant.

Then there was the natural beauty of the town, which attracted almost as many tourists as the festivals did. The beach was especially popular during the upcoming summer season, where swimming took place from sun up to sun down. Mother's Hill offered so much wonderful scenery that it was nearly impossible to witness everything in a single day. Fields blooming with flowers, the waterfall, caves to explore, a lake among the rocks, and a hot springs made up the incredible landmark.

Jack believed that there was something else about Mineral Town that made the place so perfect besides the nature or the festivals. Mineral Town had five lovely young maidens that attracted the attention of every male visitor. Each girl was beautiful in a way that made her unique compared tot the other girls. Some girls were absolutely stunning in the looks department, while others added brains to their own beauty.

Take the girl who was curled up in Jack's arms for instance. Elli was a drop dead gorgeous girl. Her shoulder length auburn hair and chestnut eyes, along with the rest of her, made her very attractive. Elli was the kind of girl who radiated intelligence through her words and knowledge. She was perfect, just like the rest of the town.

Elli and Jack had known each other since Jack came to Mineral Town to live with his grandfather. The two teens had instantly became friends, almost inseparable. When one needed help with something, the other was always there. They stayed friends for a good year before their relationship started to become serious. In Jack's second year in Mineral Town, the young lad had asked to accompany Elli to the Goddess Festival, a festival which usually signaled that a girl and her escort were starting to become serious. The two have been dating ever since.

Now, this was probably the work of foresight on behalf of Jack's ancestors. By giving the young man a few years during his late teens to get used to the farm life, he also became exposed to the local women. Thus, further generations were pretty much a guarantee, as the male would almost definitely be able to find a future bride for himself. Not that Jack had thought about this implication when he courted Elli, but the thought had crossed his mind later.

The early Spring weather couldn't have been friendlier to the couple. Today was surprisingly warm, with no breeze or clouds to upset the romantic escapade. Jack was resting with his back pressed up against a rock and Elli was resting beside him. "Hey, Jack?" Elli asked, breaking the tranquility.

"Hmmm?" Jack responded, leaving his eyes closed.

"I never want this to end." Elli's whispered words caused Jack to smile. The young farmer pulled his girlfriend a little closer to his own body. "Just what I was thinking." He replied.

The rest of the day passed by without even the slightest of stirs from either of the two youths. They were happy just to be there, on their day off, together. Off behind Mother's Hill to the west, the sun was setting, casting a fiery red glow across the land. Elli and Jack watched the sun fall completely below the horizon before they stirred. Jack got up to his feet before helping Elli stand up as well. The young nurse smiled sweetly at Jack, "Care to walk me home?"

Jack chuckled lightly. "Of course, Elli. It would be a privilege to."

Hand in hand, the couple descended Mother's Hill, listening to the soft night cries of a lone wolf somewhere in the forest nearby. They walked below the hot springs, where the playful shouts of little children echoed through the night. "Come on, Stu! We're heading home!" Elli called out.

"Awwwww…" Jack smiled at Stu's complaint. Stu was Elli's younger brother, a troublesome little rascal if there ever was one. Jack and Stu got along so well that the little guy had once said that he wished he'd grow up like Jack. There are some things in life that are priceless, and that was one of them.

A loud splash sounded from the springs signaling that Stu was on his way. Sure enough, a minute later and Stu was hurrying down the stairs to join the waiting couple. Stu saw that Jack was with Elli and rushed to the older boy's side. "Hey, Jack! Can I stay for a few more minutes?"

"Ask your sister." Jack replied, knowing full well what Elli's response would be.

"Elli, can I stay…" Stu began, but Elli quickly cut him off. "Nope."

"But, I wanna!" Stu complained. Once again Elli shook her head with a "No."

Jack stepped in to offer Stu some encouragement. "What say you to going home to bed? Then in the morning you wake up early and come back here?"

"Ooohhh!" Jack's proposal had the child excited. Stu pointed towards town and ordered, "Home!"

The trio made their way across a little bridge and onto the farm that Jack's grandfather owned. All across the field were the beginnings of new crops for the Spring season. Inside the barn and chicken coop, the animals were sleeping peacefully, so Jack was forced to hold back Stu when the child wanted to go play with the chickens. They stopped in front of the door to the shack that served as housing for Jack and his grandfather. "Be seeing you tomorrow." Jack promised Elli, giving the girl a quick kiss goodbye.

"When you bring flowers?" Elli asked innocently.

Jack let out an amused chuckle as he shook his head. "I brought you flowers every day for three full seasons last year. Wasn't that enough to satisfy you?"

Elli acted hurt. "So you aren't bringing flowers? Then I might just have to give in to Tim's advances."

"Fine, I'll bring flowers. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Jack." Elli replied, accepting another parting kiss from Jack. With that, Elli took hold of Stu's hand and the two of them headed into town.

Jack stood there and watched them disappear into the darkness. Once they were out of sight, Jack stepped into the hack, where his grandfather was waiting. It was very obvious that Jack and his grandfather were related, judging from the nearly similar appearance despite the age difference. But today, Grandfather looked troubled. "What is it, Gramps?" Jack asked, a little worried.

Grandfather said nothing, merely sliding an envelope across the table to Jack's spot. Jack sat down, wondering what could possibly be so important that it couldn't be explained with words. Jack opened the envelope, his hands trembling as he unfolded the paper inside. The letter was very official in appearance, with seals and stamps marking the paper. Jack's voice trembled as he read the letter aloud.

To the family of Jack Jackson the XVI,

I write to inform you of the untimely death of Jack Jackson the XVII, who, along with his wife Rikku Jackson, perished in a horrible accident on the Seventh of Winter, this year. I apologize for delivering this tragic news to you and your family. The people here in Forget-Me-Not Valley feel your pain and offer our deepest heartfelt sympathy.

