Harvest Moon

Stories of Mineral Village

By: Belldandy'sKeiichi

Author's Time: Thank you for reading and reviewing my story. I'm trying to make this a fun story to read without the characters going too OOC (out of character). The time line is Back to Nature but I am going to change a few things around. For example, most of the characters in the story drink some kind of alcohol. Also, Karen and Cliff are cousins. These little changes will help the story develop as the story gets more serious (whether it's romantically or hilariously serious).

Another note, I will be pulling other characters from other games, mainly HM: A wonderful life. Reason being is because it does get boring when you're writing with the same ten characters. You'll see what I mean at the end of the story (haha). So sit back, relax, and enjoy the next installment.

Also, thanks for spotting my error of spelling "Gray" as "Gary". Man…who names their kids "Gray"? (no offense to those actually named Gray! '').

Disclaimer: You know the drill, I own Harvest Moon...

"Wait wait!" Rick said as he went over to the bar. He picked up a few bottles of liquor and glasses and hurried back to the table. "Oh man this is so exciting. Alright Jack! Tell us about the Goddess incident." He said as Jack looked at them.

"Alright. I'll tell you the story. But I can't say I'm too proud of it. You see-" Jack started as Cliff interrupted him.

"It all started on the eighth of spring. I was heading towards Jack's farm to see what he was up to today. I was pretty sure farm work sucked so I-" Cliff started.

"Cliff…? What are you doing?" Jack asked, staring at him.

"You were taking too long to tell the story. So I decided I'm going to help you!" He said, smiling at him.

"Ok. Exactly when did you decide to do this?" Jack asked at Cliff picked up his scotch glass.

"Oh…right about here." He said as he pointed at the brim of his cup. He was already halfway done with it. Everyone started to laugh as Jack gave up.

"Alright, I'll let you come in and tell the story at some parts but I'M going to tell the majority." He said to him as Cliff nodded.

"Don't worry about it Jack. I know exactly when to come in."

"Alright…" Jack said as he loosened his tense body. "This is the story of the Goddess incident. It all started with an ax…"

Harvest 001- The Goddess Incident

I was working on the farm, clearing out the tree stumps and logs that were scattered around the field. As I was copping down the tree stumps into lumber, I heard my name being called.

"Hey Jack!" someone called.

I turned around and saw a guy coming towards me. He had brown hair with a small ponytail in the back. He wore a tan tunic, black linen pants, and a pair of haven woven moccasins. By the look of things, I would say he was a traveler…

"What's up Jack. How are you doing?" He asked as I just stared back at him. "…Cliff. We met at the Inn." He said to me as I nodded my head.

"Oh yeah…"

"Listen. I came here to help you out." Cliff said as I turned around.

"You're going to help me clear the field?" I asked in amazement. No one ever offered to help me ever since I came here. Even though I've been here for only eight days, it was reassuring to know that people around here help each other out.

Cliff looked at me confused and said "what? Hell no. I mean I'm here to help you with your dating life!"

"Excuse me?"

"Listen…" he said as he took a seat on the stump I was hacking away at "A little birdie told me about your situation. Three years to restore this wasteland into the lost garden of Eden? That'll be tough work. And…" He trailed as I turned my back to him to cut a log that was behind me. "…get married? Do you even know where to look?"

I paused in mid-swing and though about it. All this time I've been clearing the field and watering the plants. I haven't socialized with anyone yet. And what Cliff said was true: three years to restore this farm to its former glory AND get married. Sighing, I lowered my ax and I turned to him. "Alright…you got me."

"Ah haha! That's what I want to hear. Now come on! Dust yourself off and get your tunic. We're going to go around town while I tell you who's available and who's not." He said as he hit my stomach. I recoiled and watched him get up.

"I don't have a tunic…" I said to him.

"You don't have a…?" Cliff said as he wiped his face in disappointment. "This will be harder than I though. Then…get whatever is nice and meet me outside your farm near the winery."

"What?" Cliff said as everyone looked at him. "…every good man should have a tunic…"

We walked from my farm and turned a right as we headed towards the Poultry Farm. As we passed by, Cliff extended his arm and I was forcibly halted.

