Harvest Moon: Easter Egg Hunt

In a remote land far from any city, there is a small community called Flowerbud Village. The village only has a few people living there, but they all live a very peaceful life. Because the village is so far from any cities, they all became accustomed to life without modern day conveniences. One of the ways they enjoy themselves is by having festivals several times a year.

This story is about a festival that is held in Spring. The Easter Festival is a time when everyone celebrates Easter by having an Easter Egg Hunt. To many people outside of the village, this event is for children. But in Flowerbud Village, everyone gets to participate.

In Flowerbud Village lives a young farmer named Pete. He inherited his farm three years ago shortly after the passing if his grandfather. Pete is 23 years old now, single, and without children. He likes to wear blue farming attire, and a blue hat while he works hard on his farm. He is a relatively happy person, however he always wishes for some romance in his life.

The day before the Easter Festival, Pete walks out of his house to breath in the chilly fresh Spring air. As he stretches his arms, he hears his name being called by the village Mayor Thomas. Mayor Thomas is a short pudgy man who wears all red. He may seem odd to most people, but he is quite friendly.

“Mayor Thomas, what can I do for you?” asked Pete with a friendly smile on his face.

“The Easter Festival is tomorrow. I was hoping that you would join us in the celebration of Easter,” said Mayor Thomas. Each time there is a festival coming up, Mayor Thomas always makes a habit to remind everyone at least a day ahead of time.

Pete thinks for a moment and says, “most likely not. I don't get lucky in the Easter Egg Hunt, and I always end up getting the worst prizes. Last year, I won a pet rock.”

Mayor Thomas smiles and responds, “this year, I'm encouraging young men and young women to pair up with some interesting prizes.”

“I'm listening,” said Pete full of interest.

“I've got some pretty good donations in this year. The top prize is still 5000g. I also have a Music box mixed in there, I heard that it is a very popular gift with the young women. And of course, one of the prizes is a blue feather!”

“You don't say?” asked Pete. “Well then, I'll sure be looking forward to attending this year.”

Mayor Thomas then says his goodbyes and leaves the farm to remind the rest of the villagers of the Easter Festival. Pete goes off to do the work for the day. As he works with the animals in the pasture, he imagines a life where he is married and with a son of his own. There are five beautiful and single young women living in the village. He likes all of them, and any of them would make a suitable wife for him.

The next day, the eggs are being hidden for the Easter Egg Hunt by Mayor Thomas. In the flower shop, a young girl with long pink hair named Popuri patiently waits for her father to return home. She is a lovely young girl who loves flowers above most things. She loves wearing a white and red dress, a green hair band on her head, and a black corsage to keep her slender figure. Even though she is very attractive, she is not very popular with men because of her childish and innocent personality.

As soon as she hears the door open, she quickly runs out of her room, and hugs her father tightly. Her mother Lillia, and her father Basil smile at one another, they know that when Popuri acts this way, it means that she wants something. “Papa, I'm glad that you're home!” cheered Popuri.

“Okay, you can stop now. What is it that you want?” asked Basil caressing his 22 year old daughter on the head.

“I heard that you got some Blue Mist seeds. Can I have them PLEASE!? I've always wanted to see real Blue Mist flowers!” begged Popuri.

Basil laughed and says, “I'm sorry Popuri, but I don't have them anymore. I gave them to Mayor Thomas as a prize for the Easter Egg Hunt.” Popuri looks down sadly at the news. Then Basil continues, “Don't worry my little princess, you can just win the seeds at the festival.”

“But Papa! You know that I can never find any eggs at the Easter Festival! Ever since I was a little girl, I have never found even a single egg, not even once,” whined Popuri.

“Don't worry, I have a feeling that you'll find an egg this year,” said Lillia. “I can't promise that you'll get the Blue Mist Flowers, but it's still worth a try.”

“You really think so?” asked Popuri. Lillia nods happily. Popuri then jumps around the house for joy.

Basil walks up to Lillia and whispers, “are you sure it's a good idea to say that? She'll be so sad if she doesn't get an egg this year.”

Lillia whispers back, “don't worry, I asked Mayor Thomas to put an egg where she'll easily find it. It may not be the prize she wants, but at least finding an egg for the first time will make her happy enough.”

At noon, all the villagers group together close to the square where they meet up to start the Easter Egg Hunt. Pete is excited that he may end up with a gift for a girl, and Popuri is excited because she feels that she will find an egg for the first time. Mayor Thomas comes out with a huge basket full of prizes. Everyone can’t wait to start.

Mayor Thomas clears his throat and begins his speech. “hello everyone, and thanks for attending the annual Easter Egg hunt. Before we begin, let me tell you the rules. There are several eggs hidden in the village, each egg holds a piece of paper with a number. Each number assigned will tell me what prize to give you. Only one egg is allowed per person, so choose your egg wisely. Please no fighting over the eggs, the egg goes to the first person that touches it. Are the rules clear?”

