Bottled Message

Leia's Story
Spring 28 Year 1

It has been a while since I washed up on the shore by this crazy mad scientist. Actually he isn't that mad, crazy on the other hand fits the bill. He is a good man though and goes by the name of Daryll. He has taken care of me as if he were a father or even my mother.

I hope to see my mother again soon but in my current state I am too weak to swim back home. Daryll takes care of me till the day I regain my strength. I have only begun to trust this strange man who has taken care of me all this time.

Imagine my surprise when I woke up in his laboratory bath tub! Machines and weird tools as far as I could see surrounding the whole place, it still gives me a chill thinking about it. I clearly thought this man would rip me open like all the humans in the stories my mom would tell me.

But I am glad to say she is wrong, he is kind man. His hair unkempt and always running around in his lab coat. That matters not though; he keeps me happy and safe until I am able to go to my home.

Summer 5 Year 1

I was on my back being snug in my bathtub looking up at the ceiling. It was full of dust and sometimes when he's upstairs and jumps from joy from his brilliant ideas the dust would fall on my nose. Man I can complain huh? I've soon started associated the dust fall to his idea breakthrough moment as I knew he must be happy with something. I lay on my back all day waiting for him to return from roaming around and gathering food. I wonder how hard it must be to live in a world like he does.

He tells me stories of this new up and coming farmer that just moved in. His grandfather had passed away and he inherited a farm nearby. My heart sank at this as the thought of losing my mom crept into my head, and I felt much sympathy for this farmer. It seemed as if this farmer was all Daryll could talk about. I've noticed we've even been getting better food then even Vesta's farm! That being the only farm around before this new farmer came about. They were way more delicious and fresh and each day I imagined what this farmer would look like.

Summer 18 Year 1

One day the door opened upstairs and I sat up smiling and awaiting the stories Daryll would tell me. I was taken back from a new face. No one has ever come down here from what Daryll has told me. My heart raced but I kept a calm smile towards him. He would be the second human I would see. I could tell from his face as well that he was surprised.

"Leia! This is the farmer boy I have been telling you all about! Jack here wanted to spend dinner here and I couldn't just deny him. Of course I'm rather irritated that he did not use my awesome new invention... could've cut cooking by 88%...." Daryll began mumbling and fumbling through his desk.

I smiled and extended a hand to him. "Hi I'm Leia. It's so nice to meet you! I've heard a lot about you and a friend of Daryll's is a sure friend of mines!"

His face thawed and he let out a breath of fresh air and shook my hand. "Sorry for that it was just the first time I've ever...well...seen you."

"I'm guessing you don't see get to see a mermaid every day?"

"Honestly I'm not that surprised I've seen....other creatures." his voice turned into a humorous groan and my curiosity grew.

Jack and I spent the whole dinner talking. His meetings with these things called harvest sprites. The Harvest Goddess and the Harvest God! Beings I have never heard of and yet rule the lands and are responsible for the bountiful fruits and vegetables he grows. Jack explained all the people that lived in the village. I didn't know so many interesting people existed. All I ever hear from Daryll is the Vesta farm and of course Jack. Daryll had gotten bored and left the basement off to ponder on his next invention. I was scarfing down the amazing fish stew Jack had brought for us all and he cleared his throat.

"So Leia...I have to ask, why are you here? It doesn't seem like mermaid living conditions in this basement."

"Well...I was washed up ashore and Daryll saved me and has taken really good care of me."

"Ah, that Daryll. Even if he tries to hide it he's a gentle person."

"Oh yes he is! I want to repay him in some way though." I looked down at my plate. "Hey Jack you live alone?"

"Yeah?" He asked before taking a bite from his plate.

"So you cooked this all by yourself?"

"Yeah, it took some effort but let's say I had some help" he cheerfully laughed.

"Can you teach me how to cook like this? It would mean a lot to me if I could find some way to repay Daryll and maybe cook him a nice meal after a long day."

Jack took a final big bite from his dinner and nodded. "It would be my pleasure Leia."

