Hello there, and welcome to one of SGP's many HM: Animal Parade one-shots~! :D This one's a little different from other HM 'fics out there, because this one-shot features the one and only Mira! (Who is Miori in this 'fic--I'll be using Japanese names for the characters, but don't worry! I'll make a little key before the story starts so you know who's who if you're not sure.)
I figured I'd upload this since this HM section has ample 'fics featuring main charcters, and I was like, "I think you guys need to give some love to the minor characters in AP, here...Without them, there would hardly be a Harmonica Town!"
So without further ado, here is the character name key!
Mira - Miori (who is the narrator of the story, by the way! :3)
Perry - Brother Perin
Molly/Hikari - Wakuko (original name--it's a long story.)
Owen - Ose
Julius - Juli
...and I hope you'll enjoy the story! ^^ Reviews and constructive criticism are always appreciated, and I'll try to get back to you if your review really strikes a chord in me! :3
The fireflies are back again this year.
And yet...you're still gone.
It's seven o' clock...I suppose I should be getting the store ready...Juli should be coming in any minute.
It's strange, still...It's been a year and a half since my husband's passed away, and...I sometimes still look over to the other side of the bed when I wake up, hoping that he's there to kiss me and wish me a good morning like he always used to...And then when I realize it's just a strange fantasy of mine...I do sometimes feel like I don't want to wake up, just because of that.
But the summer sunlight's shining through the glass panes of my window. I can hear little Chloe from next door cheering and running around, as well. Perhaps...It's those things in particular...the warm, everyday feeling I get each morning, that makes me want to keep living here in Castanet Valley. Had it not been for those things, I may have left as soon as he'd died.
As I make my way over to the mirror I can't help but remember what my husband would say every time I used to walk up to the vanity every morning:
"What's the use of looking there? You've always been beautiful."
I sigh as I brush my messy hair back to its normal state; I know I shouldn't be living in my own memories. Mister Raksha always tells me that I look back too much instead of looking forward. I understand what he means, of course, but it seems like it's something that can't be helped anymore. Memories are the only things of my husband I have to hold onto anymore...
...Ah! There's a knock on the door. Juli's right on time today, strangely...Lately, he's been dashing in around forty-five minutes late and making excuses. O-oh, but...I don't usually mind. After all, I've only just begun running this business a season ago, so...I'm not quite the martinet just yet.
As fast as I can, I tie on my usual pink shawl, run over to the door, and unlock it. I take a few steps back; if I know my husband's pupil, he's always the type to make a grand entrance, perhaps more so now that he's actually on time today...
"Good mooorning, Miss Miori~!" he says, flaunting a bit. I can't help but laugh a little...I suppose even if my husband is gone, his apprentice will always remain here to help me...
"Good morning, Juli," I bow politely as if to say hello, "I see you're on time today."
"Oh, is that so~?" he says dreamily as he puts one of his hands on his cheek for emphasis, "Well, it just so happens that I'm in a good mood today~."
"Ah, I see..." I nod as I walk over to my usual jewel counter, keeping eye contact so he knew I was listening, "Is there, ah...any particular reason?"
"Hmm..." the young apprentice pauses as he walks over to one of the accessory shelves and takes his 'lucky sapphire' as he calls it, "No, not particularly~. I just have a feeling that something good may happen, is all!"
I nod as if to say I understood. Sometimes I'm glad to have young Juli around; his optimism knows no bounds, at times...
As usual, the store gets eerily quiet as the two of us begin our work. Juli begins polishing his lucky sapphire, while I go about examining some Wonderfuls that a customer of mine had left by the other day...I hope she'll come to pick them up, soon...I'm sure she wouldn't want these to go to waste, considering she always complains about the lack of money she has...
I digress...I should really be getting back to work, but...I can't stop thinking about him. Whenever the shop gets this quiet, I always remember when Doctors Won and Inya came to my house that day...
"Miss Miori, I'm sorry, but...we couldn't do anything to save his heart from giving out..." I remember Doctor Won saying, clear as day.
"If there's anything, anything at all we can do for you, Miori..." Inya tried to explain to me as my heart broke into two, "Please, let us know."
