The day you had started differently than your usual routine. Tei and Lou were on your doorstep when you stepped out that morning. Your first concern was about Rock getting himself into some sort of trouble. They quickly corrected you. Nami was missing. She had left the money for her stay on her bed and disappeared. You immediately agreed to join the search. The day passed quicker than expected as you ran around town, searching every corner for Nami. As the sun set, you met an equally somber Tei and Lou outside the Inner Inn.
“I’m sure she’s inside with Rock,” you forced a smile.
The three of you held a collective breath as you entered to see Rock. The blonde shook his head, looking as gloomy as you felt. It was easy to see the family had accepted Nami as part of their own during her time at the inn. You didn’t linger for long. It felt wrong to be part of the grief the innkeepers felt over her loss. You had only known Nami less than a year. The redhead seemed cold initially but revealed new depths as you got closer. You could understand her leaving without a goodbye to you but not her family at the inn.
“Maybe Nami knew she couldn’t leave if she told them farewell,” you thought, collapsing on your bed.
You woke hours later hearing your dog’s sharp barks. Grumbling, you sat at the foot of your bed. A slight movement caught your eye, leading you to look at the window. Outside the glass panes stood a figure dressed in all black. Unease swept through you as you realized they had a hood pulled over their hood to obscure their face. The sight reminded you too much of the stories your mother told in the city about burglars. You noted your dog between yourself and the burglar as you estimated your chances of alerting Takakura. The hair bristled along your dog’s back as the figure stepped forward. The sudden bark and growls came from behind you.
“Wait! Don’t hurt him!” you frantically yelled as you spun to face the assailant. Their black-gloved hand paused, outstretched toward your dog. You swallowed the rising bile as you noticed the gleaming blade in their other hand.
“Put him outside,” a familiar voice jerked their hand toward the door. They raised the knife toward you and threatened, “Don’t try anything.”
“O-of course,” you cautiously held your hands up.
Quickly, you snagged Rover’s collar and dragged him to the door. You could see Daryl in the distance, recognizable only by his white coat, as he moved toward the Goddess Spring. Rover wasted no time in running out to harass the scientist instead. The door slammed shut, the hooded figure having advanced to your side. The knife’s tip pointed your way as you retreated from the door. The pounding of your heart in your chest made it difficult to focus on another escape route now that the one door outside was blocked.
“Nami, that’s you, isn’t it? Why are you doing this?”
“I’ve run out of money. I can’t stay here anymore,” she stated, pulling the hood down to reveal her face.
“You can work here on the farm! Lou could surely use your help-”
“No! You don’t understand!”
Nami’s sudden lunge forward had you tripping over your feet. Your legs hit the hard edge of the table, sending you crashing backward. In one fluid movement, Nami was on you. In any other instance, the redhead straddling you would have been a dream come true. Her right hand held firmly circled your throat, applying pressure as the blade’s tip came to rest under your eye.
“Don’t,” she muttered as your mouth opened to speak or scream.
The knife dug into your flesh. Nami’s icy blue eyes bore into your own as the steel traced down your cheek. The stream of blood mixes with your tears as you attempt to fight rising panic. Her grip around your throat shifted to firmly hold your face still as the knife reentered to make a new line. Her weight lifted as she finished and leaned back to inspect her work. Sensing an opening, you sat up, scrambling for the exit.
Nami’s hand caught your leg, disrupting your balance and sending you crashing back to the ground. Your hands clawed into the wooden flooring, attempting to pull yourself away. You glanced up to see your path, catching sight of your face in the mirror. It was then you saw precisely what she carved into your cheek. The crosshair symbol brought forth memories. The city was obsessed with the story and the crosshair calling card carved into the victims. The pain of the knife sinking into your back brought your head up, gasping for air. You managed to turn, grabbing for the blade. Nami ignored your attempts, bringing the knife arcing up over and over until you fell limp.
A detective arrived from the city late the next day. He sighed as Takakura confirmed the only thing unusual about the day was a resident leaving. The old rancher had nothing but great things to say about her. The same was true of the innkeepers she lived with for the past year and a half and everyone else in the valley. They all confirmed and insisted there was no way the redheaded traveler could have done this. She loved the murdered farmer! It was the same story every time where this killer was concerned. However, the addition of a lover was a new twist.
His tired eyes surveyed the gruesome scene in the farmer’s house. Her timing between abandoning town and killing was becoming less. The detective picked up a coded message smeared with blood. The department had struggled, trying to decode the cipher.
