Natali: The new farmer girl who has recently decided that her livestock barn is depressing.
Ivan: A young man who works as a tutor and is attempting to enjoy his day off.
Raul: The shopkeeper who has three brothers and wears a very impressive hat.
Marian: The Grand-daughter of Joan, who owns the Town's Cafe.
Dirk: Ivan's Younger Brother.
Natali's Livestock Cheepy: A chick Ellie: Natali's fat old cow.
Bess: Natali's troublemaking calf.
Fluff: A sheep Cloud: Another sheep Chirp:A grouchy old chicken ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Bring Bring Bringgggg!"
Natali's alarm clock screamed at her while Natali turned in her bed, Looked at the alarm clock, and grumbled sleepily.
She slammed her hand on the Snooze button and turned away from the clock.
"Bringggggg!" Louder and high pitched.
Natali's immediate thought was, "That's Zephyr Town for you. Minutes are like mere seconds when it comes to sleeping."
Natali glared at the clock, if looks could kill she would have to pay for yet another alarm clocks funeral.
She sat up, turned, picked up the alarm clock, gently pressed the off button, and then threw it across the room as hard as she could.
Since it was early morning, when even the sun had enough sense to stay asleep, Natali's grip was equal to that of a worms and the clock bounced off the wall and landed with a dull "Ka-Thump".
Natali got shakilty to her feet and went to make sure she hadn't broken anything.
No such luck, the ugly paint was unharmed and the only thing broken had been Natali's sleep.
Her dreams had been fantastic tonight and she had been just about to kiss the handsome knight with blue eyes and cute completely touchable looking hair when she'd heard a beep.
And another,
and another.
She stretched her arms, yawned for a good few seconds, and walked into the barn .
It was a good sunny autumn day and Natali decided to let her animals enjoy the few days before winter would come and they would have to stay cooped up inside during the Winter season and Boy Would It Smell.
She'd learned her lesson last year when Ellie,who had been a tiny calf, had gotten cold and had crept into Natali's living room.
Natali, naive and innocent at the time, had let her rest near the fireplace, dismissed the mischief as cute,
and had fallen asleep while the cow raided the kitchen, ate all Natali's dessert,
and then followed that performance up by making a huge mess in the kitchen and living room.
Natali still wasn't sure if all the chocolate mousse she'd thrown away had really been chocolate.
Though now,as she attempted to shove Ellie's rear into the pasture, she guessed that the "Chocolate Incident", as it was now refered to, was why Ellie had grown so fat.
Natali planted her hands on the cow's flanks and Pushed and shoved until finally the cow popped through the door frame and into the meadow.
Bess went outside of her own accord when she was given only a gentle push.
The sheep took their time and only when Natali threw them out the door did they get the hint she was making.
The chickens needed only to be picked up and thrown into their coop to get the message also.
Her dog Cassie was little help, she ran around barking at the animals and was trying to act like a sheep herding dog with years of practice,
She was doing a job that could only be classified as FAIL.
"Finally," Natali thought, "Now I need to head to town to pick up that special order from Raul."
The animal's barn was sturdy, cool in Summer and warm in winter, roomy, and had plenty of places for animals to take a nap or get some privacy.
The food bins were always full and every animal had a nice place of bedding all their own.
The walls, though sturdy, were the ugliest shade of brown ever seen. They looked like a toddler, one like Kevin, had taken a broken crayon and scribbled on a rotten log with moss on it.
So ever since Natali had moved in and been brave enough to make her house truly her own,you wouldn't believe how many fits Felix and Wilbur threw when she bought the pictures to hang on the wall about how the 'Rustic Charm' of the house was ruined,
she had wanted to paint those walls.
So now, On a bright,sharp, and crystal clear Fall moring she finally decided to go through with her plan.
She blew a kiss to Ellie and set down to Raul's multi purpose shop.
She walked down the slope and ran into someone at the pond.