Honestly, I can't remember anything else that day but the voices of those two...After I heard the Doctor's grave news, I just...panicked. I sat at the bed, crying and crying and wishing that it was all a bad dream. Juli came later that day to calm me, as well, but like I said, my memory of that day was blurred...those two phrases so vivid in my mind were so reoccurring, and yet...they're what I want to remember the least.
...I would have given my husband my heart. I would have given everything, anything, for his safe return to our home. We had so much planned for our lives, but...what we never realized was what little time we were to have together. If...If I had realized sooner, maybe I--
--Hmm? The chiming bells rang on the door. Is there someone...
"Hi, Accessory Shop!" I hear a cheerful young voice greet as the shop door opens and closes, "Hi, Juli! Hi, Miss Miori~!"
"Fufu, if it isn't Little Miss Glasses~!" Juli chuckles a little. When I look up, I see a usual customer of ours, joyfully skipping into the shop.
"Juliiiiiii~!" the young girl whines, "Stop calling me that! My name is Wakuko, you silly goose! Wa. Ku. Ko!"
...Like she's been telling my apprentice, her name is Wakuko. She's a kind and energetic young girl despite being a bit clumsy; she's actually the newest member of our family here in Castanet Valley...a young farmer, just starting out her life...It must be exciting for her, I understand. It seems to me that Juli's taken a bit of a liking to her, as well. I can't help but say the same...she's a very dedicated customer of ours. If it weren't for her and her constant mining, I may have gone out of business no sooner than I had started.
"Oh, but that name fits you so much better~!" Juli replies, "I mean, what better way to flaunt your wonderful red specs, hmm?"
"Um...I don't have to 'flaunt' them, you know." Wakuko explains, "They're prescription! Or, um, I think they are...But, um, thank you, though!"
O-oh...I also forgot to mention...Wakuko's the customer who left her Wonderfuls here. I suppose I should remind her...Perhaps I'll break up the little "lovers' quarrel", as well...
"A-ah, Miss Wakuko."
"Hmm?" She turns her gaze from Juli to myself.
"Ah, those Wonderfuls from the other day..." I begin to tell her as I haul up a rather large pile of multi-colored Wonderfuls she left to the counter.
"Ohh!" Wakuko gasps, "That's where they all went?! Phew! I was getting kinda worried, there! Thanks a bunch, Miss Miori!"
"You're quite welcome!" I smile, "I polished a few for free...They turned mostly to glass, so I thought you wouldn't want to pay for those..."
"Miss Miori!" Wakuko gasps yet again, "I may be a broke piece of, um...whatever I am, but that doesn't mean I don't have to pay you for anything! My daddy always used to say 'when you owe them money, give them money!' Or, um, I think that was it..."
"O-oh, that's awfully kind of you, Miss Wakuko..." I tell her, a little surprised. Honestly, I never expected her of all people to say that...
"Heehee, naww, I just feel like I owe you guys a whole lot!" the young farmer replies, flustered, but then snaps her fingers (I suppose she remembered something?)
"O-oh, yeah! I almost forgot!" she cheers, "I, um...wanted to ask you something, Juli!" I have a slight feeling I know what she might ask Juli, seeing what today is, but...I'll keep quiet for now.
"Hmm~? What's the matter?" Juli asks. He looks a little preoccupied with his lucky sapphire, as usual, but...
"Um, well...Tomorrow's the Firefly Festival, right?!" Wakuko asks; she seems a little nervous.
"Fufu~! I see you did your homework, Wakuko."
"Shuuuush!" she yells (a little bit too loudly for my taste...), "A-anyways! Um, I was wondering! ...So, uh...Would you, um...go to the festival with me?"
Aha...I had a feeling she was going to ask that. As I polish a Wonderful, I can't help but smile as I turn my gaze away.
"With me?" Juli asks; he sounds a little taken aback, "Wouldn't you rather go with that...Mr. Wizard you talk so much about?"
