Tied Together: 1

Author's Note: This Story will be a collection of 15 one-shots, and it's for Let Love In's Challenge in the Harvest Moon Challenges! Forum. Hope you enjoy it!


1: Porcelain

I knelt at the side of the bed, clutching the thin, pale hands in front of me. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I knew her time was near. Rock stood by me, his head bowed in respect. Grandmother breathed softly, yet painfully, resting her head on the soft down pillow. The doctor pressed his stethoscope to her chest, listening carefully to the raspy inhaling and exhaling. Gravely, he lowered the stethoscope's earpiece down, and sighed.
"There's nothing more I can do..." He decreed. "She's too frail and old for any type of treatment anymore." He placed his stethoscope into his black suitcase, and closed it. Grasping it tightly, he walked out of the room. My brow furrowed in defeat. Why... Why does it have to be so painful when someone dies? I thought angrily. The plaid skirt of my dress was speckled in dark, wet spots.
still looking down at my dress, I heard a small, quiet voice.
"Lumina..." She whispered. I lifted my head up, wiped away my tears, and looked at Romana. Her face as white as porcelain, she lifted one weary finger.
"That doll..." I turned my head, and saw a small china doll sitting on the fireplace mantle. I walked over and pointed to it.
"This?" I asked. Romana nodded weakly. I took it and walked back to the bed.
"I-it's for you..." She whispered softly.
"For me?" I looked at the doll. Its black curls and delicately painted azure outfit shined.
"Are you sure?" I gasped. "No, its yours. Keep it."
"Take it. I'm sorry I can't give you anything else..." Romana rasped. Suddenly, she gave a hacking cough, and a melancholic aura filled the room.
"Grandmother..." I trembled in fear of what I knew would come soon.
"You there." She turned to face Rock. Rock stared at her, surprised, and walked quickly to my grandmother's bedside.
"You take good care of Lumina, you hear?" She whispered.
"I-I will."
"Good..." Her voice faded, and her eyes fluttered shut. Her chest heaved one last time, and her body became cold despite the warm down comforters that surrounded her.
"Grandmother!" I pressed my ear against her chest, listening desperately for a thumping. There was none.
"Grandma..." I looked down at the delicate doll in my hands.
"This is all I have left of you..." The tiny porcelain doll was the only thing I had of her left. Rock wrapped one arm around my shoulder. Tears dripped down onto the smooth, clammy surface, and I tirned it over, suddenly recognizing its resemblance to my... now late grandmother.
No, Grandmother's not dead... She lives on in this doll...


Author's Note: Yeah, sorta depressing for the first one. Romana dies, (obviously, this is later, not in the game...) Doctor's useless... Lumina' s crying, and Rock's just standing there, minding his own business. Anyways, hope you enjoyed it!