"This is the Poultry Farm."

"Did you have to extend your arm like tha-"

"Lillia runs this place with her two kids, Rick and Popuri. They raise and sell chickens here. Popuri is one of the eligible girls around here. And incidentally, the girl next door if you know what I mean." He said and nodded at me. "Yeah…"

I shook my head as I turned my head to look at the farm. There was a girl feeding the chickens in the pin. "Is that her?" I asked as I turned my head. She had a cute face. Her dress was pink like her hair and her eyes were a mixture of red and brown. I smiled a bit before Cliff nudged me.

"Don't go 'gaga' on me now Jack…" He said as I looked at him then back at Popuri. Before either of us knew it, Popuri started to cluck and trotted around with the chickens. "Is she acting like a-"

"Let's go! Go go go!" He said, pushing me and we both ran from the scene.

"Hey! That was a very private moment that I was having with those chickens." Popuri yelled as she took her drink and splashed Cliff.

"Ok! How many more drink are going to soak me tonight?"

Cliff and I continued to walk around Mineral Village, telling me that there are five girls in town that weren't married and eligible.

"Popuri, Elli, Mary, Ann, and Karen." He said to me as he extended his fingers one by one. "You can try your luck with all five of them but I got to warn you, each of them are different. Well…Popuri sure topped the charts with that little action…" He laughed as we walked by the supermarket.

"The supermarket? Why are we here?" I asked as Cliff headed to the door.

"Don't worry about it Jack, I need to pick something up." He said as he disappeared behind a closing door.

I sighed as I looked up at the sky then around me. People were walking pass me heading to whatever they were going to do. I would call them by name but I have no idea what their names are! As I looked at my watch to see how much time passed, something caught my attention. A sweet combination of cinnamon and apples filled my nostrils. I looked around frantically when my eyes caught hold of a girl. She had short brown hair with matching brown eyes. Her dress was blue with a white apron tied around her. As she walked by me, our eyes met and she gave me a small wink.

"Jack, what are you doing?" Cliff said as he came out of the supermarket.

"I uh…" I stuttered as I watched the girl walk away.

"Come on, we're heading to the library…and wear this." He said as he tossed me a shirt. I caught it and outstretched it to see it better. But it wasn't a shirt he tossed me. "…this a tunic?"

I threw it over my shoulder as I followed him to the library. When we walked in, I was in awe at the rows of books that lined the walls. I found myself surrounded with pages and pages of literature that would take a lifetime to read. But strangely, the only person in the library was a black haired girl with black framed glasses. She wore a blue dress with a white top underneth but it was hard to see since her face was buried in a book. Cliff knocked on the desk and she looked up at him.

"Hey Cliff. What can I do for you today?" She asked politely.

"Hey Mary." He emphasized as he looked at me. "Have you met Jack?"

Mary turned her head to me and waved her hand. "Greetings Jack. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Mary." She said as she extended her hand to me. I smiled as I took her hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you Mary. I'm Jack…" I said back to her. He stared at each other for a moment but then Cliff interrupted our little moment.

"Alright! Mary! Now that introductions are over. How about you help me out?" Cliff asked as Mary crossed her arms.

"Cliff. I told you all that I know already. I don't think that-"

"No no Mary. There is something else I need help with. You see…the Goddess Festival is tomorrow. I was wondering if you had a date." He asked as I looked at Cliff in disbelieve. Here I though that he was going to help me instead he's asking out a girl. Mary smiled at me as she looked at him.

"Well…I don't. And if you're going to ask me out I would have to say…" She said as she looked at him then back at me. "Sure. I'll go with you."

"Oh Mary! What were you thinking?" Karen said as she took her glass and drank the rest of her brandy.

"Great! I'll pick you up at nine." Cliff said and he looked at me. "And now onto business. I don't suppose you know anyone that doesn't have a date yet…" He said as Mary looked at him.

"Why do you think I would know? I don't keep a track of everyone's personal life. Besides, what do you think I would know-"

"Oh that's a shame…" Cliff said as he took out a glass bottle filled with a yellow liquid and placed it on her desk. "…and I have this perfectly new bottle of apple juice that I was going to drink. But you know that I can't drink in here. It's a shame…its ice cold too…" He said as he continued to stare at her.