"Well, I would..." Wakuko begins, "But...I haven't gotten his heart count to thr--err, I mean, I dunno if he really likes me that much! I mean, I want to be his friend and all...I even tried giving him a Tam Tam Mushroom, but he was like, 'GET ME THE GODDESS DARNED CORN FLOUR!' Um, well, that's not exactly what he said, but...You're my friend, Juli! So I figured we could go together! Like peanut butter and jelly! You can be the jelly, even!"
...Hmm? What's all this about 'hearts' and peanut butter? Is...she all right?
"Well, if you say so~." I hear Juli say, "But be on time, all right?"
As I look up, I see a pure, joyous smile on Wakuko's face...I remember when I would be able to feel the joy on my face like that after my husband asked me to festivals like this...
"Oh, you bet!" she says. The smile's still glued onto her face...Even something as slight as a smile like that makes me turn towards memories, nowadays...
For a while, the two of them converse about where to meet, what time to meet, and then somehow they trail off and start talking about just fireflies and the whole festival in particular...it was an interesting conversation to listen to, though...They asked me questions about how the festival was conducted in the past; I told them it hadn't really changed at all here since I was a child...The two of them listened intently, to my surprise, and when they finally began talking about the fireflies again...
I hear it.
"So...you know when people say that sometimes the spirits of those passed away travel with the light of the fireflies?" Wakuko asks. From the sound of her voice, she seems to be confused, "You think that mumbo-jumbo's all true and stuff?"
"Hmm?" Juli responds, interested, "I've never heard of anything like that before...Sounds like a bit of a tall tale, though~."
As soon as I hear that, I stand up and turn to the two of them, almost as though I wasn't controlling myself...
"You're wrong," I tell them rather sharply...Honestly, I'm not quite sure why I did...
"Ah...Miss Miori?" Juli asks as he turns his gaze towards me. He's got that concerned look on his face, though...he only makes that face when I look like I'm about to--
"I said, 'you're wrong'!" I yell, surprised at the tears that were rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't help but run out of the shop in embarrassment, grabbing the polishing cloth and Wonderful I was in the middle of refining and taking it with me. I carefully take a seat on the wooden boards under the display case in front and curl up, trying to polish the Wonderful through my blurred, teary vision...Why was I so intent on this one little tale, I wonder...?
For a while, I sit alone here, trying to wait until the tears staining my face disappear. I can only hope that little Chloe doesn't see me like this; she's playing tag with her cousin Ose across the mining district, and I watch the two enjoying themselves in the summer morning from where I sit. In mere seconds after, however, I look back at myself and throw the Wonderfuls I was polishing aside; it's…only glass, after all.
"M-m-miss Miori!" I hear a familiar high-pitched voice call out as the shop door opens. It's Wakuko, of course, with young Juli following right behind her. As soon as Juli sees the tears running down my face, he seemed to rush past Wakuko and he sits by me on the wooden boards.
"…Miss Miori, you…" he tried to say, but he trailed off shortly after…I suppose there really isn't much to say; I understand…
"M-M-Miss Miori!" Wakuko says, bowing deeply, "I-I'm really sorry! I-I hope I didn't hurt your feelings or anything…"
I didn't want her to hear me as I cried; she probably wouldn't understand my muffled murmurs, anyway…I just shake my head as if to tell her that everything was fine.
"I suppose I should be apologizing as well, Miss Miori…" Juli says quietly with that sad look of his, "I…I guess we were just making conversation—I always remember when your husband and you would always talk about all kinds of things, so I thought…"
Right then and there I wish that I could thank Juli for those kind words…But all that passes my lips is a wordless sob. That whole time the two of them comfort me, I keep regretting every tear that I cry…Though, I didn't want Juli or Wakuko to know that…I know they would try to cheer me up more, and…I know their intentions are good, but it just…hurts more. It sounds strange, but…
"Oh! Miss Miori…um, here…" I hear Wakuko's voice break me out of my reverie—She was holding out fifteen Gold coins…My guess was that it was for the Wonderfuls, but I kept shaking my head as if to say I didn't want it—Although, I sometimes forget how stubborn Wakuko can be…
"Miss Miori! I'm not leaving unless you take the money! I…I already feel really bad as it is…I mean, um, I always usually pay! How come--"
"Wakuko…" Juli sighs—I can feel the remnants of his breath, just slightly, though—"It's all right. Perhaps…she just needs some time to herself."