Fall 2 Year 1

Ever since our first meeting we were inseparable. Even though I cannot go outside and experience life with him, he always took time out of his busy day to talk to me and teach me how to cook. It wasn't long before my skills started to surpass even Jack and he didn't need to teach me anymore. A part of me was afraid he would stop coming over but even when I had perfected my cooking skills he still came around. I hope he doesn't stop coming around...

Spring 2 Year 2

A year has passed since I've arrived in this town and I still live in the basement of Daryll's home. I've learned how to move around his floor and make my way to the stove with no problem now and cook. As long as I get into my tub after a few hours I am okay. That day I worked away at dinner as Daryll looked rather perplexed.

"Leia you have been living in here for far too long! Why not you go back and venture the deep sea and all of its wonders!?"

"I really don't see them as wonders you know...I think I hear so much more amazing things on land I can only imagine what I can see one day."

"Hoo!?!? What may I ask are your 'wonders'?" He inched closer to me.

I began to explain the depths of the underwater caves and of fishes that help me and my people see. The amazing taste of the fresh water when you swim against torrents and lying down on a bed of seaweed with fish swimming past your skin, all those memories of my home. The more I talked about my home, the more I missed my mother. But I just couldn't leave now...

"My oh my!! Leia with you by my side I could unlock the secrets of this world!" He grabbed me by the shoulder and exclaimed in sheer happiness something about Mother Nature and what not.

My eyes shifted at the sound of a slamming door and saw Jack there with his face drained of all color. And the happy expression that I have seen on him was distant and gone. Like a bolt of lightning he grabbed Daryll away from me and they both fell onto the fall with Jack's hands holding onto his color.

"What do you plan on doing with her!? Don't you dare touch her for one of your experiments Daryll!"

I had wanted to break them apart but I am not as agile on land and all I could do was stay out of it. Daryll effortlessly pushed Jack aside and tossed him off to the side.

"You blundering idiot! How dare you accuse me of something so monstrous!? I would never harm Leia! Now, get out of my house. Get out Jack!" Daryll's face was red with anger and seething from the mouth.

I had never seen either of them like this, as Jack sat on the floor looking back at me and Daryll. He looked to the floor in pain and got up from the ground and he left. That night none of us spoke, and Daryll left all night.

Spring 17 Year 2

I have not seen Jack since that day and even Daryll's excessive behavior has died down. He hasn't invented anything in days and it worried me dearly. I just kept on cooking his favorite meals, that’s all I could do.

A knock on the door woke Daryll from his bed and I heard slight mummers upstairs. I tried hard to hear who it was; no one visited Daryll except for...I tried to keep my heart steady and soon my prayers were answer. There I saw Jack with a glum expression. How I missed his happy eyes but they were clouded by so much pain and hurt. Daryll stood behind and coughed a bit. Said how he was going to go out and left us alone.

"How have you been Jack?" I started to push myself out of the tub when he shook his head.

"No...please Leia, I think you should sit there I found something I think...it belongs to you..." he held out a bottle with a note inside. His arm shook terribly as he pushed it into my hands. I opened the bottle with no effort as his voice cracked up.

"I'm sorry but I’ve read it, I had no idea it belonged to you."

I took the note out and read it carefully. It read:

''Don't look for your home ''

''Do not go back ''

Whatever you do 

''Don't go to either home ''

''Leia, don't remember ''

''It hurts...too much... ''

"What...what is this some kind of joke..." my eyes were teary from my confusion.

"I think...it belongs to your mother."

All this time I had forgotten about her. She must be so alone, is this her way of telling me not to go home? Is it too late...no...no it can't! I pushed myself swiftly out of the tub and tumbled down and crawled to the stairs. Jack watched me and hung his head.

"Leia...don't."

"Jack please, don't tell me to stay! I can't...I can't do this..."

As the tears began to pour he picked me up in his arms.

"I won't beg you to stay, even though I'll miss you so much I won't dare prevent you from this. I want to help you."

My hearts almost skipped a beat as at looked up as his face. I began to wonder, were we ever this close...

Jack left Daryll's house and for the first time the sun shone brightly over my sheltered eyes. Has it been so long since I've heard the birds and felt the wind? I leaned my head on Jack's chest, I soaked his body with mines but he still held me tightly. As Jack started to go down a hill I looked back at the house and saw the man that gave me so much kindness stare back at me. He grinned at me and said “Go back home Leia and be safe.”