Upon notice of the death of Jack Jackson the XVII, I felt entitled to open his will and contact those who he left his worldly possessions to. It was at this point that I noticed that the late Jackson XVII had left his entire farm here in Forget-Me-Not Valley to his sole heir, his son, Jack Jackson the XVIII.

I kindly ask for young Jack to come to Forget-Me-Not Valley to receive his inheritance and take over the family farm. I know that it is the wish of his father to have the family tradition be carried out, despite this unforeseen problem. I will be here, taking care of the farm until his arrival and will offer him support in his early years at the helm.

Once again, I apologize for being the one to deliver this news and offer my heartfelt sympathy. Please contact me so that we may discuss the future of the Jackson family. Yours truly, Takakura.

Jack let the letter drop from his hands once he had finished reading. "Father…" Jack whimpered.

Grandfather finally spoke up. "I called Takakura earlier today and we agreed that you would go to Forget-Me-Not Valley to take over your father's farm. You leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Jack was too dumbstruck to understand anything that was being said.

Grandfather nodded. "I was just as upset over this as you are, but now is not the time to cry. The fate of our family depends on you carrying on the tradition of our farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley. Now, go get some rest. I packed your stuff for you to leave of the cross-ocean ferry that should depart here at noon tomorrow."

Jack's grandfather got up from his seat and left the room. Jack just sat in his chair, looking straight forward. He just couldn't believe what had just transpired. The young farmer reached into his rucksack and rummaged around for a few seconds, searching for something he had placed there a week ago. Finally his hand brushed against the desired object and Jack pulled his hand out to gaze at the object. The Blue Feather had lost almost its entire luster compared to a week earlier. So much for his plans for tomorrow.

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Morning came around and Jack was still holding onto the Blue Feather, despite being asleep, when his grandfather came in for breakfast. Gramps gently shook his grandson awake. Jack growled low and menacingly at being awakened, his eyes narrowing in a cross expression. The evil look vanished just as quickly as it had appeared when a plate of steaming hot food appeared on the table before him. "Thanks Gramps!" Jack stated right before gorging himself on the food.

Grandfather waited patiently for Jack to finish eating before clearing his throat. Jack looked up expectantly to listen to his grandfather's wise words. But, Gramps had a simple request. He held up Jack's bag and pointed to the Blue Feather lying on the table. "Say goodbye to her."

Jack nodded in understanding, collecting the Blue Feather and his bag as he rushed out the door. Jack gently placed the feather into his new bag as he crossed the field. He had a promise to keep to Elli before he left. Jack ran up Mother's Hill to the field of flowers and began filling his old rucksack with the blossoms. From town, the church bells tolled ten, telling Jack that he had better hurry.

The farmer got up to his feet and made for town, but he had forgotten of the tree in the middle of the flower field. One stray branch managed to snag at his chest and neck, ripping his overalls and leaving a nasty cut on his neck. Without thinking, Jack ripped away the overall top, leaving what resembled a normal pair of jeans. Then, he removed the handkerchief that was tied around his neck, retying it as a sort of bandage across his neck. He tucked the stray end of the red cloth under his shirt so that it wouldn't blow up in his face when he ran through town.

Jack made record times running down the hill, across his farm, and through town. The bells now tolled eleven. Jack arrived at the Clinic, jolting through the door and up to the desk, where Elli looked surprised. "You must be psychic, Jack. I was just thinking that you would show up soon." Elli joked.

Jack heaved his old rucksack onto the desk, where the flowers spread out before Elli. "Wow… That's a lot of flowers. Are you making up for the Winter?" Elli smiled as she began collecting the flowers, placing them in a nearby vase.

"I don't know how to explain this, but I'll try…" Jack began.

Elli looked like she was ready to burst into tears. "I can't believe that you're dumping me after everything we've been through. Why?"

"No, no, no!" Jack exclaimed, "That's not what I'm here to tell you. I'm leaving Mineral Town today. My father, over in Forget-Me-Not Valley, passed away over the Winter. Turns out that I inherited his farm."

Jack was reaching into his new rucksack, his hand tightening around the Blue Feather. All he had to do was pull it out and ask Elli to marry him, right there, right now. But, for some odd reason, he didn't. He let go of the feather. Jack smiled weakly at the shocked Elli. He placed his hand against her cheek, letting a teardrop roll over his fingers. "I'll come back for you, I promise." He whispered gently.

Jack leaned in to kiss Elli goodbye for one last time, but she backed away from him. The confused farmer questioningly looked at his girlfriend, wondering why she didn't want to kiss him. Elli was hiding her face from Jack, trying not to let him see her cry. All she did was raise a finger pointed at the door and Jack understood. They were over.

His heart literally destroyed, Jack hung his head in despair. Jack let out a depressed sigh as he removed his hat from his head and placed it down on the desk. "Keep it as a memento of us." He whispered, quietly backing away from the table and towards the door.

"Jack, I'm sorry." Eli called out, but it was too late. She looked up to see the door slam shut behind Jack as he stormed out of the Clinic. Elli rushed to the door and burst outside. She looked in every direction, but Jack had vanished. The sound of a ferry whistle from the beach was enough to tell Elli that Jack was gone.

Elli choked back her tears as she headed back inside. She collapsed into the chair behind her desk and was almost going to start crying when her eyes fell on Jack's hat. Elli solemnly picked up the object and was surprised when something fell out of it and landed on the floor. Elli stretched over her desk to see what it was. There, lying at the foot of her desk was the Blue Feather.

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A/N: sniffle Well, I hope that you all liked this and have become touched by the tale. I know that I was when I wrote those last few paragraphs. Stay tuned for the next chapter