SPOILERS!

Characters are from, MOSTLY, "Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town", and, "Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town".

Pete-A male player character in the game.

Claire-A female player character in the game.

Yuto-The second male player character in the game.

Naomi-The second female player in the game.

Mayor Thomas-The mayor of Mineral Town.

Mineral Town-The name of the town in the game.

Small little boy-Childhood friend of the farmers.

EDITED!-November 24th 2024!

Mineral Town was an old town with a mountain and a lake pouring forth from the ocean. It also had The Mother's Hill, two forests and, of course, a beach. One group of people would soon arrive in Mineral Town. Four people.

Four farmers.

But before they arrived, they already lived in the place over the summer to visit their grandfather.

And they found a friend.

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"Now, Pete, Claire, Yuto, Naomi," an old man addressed his grandchildren. "I am happy you are spending time with me."

"We like spending time with you, too!" said Pete, first to speak, clearly the leader of the siblings.

Pete was in a blue hat covering his brunette hair, a white and yellow shirt under blue overalls, black shoes, brown eyes and a red neckerchief.

"I agree!" said Claire, his second in command. "You're the most fun grandpa there is!"

Claire was in blonde hair, a pink and red checkered shirt under blue overalls blue shoes and blue eyes.

"I wouldn't mind staying home." Yuto said, always at odds with Pete. "I want grandpa to visit us!"

Yuto was in brunette hair, a blue shirt under a yellow hoodie, gray pants, blue shoes and red eyes.

"I-I think we should listen to grandpa!" Naomi tried to show her free spirit. But it was difficult for her.

Finally, Naomi was in brunette hair, a yellow hoodie, blue and white shorts, brown shoes and red eyes.

"Yes, Naomi. Everyone," said the grandfather. "Each of you will get to play, but you must first help me on my farm."

So, Pete helped with the animals, Claire cleaned the house, Yuto tended to the fields and Naomi went foraging for wood for the fireplace.

Soon, all the chores were completed.

"Let's play Sardines!" Pete said.

"I guess that sounds fun," said Yuto.

"And Naomi may play it since she doesn't like to search places!" Claire said.

"M-May I skip playing altogether?" Naomi asked.

Claire tried to comfort her. "It'll be fun, Naomi! No worries!"

Naomi smiled. "I'm okay. I'll play."

All four children decided to play in the woods.

Naomi decided to hide up in a small tree.

The other three searched high and low, but no one bothered to look up.

But then Naomi got stuck!

It wasn't very high, but she was still afraid of heights.

Then, out of nowhere, a, little boy appeared in the tree on another branch!

He was in blue overalls like Pete and Claire.

"I'll help you!" the little boy said.

He dropped from the tree and onto the grass. Then he motioned to Naomi.

"I'll catch you!"

Naomi was unsure, but let go anyhow.

She landed safely in the boy's arms.

"I must repay you!" she said.

"I saw you playing with your friends," sad the boy. "May I play, too?"

"Let's ask them!" Naomi said as she laid the boy away.

"Who's this?" asked Pete when they found the other three children. "You're supposed to be hiding!"

"Hold on, Pete!" said Yuto. "We should be asking about this kid, here."

"He helped me!" said Naomi. "I was stuck in a tree and he helped me down!"

"So, that's where you were hiding!" said Claire.

Naomi turned to the boy. Then to Pete. "May he play with us?"

Both Pete and the boy grinned.

"Sure!" said Pete. "If he wants to?"

"Yeah!" said the boy.

So, they spent the rest of the day playing together.

But there was one thing.

"What's your name?" Pete asked the boy.

"Um. I can't tell you," the boy said.

So, for the rest of the time spent at their grandfather's house, the five children played together, not knowing the boy's identity.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Years later, the four children, now adults, revisited their summer home. They were to run their grandfather's farm. And one other thing.

The mayor, being his job to introduce people to their new houses, showed them their homestead and crop field and farm. He was pretty short, with a huge red and white hat, a brown mustache hair and eyebrows, a red and white jacket, a blue bowtie and pants, darker blue shoes and a pair of black beady eyes behind a pair of glasses.

"I'm Mayor Thomas!" the mayor said, introducing himself. "And you must be Pete, Claire, Yuto and Naomi, correct?"

Each farmer bowed. "Yes."

"Now! You are aware that you are given the farm, crop plot and barn, right?" asked Thomas.

"Yeah," said Pete.

"Well, before your grandfather left the farm to you, he sold all the animals and let the plot fall into ruins. He only recently changed his mind," said Thomas. "And you remember he only had one bed for two people in the guest room?"

"We had to sometimes let Pete and Claire and then Naomi and I sleep in it," said Yuto. "Sometimes we slept on the floor."

"Well, until you get three other beds, you'll continue as is. Goodbye, now!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That night, Pete and Claire slept in the bed and Yuto on the floor and Naomi on the couch.

But no one slept.

Naomi lit a candle, then walked into the guest room.

"Thinking of the same thing?" Yuto asked her.

"Yes," said Naomi.

"Us neither," said Pete and Claire.

"We're still going to look for the little boy, right?" Naomi asked.

"It's the main reason we're here," said Pete. "We'll start tomorrow."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, Mayor Thomas visited their farmhouse.

"I know that you're also here to find the boy!" he told them.

Each farmer was stunned!

"How?!" asked Pete.

"Your grandfather told me before he left," said Thomas. "If you want to ask around town, I'll allow it, but not our marriage couples. You see, many of the young people on the land are getting married! If you want to talk with them, please await until afterwards. Would you like them distracted by their friends?"

"I don't see why not now!" said Pete.

"Your grandfather was the only one to be able to talk to The Harvest Goddess," said Thomas. "She told him there would be sixteen people to marry in the land. But she never said who. You will ask the couples and only the couples, one by one as they marry. Don't ask why, your grandmother only said that."

Then Thomas left, leaving the farmers to themselves.

"What will we do?" Claire asked Pete.

"I don't know," said Pete. "But we'll figure it out!"

Naomi smiled. "It's a mystery, isn't it?"

"Yeah, a mystery." said Pete.

So, farmers search would begin!

But they didn't know when.