A Mother's Love

Game: Harvest Moon – Animal Parade

Chapter: What should a Mother do?

Pairings: AkarixToby (But it's mainly about the kid)

This is the cutscene of the day before your child leaves on their journey for waffle town. I was watching this and decided, "Oh what the heck. What would Akari (Or 'Evalyn' in my game) really say? I don't want my kid to go on the journey so I'm avoiding the harvest god like the plague after the purple bell, XD

2 chapters I believe…yeah…maybe 3.

"The preparations are complete now. The Goddess Tree Seedling is ready. Now all that's left is to send him." As the Harvest King spoke those words, Akari felt her heart slowly give in. She knew that it was for the good of the land and people of Waffle Town. She had kept convincing herself of that for the last year while collecting the necessary ingredients for the King.

Actually, she could have gotten everything together much faster than a year. She already had saved up a diamond from her exploration in the mines, and her green-eyed husband had made her a lunch box every day (Although she could not imagine why the King even needed a lunch box…). The only real challenge was the King Salmon and cheesecake. The Honeydew was no problem since she had spent the last three years working on the farm and growing hundreds of crops. Growing a melon was easy as breathing.

The salmon, though, almost cost her life. The brunette had spent hours just trying to hook it and spent up most of her energy under the hot summer sun. Even the red straw hat she wore did not shield her from the heat that continued to weaken her. When the line suddenly thrust her back into reality (quite literally) it was too late. The King Salmon had fought and she was already low on energy. One final tug on the line sent her tripping towards the water…right underneath the waterwheel.

If her husband hadn't chosen that time to start fishing, she would have been dead.

As for the cheesecake… Well, it wasn't as dramatic as the fishing. But that didn't mean it was easier. Akari cooked as badly as she drew. Which was bad…really bad…

Luckily, Chase had mercy on her poor tortured soul and offered some help. Well…after laughing his butt off seeing her ruined creations of either burnt or unidentifiable creations for the longest time.

Once all of the items were gathered, she hesitated. When the Harvest King mentioned he needed a person pure of heart, she had a feeling of who it had to be. It definitely wasn't her. She was married with a child. And how else do you get a child? It definitely wasn't any of her friends because some of them had children as well. The ones that didn't yet sure weren't pure hearted either.

No, she knew that the ones pure of heart were children. People whose hearts were not yet tainted with the dark side of adulthood. Even if she didn't get married, it was a lost cause. Akari may have been kind and generous, but there were times when that had faultered.

But none of her friends would allow their child on a journey by themselves. She herself wouldn't allow her child, her flesh and blood, to go on this trip. He was still so young, so carefree and happy. Akari still remembered when he would hide behind her leg and hold her hand for reassurance when he met someone new. She remembered the times when he was teased at school and went to her first for comfort. She remembered Child's Day when Toby had mentioned those words that still ring through her mind.

"Yes, children grow so fast. It's so surprising."

'Yes. My boy. My baby. He's grown up so fast. It feels like yesterday when I was trying so hard to fight past the fatigue of birth to name our son.' She thought.

His large green eyes, his fathers eyes, stared at me as he cooed, wanting to be in the arms of his mother.

"Daichi…" she whispered, grinning ear to ear as the baby seemed to chose that moment to laugh and smile. Irene handed the tired mother her newborn as the little one snuggled into his mothers warmth. Both husband and wife smiled softly at the small bundle of life in her arms. "My little Daichi…."

It was hard to let go of that. Her child was still so young…

There was one particular day when the Harvest King was getting snippy. He ordered her to find one with a pure heart quickly or else the land would die. This on top of her already tough farm work, family, upgrading and whatnot was putting the stress on her. When Daichi heard of her predicament of what the Harvest King was asking of her, he simply smiled softly and took her hand.

"Mama, don't worry. I'll figure something out." His green eyes flashed confidently, yet held a tinge of something else. "I promise."

She didn't expect her son to go missing the next day…

Akari spent hours looking for him along with Toby. They searched every possible place: the beach, the town, the farms, and even Fugue Forest!

"That's it…" she murmured and gathered some bodigizers and medicine. "It's already sun down. I'm going to ask Luke to see if he found anything near the mines—" That's when she noticed something. Her hammer was gone! Toby didn't mine and sure as hell the dog didn't. That meant…

Akari dropped her rucksack and rushed outside, quickly outrunning her confused husband. She never thought to call on Blaze, the swift horse she's been caring for. Her maternal instincts flushed all other thoughts away as she rushed up that familiar hill and crossed the sounds of the rushing waterfall. She saw Luke practicing with his Axe in the open air once again and unconsciously dodged the blade due to of years of unfortunate experience.

"Hey Akari! What's up—" she drowned him out and continued running, ignoring her aching legs and burning lungs. Just as she reached the entrance, she saw a familiar tuft of light blue hair and stopped. A weary figure stumbled outside clumsily and then saw the out of breath brunette. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. It was so similar to the way his father would.

"Ehehehe… Hi mama—"he didn't get to finish because he was caught in a tight hug by his sobbing mother. The tears rained down her cheeks and the boy felt them fall upon his left shoulder.

