For those of you unfamiliar with Rune Factory, let me give you a very brief rundown. You play as "Raguna" (or whatever name you give the protagonist), a wandering male who has lost his memory. He collapses in front of the house of a girl named Mist. She sees this and, before giving him bread and water, gives him a rusty hoe and old watering can, saying they seem more his style...before awarding him her old farm and house in addition!

Now asides from the main story of trying to help Raguna figure out who he is and where he fits in this world, you can farm, raise certain livestock monsters, mine and craft items, AND find a girlfriend/wife for him. Veterans of this series have probably seen all the marriage events and such several times...but I doubt ANYONE has seen the scene that has burned itself into my mind...of what happens when the girl Raguna loves doesn't love him back despite appearances.

Before we go on, NO, I didn't hack my cartridge nor do I believe the game haunted, possessed, or otherwise supernaturally imbued...I got this game at a normal Gamestop, for a normal amount of money, in person with cash. No warnings that anything unusual would happen.

That said, the gameplay was perfectly normal for several weeks of playing on my part. My character - whom I called Raguna out of tradition - farmed all the dungeons, raised his monster livestock well, and practically wooed ALL the girls in town, including Bianca, miss "What is this?", even though I'd decided he was going to marry the mysterious Sharron.

Finally the final battle came and the boss was sent packing! I won't spoil it for newcomers by saying who that boss is, but the battle went off normal as you please. Once Kardia was safe - the town name is Kardia, the kingdom is Norad - I decided Raguna should pop the question to Sharron.

Now all you're supposed to do to have a girl marry Raguna is: have the full sized house, the big bed, have her at 10 love points/hearts (the maximum at the time) and have her engagement item if she has one. Sharron's item is the Grimore Sword, an item Leo helps you get after you beat the Mt. Gigant Boss. I'd had the item since summer of Year 1, but didn't get the house done until fall. The earliest I could have had him marry was winter, but since I didn't beat the game yet, I had him wait...my mistake, as you will see.

As I took the sword out of the cabinet to get Raguna ready, I saw him shake his head no. That was odd - he'd never done that action before. I had the vague notion I should put it back, but then decided I was being silly. What could go wrong? Everything was perfectly fine...or so strongI/strong thought.

I had Raguna walk to the Kasmir Ruins, where Sharron hung out most of the time. Again, it was odd because I was holding the R Button - the button that lets him run. I thought something was stuck in the key, but releasing and pressing the button again allowed him to run so no problem, right? Finally, we saw her. Raguna game her the sword and I was ready to see her accept him...

Instead she equipped it and slashed him in the face! That was impossible! The Grimore Sword was just a ceremonial sword, it even says so in its description. I heard a ping sound, meaning it must've broke, and saw her text box pop up. "You made me wait too long! I'd never marry you now!"

My jaw dropped. Raguna looked upset, not with her, but with himself. This couldn't be happening...I teleported Raguna home to get a different item for another girl. Maybe it was a glitch with Sharron only?... This time, I got out the White Stone for Rosetta...she hit him with it. She also added insult to injury, saying she's rather marry Lukas that a two-timer?!

How had she known he'd proposed to Sharron already? Could she have known she was just a second choice? No...no, that was crazy. Beside the poet Lukas WAS a womanizer - even Lady Ann, the innkeeper, said so! I tried more items on other girls...each time Raguna took damage and went away more broken looking. I felt awful for him...what had I done?

Finally, he went to Mist...she said she was sorry but no. Just like that. His options had come to zero. Even the last mystery bride at the end of the game refused his presents, saying she did not want him...

I had him go home, so sad...I hurt for him. He was a hero - the man who'd saved Kardia! He should've had a happy ending! But no - all he had was low HP and a broken heart...strange, his spells didn't heal his body nor did the potions...he started shaking his head again while refusing them eventually...what...

...now he sat on his bed for once. I saw it. He sat on the edge, looking at his Star Saber...the one I'd helped him craft for his journey...slowly, he held it up as if to fight, but I saw no enemies...they never appear in the house/on the farm since the intro...

He turned the sword on himself.

O...M...G! I couldn't believe what I'd just seen as Raguna fell back onto the bed - no HP, no RP...He was dead.

As the screen went to "Game Over" rather than "Try Again", I was freaked. The credits played, showing each of the girls that had one marrying their love rivals...ending on Raguna's house, a skeleton on the bed...

...I think when I restart eventually...I'm going to marry Raguna to his pairing...ASAP!

~End