It was a long trek but we reached the beach where I saw the wide open waters. My fins began to flap and my heart race. I could hear Jack chuckle and he lightly placed me in the shallow water. I swam and gave myself some distance to stretch and swim. Oh how amazing it felt to dive in and out and stretch my arms and tail. In the distance I saw Jack sitting on the sand and just waving to me with a smile. I went back to his side as we sat there looking back on one another.

"You need to set things right with your mom. I'll stay here waiting for you Leia..." he tightly clenched my hand.

"I won't be long…I promise I'll come back to you." I pushed my body up for a kiss and he held me in a sweet embrace. His sandy hands held my head for a moment as I gazed at him. We let go and I turned and swam swiftly and didn't turn back once. I knew if I did look back at Jack I wouldn't want to go. But I had to do this, I had to let my mother know I was safe, I hope she would understand and accept Jack as my lover.

Spring 18 Year 2

My fins took me far into the ocean. Where land was too far for the eye to see and my heart jumped from the thought of seeing my mom and my people. I had to be close now and dived deep into the waters to greet my people. But something troubled me, where the beach was full of fish and sea creatures, the further I traveled the less fish I had come across.

To be honest the ocean was bare of all life and underwater proved no different as I dived deeper and deeper. My eyes were sharpest under water and I could easily spot movement but nothing was grabbing my attention. Suddenly I saw another merperson!

Oh how I couldn't wait to hug them and tell them that I have come back I swam quickly and grabbed them in a tight embrace but...something wasn’t right....their body was stiff and when let go they floated simply in the water. I moved myself away in fright but examined this body before me in great detail. They were the same height as me and shared my same fin color...hair color...hair accessory...clothes...I hesitantly went up to them and turned them so that I could see their face. It was…me.

There was no denying it, her pale skin and white shot eyes look to me and I panicked instantly. I swam up to the surface and took deep breathes as I began swimming in a circle pacing myself. What did I just see...have I been swimming so long...am...am I seeing this. At this point my heart is at my throat as I try and make sense of all this. In the end I couldn't. There is no explanation for this! As I begin to whimper and swim in a circle I recall that she...that other me held something in her hand...it must've been hours before I forced myself to go back to her...back to me.

When I found her again I just stayed there looking at her. Her face looking down to the bottom of the sea floor and her hair exposed. Her flesh was cold and stiff but her left hand clasped onto something...it was a bottle. I swam around her almost afraid that she would turn her head to look at me and I would end up the same as her. I put my hand on the bottle and yanked it from her, I could hear a snapping, bone chattering sound from her arm and as I swam back in reflex.

I could see it limping unnaturally at her sides. Had I broken her arm...I bit my lip and ignored her body and swam up to the surface and pulled out the cork of the bottle. My hands shook vigorously as I shook the note within out of the bottle and read the note...at that moment everything felt dull and broken. As if someone was toying with me, my body felt cold and I longed for the warmth of Jack...my Jack. I tossed the note away and dived deeper in the ocean not believing in a reality that was going to face me. And in my head I repeated what the note had said in the bottle that the corpse that looked like me held tightly…

''Don't look for your home ''

''Do not go back ''

Whatever you do 

''Don't go to either home ''

''Leia, don't remember ''

It hurts...too much...

Spring 19 Year 2

As I reached what would be my home all I saw was an array of bodies...my body...floating and clenching bottles. Some of course held nothing but I made it my mission to try and read them all and they all repeated the same dreadful note over and over again. I swam so fast I would knock into multiple bodies and they would look at me with their dead eyes. I gasped and the bubbles around me shook my nerve. Anything frightened me and at that moment I saw another body...alone and hooked to the floor by a spear through her heart. She didn't hold a bottle...but a single note...I took it from her and read her sloppy fast handwriting...my sloppy fast handwriting...