"Oh…dammit." She said as she took the bottle and then looked at me. "Alright Cliff. You win. Elli doesn't have a date yet. If you hurry, you can probably catch her before she goes home." She said as she looked away from him.

"Thanks Mary. You're a sweetheart. Come on Jack! We're going to the clinic!" He said as he headed towards the door. I looked back at Mary who was drinking her cold bottle of apple juice.

"It's my weakness…" She said I waved to her and followed Cliff out.

So we walked to the clinic. Cliff filled me in about the Goddess Festival. The girls in town dresses up at the Goddess of Harvest and dance at the town square at ten. It was the perfect time, according to him, to socialize and mingle with the people in town. He also said this is the time where the girls are more kind. So we arrived at the clinic and entered through the door. As expected, the clinic wasn't that big. The nurse looked at us and greeted.

"Hello boys. What can I do for you?" She asked as I stared at her. The scent of apples and cinnamon filled the air again. And soon, my memory shot back at the time outside the supermarket. The girl with short brown hair, blue dress, and white apron…this is her!

"Hey there Elli." Cliff stressed as he looked at me. "This is Jack. He's the farmer."

Elli smiled at me and walked towards me. I remembered the wink she gave me and I soon got flustered. "It's good to finally meet you Jack." She said as she offered a hand shake. I took her hand and shook it.

"P-Pleasures all mine." I said as I looked over her shoulder. Cliff was motioning me to talk to her about the Goddess Festival. But unfortunately my brain wasn't functioning well at the time. "I um…well, you see that…"

"I'll take it from here hombre." Cliff said as he patted Jack's arm and drank is scotch.

I looked at Jack and things were going from bad to worse. His small talk? Horrible…

"S-So…turnips…" Jack started as he talked to Elli who was looking at him with confusion.

I hung my head back and tried to get his attention. But it was no use. He was going to make himself look bad! And she's the only girl that doesn't have a date! There was no way he's going to ruin this shot.

Not to mention he wasn't wearing the tunic I gave him! Geez!

So I had to step in and save him from himself. "Hey Elli. What my spastic friend here was going to ask is if you had a date for the Goddess Festival." I said as she looked at him then back at me.

"Hmm…well I was just going to go with my little brother Stu. But I suppose I can take him on." She said as she looked at him. "I'll be on the farm. Nine o' clock." She said with some sass to it.

"I didn't say it with sass…" Elli corrected Cliff.

"My small talk wasn't that bad…" Jack said as he poked Cliff.

"Please, you were talking about your ax…I had to come save you…"

And so, after accomplishing that mission, Jack and I went to the Inn. There we met up with Karen and Ann.

"Two scotches Ann…" I said as I raised two fingers at her.

"I don't like scotch…"

"And a beer please." Karen said as we watched Ann get our orders.

"I'm going to have to ask you to stop your story there Cliff." Ann said to him as he looked at her.

"Aw why?"

"Because what happens next is something bad and I don't want to remember it." She said as Jack and Karen laughed. "Oh you two shut up."

"What happened Ann?" Gray asked.

"Maybe another night…just skip ahead please?" Ann begged.

"Feh, fine. Moving onto the Goddess Festival, I picked up Mary at nine and we headed to the Goddess Festival…"

The Goddess Festival was great, like it is every year. The girls danced their ritual dance while the guys hanged back and talked about the girls. I couldn't help but noticed Jack being silent one the group. Usually it's Gray but even he said something once in awhile. So I pulled Jack out of the group to talk to him one on one.

"Jack? What's up man? You're not talking much." I said to him as Jack looked back at the guys and the girls.

"Well…I guess there isn't much for me to say. I've only been here for a week and a half. And I'm kinda nervous." He said as I laughed.

"Don't worry. After the festival everyone is heading back to the Inn. Heh, remember the time when-"

"Don't you dare…" Ann warned Cliff

"…that thing happened in the Inn?" I said as Jack laughed.