Ivan the polite man of the town, though he was still young enough to be called a boy,was leaning over the river and gazing heavily at the river as though he expected to find a bit of writing or a hidden math problem in it.
Natali watched him for a minute before she said.
"How does one go for so long without blinking Ivan?"
Ivan jumped and turned quickly around and almost stumbled backwards into the river.
He caught his balance and said. "Oh Natali, You startled me. I wasn't expecting anyone to be awake at this hour."
Natali smiled, "You know farmers. Awake when the sun is asleep and asleep when the moon is awake!"
Ivan smiled ,a flicker of a smile, and said. "Where were you headed to this early Natali?"
"Raul's shop, I need to pick something up."
"Would you mind if I went with you? I need something to pass the time since Dirk is helping Joan make breakfast at the Cafe."
Natali raised in eyebrow. "The cafe doesn't open until 10:00."
"Your point being?"
"It's barely six thirty Ivan."
"He said something about needing to borrow something from Daisy."
Natali processed this.
"But Daisy lives past the town, not even close to the cafe-"
Her eyes widened. "Ohhhhhh, I get it."
She grinned.
"Dirk likes Daisy, doesn't he?"
Ivan seemed startled.
"What? No! He's my brother and I think I would notice if he- Are you even listening to me?"
Natali's eyes had glazed over and Ivan could practically see the images she was thinking of with Dirk and Daisy together as a couple.
He sighed, Natali was a true romantic at heart and once she started going she didn't stop.
"Didn't you have somewhere you were going?"
"Huh what? Oh yeah!"
Natali stood up straight and began to walk down the road with Ivan staggering behind a little.
A few minutes passed with a slight awkwardness for Ivan, Natali however was accustomed to awkwardness since she had in school,and still had, a bad habit of blurting things out that people didn't really want to hear.
Ivan cleared his throat, "So what are you getting from Raul's shop Natali?"
"A special order."
"But what?"
"Paint I think,it could just as easily be a chicken or perhaps a secret message that I will decode with my epic skills and hand over to the Government for the small price of one billion dollars."
"So it's paint then?"
"Yes Ivan, it's paint." Under her breath she muttered "Spoilsport..."
They reached Raul's shop and Natali gladly accepted the package which was wrapped in brown paper and was so large that Ivan wondered if she was planning on painting a life size forest or something.
Ivan frowned, "What do you need that for? Is it Angelos?"
"No,what I'm doing needs no artistical talent."
"The correct way to say it is Artistic talent."
"I don't need that either."
Before Ivan could make up some comeback of his own something deep in the recesses of Natali's stomach went "Grooooowl!"
"The dragon in my stomach is hungry." Natali said solemnly patting her stomach.
Now Raul was confused. "What is the dragon in your stomach Natali?" Raul asked tilting his head and his large colorful hat with with it.
"Yes, what is that supposed to be?" Ivan questioned.
Natali spoke in a matter of fact tone.
"There is a dragon inside everyone's stomach and if he gets hungry he growls and breathes fire. If you don't feed him at all he eats you instead.
But if you keep him fed he will sleep and stay still.
Ivan sweatdropped "Uh actually Natali..." Suddenly Raul jumped up "That makes perfect sense Natali!"
"Yeah! I figured it out when I was a teenager!"
Ivan closed his eyes and tried to smile. "Even when she was a teenager," He thought, "She was completely clueless."
Natali's stomach growled again and she said, "Well I suppose I didn't eat breakfast but since Joan's is closed I'll just have to make something myself. Maybe I'll mix some eggs and cheese in a pan."
Ivan nodded "That sounds like it would be tasty."
She went on, "And orange slices and milk and chocolate and all my favorite foods."
"Actually why don't I go and help you with that..." Ivan said as he sweatdropped again.
At Natali's barn Ivan stepped inside the kitchen and took out all the cooking supplies from the drawers.
Natali watched him and said,
"Pancakes."
"What?"
"You were going to ask me what I wanted to eat and to save time I answered ahead. I would like pancakes."
