Part 62: Moon Door 5: The Happiness Stone - Part 1

The last Moon Door has kind of a random subject.

-Primal Grounds-



You can open this door if you have the Fortune quartz from Le Locle.



You do have to actually have it on you--either sitting free in your inventory, or slotted into one of the four active party members' orbments. If someone's got it back at the Garden, the door stays shut.











-Silence-

It was almost time for Matron Theresa's birthday.

The children were keenly aware of this fact, too. One by one, they finished their chores early and gathered to decide what to do for it.

After all the matron always did for them, they wanted to make it an occasion to remember.

But they still hadn't decided what to get her as a present.

There had to be something out there that was perfect for her--something that would make her really happy...but what?

-A Cat Relaxing in the Sun-







You can take care of the flower beds, Polly.
As for me, I'll go help with the cooking.
Then we're gonna decide on what to get the matron as a present?
Yep! ♪
So let's hop to it!
Okay!
Right!



Now this just leaves Clem...
Where IS he? He should be back by now... This isn't the first time he's taken forever coming back home, either.
I wish he'd grow up...





Oh, that's quite all right, Mary. I'll be fine.
It's good for you to rest up once in a while. I'm always burdening you by having you help me and take care of the children.
Th-That's not true...
It's not a burden at all. I'm happy to help. Besides, I am the oldest one here. It's only right that I help out wherever I can.
I can't sit around doing nothing when Kloe's so busy in Grancel, either!
Hmm... Well, if you don't need help with the cooking...I'll go and clean our room!
Clem went and messed it all up again this morning, so it could probably stand to be tidied up some.



_*BUGAWK*

Hmm? What was that? I hope Daniel didn't try and water the chickens instead of the plants...
I'll go and take a look just in case! Whew... So much to do, so much to do...



*sigh* I appreciate that she's always doing so much to try and help out... but I can't help but feel that she's overworking herself a little lately...





No, you didn't! Don't tell me you didn't buy ANYTHING?!
Well, I was gonna...
...but I ended up hearing this real interesting story instead!

Several hours earlier...

-Seaport City of Ruan-











O'Neil: Indeed. It's a magical stone with a golden glow, said to bring happiness to those who possess it. I'm sure you're aware of how the Goddess created this continent in ancient times. When that happened, Her power showered down upon the land as an infinite number of particles, their light radiant and divine. Most of those lights were fleeting, but not all of them! Some of those particles of light remained, hidden by mist in tall mountains. Over time, they grew in size, bit by bit... And that is the origin of the happiness stones.
Th-That's so cool!
O'Neil: Heheh! Isn't it? Still, as you can imagine, it's exceptionally rare that anyone finds one. After all, they only develop in the deepest regions of the tallest mountains. That's not somewhere people go to every day.
B-But you say you did? When you went on that expedition to the far north, right?
O'Neil: You got it! It was on the sacred mountain of Tegis, a perilous place full of snow and ice. Even the slightest loss of footing would have sent me cascading into the ravines below, and the never-ceasing blizzards assaulted me from morn to night. Before I knew it, even my food supply had run out, and I was left wandering that white desert alone, not knowing how much longer I had left... At times, I had to fend off the assault of vicious monsters, while at other times, I found myself almost plunged upside down the cliffsides. But while the experience may have been enough to take out most ordinary men, it wasn't enough to take ME down! I clung desperately to the razor-sharp ice walls, making my way gradually farther into the mountain, never once letting my resolve waver.
Man, you're so COOL!
O'Neil: No matter what happens, don't give up! That's my policy, and it should be yours, too! Be like the mighty Captain O'Neil: invincible! Regardless, after overcoming countless trials and obstacles before me, I finally found that faintly glowing stone! My hands shook, but I reached out and picked it up. And the second I did, the raging winds stopped as if they had never been blowing at all. Then the morning sun began to shine down through the clouds above. That light hit the stone, and it began to glow with a glistening, radiant beauty... It was like something out of this world.

-A Cat Relaxing in the Sun-



I've never heard of that before...
It sounds so dreamy... ❤
See? I told you it was amazing!
It must be so pretty! And so cool...
I wish I could find a pretty magical stone like that...
Heehee. Mr. O'Neil tells the best stories, doesn't he?
Yeah! That was a great story!
...
Okay! Move your butt, Daniel! We're gonna go find a happiness stone!
Whaaat?!