"Yeah, but--!"
"No need to worry~," Juli began with a slight lilt in his voice, "I'll take the coins if it bothers you that much."
"I dunno, Juli…" I look up to see Wakuko frown, "If you take the coins, you're gonna spend 'em all on frilly clothes and stuff! But Miss Miori needs it to keep the shop open! …You know?"
Juli crosses his arms and looks away, "I wouldn't dare! You think I would--!"
"N-no!" the young farmer flails her arms out a bit, "I mean, um, frilly clothes are nice and all, but…they only last a while, you know? Um…Let's say you like cake a lot! If you have too much cake, then you won't be able to fit in them anymore! Er, um, not that I'm saying that you'd have too much cake or anything, Juli, um...I mean…If Miss Miori uses it for the shop, it'll last really long! Right, Miss Miori?"
…She's right. (I suppose occasionally even our clumsy little friend here can come up with something extremely profound…) I nod slightly in agreement and think every word she'd said through…And when I do, for some reason, I…can't help but begin to laugh. And for the first time in a very long time, I can feel a warmth in my chest.
"Fufu!" I try to laugh through the remaining tears, "Th-that's very much like young Juli, now, isn't it?"
"Heehee, it is, it is!" Wakuko jumps up and cheers with that overly contagious smile of hers, "I'm just glad you think so, Miss Miori!"
"It is not!" Juli argues with his usual pout, but looks back at me with a small smile on his face. I give a smile in return, and from there, the three of us just…laugh. And the small warmth in my chest only grows bigger as we do. It's such a serene, pure feeling…It made my tears fade away, and any remaining sadness, with it…And, whatever it was, I only wish I'd have found that feeling earlier.
Unfortunately, a while after, young Wakuko had to take her leave, but I was surprised; she was able to slip the money into my pocket almost unawares! She'd informed Juli about where to meet the next night once more, and she pinky swore to him that she wouldn't be late…I listened from the open shop door that Juli had left ajar, (though I felt a tad guilty afterwards…I know it's not polite to eavesdrop, but…) and just picturing the image of the two promising such small things like that with the greatest of care…It brought back so many old, fragile memories—the ones that stay in your mind like the most beautiful of antiques—I nearly felt like the tears were beginning to fall down upon my cheeks again. But…it hadn't been a bad feeling; no…It was the most wonderful feeling…Almost as though my memories were being reflected through the present, as strange as that sounds…
O Great Harvest God and Goddess in the heavens…
Wherever you are, I thank you from the bottom of my heart…
…The Firefly Festival has come.
It's quite dark tonight for a summer night, though…I don't remember any Firefly Festivals this dark before…The moon's disappeared tonight; I don't even see that many stars out…it's strange. Lonely, almost…
But it's all right…When the fireflies return this year, I'm sure they'll give off enough light to brighten the whole riverbank. They always have, after all.
…When he was with me.
A-ah, that's right! This is…my first Firefly Festival without him…Just the thought of it makes me feel short of breath, but…I want to see this through for him…So his spirit can rest in peace with the fireflies. I-I know it's strange, but I…I believe now, too. His spirit…it'll find its way here, I know it. The fireflies will guide him home; I pray to the Goddess that they do and close my eyes tightly as I do. Surprisingly, there isn't very much difference between the darkness of my closed eyes and the darkness of the night…
I…I feel like…I can hear their voices…The people around me, the spirits around me…
"Juli, look!" I hear Wakuko's voice from afar; with my eyes closed, her voice—no, everyone's voices--sound so much clearer, "I got us a purple firefly thingy! That is your favorite color, right?!" I can't help but break the line of my prayers with a small chuckle…The amount of energy that girl has never ceases to amaze me…
"Fufu!" Juli replies with a laugh, as well, "Very good, Little Miss Glasses, very good~!"
"Heeey!" she yells; her voice seems much more shrill from here, "I thought you said you were gonna stop calling me that, meanie!"
"Oh, really~?" young Juli asks casually, "When did I ever say that?"