''Leia this is all a game, a real one please if you can remember this moment for your next life avoid Jack and avoid coming here, it will hurt to remember but maybe you can have some happiness cooking in a house with Daryll. Nothing is real...our past, our mother, our people. They never were real and we barely are...Whatever you do Leia do not fill your heart with love for Jack, that is a mistake that me and all of our past lives must live with. So please...go be happy with another future. ''

My mouth dropped at this. This was me...I was once her...? She knew of Jack and Daryll. She must have known about everything then. But that doesn't explain it, why did this happen! Why would loving Jack lead me into this...no, they were wrong. I've heard from Jack of a witch within the village, she had mystical powers; she was able to put a women to sleep for 100s of years! This could not be that out of reach to do. This was all a trick...

I let the note float away from my hand as I sobbed softly surrounded by all of the bodies that resembled me. I wiped my tears and one thing entered my mind. Jack was waiting for me back home...I looked around and casted aside what I've just seen...this must be the work of her. There was no other way.

It was far faster to return home, within minutes I was welcomed by chirping birds and plentiful fish. The full moon casted itself on the water of the beach and there sitting in the sand almost asleep was my Jack...the love of my life. I don't believe he saw me so I quickly turned and splashed water at his direction and he fell to his back in shock. I didn’t mean for it to surprise him that much but I giggled in response of his drastic actions. Jack looked to me and jumped into the water and held me tightly. I hugged him back in tight embrace; I wasn't going to let him go ever. He was my world and my happiness how can being in love with him be wrong? He shyly looked at me and pulled out a blue feather from his pocket. I have heard that this was the customs of this land, to propose to your loved one with a blue feather I nodded with the largest smile I could make. This was a real life, and I wouldn't let that witch ruin my future.

Summer 21 Year 2

We were married a week later and Jack protested against me being in his bathtub. Instead he had a pool on his farm where his ducks would bathe in. I would be outside and swim around and there was no need for him to leave his farm for long periods. After work was done we'd eat by the edge of the pool and feed each other. How I loved him and how any unhappiness seemed nonexistent....

Jack stood by the pool's edge putting away all of his ducks.

"Hunny what are you doing?"

"A storm is heading this way so I have to put the animal away. They get really angry if they are left out in bad weather you know."

I nodded and looked to him working so hard to put them away. The day was nearly over and the winds whipped around him and he looked to me.

"Okay Leia now I'll get you..."

"No no! Don't worry Jack I've dealt with storms like this before I'll be fine. Now go home!" I was confident in my ability to brave this little storm and overall I saw him work so hard to put his animals away I didn't want to trouble him with more work. He stood there and finally gave in. He gave me a kiss before heading into the house and as I went to the pool's floor awaiting the storm to pass.

In that instant I felt something pull on my body. The sheer force of this pull surprised me and I turned to grab onto something, a rock, anything. Sadly nothing was around for my reach and I was pulled to the surface. Where I had expected a tornado of sorts all I saw was a jumble of...blocks? I can't possibly explain it. It looked like blocks full of different colors and once it touched me my own body began to morph and change. I screamed in terror and my in my last attempt I called for my Jack. But nothing would happen as I watched the farm that I had called home disappear.

???

I awoke in a blank world. Nothing but white surrounded me...no….that's a lie. I wasn't alone. Along with me were my bodies floating as they did before and they slowly drifted to me and almost stuck onto me. Soon the entire world seemed to shake but my body stood stiff and even my face...would not move. Tears had flown down my cheeks and in a hoarse voice I had cried out, please...help me...please...

Summer 29 Year 1

What had followed from that day...would never leave...I don't know why, from all my past lives, that I've held onto that life. But for whatever reason I did remember, everything. And just like the start of each life I must've had Daryll had found me and took care of me. But what was not the same was....my Jack. He was not here at all and Daryll spoke nothing of him. I was concerned...

"Daryll...do you know of someone named Jack?"

"Ugh...that young rascal...who hasn't heard of him." his grunt took me off guard.

"Why do you refer to him like that?"

"He is nothing but trouble! Throwing his garbage all over the place, slaughtering his own animals for fun! My goodness the second you walk into his farm you can smell the horrid stench of animal feces, blood and bodily fluids..." Daryll looked in his disgust.

My cheeks turned pale at his description of my Jack and his actions. How could the loveable sweet Jack, my Jack do such cruel things. It was unheard of!

"Jack could never do that! He loves his animals and would risk his life to save them!"

