A Story for The Village Square, set in AWL. This month's topic is Ghosts (though I'm going more with spirits really.) I know most people play HM:DS now, but this story is based on the Harvest Goddess in AWL (or lack thereof.) I decided to write this story from MukuMuku's point of view, since the yeti doesn't get a lot of love on this archive, and he's really underdeveloped in the games.
Oh yeah, I don't own Harvest Moon. But if Natsume wants to make a deal, I'm all ears.
The Guardian's Purpose
Long ago, a multitude of angels descended from the heavens to watch over the people of the physical world. They blessed the crops and animals that provided humans with sustenance, and in return, the humans gave them thanks. The angels of above became known as the Harvest Goddesses, protectors of nature and those who lived amongst it.
Kihara, the Harvest Goddess of Forget-Me-Not Valley, loved all of the living things of the land she that protected, and she was adored by them in return. From the beginning of her time in the valley, she created four guardians to watch over her spring with the Harvest Sprites so that it should not be desecrated. In the spring, a beautiful, emerald colored serpent was the guardian of the pond. A regal swan watched over the Goddess's waters in the summer. Once autumn arrived, a handsome wolf oversaw the sacred ground. Finally, a strange furry creature known as a yeti guarded the pond in the winter until the snows melted and spring came once more. And so, the goddess, her four guardians, and the Harvest Sprites lived in peace and happiness for centuries.
But all things eventually come to the end, and that included the prosperity of the Kihara and her spirits. In a time of famine, disease, and greed, the people of the valley began to lose faith in the goddess, despite her efforts to help them. As their faith began to recede even further, Kihara began to fade away. Once she was gone, the Harvest Sprites faded as well, as did the guardians.
But by strength of spirit, four beings remained: three Harvest Sprites and one guardian of Kihara's pond. The last guardian was MukuMuku, the yeti. He had a stout muscular body with large arms that were over-sized compared to his tiny beady eyes. His entire frame was covered in long white hair that was largely unkept, except for some of the hair on his head which he kept tied up with twine.
Despite his appearance, the yeti was kind, but protective of his goddess's spring. When the snow began to fall, he would rise from the ice to take up his role of guardian. And when it came time for the snow to melt, he would disappear again. Even after the goddess's disappearance, he kept up this ritual for years to come.
He continued his duty on that fateful winter day, solemnly standing in a patch of flowers as he looked on at the clearing. But in his simple mind, MukuMuku began to question his purpose. Flak had tried to explain to him that he no longer needed to feel such an overbearing responsibility to the Harvest Goddess, but he couldn't help it. She was the reason for his existence. What else was left? There was no point in protecting the pond now, and he felt nothing else. No other purpose or person was there to sway him. It wasn't as if he had a connection with the people of the valley either. They all knew he was there, but they tended to avoid him, except for the man with crazy hair that always tried to capture him. He didn't care for many of the humans though, since none of them seemed to care for the Harvest Goddess in the slightest.
There were three exceptions though. He liked the little boy who spent his days running. The boy didn't fear him like some of the older people did, and he always greeted him with a friendly wave. Then there was the new farmer that lived on the land next to the forest. He was a kind and generous soul who loved the earth, and he would often bring MukuMuku an egg from his chickens when he visited the spring. But the person he liked the most of all was the brown haired farmer girl that lived across the river. Not only did she bring him vegetables, but she was pure of heart, and she came to the pond everyday to pray to the goddess, though she was no longer there. Such devotion was admirable.
And yet, he felt so lonely. He had no companions, other than the Harvest Sprites, who were quite boring in their ways, and even if they were interesting, they wouldn't be able to understand his tongue.
"Mufo…" MukuMuku sighed as he plucked a flower from the patch he was sitting in and dropped it into the pond as an offering to the goddess who no longer resided there. He watched as the water flower sunk into the icy water, and again, he began to ponder some more. What is MukuMuku's purpose? For nearly a century, MukuMuku has guarded this spring alone, and all MukuMuku feels is loneliness after the rest of the spirits had returned to the heavens. Why has the goddess left MukuMuku here? A small tear fell from one of his beady eyes and landed in the water, causing a ripple. But just like the flower before it, the tear had brought no comfort to him from the goddess.