W-Wait a second, Clem! Where do you think you're going?!
Where do you THINK? The only tall mountains around here're the Krone mountains!
Kloe said they were the tallest point in Liberl, too...
If we're gonna find ourselves a happiness stone anywhere, it's gotta be there!
And we're gonna find one! We are!
I'm gonna be an invincible guy just like Mr. O'Neil was!
Umm... Clem, I understand why you're so desperate to find one. Really, I do... But Mr. O'Neil's stories are...well...
You just wait here with Polly, Mary. We'll be back before you know it!
Let's get movin', Daniel!



Wait for me! I wanna be an invincible guy, too!
Nothing good comes of kids wanting to be the guy.



It's gotta be a surprise!
I know that! But listen to me, Clem! Mr. O'Neil's stories are...





Both for not realizing Mr. O'Neil's stories are all made up and for not listening to me trying to tell him...
Working some of the Testaments into one doesn't make the rest of what he's saying credible... It doesn't matter how long he spends trying to find a happiness stone. He's not going to!
(Still...)
(I wish they really did exist. They sound so lovely...)



Mary? Earth to Mary?
Oh, sorry!
D-Don't make me jump like that... You really scared me.
They went away now, but we still dunno what to do for the matron's present. What're we gonna do?
I'm surprised that story didn't have any effect on you... It might not be real, but I thought it was pretty touching.
Touchy?
U-Umm...
(She'll never be quite all there, will she?)
(This is why I need to look out for everyone!)
Let's just let Clem and Daniel do what they want! Clem's not going to listen to us even if we go after him, anyway. Which means we're going to have to think up a present ourselves.
If only I knew what would be good enough...
Shall we go and have a look along the shore? There might be some pretty shells there.
If we collect enough of them, we might even be able to make a necklace for her. That sounds like it might make for a good present, right?
Okay! Let's get going!
Okaaay!



Is something the matter?
Nothing!
Not at aaall.
There's a bazaar being held in Manoria today, you know. I'm planning to head over there and help out later on.



I goofed around for a minute chasing the hens outside, and apparently you can get Fresh Eggs for successfully clickin' a chicken. Do those actually transfer over to the outside world? How about that 200 mira you can get from Leo in Kloe's moon door?

-Looking Up at the Sky-







...It's cracked. What a shame...



...
How nice it'd be to bump into a happiness stone...



What kind of terrible person would throw a used cigarette on the beach? Adults can be so awful sometimes!



It's a treasure chest!
D-Do you want to see what's inside? Okay, three, two, one...

Much to Mary and Polly's dismay, this chest is empty as can be.





I prefer one a little lighter...



... (I wish those happiness stones actually did exist.)
(One of those would be the perfect present for the matron.)
What'cha thinking about, Mary?
That stone?
Oh... Yeah...
Polly? Do you think it's possible that happiness stones might be real?
Huuuh? Do you want one so you can be happy?
Well, that wasn't really what I meant...
Just...don't you think it would be romantic if something like that really existed?
...
Happiness is all around us.

*TWING*



What's that?
What?! I don't know... It's really shiny, though.



Mary picked up a gold chain.

Oh, so that's what it was! Well, it certainly counts as romantic... but I'm not sure a chain alone is going to make much of a present. We'll need a little more than that.
You can have it if you want. You were the one who found it.
It might not be fitting for a present, but it's still pretty. Take good care of it, okay?
...
Okay!
Oh!





Lucia: Oh, Polly! Mary!



Y-Yes, that's right! We were trying to find some nice shells, actually.
Man: Shells, huh? Well, take care, all right? I'm not gonna tell you not to play here, but you just keep your eyes peeled for monsters.
We will. Fortunately, there don't seem to be any here today.
You going somewhere, Lucia?
Lucia: Well, I was! You know about the bazaar starting today in Manoria, right? We went to put up some posters for it in Ruan.
You just reminded me of it, in fact.
I wanna gooo!
Lucia: You should totally go, then! It'll be reeeally fun. Trust me! ☆ Okay! Let's get a move on!





(Wasn't he one of the bracers who helped us before?)
(I can't remember his name, though...)
(There was Carna, Anelace...umm...Kurt...then him... What WAS his name...?)
Mary? Maryyy!
O-Oh... Sorry, Polly. What is it?
I wanna go to the bazaar!
...The bazaar?
Oh, right. Sorry.
Well, we might find something that works as a present there if we do... Okay! Let's go see if we find something.
Yay!