He was surprised at his mothers reaction. She never cried. Well, save for the times she would attempt to cook something big. Chase would tease her about the quality. But those weren't serious at all. This was…different. Her body was tense and shaking. It scared him.

"M-Mama? Why are you crying?"

She sniffled and pulled away with her arms holding his arms. Her hazel eyes scanned his appearance, checking for any scrapes and bruises. She had done this many times in the past, but this check-up was frantic and worried. With a final sigh, she rubbed her thumb against a smudge of mud on his cheek. The tears stopped falling, but the tear tracks remained. A smile touched her exhausted (be it physically or mentally) expression.

"Are you…okay…?" she was still out of breath and he figured she ran all the way from goddess knew where.

"I'm alright. Promise!" the boy grinned and she let out another sigh of relief. Akari embraced her child once more, albeit less desperate than before.

"Last time you said that, you had me worried sick…" Akari mumbled against the cloth on his shoulder. She let him go again and then stared at him seriously. "What were you thinking? Your father and I were searching everywhere for you!"

"Well, I was in the mines and—"

"Daichi, there are horrible gases there! You could get sick! Goddess forbid you fall into a crack or pass out! We would never have found you until Owen goes back into the mines!" And she knew that would have taken a while. He was already expecting a child with his wife Kathy.

"B-But I had Finn with me!" Daichi protested as a familiar harvest sprite unearthed itself from his hood.

Akari's eyes widened. "You…you can see Finn?"

He nodded.

"Since when?"

"Ever since the Harvest King first asked you…" he shuffled his feet nervously while she just stared at him in shock. When he first asked? That was half a season ago…

"Daichi, there's one more thing I need to ask you…" Akari took a deep shuddering breath in. "You went to the Harvest King, ne? What did…what did you say?"

"I said…that I would be the one the help him." Daichi was hesitant at first but then connected with his mother's distraught brown eyes with determination. "Those people need help, Mama."

She was about the say something but simply shook her head and stood to full height. "Alright. You're not off the hook yet, but let's go home first. Your father needs an explanation too!" With her senses cleared, she let out a piercing whistle. The sound of rumbling hoof beats came closer as a beautiful brownish red horse cantered in front of the two.

"Blaze!" Daichi cried out in delight and gently rubbed her neck down. She neighed in greeting and allowed Akari to help her son up. Then, she followed up after.

"Let's go home."

Once the ingredients were gathered and Daichi was determined to be the one sent to Waffle Town, Akari couldn't help but feel a little depressed. Akari knew that sometimes, her son would have a hesitant expression whenever he would stare at the calendar.

She imagined him counting the days until he would leave behind the only home he's known. Akari knew her son better than anyone. He was hurting, but decided to deal with it for the sake of others. It pained her to see her son struggling with something she could not aid in. All she could do was watch. And that was one of the most painful parts of parenting.

She put on a happy face for her family, but when Toby was out fishing and Daichi was at school, she would simply sit on her bed and let the tears flow. She would curse herself of her own choices. If she hadn't rung all the bells… If she hadn't met the love of her life… If she hadn't moved to Harmonica town…!

This wouldn't have happened

Daichi wouldn't have to go out there alone

Toby wouldn't have to deal with the loss of his son

She wouldn't have to deal with the fact that all this happened because of the choices she made

It wasn't long before Toby found out about her emotional war. He had his suspicions before since whenever he would come home her eyes would be bloodshot. Her bottom lip would also quiver slightly. It may not look it, but Toby was a master at reading some emotions. As a fisherman, he had to be able to read the faces of the water to tell where and when the fish would bite. Over the time he was married, this skill was used to his advantage. He could tell when she was hungry, happy, sad, and…well…that look the night Daichi was conceived.

So, he came home a bit earlier than usual only to find his Akari with her head between her knees on the bed. Her shoulders shook but she quickly shot up to stare at him on reflex. The tears were clearly racing down her face and he rushed over to comfort the brunette. She poured her heart out to him that day, telling him her deepest fear: that it was her fault this all happened. Instead of berating her for such thoughts Toby simply said soothing words in her ear, lulling the farmer into a quiet (yet fitful) slumber. All he could do was calm her down. It pained him to see her like this, but he couldn't blame her for feeling that way. There was no way that he could truly help. As a mother, only she could find the answer to the question that's been haunting her.

What should a mother do for her child who is growing up all to quickly…?

Dun dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!

Yeah, a little...sad? Well hey, I wouldn't want my child to have to go through that! For multiple reasons! But i'll say them later...i'll put it in the next chapter

Akari: HEY! Why are you making me go through with this? It's my kid!

Mana: Hey, I have to go through it later too!

Akari: But what about my husband! He's worried sick about it too!

Mana: Well tough! And I'm married to him too damn it!

Toby: Calm down you two. Don't fight!

Akari/Mana: SHUT UP!

Toby: Okay...

Yeah, I'm marrying Toby. XD

btw, what I mean when Akari almost falls into the waterwheel and Toby found that to be the best time to go fishing, he didn't actually fish his wife out of the water. He grabbed her before she fell in. Just to let you guys know in case you got confused. lol