Suddenly, the yeti's sadness transformed into frustration and rage. "MUFOWROOOOO!" he roared, as he began to rip out the grass around him, and pound at the ground with his beefy fists. MukuMuku's life is cursed! The goddess has cursed MukuMuku to suffer here for eternity! He ran up to a nearby tree and with all the force he could muster, he ripped it from the earth and tossed it aside. Again, MukuMuku let out another blood-curdling roar that echoed throughout the valley. He ran to the spring's edge and began to thrash at the water. Why! Why! Why must MukuMuku be alone! Why!
"MukuMuku," a soft voiced echoed in the emptiness of the spring.
Goddess? He looked around in an attempt to answer his thoughts, but saw nothing. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to figure out if what he heard was real or not. Goddess? Is that you? Where are you?
"I'm right here MukuMuku. Open your eyes, my child." MukuMuku opened his tiny eyes to see the faded image of Kihara in front of him.
Goddess? A ghost? No, it can't be. The divinities do not have ghosts… a spirit? She looked just as she did when she had appeared to him in her physical manifestation. Her long blonde hair was kept in an elegant, flowery braid, and a beautiful white dress enshrouded her body, though the material looked to be more of fluid than fabric. She opened her beautiful emerald eyes and smiled.
"My child," she whispered softly, "I have felt your pain from the heavens, and I wish to ease your suffering."
Why has MukuMuku been cursed to this life after you have passed to the heavens?
"Because you are a creature of the Earth. Since you were among the strongest of my guardians, your tie to the Earth remained. You have life so long as the Earth remains." Her words were gentle, but they didn't calm his soul.
Well, MukuMuku is tired of this purposeless existence. Either free MukuMuku from this life or give MukuMuku a purpose again. Please! Do this for MukuMuku!
"I know what you desire," she said, extending here hand and touching his furry forehead, "you desire death after your years of service to me. You desire peace in the heavens. But by my grace, I shall not grant you that. Not yet at least."
But why not! He roared again and pounded his chest, trying to burn the excess anger within his heart. You enjoy seeing MukuMuku suffer!
"I will not grant you direct death. That is not the way things are supposed to be. But I will grant you another kind of freedom."
Another freedom? MukuMuku pondered intently. What does my goddess mean?
"MukuMuku…" Kihara's smile reemerged. It had beauty beyond anything that the yeti had ever seen in the physical realm. "You have been a faithful servant of mine for years. Even in my absence, you have remained loyal, even though your heart has ached. Never have I seen anything so tragic, and yet so beautiful. Thus, I free you from your duties of guardian, and I release you from your ties to the winter."
W-What? MukuMuku doesn't understand. "One hundred more years of life. That's what I give you. However, you will no longer disappear in the winter and you are no longer required to guard the spring. When your time ends, you will join your brethren and me in the heavens."
A free life. It sounded wonderful. But the yeti was still confused. But if MukuMuku no longer serves his Goddess, then what is MukuMuku's purpose?
"Your purpose," Kihara began again as she knelt in front of him to look him in the eyes, "your purpose is what you make of it. Farewell, and remember that I am always with you, MukuMuku." She kissed his forehead and faded away.
MukuMuku sat back in the grass, trying to comprehend everything that had just happened. The purpose of MukuMuku now belongs to MukuMuku. But as he repeated the message in his mind, he was still lost. His purpose had always belonged to the Kihara, so now that it was his, what would he choose to make his destiny?
"There you are!" roared a screechy voice. The man with the crazy hair was giving him a fierce look. "My plans to catch you will not fail this time!"
MukuMuku looked at the crazy man and smiled. The familiarity of this place had grown on him. He would have a lot of time to find a new purpose, but for now, this would do.