Note: This is my first ever Fan Fiction, so please be gentle with the reviews. And no Flames please. The story is a little more original than other HM fan fics I've read, in fact, the characters, places and even a few other details, are completely original, although if you read carefully, you may or may not see some similarities between these characters and the ones from Mineral Town. But there are certainly references between some characters, like Greg being Zack's (from mineral town) brother. There is just enough things unchanged, to keep this a fan fiction. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Natsume, Harvest Moon or the rights to their companies, but I would like to. I own most of the characters here.

Oak Town Living

Chapter 1 – A new beginning

It was the last day of winter. I sat in my chair, with my cup of coffee, reading the newspaper as always, just like yesterday, just like the day before.

My life is so boring. I wonder why I haven't left already... I guess there has just never been a good reason to leave. There is nothing here for me. My parents are constantly on some world cruise; my brother and his girlfriend are in California, what is left for me here? Nothing. The only things I have here are my boring dead-end job in a call-center, which I hate with a passion, and my stuck up friend Gwen, who is only friends with me for my money. My parents won the 10 million dollar jackpot a few years back, giving my brother and me, 3 million each. They kept the rest. A "retirement fund" they called it. I hate the city. I hate my stupid apartment. I hate my life!

Life is soooo boring. Not like the previous generation. My family had this kind of family secret, about my mysterious Great Uncle Gerald. Apparently he had been on a cruise to Antarctica, 30 years ago, but his boat never got to its destination. It just seemed to have disappeared. Search parties went on for weeks, but they never even found any remains or bodies. My great uncle had disappeared. Everyone believed that he was dead, but Grandma refused to give up on him. Even until her dying day, a few years ago, she still firmly believed that he was alive. But nothing like that ever happens these days.

I don't know why I even came here to New York. After I graduated from high school, I wanted to become a vet. Because of my "extraordinary talents" I finished my Uni course in only a year, instead of the normal five. I was promised a job in a clinic here in New York, but when I got here, they said my Australian Degree was not valid in the United States. My only options were to waste another year re-doing my course here in America, or find another job. The only thing I was qualified for here was to work in a call center. If you think it is annoying to have teller-marketers call you, offering you great deals all the time, imagine working for one, and being hung-up on every five minutes. It's my job, it's not like I enjoy harassing people.

I browsed through the wanted section of the paper, only half paying attention when my eyes caught a bright logo. A purple flower, very pretty.

"I wonder where these grow." I said to myself. My eyes scrolled down the text beneath the picture. The Ad read:

'Are you sick and tired of your boring, dead-end job?'

"Yes" I said

'Are you sick of fake friends who only like you for material reasons?'

"Yes" I said again, getting excited

'Are you ready to make a life changing decision that you will never regret?'

"YES!" I shouted, startling the bluebird on my windowsill

'If you answered YES to these questions, we're looking for YOU. Come to Oak Town in Heart-Side Valley, Australia, and start your new life TODAY!'

My heart leapt at that last sentence. Australia. My homeland. It seems as if all my dreams are about to come true.

Scratch

"AHHHHHH"

I was pulled from my daydreaming as I fell out of my chair. I went to the door and let in my kitten Tabby. Tabby was a 20th birthday present from my little cousin. She had sent Tabby to me all the way from my homeland. The black and grey stripped cat slinked into the room, and rubbed against my legs, unaware that she may have given me a concussion.

"God, Tabs, you really have to learn to knock!"

"Meow!"

"Oh, well, anyway, guess what... We're moving!"

"Meow?"

Ok, so do you like it? Remember to R&R! I've got more prepared, so see you on chapter 2!