I smile once more at the couple through closed eyes, though I try to focus on my own prayers rather than the idle conversations around me as I stand by the cool riverbank…Usually, standing near places like this can calm me in no time at all, but…Tonight seems to be different, oddly…There're so many things that I wish for—that I want to wish for--and yet…
"M-miss Miori!" I hear a different voice along with quick footsteps call out my name. I suppose that means I mustn't keep my eyes closed anymore…
"Ah, Brother Perin!" I say as I open my eyes to reveal a good friend of mine, "It's a pleasure to see you out here tonight."
I suppose I should explain…Brother Perin is the priest at Celestas Church, a family friend, and quite the kind-hearted man. I visit the church often, and he's helped me countless times after the loss of my husband…I truly am indebted to his charity.
"Th-The pleasure's all mine, Miss Miori!" Brother Perin says kindly, "I, um…I'd hoped I'd be able to see you here!"
"Oh?" I ask, tilting my head a little (One of those bad habits I need to break, I'm afraid…), "Is everything all right?"
"Yes, of course!" he replies, "I, uh…see you haven't gotten a Firefly Light yet…It's almost time, you know!"
"Oh, is it, already?" I question him, surprised, "It feels as though the festival's only begun…"
"Well, ah, if it's not too much trouble," Brother Perin begins, "Would it be all right if we, uh…watched the fireflies together? I-I'll get a Firefly Light for you, too!" I'm a little surprised at the question—I, ah…I'm not quite sure how to respond, but I can't refuse the man's offer…Not after all he's done for me.
"I'd love to," I tell him with a smile, "Are you sure it's all right?"
"O-oh!" he gasps, "Y-y-yes, of course, of course! I'll get the flowers right away! P-please wait right here!"
As he runs off to get the flowers, I turn around a bit to see the scene of the festival behind me—I was a tad surprised, there were more people here than I expected…There was even a line to get the Firefly Flowers! I don't think I've seen that in quite a while…I can't help but smile a bit…Perhaps, I think to myself, life is slowly returning to this once-flourishing land of Castanet…I turn back around towards the water, fold my hands together, close my eyes, and pray once more for this land.
The voices seem to grow louder and louder around me…As though there were more of a crowd here…But…how can that be…?
"Miori…"
Wh-what…? Th-that voice…it feels as though it's just a faint echo on the wind, and yet--
"Miori, my beloved wife…"
N-no…It can't be...
"Dearest…Is it…really you…?" I whisper to myself, shaken by the voice on the wind. That couldn't possibly be—No, the wind must be deceiving me…This isn't--But then…why does it sound so much like him…? I hesitate, keeping my eyes shut even tighter than I previously had. I really must be hearing things…
"Miori…I want to see your beautiful eyes once more…The ones I wanted to stare into forever…"
My eyes shot open. I look around me, but all I see is the riverbank, dark without the moon's light…Just the sight of it…it's all so…so lonely. All of the voices from before seem to have vanished, as well. I try to look back—perhaps everyone's just quieted down for a moment—
"...Wh-what is this…?"
…There's no one here anymore. Juli, Wakuko, even Brother Perin and the others have disappeared, and yet it still feels like I'm in the same place…What's going on here…?
"Your eyes…They're just as beautiful as before…You haven't changed at all, my love."
"…Wh-what?!" I gasp at the voice echoing through the darkness, trying to hold back tears, "Who…who are you…?" The voice is so familiar, so warm…But there's no response back…Perhaps I'm just imagining things.
But…the moment that thought passes through my mind, I see a small flash of light above the river, blinking so brightly one second, and dying the next. Have the fireflies finally arrived? They're getting greater in number above the river by the second, flashing one moment and then disappearing, over and over…But it's strange. I…don't feel lonely anymore. The fireflies…they're taking it all away, bit by bit…
"I'm so glad I found you…"
"…Please…Dearest, let me see your face, one more time…" I whisper, letting the tears run freely down my face. There's no one here to see, now, is there? After all, it's only he and I…I've really found him, haven't I? Am I…am I in some kind of Heaven?