The cipher was one he recognized from games with his daughter years ago. One she learned from her mother before they were separated. His eyes scanned the letter, searching for clues about Nami’s whereabouts. The letter only mentioned that a blonde she liked at the inn was her original target. The farmer had more money and was more accessible access, though. The coded message taunted him to catch and charge her. At least her crimes were genuine, unlike her mother, who was contained in an institution at his word. He would be responsible for each death until then for protecting the wrong one.
Hi, I've seen you're still doing the character breakdown thing and wondered if you could do one with Nami from AWL/HM DS? :)
Ah, Nami, our soft-spoken wanderer. She’s often found in nature contemplating various things and her past is a bit of a mystery. She’s a very curious character and I’m really fond of her.
How I feel about this character:
My first exposure to Nami was in Harvest Moon DS. She struck me as quiet, thoughtful, and a little lonely. I was also a little intimidated by her because she was much more blunt than the other female characters in general. I really like her and think that she’s an interesting character with a lot of potential for an extended backstory. I think that wanderer characters would have some fascinating stories. I’ve yet to finish wooing her on my file, but she’s probably one of my favorite girls in Forget-Me-Not Valley, if not my favorite.
All the people I ship romantically with this character
Nami x Farmer: I feel like Nami would adjust well to farm life. She asks the player character about the farm and enjoys the tranquility of it. Although she doesn’t really help with farm chores in game, I can easily imagine her wanting to be part of it all, eager to give it a try. She admires the farmer for their independence and their ability to be self-sufficient.
Nami x Muffy: Nami frequenting the bar, Muffy’s disappointment with men that always let her down… Ah, I can imagine an angsty fic where the two fall in love without realizing it and Muffy chases after Nami after she runs out of money and has to leave town.
Nami x Rock: Okay, hear me out, lol. They spend a lot of time together at the inn. I think that they could teach each other important lessons about taking responsibility and opening up to others. I could see Ruby being really happy with this arrangement, as I feel she really sees Nami as a daughter. It could be one of those cases where opposites attract. At the very least, it would be really interesting.
Nami x Cody: They both have inquiring minds and creative sides. I feel like Nami would be really intrigued by Cody’s art and maybe even get involved in creating her own. It would be really cute if she moved in with him and they had a studio together, creating their own works and maybe even some collaborations.
My non-romantic OTP for this character
Nami/Gustafa: I feel like these two have good chemistry and would be great friends. They both have wonder for the world around them and want to wander and explore. I think they’d have interesting stories to tell each other.
Nami/Griffin: As a regular at the bar, Nami and Griffin would definitely be seeing each other a lot. I can see Griffin giving Nami advice when she asks for it and him being a sort of mentor for her. Meanwhile, I think Nami’s curiosity about the world in general would make for some good conversations.
Nami/Ruby: I can easily see Ruby taking Nami in as a daughter. The two get along very well, and Nami is much more grateful for the things Ruby does than her own son. I can see Nami helping around the inn to earn a little extra money and Ruby giving her free dinners to her favorite tenant.
Nami/Marlin: These two could easily be drinking buddies, venting about their days and just having lots of comfortable silence between the two of them.
Nami/Takakura: I feel like these two would be good friends, especially if Nami marries the farmer and lives on the property. I could imagine Takakura teaching her all about animal care and Nami being fascinated by it. I imagine the bond being a bit of a father/daughter one.
My unpopular opinion about this character
I’m going to duck and cover as I say this, but I feel like Nami x Gustafa feels forced in the games. Gustafa seems perfectly happy doing his own thing, and while I feel that they could spend some quality time together, I have a hard time imagining it as romantic. Honestly, I think Cody would be a much better partner for her. Gustafa and Cody do have similar qualities such as creativity and a pure wonder when it comes to appreciating the world around them, but Cody is a little more introverted and soft spoken.
One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.
I really liked Nami’s interactions with Ruby at the inn, and I was hoping that her and Rock would become closer and be good influences on each other. Now, before you ask me how Rock can be a good influence on anyone, he can teach her that it’s okay to rely on people sometimes, and also how to speak up for herself and have more confidence in general. I feel like her independence can also be a good thing, though, and she’d have a lot to teach Rock, including gratitude for what you are given. I really like the idea of Ruby, Rock, Tim, and Nami as a family unit.
I’d also love more backstory on Nami’s family. Nami mentions her father, but it’s hard to tell what he’s like other than he wasn’t happy about her leaving and could possibly be worried about her. It does give a little more wiggle room when it comes to writing fanfiction for her, but in game it feels like a lingering mystery.