"That, I must admit, was funny. But that's not why I'm nervous." He said as he looked back at Elli. "I told Elli that I wasn't too familiar with the town so I asked her for a small tour after the festival."

I laughed as I punched his arm.

"Oh it is on! Haha. It is on 'til the break of dawn! Way to go!" I praised him.

"Yeah but I don't know what to say…" He said as I thought about it.

"Wanna do it?" I suggested but then he hit me back. "What? Seems fool proof. Well, there is one part of Mineral Village that I intentionally left out in our little tour." I said as I looked over towards Mother Hill. Jack nodded his head and patted my shoulder.

"Yeah…yeah there is. Thanks." He said as everyone started to clap. The dancing was finish meaning the festival was basically over.

"Good luck Jack." I said to him as I met up with Mary and the others. Jack walked over to Elli and started to talk to her. As we started to head to the Inn, I looked back and saw Jack and Elli walk towards Mother Hill. Though he wasn't wearing a tunic, he definitely had luck on his side.

Later that night, Ann, Karen, Popuri, Mary, Gray, Rick, the Doctor, and me were all at one table drinking to our heart's content. "…and that's how I hooked those two up." I said, finishing my tale of why the farmer and Elli weren't at our table. Ann shook her head.

"And to think you did that all by yourself…" She said.

"…I'm a great guy but I don't have a tunic." Rick said as everyone looked at him.

Hours past and it was getting late. Also, Doug was getting mad that we were finishing his supply of liquor.

"Why are we still here? We should get home." Karen said as everyone started to get up. But soon the door swung open and Elli came in, alone.

"Elli! Where's Jack?" Popuri asked but she just walked passed us and got herself a glass of wine. She didn't want to talk about what happen that night…I asked Jack later and he filled me in on what happen.

"…so?" Doctor asked Cliff and he laughed.

"Don't look at me. It's not my story anymore…" He said as he looked at Jack. Jack sighed as he looked at his empty glass.

"Well…"

I took Elli to Mother Hill were we explored the mountain side. We found flowers and bamboo shoots and herbs. We reached the peak where we decided to rest.

"Ahh…this is the best view in the entire village." She said to me, still wearing her Goddess costume. "So…tell me about yourself."

And so we talked…about everything. I learn she had a little bother, Stu, she takes care of her grandmother, she's a full time nurse, she loves to cook, her birthday is in the fall, she wanted to have kids in the future…everything. And the more I learn about her, the more I realize that she was a cool person.

"…and one of these days I wish to travel to Europe and just sight see." She said as I nodded my head. "Me too! …wow, it's so weird. We had a lot of things in common…" I said as I found myself inching closer to her. She looked down at my hand and moved her hand so that they were barely touching.

"Maybe we can learn more about each other if we get closer." She said to me as I got embarrassed. "What do you think?"

"Well…I think you have soft fingers…" I said as I leaned in closer to her.

"Well…I think you have a cute face…" She said back as we got closer.

"…I think I'm in love with you…"

"WHAT?!" They all yelled at Jack.

"What?!" Elli said as she backed up away from me.

"…and that's the story of the Goddess incident…" Jack said as he rotated his empty glass around its rim. Everyone started to laugh as they looked at Elli who was equally embarrassed.

"Well…that's all in the past ok…and thank the Goddess the story is over." She said as she sipped her wine. "Can we move on please?"

"Heh, I can imagine how awkward that must have been several days later when you two saw each other again." Rick laughed.

"Hehe, you think that's embarrassing. You should hear the time when Elli's cousin, Lumina came to Mineral Village." Cliff laughed as Elli stared at him.

"No! We're not going to tell that story!" She warned him. "Tell something else."

"What about the time Jack got lost on Mother Hill?" the Doctor said as it made people curious.

"No, not that time. That time was horrible…" Jack said as he looked at everyone.

"What about the masquerade ball?" Mary offered as Cliff got up.

"Perfect! So it was summer and-"

"No! Not that story either Cliff…" Elli warned him.

"…so what are we going to talk about?"

Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be up as soon as possible! Give it a week or so. Reviews are always welcome!