"Er alright then, pancakes it is! Do you have any eggs?"
Natali reached into her bag and pulled out five eggs that were all perfectly intact and fresh looking.
Ivan would be forever mystified as how a woman could reach into her bag and pull out anything, a radio for example, from a purse smaller than Ivan's head.
She watched him pour eggs and flour into a bowl and stir and noticed that he was pretty good at it, proabably because he had been raising Dirk ever since she could remember.
Then he spoke "Would you like to learn how to crack an egg?"
"Huh? Sure!"
"Alright you take the egg like this, tap it on the rim of the bowl a couple times"
Ivan tapped the egg about four times in good firm whacks.
"Then open the shells and let the inside of the egg pour out."
"Got it."
Natali picked up an egg with both her hands and raised her hands high as if she was going to smash it on the counter.
"Stop! Don't throw that into the bowl!"
She frowned, "Then what the heck do I do?"
Ivan patiently took her hands down from their high position and lowered them closer to the bowl.
He took the egg out from her hands and adjusted her fingers around the egg.
Natali took a shallow breath in.
A rush went up from her stomach to her head like someone had punched her in the stomach.
Ivan's hands were larger than hers by a tiny amount they were warm and soft.
His grip was surprisingly firm for a tutors and the way he had to lean closer to her shoulder, his breath barely reaching her neck, was making her feel odd and jumpy.
Her stomach did a backflip and she considered turning and leaning her face into his to brush their lips together.
ACCK where did that thought come from?
Ivan was her friend! F-R-I-E-N-D Friend and she had no intention in kissing him, besides that Natali knew for a fact than Freya thought Ivan was cute and she seemed to get very... un-Freya like when he was near.
His hands sure were soft though.
As Ivan took her hands and slid his over hers he noticed that her hands seemed to fit under his in a way that seemed as though he had found a pair of jigsaw pieces that fit together.
Her fingers were slimmer than his and her skin under his felt a little cool.
Her hands were kind of smooth for a girl that spent all day hoeing and planting in the fields.
He suddenly could imagine what those hands would feel like on his face, or possibly running through his hair while he dozed off on a summers day.
"Focus Ivan." He thought, "Just imagine what she would say if she could hear your thoughts.
He heard himself say "Now gently tap the egg on the rim of the bowl and then open the shell.
Their hands seperated and Ivan had the briefest gulity feeling of wanting to snatch her hands back to his.
Then the sensation disappeared as Natali dropped the eggshell into the pan.
"I think I'll handle the rest of these..." Ivan said as Natali blushed in embarrassment and he sweatdropped.
(Timeskip)
Twelve minutes later...
"Wow Ivan! They look delicious!"
"Well thank you Natali."
Ivan grinned with pride.
The pancakes themselves were a lovely shade of golden brown and were steaming ever so slightly.
Natali piled about three pancakes on her plate and placed a square of butter on the top.
The butter melted slowly and spread all over the pancakes.
She also poured syrup on top and let it drizzle slowly down the sides of the pancakes.
She cut off a piece of the pancakes and put it in her mouth.
Her eyes glazed over and she said,
"I just died and went to pancake heaven..."
"Hardy-har-har Natali."
She looked up at him to say something but it was lost when she glanced out the window.
Dark imposing clouds were gathering around the town and Natali shifted uneasily.
Ivan turned to where she was looking and knit his eyebrows in confusion.
"It's supposed to be clear and sunny today. What-?"
His words were cut off by a low rumbling of thunder.
"Grroooowwwll..."
It was quiet to be sure, but dark and forboding.
Natali stood up slowly and began to walk to the door and slowly opened it.
Her eyes widened as she saw in the distance a heavy rainstorm complete with lightning and a wind that could knock down a couple trees.
Then the tempest reached them.
Rain fell onto the roof and the door blew towards Natali and slammed in her face.
Cassie began frantically barking from the meadow where she was herding the animals.