I would know! I saw the hardships he went through to care for each animal.

"I don't know what you're talking about; you've never even met the man! I would never allow that...that monster into my home! I'm tired of talking to him and now I'm all riled up! I swear that witch is something…" he mumbled.

I snapped back. "What do you mean witch?"

"Well the witch princess of course. I swear she has something to do with this. He's almost like a puppet for her. Each terrible deed he does, she just blushes and goes all flabbergasted for him. Maybe those two can get together and leave this lovely village. Him with his death cloud and her with her ability to call upon storms! I don't think this town can stand them two together. Gah! I'm too riled up. Too riled up I tell you!! I must leave and take this energy to my studies...forgive me Leia but I must leave. I'll be back soon."

And with that...he left me alone to my own mind...I could hear the pings of glass cylinders within the lab. Every creak and movement of this house...as if any movement I made moved the house and would collapse within my body, how I secretly wish that would happen.

I yelled and stretched in disgust and heart break. I tossed myself out from the tub and spread across the fall sobbing and weeping and cursing the Harvest God that made me remember this all. It wasn't just one of my past lives, but day by day I started to remember them all or at least a vast number. I cannot recall who the first ‘me’ was only that there are too many to count.

All of them flushed within my mind, and at times I could feel as if my eyes were being torn and my insides were being attacked from within my body. Memories of Jack greeting me with his smile and other times me not even knowing about him, I pushed my hands to my eyes for the feeling of them popping out was growing more and more.

So many lives...and in each memory Jack was always there. So many times where we had married or I stood in the back watching him marry another girl. But for each case we married...there was always that storm...that storm...No matter what that storm would grab me, some odd event would happen. Even memories where I begged him to carry me home he was unable to and would have to leave me.

I lay down out of breathe for what I have experienced...and grinded my teeth in pain as I recalled what Daryll had said. The witch was the cause for these storms...these storms that ripped me away from him, my Jack. I pounded the ground and cursed and moaned. How dare she take Jack away from me! Let him marry anyone but her!

That foul witch, that creature, she was the true monster to stop me and him from being together and creating a cycle of lives for me to relive over and over again. As I pounded more and more the floor gave away in color and those same blocks from the storm surrounded me and my hands were gone and replaced by black and green disfigured shapes. No no...I cried and went back to my tub.

Winter 18 Year 2

I trembled inside for the whole remainder of that life. Daryll, poor Daryll tried to help me but I ignored his words...and avoided eating. I realized eating was not a need in this world.

???

Before long the white world enveloped me and again I was with my bodies in empty air...I looked around. Almost desensitized of all emotions and gave no care to the empty faces of my past lives...I had nothing to look forward to. Nothing to love or care about I closed my eyes and my heart felt like it was being pulled from my chest and I instantly opened my eyes and found myself in a more blue soft space, I was still floating and it wasn't water but, it was calming and soothing. Was this...heaven? I looked up with stern eyes.

"Are you the Harvest God?"

I clenched my fist and told myself how stupid I was...I already figured out how none of this was real, that I was being pranked by something and even if this was the Harvest God he would not answer. This was all a fake life anyway but to my surprise I saw letters fill the open air above me with these words.

"Yes.”

"Oh Harvest god please...forgive me. I'm not sure what I have must've done but tell me...am I real? Is this some curse…please help me Harvest God!" I pleaded my heart out to this empty air.

I waited and waited for so long...and then words came across the air again.

"No."

No...what did he mean no...how can he say no!?

"What is your name!?" I yelled in anger.

"Jack"

That name...whoever this was must be the one toying with me. Was this the witch up to her evil work?

"You are not Jack prove it to me! Tell me your real name you witch!"

"My real name is David."

"David..." I said that name over and over...who was this person? "Who are you?"

"Yes"

“Stop it with these one word answers and answer me! You gave me your name now answer me!"

“Hey I can only answer when you say name.”

Was he angry with me as well? With how quickly he responded and then took his words into consideration and gathered myself a bit to be more calm. I can’t scare him away this can be my only chance.

"Name, what are you doing?"

"This is funny how you answer back."

"Name, this isn't funny this is my life now please answer me..."

There was no answer and I felt like my one chance of talking to him was forever gone...