It's not safe to go running off on your own, Polly!
Let's go together, okay?
Okaaay.



-A Cat Relaxing in the Sun-





Sadie: I'm planning to head over there to help out this afternoon. Heehee. Maybe I should sell a few potted plants there, too. I wish the morning would end already. I just can't seem to relax and focus on my work today...



Creda: It wouldn't feel right just donating leftovers from the shop. I want something a bit more special than that. There's got to be something that would be good to sell at the bazaar...but what?



Man: Umm... Can I help you?
Oh, I remember your name now!
It's Black!
...It's Grant. Do me a favor and try remembering it next time. Jean sure knows how to work people to the bone... Do I really look like the kind of person who's suited to help out at a bazaar? Really?
This was supposed to be Carna's job! I hope she doesn't think I'm going to forget this.
Lucia: Oh, you came after all!
Well, it sounds like fun!
Lucia: Oh, it is! You'll have loooads of fun. I guarantee it! ☆
Where in town is it being held, Lucia?
Lucia: It's in the cabin attached to the windmill! Go and buy tooons of stuff, okay?
This seems like it'll be a good spot.
Lucia: I can't reach high enough on my own, so I had to get Mr. Bracer here to help put the posters up. ...I can't remember his name, though. Wait! A bit more to the right!
Hmm? What, like here?
Lucia: No, that's too far to the right!
Umm...
Lucia: That's too far to the left now.
I can't win here, can I...?
Poor Graham.





Carla: If you're looking for Lucia, she's out helping with the bazaar. She loves these kinds of things, you see, so she couldn't resist trying to get involved somehow. And people wonder who she took after.



Hello, sir!
Rex: Thanks so much for always playing with our Lucia.
You're welcome!
Rex: Haha. Always nice to see such cheery faces around here. I take it you've heard about the bazaar in town already? It started today, if you haven't. The town's all in a bustle because of it. A bazaar like this feels right for a rural town like this, huh? I think Lucia's out helping with it, too. If you're interested, you should stop by and check it out.



Elder Serge: Hoho! Surprised how lively it is in town? Well, there's a bazaar being held in the windmill cabin now. If you're interested, I suggest you run along and see what's on offer. I'm sure you'd love it.



Yeah... There's so much available here.
I wonder if there's anything that would make a good present for the matron. There has to be with all that's here...





(...but I wouldn't even know where to start. Nothing I see looks like it, anyway...)
Solomon: There something in particular you're looking for that I could help with?
U-Umm...
(M-Maybe it wouldn't hurt to ask.)
Sir? Do you happen to know where I can find a happiness stone?
Solomon: ...A what?
It's a stone that makes people happy just for owning it.
Solomon: I... Uhh... Ahaha. I couldn't really tell you. Sorry, sweetie.
Th-That's all right...
Sorry for the trouble.



Solomon: You know, I do remember hearing a funny story about the Krone mountains one time that might be worth hearing. I've got no idea if it's true or a bunch of hooey, but would you like to hear it?
Y-Yes, please!
Solomon: It's an old story I heard from my dad a while back. Something about them glowing gold all of a sudden once a year. Around this time of year, as it so happens. Apparently if a traveler happens to be walking along them at exactly that time, they undergo what I can only describe as a strange experience... and then they become happy. Nice, isn't it?





Wh-What should we do, Polly?! This actually sounds like it might be true after all!
Maybe there really IS something up in the mountains!
Umm... Mary?
(The golden glow, tall mountains... It all fits.)
(Maybe there really is a happiness stone to be found there!)
She's not listening...
... I-I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go and take a quick peek up there, would it?
Say, Polly...
You know Clem and Daniel came to the bazaar earlier, Mary?
...What?!
They came to do some shopping and said they were going into the Krone mountains. They said they're all ready, too!
Seriously?! I didn't even notice...
Well, you are spacing out a lot lately...
I can't believe they're thinking of heading into the mountains! Matron Theresa is always telling us not to go any farther from the orphanage than Manoria!
But you wanna go into the mountains, too...
That's... Uhh...
I-I'm planning on doing it to get her a birthday present! That's very different! And it'll only be for a minute or two! Besides, we've got to go and bring those two home now. That's important enough on its own! Then we can just search for the present while we're there.
...
We can't tell the matron about this, right?
Absolutely not. She can't know about the birthday present, right?
Let's go! Stick close to me, Polly!

Let's see how long we can stretch this chain of bad decisions!