I look frantically around, trying to search for even the smallest sign of where he could be. But…it's still only the fireflies and I…
Or perhaps…Yes, yes, that's it! It must be…he's…he's become a part of the fireflies. Each of them helped carry his soul here…
…I'm not alone anymore. I never have been.
"Dearest…" I ask through quiet sobs, "Have you…been watching me all this time…?"
There was no response, however…The fireflies flitted around the river and over the banks, but all remained as quiet as it was when I first wandered into this strange place…It's all right, though…As I reach out to the fireflies, they seem to want to dance around me, and that warm feeling from yesterday seems to overflow inside me…It's…it's such a beautiful feeling…the most beautiful feeling I've ever felt…
At that moment, the tears just seem to rush from my eyes…I…I'm crying more so than I ever have, and yet…I'm so happy! He truly came back to me…I wish this warmth would never go away, my dearest husband…
"I will always be in your memories, Miori…" my husband's voice echoes through the wind and fireflies and into my ear, "Don't think of sadness or pain anymore…You don't deserve to feel pain…No, think of our happy memories, dearest…Think of the day we met…Think of our time together, our wedding…Nothing can separate those blissful feelings from you. As long as we believe that together, I promise you, no matter what…we'll be inseparable."
I wanted to say everything to him at that moment…How much I loved him, how much I felt his warmth, how happy I was to hear his voice…All I could mutter were joyous sobs. Yet…I knew he could feel what I was feeling, because the warmth grew even more.
"Thank you…" I murmur as I dry a tear from my eye, "I love you, my dearest husband…"
"Miori…" he whispers my name on the wind, but it seems like it's fading with the light of the fireflies…If it does end up fading…I have to be strong.
"Miori…?"
Ah…? The voice seems different from the last time…Dearest, is it still you…?
"M-Miss Miori!"
I blink, surprised by the sudden yelp of my name, and suddenly…everything's returned to normal. The voices of the people have returned, the Firefly Lights seem to still be shining, and…I suppose everyone else has returned, as well, as Brother Perin seems to be staring right at me, worry-stricken… (That's strange…how long was I in that odd world…?)
"A-ah, Brother Perin," I turn my gaze to him, though my voice doesn't seem to sound like it normally would, "Is everything all right…?"
"The fireflies, Miss Miori! They've begun to glow! It's quite—Miss Miori?!"
"…Hm?" I ask, concerned, "What is it?"
"You're crying, Miss Miori! Your face is all red…you didn't realize it?!"
I gasped slightly, slowly touching my cheek to feel the damp trails left behind by tears…It seems he was right…And though it seems odd, I couldn't help but chuckle a little at the falling tears. (As well as the rather amusing look on Brother Perin's face, but, ah…I do feel a tad guilty for that part…)
"Fufu, I'm just fine…" I smile at the priest, "In fact…I've truly never been better."
"Ah, good, good!" he says, surprised, but turns and points towards the river, "Oh! But you must look, Miss Miori! The fireflies…They're glowing so brightly tonight! I've never seen anything like it!"
I look over at the river as he says, and I can't believe it…the fireflies were still dancing as though I were in that strange dream…Their light had the same warmth to it…I reach out to them again as I did before, and it's almost as if they're dancing around me...I take a deep breath and smile in awe at the gorgeous sight, remembering my husband's words…words I never want to forget.
"They're beautiful, aren't they…?" Brother Perin asks as he gently places the Firefly Light into the water.
"Yes," I nod, smiling slightly, "The most beautiful thing I've ever seen…"
I close my eyes and pray one last time, wishing each and every spirit a safe journey. As Brother Perin and I watched the light slowly fade, I realized that the warm, blissful feeling from the fireflies still remained in me.
It was then, while the last firefly gave its final light, I looked up at the sky and smiled.
The fireflies are back again this year…
And I realize, no matter what, we'll always be together…
...and so it ends! :D I hope you thoroughly liked the story, and please remember to always keep the minor characters in mind when you're writing! (Heck, a lot of them don't even have a character search indicator or whatever like everyone else does! o.o)
Again, I'd love to hear what you thought of the story, so reviews are welcomed! ^^
Thank you so much for reading! :D
-SGP