Natali shrieked wordlessly.
"The animals!" She thought. "They're all outside!"
She slammed the door open and bolted into the rain.
"Natali hold on! Wait!"
Ivan ran out after her.
Natali was already in the field, she had two chickens in her arms and she handed them to Ivan saying,
"Take them to their coop, it's in the barn!"
Ivan ran into the barn with the two squawking chickens under his arms.
Meanwhile Cassie had managed to herd one of the sheep into the barn and was now shivering in the corner and trying to shake herself off.
The other sheep had just been unceremoniously thrown into the barn along with another chicken.
Ivan stuck his head outside and saw Natali trying to push Bess across the field and into the barn.
Ivan ran over and helped Natali shove Bess's rear through the barn door.
As soon as Bess gained an inch through the door Natali was off again trying to catch Ellie and get her too the barn.
"Come on come on...Move! Come on Ellie move!"
Ellie had parked herself in front of the door and Natali's pushing and shoving wasn't doing any good for either of them.
Frustated tears ran down Natali's face as her arms began to give out.
Then there was a lift of the burden and Ivan was beside her pushing Ellie until she finally squeezed through the door.
Natali sank to her knees in the barn and the tears that had begun fell slowly and her sobs were silent.
Ivan sat next to her on his knees and placed a hand on her back.
She reached out blindly for something of comfort and leaned against Ivan's shoulder crying.
Ivan placed both hands on her back and pulled her towards him to comfort her and in his embrace she found strength enough to soothe her tears.
She laid on his shoulder for a minute and looked up at him with shining eyes.
As she sat there, her hair wet,her clothes soaked, and her cheeks flushed, Ivan felt suddenly a rush to his head like a loss of blood and he realized how close to eachother they were and how near her face was to his.
She opened her mouth and spoke,
"Oh dear...I've ruined your shirt."
It was so irreplacibly Natali that Ivan grinned and felt and odd powerful tugging sensation in the center of his chest.
He grinned and felt sort of a pride for this girl that could go through sudden and trying things and still come out as herself.
She never changed for anyone and he admired her for that.
She smiled and suddenly looked up at him expectantly.
"What is this?" She thought, "I'm looking at Ivan and he seems...different now. It's like I just turned on a light I didn't know existed."
He frowned, noticing her gaze, "What?"
She met his eyes and said, "What just happened to you? You seem...more real. "
"Excuse me?"
"That was...courageous of you to help me and I..."
"You what?" "Want to thank you."
Natali wondered what on Earth she could give him that would be worth all that he had done.
Then he surprised her,
"No I want to thank you."
"What?"
She was bewildered. Completely bewildered.
"For what? What did I do for you?"
"Made me brave enough to do this."
And then out of nowhere his face was right there in front of hers and she instinctively moved forward and then...
His mouth was on hers and her face was red with embarrassment and a strange energy.
She felt as though someone was injecting her with helium and she closed her eys to fully experience what was happening.
It wasn't anything but a light chaste kiss that lasted only for a few seconds but the high Natali was experiencing should have been illegal.
His arms were still around her and when they broke apart his arms stayed and they stayed like that for a long time.
But stories don't end after the best part happens, they go on and on.
And on and on wasn't even close to how far Natali could see in Ivan's embrace.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Authors Note Whoo Finally finished! This took at long time too write bcause I always get into the writing mood at about 3 AM so that's when I wrote it.
It took about three days to finish that one shot and I'm thinking the next one will be a Main Girl/Lloyd because I got a lot of votes for that particular oneshot.
Feel free to submit ideas and I accept anonymous reviewers because that way you can review twice on one chapter JustKidding but feel free to send Story ideas and maybe get inspired to write your own FF because we definitely need more Harvest Moon Fanfiction on the internet and !
Remember! Everytime you review You buy something from my bazaar stand and I'm aiming for BEST BAZAAR IN THE WORLD!
Lots of kookies,
Lolacocacola97