Everyone nods and agrees with all the rules. Mayor Thomas then blows a whistle, and everyone starts running off to find the hidden eggs. Pete starts looking around the bushes by the bakery, and Popuri checks close to her house.

Pete finds a green egg sticking out of the bushes close to the bakery. He is about to run and get it, but then he sees Grey walk by. Grey also notices the egg, and grabs it. He looks over at Pete with a cold look in his eye and asks, “is there a problem?”

“Nope! No problem here,” said Pete nervously. Then he runs off to go find another egg.

Popuri is circling her house looking for an egg. As she searches, she thinks, “hmm. . . What color egg would the Blue Mist seeds be in? I guess since the flower is blue, then the egg has to be blue too. I hope that I can find a blue egg, cause I want to grow the seeds, and look at the pretty blue flower.”

Lillia notices Popuri searching hard for an egg. She takes a blue egg that she already found earlier, and tosses it behind Popuri so that she can find it easily. It takes Popuri another few minutes to finally notice the blue egg laying on the grass behind her about 50 feet from where she is standing. She is about to run after the egg, but Kent zips past her and snatches it instead.

Kent looks back, sticks his tongue out at Popuri and says, “Popuri, you're too slow! You'll never find an egg just like last year, and every year before that!” Then he runs off to claim his prize. Popuri sighs, and tries again.

Pete is behind the bar searching for an egg. Close to some barrels, he finds a yellow egg sticking out. He runs after it, but just before he touches it, the egg drags off. He looks at the direction where the egg heads to, and finds Rick using a super vacuum device that he invented to suck the egg to him.

Pete points at Rick and yells, “hey, using that is not fair!”

Rick answers, “there's nothing in the rules that says that I cannot use my inventions. See you later loser!” he then runs off to claim his prize.

Popuri continues her search, but she has no luck finding any eggs. Soon enough, a shadowy figure walks out from behind some brush and walks up to Popuri. “hey there! I think I may have something you're looking for,” said the strange man wearing all black.

Popuri looks away and says, “mama told me not to talk to strangers!”

“I'm no stranger,” said the strange man. “My name is Sammy the salesman. I just want to show you this.” Sammy pulls a blue colored egg from his pocket and shows it to Popuri.

Popuri gasps when she notices the blue egg. She then asks, “is that for me?”

Sammy smiles as he grabs her attention. “I'll sell it to you for 100g. It's a fair deal, I'm sure that anything the Mayor has for grabs is worth far more than that.”

Popuri wants to turn him down, but she really wants the blue egg even more. So she grabs her purse and pulls out five coins that says 20g. After handing over the money, Sammy gives her the egg and runs off. She stares at the egg for a moment, and notices that something is odd about it. She drops the egg, and it shatters on the ground revealing that it is not an Easter egg, but a normal chicken egg colored blue.

Pete continues his search for an Easter Egg on the southern half of the village. On the grass, he sees a red egg resting in the grass. Excited to see it, he runs to it and dives for the egg. But just before he touches it, Cain the falcon swoops down and snatches it. Pete lands on the grass face first, his mouth full of grass and dirt. After spitting out the grass and dirt, he follows Cain back to Cliff where his falcon drops the egg on his hands.

Pete yells at Cliff, “hey, that is not fair! That egg was supposed to be mine!”

Cliff answers, “all is fair in love and war my friend. I'm sorry, but there is an orange haired girl I need to confess to. I'm just hoping that this egg has what I need to do it.” He then runs off to claim his prize.

By this time, almost all the eggs are found. Popuri walks around the village randomly looking at everyone else with eggs, and she still has none. She is about to give up, but Stu finds her looking depressed. He stops her and asks, “hey, what's wrong?”

“Nothing really, I still haven't found an egg yet,” answered Popuri. She sighs and continues, “I was so looking forward to getting a blue egg. But it looks like I'm not going to get any this year again.”

Stu smiles and says, “wanna hear a secret?” Popuri bends down, and Stu whispers in her ear, “I saw where the Mayor hide all the eggs. There's a blue egg in the well. I just checked a few minutes ago, the egg is still there.”

Popuri smiles and kisses Stu on the cheek. Then she runs off to the well to find the egg. Inside the well, there are many oval shaped stones. The water makes them all look blue colored, so she pulls them out one by one, and checks them. After grabbing all the rocks in reach, she finds that none of them is the egg. She stands before the well, and thinks what might have happened to the egg.

Just then, May walks by with her father Zack. She tell her father, “look daddy! I found a pretty blue egg.”

Zack smiles and asks, “that's nice, where did you find it?”

May answers, “It was floating in the well. I think this is the last egg too.” Popuri tilts her head down sadly, she was too late.

Pete is also not having any luck with the eggs. All the eggs that he found were taken by the other guys in the village. He is about to give up, but then his luck changes. He accidentally kicks two eggs that were lying on the ground. He picks the yellow and green eggs up and stares at them.

