Hello Everyone! It has been such a long time since I have been on Fanfiction as a writer. Finally though here I am and I can't wait to share my new Harvest Moon story! I would love to thank my amazing Beta reader Harvest Loon for having the same passion as I do for writing and Harvest Moon. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it :) *I do NOT own Harvest Moon or any characters from Harvest Moon*
Akari felt warm and peaceful where she sat- in a green meadow filled with flowers of all different kinds. Opening her eyes she marveled at the blue sky and the feel of the soft grass beneath her. She hadn't felt this relaxed since she was a child on her grandparent's ranch, what felt like so many years ago. She could remember the way the breeze felt on those hot summer days, how the air smelt after a long rain spell and the simple happiness that those sweet memories gave her. They helped ease the pain of the years after her grandparents died and she had to resign to living in the city with her father. Now though, she was starting to feel happy again on her little farm that she had built up herself, alone without the help of her father or too much help from the Castanet villagers.
Akari sighed, rolled over onto her side and sat up as Finn lazily got up from her shoulder and made himself comfortable on her other one, yawning as he did so. She gently brushed her head to the side to rub against Finn's small body affectionately. He snuggled against her and yawned once more before lifting off Akari and flying in front of her face to laugh happily and dance away with the wind.
"Akari, we should get up now, it is almost time to put in the animals for the night!" Finn sang as he flew a little ways in the distance towards Singing Meadows Farm.
With another sigh, Akari smiled at the young sprite, stretching her arms above her head and getting up from her spot on the ground. Her legs were a bit tingly and numb from lying so long on the grass as she had; she stamped her feet on the dirt to get her blood going again and began walking along the path from Flute Fields back to her beloved farm.
Finn and Akari arrived just as the sun was casting a fiery red shadow across her fields. She smiled looking at her crops and her animals that lounged among the grove of the fruit trees. They moo'd, baa'd, quacked and clucked happily as they saw Akari and Finn coming up the path way. Taking off her working gloves, Akari knelt and petted all her farm animals and whispered sweet nothings to them all.
"Finn, can you ring the bell for bed time for all these poor over worked animals of ours? They need to rest well for their long day of work tomorrow." Akari winked over at Finn as he giggled and gave the rope to the bell an overzealous tug.
The bell clanged and the animals seemed to wince from the noise but walked off to their respected shelters as the lights slowly came on around the farm. Akari took off her rucksack that was bulging at the seams, despite having Shelly make her a larger one, and began pulling out all the items that she and Finn had collected during the day. Placing and rearranging them all in the shipping bin to be sent off in the morning, Akari closed the lid finally satisfied with everything being in order the way she liked. She then set off for her house at the end of what seemed a very long, tiresome day.
"Tomorrow is a big day for you Akari! We get to see if you finally made it to being a hero! I am so excited to see which category you achieved the best ranking in! I personally think you out did yourself this summer season with all the watermelons, honeydews, corn and tomatoes. Not to mention all the sunflowers, morning glories and..." Finn continued his list of all the crops grown this season.
Smiling, Akari sat on her bed, kicked off her boots and removed her farm clothes, switching them for her tank top and sweat pants. Crawling into her bed she pulled up her blanket, listening to Finn rambling on about tomorrow. Honestly she was scared for tomorrow. The past two seasons had not been kind and full of disappointment for her. She had rung Edge's purple bell during the end of winter and had yet to accomplish the title of Hero. The Harvest Goddess would smile gently at her and tell her to just try her best and she would get it eventually, but Akari knew that even the Harvest Goddess had a worried look underlying her smile.
"Come on Finn, let's try and sleep now. We must wake up extra early tomorrow so we can see how I did." Akari patted the small spot on her pillow and Finn glided down, sprawling himself out next to her.
"Ok Akari! I have a good feeling about tomorrow! You worked harder this season than ever before! Well not that you don't work hard every season but this season you just worked extra hard and…" Finn sputtered fumbling his words nervously.
"It's alright Finn, I know what you mean. Just rest now, tomorrow is going to be here before we know it." Akari shushed the worried sprite and pulled a small blanket that she had made for him up to his chin.
"Goodnight Akari, sweet dreams." Finn mumbled sleepily as Akari gently kissed his forehead.
"Goodnight Finn, sweet dreams." Akari whispered and nestled further into her bed.
Finn was soon snoring softly and Akari stared up at the ceiling as the moon's light played between the trees outside her window. Sighing, Akari turned and finally, after what felt like hours, she drifted off into sleep, leaving her worries behind and began dreaming.
She was standing on top of a mountain and looked around seeing all the mist and fog that surrounded the outlook. Feeling an immense heat starting to envelope her, Akari watched as the Sun began descending from the sky to kiss the top of the mountain peak where she stood. Just as Akari reached to touch the fiery like beams of light, the sun began to grow dimmer and dimmer and its warmth became colder with the disappearing light as it rose back into the sky.
"Wait! Don't go!" Akari yelled as she felt herself slipping back into the conscious world.
"Akari! Akari! AKARI!"
Akari's eyes shot open as she flew out of her bed, her arms flailing about and her legs tangled in the blankets. Akari landed solidly on the floor with a loud thud.
"Oh no Akari, are you alright?!" Finn exclaimed, worriedly hovering around her head.
Rubbing her head she flung the covers away from her and forgot all about her dream. Akari continued to rub her head gingerly as Finn flitted around her, trying to assess any damage that may have happened during the impact.
"I'm alright Finn, just a bump. Now what is going on?" Akari assured the poor sprite as he nervously flew down next to her.
"The letter is here Akari! The farm ranking letter is here! Open it Akari!" Finn jumped up excitedly forgetting his nervousness and presenting an envelope to Akari.
Akari reached for the envelope in Finn's hands and steadied herself before opening it. She felt the familiar paper inside the envelope scratch against her finger tips and Finn's wide eyes jetting back and forth between Akari and the letter. It felt like an eternity reaching in and grabbing the letter, unfolding the paper and gazing down at the jumbled letters, but only a few mattered...
"Akari of Singing Meadows Farm
For the Season of-Summer
Farming Degree in Crops-Hero"