In a valley not to far from Mineral Town, there lived a young farmer by the name of Pony. She lived alone on a farm she inherited from the passing of her father. Pony walked out on the doorstep of her farmhouse and took a deep breath. She smiled as she looked over her field of nicely hoed garden, ready for the pineapple and tomato seeds, and the cows and sheep enjoying the nice warm morning in the pasture. It was the beginning of summer. Pony was brought out of her daze as she hears the chime of a blonde child. She turned to look and it was the love of her life heading straight for her. It was her daughter, Monique.
"Mommy!" Monique squealed running up to her mother and giving her a large hug. Her golden hair shone from the sun's reflection. Monique's resembled Pony's eyes. A dark amethyst color, but had a glint of blue.
"Hi, sweetie!" Pony greeted swinging her daughter around in her arms.
"Mommy! Takamura let me brush your cows! Moomoo really liked it!" Monique said, smiling.
Moomoo was the first cow Pony bought when she first came to the island. Moomoo is only a little older than Monique, but only by 6 months. Monique loved her and Moomoo loved her back, they were the best of friends.
"That means that she likes you too, Monique. And as long as you treat her right, she'll always like you!" Pony smiled back, setting her daughter down on the ground.
"Mommy, can I have Moomoo? She's really cute!"
"Maybe when you get to be a little older." Pony replied, walking into the kitchen to make them sandwiches for lunch.
"But I am older! I'm already six!" She pouted.
"No, Moomoo's six. You'll be six next week remember?" Pony said.
"But mom!" Monique begged as Pony sat the sandwiches on the table. She looked into those deep purple and sighed.
"For you birthday, okay?" Pony gave up.
"Okay!" Monique chimed.
After their lunch, Monique helped her mother work on the farm. She brushed the cows and sheep and helped her mother water the crops. It was just a normal day.
It started to get dark outside and Pony was cooking dinner for her and her daughter. As she was laying the dinner on the table, she looked around the house calling her daughter, but there was no answer. She looked everywhere and could not find her in the house.
Pony walked outside and called her daughter, but still there wasn't an answer. She started to panic.
Monique was outside in the barn playing with the cow she adored. When she heard her mother call her, she walked out the door and was stopped by a rather large black chicken. Monique was afraid of this chicken. She remembered her mom coming in from work with scratches and peck marks from this chicken and started to cry.
"N-nice chicken.." Monique stuttered.
The chicken got up and started towards little Monique. Monique, getting really scared, stepped back a few feet trying to think of a way to get away from it. The chicken glared at her and chased her out of the pen and off of Pony's farm.
Pony ran to all the barns and checked all the coops searching for her little angel.
"Monique? Are you in there?" She called.
The sleeping chickens woke up with alarm and started to to walk around. As Pony scanned the pen she noticed that her big black chicken was missing.
"She's not here.. Wait a minute.. Where is Diablo?"
Fear ran straight through Pony. Diablo hated Monique. Monique was playing with the chickens. Monique and Diablo are missing.
"Oh no.. No, no, no! Monique!" Pony screamed, startling the chickens.
Pony ran to Takakura's house and banged on the door.
"TAKAKURA! HELP!" She screamed.
Takaura came to the door shocked at the screaming. After Pony explained what had happened, they took off and started to search the farm looking for any sign of Monique.
++Back in the City++
"I'm sick of this crap!" A young man yelled.
The young man threw his hat across the apartment living room. The blue hat read 'UMA' across the front and looked very worn. He rubbed his hair trying to get rid of the form that the hat had made on his head. It was strawberry blonde that complimented with his sapphire eyes. His hands were rough as though his job was very physical and he wore a beige suit that made the color of his hair and eyes more noticeable.
"What do you mean, Gray?" Another man asked, wearing a purple bandana on his head.
This young man was a beautiful tan color. He had a little hispanic accent that placed him from somewhere in the Caribbean or from around Brazil. His eyes were a deep chocolate color. His brilliantly white teeth looked even whiter against his dark face as he smiled at his best friend.
"This is why I left the city in the first place! It's so annoying!" Said Gray, frustrated.
"Well.. I know you don't want to be in Mineral Town because of your grandfather.. So, instead of me going there this summer, how about the both of us go to Forget-Me-Not Valley?" The bandana boy suggested.
"Yea.. That's a good idea Kai. Mineral Town has too many memories.."
Kai sighed and laid back on his hotel bed, thinking.
"Gray is still avoiding her. That poor girl.. She gave him all of her heart and he broke it into a million pieces.. And not to mention… that. She probably doesn't want to see him anyways. Not after all that's happened. Poor Gray doesn't even know either.." Kai thought, dozing off.
Gray couldn't sleep. He crawled out of his bed and quietly crossed the room to not wake up his roommate. He walked in the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Gray stared at his image in the mirror.
"Mineral Town.. I loved it there, but I just can't go back. That girl.. I can never face her again.." Gray thought, pulling off his jacket.
He pulled off the rest of his clothes and stepped into the shower. He turned on the water and let the warmth wash over him. He sighed.
"I was such an idiot.."
++The Next Day++
"C'mon Gray! You're going to make us miss the boat!" Kai hollered at his friend.