"I'm still here, you know I married you first and I thought you were gone for good."

That single sentence...what? I couldn't understand it...

"Please explain…uh Name, what do you mean?"

"This is my little sister's game, so I played it and you were the first girl that seemed cool to me. I mean come on you're a mermaid! But then the game glitched and you disappeared so I started a new save file. Never thought this could happen. I tried marrying the witch but for some reason it's not working right. She doesn't accept my proposal."

That was all too much to handle. My entire existence and lives were summed up in that whole statement. I looked down and sobbed. There was much I didn't understand. I thought I at least knew some reason for my misfortune...the witch was jealous of my relationship with Jack, or maybe I had done something to anger the harvest god. But no, it was all because of this David person and from the sounds of it he wasn't even moved.

"I'm in pain, Name. Each time you erase me...I feel pain..." I used   bare basic words to try and explain my life and this cycle. He didn't once respond and at one moment I saw a light flicker and I floated there in nothingness looking up. After a long period of time the bodies returned and I felt my body whisk away, I cried softly and awaited the cycle to begin again... As always Daryll picked me up from the shore and I just looked dully into his eyes.

Spring 1 Year 1

"Ah, my poor dear! Let me help you I have a house not far from here..." after those words I just tuned him out. I knew what would follow...why should I even fight it? Once again I was placed within my tub and sat there...Daryll was out more often but I didn't care anymore. I started to question...why couldn't I just die?

After a week or so, Daryll mentioned a visitor was coming and I just nodded but wondered what was going on? Jack was coming a week after the start of my life? That has never happened that quickly. In ran Jack, or David. I wasn't sure anymore and automatically greeted him as if I had no power over myself. Daryll had left and Jack just stood there and he began walking oddly. I tilted my head and he kept repeating his steps over and over with that smile I fell in love with so many times in my lives. And then, it hit me. He was spelling out in his steps.

Hi David no hurt.

My head dropped down in tears and for the first time in a long time I felt that I was able to go back home.

David's Post
March 28, 2009 9:12:58 pm

Hey there fans of Harvest moon! This is me David and as many of you may know about this game is that Leia has this odd glitch where if there is a bad storm and if you are married to Leia she’ll disappear forever. Now listen to me and I know you'll find this odd, I'm not asking you to always marry her I mean I know there are a ton of girls in this game and that’s all good! But to those who are planning to marry her, this is my plea, after you do take good care to watch the weather. If a storm is about to hit please keep resetting your game until the storm is gone from the weather channel. I know this has been out on the internet for a while but I need to say it again. I can't watch everyone play this game and I know some of you will probably do this to at least see her leave or whatever or even find this as a reason to restart like I did at first. But if you can...and want to keep her happy do this okay? I have Leia married in my game and we have a cute son together. I keep her company after a long day and I hope you can all enjoy the amazing character that is Leia.

And I'm sorry for all you fans of the witch princess, seems like a lot of copies of Harvest Moon DS, at least a lot of the North American games, are glitched and can't marry her. I have no clue how this could happen haha no really how would I know? It's not like this game can talk to me. Sorry I went crazy now right? Well it’s my post and my input for how to avoid this glitch so I can do what I want! Okay...sorry about that it's really late anyway just keep her happy. And I hope that one day the Harvest moon franchise will bring back Leia with no glitch to hurt her. But since I've played this game and have had my own experience with this glitchy game I have to say this went from my sister's game, to MY game and a fan of Harvest Moon. So everyone out there, keep on farming and keep your wives happy :)



Game Overview
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Harvest Moon DS was a game full of glitches and issues. It was released in North America on September 12, 2005. Since this version of Harvest moon is the male version you play as Jack, the dubbed name for all male Harvest Moon characters and they all share a resemblance, must bring back your grandfather’s old farm and make a life for yourself. As well as find a wife and create a family. However in version 1.0 of this game it was impossible to marry the witch princess as the game was unable to count how many animals you killed which is a requirement to marry her. Also the issues of having Leia disappear from your farm after a storm, which can prevent you from having a child and of course having a wife. As well as other glitches and hiccups that appeared from normal game play such as freezing glitches and graphical issues.