“Lucky! I found two eggs,” he said. “But I'm only allowed to turn in one, so which one do I keep?” He looks at the green egg, then at the yellow one. Since yellow is his least favorite color, he throws it over his shoulder.

Not too far behind him, Harris the mailman walks around looking for an egg. He sighs and says, “looks like this year I'll be the one without an egg. What a shame, I really wanted to win that blue feather so I can propose to Maria. Well, I might as well keep searching, and egg is not about to fall from the sky.” Just then, Pete's yellow egg hits him in the head. He picks up the egg and says, “thank you god!”

The Easter Egg Hunt ends at 5:00pm. Everyone in the village except Popuri has an egg. They all line up in front of the Mayor to break open the egg to see what they get. Pete is in the back of the line to see what everyone else got.

When Rick turns his egg in, Mayor Thomas opens the egg and takes out the paper with the number. The Mayor announces, “you got fertilizer!” Everyone laughs at his misfortune. Pete feels that he got what he deserves after using a cheap device to steal his egg.

Grey turns in his egg, and Mayor Thomas announces, “you got a bag of Moondrop Flower seeds!” Everyone claps, and Grey accepts the prize.

Kent turns in his egg, and Mayor Thomas announces, “you got a dozen carrots!” Kent is not happy that he got his least favorite food as a prize.

May turns in her egg, and Mayor Thomas announces, “you got a stuffed horse doll!” May hugs her new stuffed animal cheerfully feeling happy that she got exactly what she wanted.

Pete feels pretty confident that he is going to get exactly what he wanted in his egg. It is now Cliff's turn to turn in his egg. Mayor Thomas then announces, “your prize is the Music Box! Congratulations!” After getting the music box, he gives it to Ann, and tells her how he feels about her. Cliff and Ann then decides to start going out from then on.

Pete sighs, the only other prize left that he is interested in is the blue feather. He is only hoping that he finds the feather inside the egg that he has in his hand. But his hopes completely shatters when he hears Mayor Thomas announce, “you won the Blue Feather! Congratulations!” The blue feather is inside the egg that Harris had. Harris takes the Blue feather to Maria, and proposes. She happily accepts it, and they are now engaged.

Only a few people are left in the line before him. All the great prizes have been already taken by other villagers, and Pete wonders what sort of prize is inside his egg. But just then, he heard someone crying. He takes a look over at the group of girls who are trying to comfort Popuri who never got an egg.

“Don't worry Popuri! Just try a bit harder next year,” said Karen.

“But I really wanted a blue egg,” cried Popuri. “But I didn't end up finding anything at all. Maybe Kent is right, I'll never win anything in the Easter Festival.”

Pete feels bad for her. He stares at his egg for a moment, then leaves the line and approaches the girls. He stretches his hand out to Popuri, and reveals his egg. Popuri stops crying, and stares at the egg for a second. Then she looks up at Pete unsure of what to do.

“Here, you can have my egg,” said Pete. “I don't want any of the prizes, so I don't need the egg. I'm sorry that it's not blue, but this will have to do.” He then places the egg in her hands, and returns to his farm. All the girls giggle at Pete's kind and generous gesture, then shoves Popuri into the line to see what she got.

Popuri isn't sure if accepting Pete's egg was the right thing to do, but it's too late to change her mind now. Popuri is the last person on the line to turn in an egg. Mayor Thomas opens the green egg, and reads the number. Then he announces, “you won Blue Mist Flower Seeds! Congratulations!” Everyone claps at Popuri seeing that she got exactly that she wanted.

The festival ends, and everyone returns home. The next morning, Pete leaves his house, and finds Popuri standing outside. Pete smiles and says, “hi there. What can I do for you?”

Popuri reveals the bag of Blue Mist seeds and says, “this is the prize that I won from your egg. I just wanted to say. . . Thank you.”

Pete nods and says, “It's my pleasure. I'm glad that you like it.”

“Um. . . Would you like to plant them with me?” asked Popuri shyly.

Pete nods. Popuri then leads him into the mountains where they enter the forest. Deep in the forest, they find a cool spot close to a pond where they can plant the seeds. Using his hoe, Pete makes a bunch of holes, and Popuri plants a seed in each one. Then they both takes out their watering cans and watered all the planted seeds.

“How long will it take for them to bloom?” asked Pete.

“They'll bloom by mid Summer,” answered Popuri. Then they both look at one another for a moment. Popuri asks, “Pete, the seeds needs to be watered every single day. Will you help me water them?”

“Sure!” nodded Pete.

Popuri walks up to Pete, and kisses him on the cheek. Then they both walk out of the forest holding hands leaving the Blue Mist flowers to grow. It's not how he planned the Easter Festival to be like, but he is not complaining. All he knows that two wishes were granted with only a single egg. Popuri got her flowers, and Jack found love.

The End.