Gray ran up carrying 5 bags. Two in his left and three in his right. He stopped in front of Kai sweating and panting.
" Jeez, why do you have so much stuff?" Gray asked, pissed.
"I need those to cook with, silly!" Kai retorted. Gray looked even more mad.
"Then why don't YOU carry them?"
"No, thanks. I gotta cook in the morning." Kai whistled, running onto the boat.
"Kai! You asshole!" Gray yelled.
"Tsk, tsk. Such naughty words!" Kai teased.
Reluctantly, Gray dragged Kai's stuff onto the boat and later went to go get his. Kai is his best friend, but sometimes makes Gray mad enough to want to kill him.
"Hey, Gray?" Kai asked, as they were sitting in the living room of their cabin.
"Yea?" Gray responded, gazing out into the sea.
"There's a farmer here, also. I don't know the person, but Takamura is the co-owner of the farm and speaks highly of this person. There's also a little girl that runs around there, too. She's the farmer's daughter." Kai informed, leaning way back in his chair.
"So?" Gray replied, boredly.
"So! You should open your own blacksmith! There's not one there and I'm sure that the farmer's would need tools and such. It's a great opportunity! Plus! There's a bunch of babes."
"You know I don't care about the women!" Gray snapped, throwing a soda can at Kai.
Kai fell backwards out of his chair. Gray didn't mean to make him fall, but he deserved it. He felt terrible for destroying the feelings of the only woman he ever loved. As they neared the new town, Gray sighed and turned to his best friend.
"But that might be a good idea. I would have more work than I did in the city." Gray agreed.
"Yea, then you can work with Gotz and build me a new diner there for free!" Kai smiled.
"You just made me put all your stuff on the boat that weighs well over a ton and you expect me to build you a SAFE and RELIABLE diner that will never CRUSH you?"
"...Nevermind."
++Back on the Farm++
"Bad Diablo! You are staying in this cage until you learn to be nice!" Pony snapped, closing the cage door shut.
Diablo glared at the young farmer and Pony glared back. She placed him in the corner of the chicken coop and left him some feed so he won't go hungry. She found Monique halfway up a tree last night trying to avoid the terror that the mines brought to her farm. Pony closed the door to the chicken coop and walked into her house. Monique was still asleep in her bed. Pony smiled and covered her up a little more. It was only 6am and Monique doesn't need to get up right away.
As Pony was walking to the kitchen to make both of them breakfast, there was a knock on the door. Pony walked to the door instead and opening it to find Kai standing in the doorway. Both were shocked to see each other.
"Kai?" Pony said, shocked.
"Pony?" Kai smiled, big.
"Oh, Kai! It is you!" Squealed Pony giving him a huge hug. Kai's eyes, that were feel of shock, soften as he wrapped his arms around his long-time friend.
"Hey there, Pony! I didn't know you moved here! The summer after you left, I went to greet you and realized you've been gone! It's been such a long time! So you're the new farmer here?" Kai asked, amazed to see his good friend.
"Well, technically I'm not new anymore, but yes I am the newest farmer!" Pony smiled. "Please come in!"
"Uh, well.. There is something I need to talk to you about too.." Kai said.
Kai stepped in and looked around. Monique, having just woke up, stared wide eye at this foreign man.
"Mommy? Who's this man?" She asked, shyly.
Kai gave Pony a look that resembled Monique's. Pony swallowed. She never told Kai.
"Monique, this is my best friend Kai." She smiled. "And Kai this is my daughter Monique."
Monique went over to shake his hand. He smiled as her took the small, pale hand in his rough, large one. Her eyes looks just like her mother's.. But where did the hair come from? He thought. Kai talked and played with Monique while Pony made her some breakfast and also made coffee for both Kai and herself. After Monique ate, she went off to play with Kate. Kai and Pony sat down at her table and quietly Pony explained the story with Kai. Kai listened with great interest and soaked up every word.
She explained how in love she was with Gray and after the Starry Night festival a little over seven years ago, things happened. Gray wouldn't look at her after that night. A few weeks later she began to feel sick and found out she was pregnant with their baby. When she went to tell Gray what had happened, he was already gone. She was devastated and left the town before anyone could find out she was pregnant. Pony explained when she arrived she was questioned, being 16 and pregnant, and she just told them she was trying to start over and ask if they needed a farmer to help the island. And that's how she became their farmer.
Kai's eyes were full of sadness and guilt. He explained to her about where Gray had gone and now he was going to be the valley's new blacksmith. Pony's eyes started to tear up.
"O-Oh, I see.." Pony stammered.
"I swear, Pony. I didn't know you were the farmer when I mentioned it to him." Kai said, sadly.
"It's okay.. I mean, it was a long time ago. And he doesn't have to know I'm the farmer. Takamura knows my circumstances and will gladly take and have my tools refined and everything for me." Pony managed a weak smile.
Kai got up and headed towards the door, saying something like he had to set up his restaurant. Pony walked with him.
"I guess I'll see you around, Kai."
"You will!" He smiled. "And Pony..?
"Yes, Kai?"
"My offer still stands. Y'know, the one I made when we were young." Kai said, all of a sudden seriously.
"I know, Kai." Pony smiled.