This is my FIRST EVER fan fiction.

My friend, Lexi will be helping me work on further chapters.

I hope it meets all your expectations!

Please tell me what you think!

I will update it regularly – the story's not over yet so keep checking back!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Harvest Moon series.

-Izzy

The hot summer sun came beaming down on Mineral Town. Many of its inhabitants took this as an opportunity to abandon their work and hide out in their houses, sipping lemonade all day. But not Popuri. She had set her heart on going to the beach that day. Not only to acquire a tan, but also to show off in front of Kai, the owner of a small restaurant next to the beach. Even the almost unbearable heat wouldn't faze her.

But as she walked towards the beach, her bare feet blazing on the sun-baked cobblestones, she decided on something else. If she was by the sea, on an incredibly humid day as that, why should she not take a dip in the cool water? She was a good swimmer. And it wasn't off - limits… so why not?

Popuri smiled and envisioned herself swimming with fast, powerful strokes out into the sea, amazing and astounding Kai. He was not often amazed and how she wished him to be… Very much… She liked the look of this daydream!

As she neared the beach, she stopped and stared out onto the vast blue sea. It was very picturesque. And beautiful too. The water was clear and calm and she could not wait to feel it wash over her sweltering body… Popuri smiled again.

Now at the edge of the beach, Popuri laid a towel across a small stretch of sand and set down her pitcher of water and sandwiches. She shed her flowery sundress revealing a vibrant pink bikini, matching her somewhat odd - colored hair. She set a foot into the water, letting the cool liquid's refreshing feel wash over it, then placed her other foot in too and waded out.



When the water had reached her shoulders, Popuri closed her eyes and slowly dunked her head under. She held it there for a few seconds, then surfaced, laughing, even though there was no-one to join in. She splashed around a bit and swam farther out, till the water was far over her head and Kai's beach house looked like a small toy.

She was treading water, enjoying the sensation of the bubbles from her kicking, when she felt something long and clammy tickle her leg. Being Popuri, she could not help herself from giggling, then wondering what the thing was, lowered her head under.

A day later, a notice was posted on the town board. It read:

Popuri, who resides and works at Poultry Farm with her mother Lillia and older brother Rick, has gone missing. It was said that she had been on her way to the beach the scalding day that she disappeared. Kai, Popuri's boyfriend, who's beach house is opposite of the beach (the last place that she was spotted), reported that he did not see her that day, as he was at the Supermarket. Apparently she did, however tell him that she would go to the beach that day and he was planning on meeting her there. When he arrived, she was gone and her towel, water jug, sandwiches and sundress were lying on the sand.

If anyone has any information on her, her whereabouts or anything else to help solve this case, please contact Mayor Thomas IMMEDIATLEY. And no-one is to enter the water until further notice; there has been speculation that Popuri may have drowned while swimming, although she is said to be a strong swimmer.

Everyone should be on the lookout for anything suspicious, be very careful and cautious and don't forget to pray to the Goddess that this will be resolved.

Sincerely,

Mayor Thomas



How do you like it? Please rate it! This is only the first chapter in this epic tale… more to come! Thanks for reading!

Coming Soon: Mineral Town is in disarray; Popuri is still missing and so, it appears, is the Harvest Goddess. Carter is acting like a lunatic, distraught that the Goddess won't respond at his offerings. Rick decides to go and search for Popuri's body in the water but finds something else entirely. Will the townspeople solve the case of 'where are Popuri and the Goddess?'. Or will the mysterious occurrences continue?