Familiar Lands

Prologue

This is the third and final novel in my series; Mae-Lin is now going to live with her mother in Konohana and her sister, but when will she return to Sunshine Islands and will she fit into Konohana and of course there will be a happy ending.

Chapter I

As I made my way around the platforms and herbs lying on the mountain, I caught sight of my destination, Konohana town. And, there was a distant figure standing there waiting. I forced Twilight to go faster. The figure got bigger and bigger until I could clearly see her.

"Cacey!" I cried

"Mae-Lin!"

We urged both of our horses to go more rapidly and we met. We bounced off our horses in unison and hugged each other forcefully, it seemed like we were never going to let go, but of course we did. We slowly trotted back to Cacey's farm, it was actually quite large. Her house was towering over me so I assumed that she had room for me, she showed me round her house and I chose my room. Then she took me over to mother's tea house. We had a massive catch up chat then I visited everyone. I remembered them all so vividly when they were a child, but we still all got along just as well. I then took a break and went to bed. I was up early and had watered all of Cacey's crops before she had even woken up. She was very satisfied with me, and I basked in this appraise, I decided to help Nori and Gombe with their crops, then I went over to the neighboring village, I was surprised at the tunnel, normally everyone would be going through but it was closed up, rocks were preventing us from getting to the other side, so my only other option was up. I started at the base of Konohana for a long trek up the mountain then down the other way until I reached Bluebell. It took me hours, so I decided to take Twilight the next time- it would be much quicker. I had a pleasurable time reuniting with my old buddies and spending time chatting and helping them out. I then went back up to the peak of the mountain and to the Goddess Pond. I tossed a flower I had collected into the pond. The beautiful Harvest Goddess appeared then and was astounded to see me,

"Oh, Cacey how are you doing, did you have a nice journey from Sunshine Islands to here? Anyway I'm going to answer the question your thinking about right now."

"I had a nice journey, yeah so why is the tunnel closed up?"

"I got angry."

"You- you got angry? Wow! Why?"

"Well Bluebell and Konohana were having a nice chat then they started on cooking, and oh they're so boastful when it comes to cooking. This nice chat turned into an argument and I got so annoyed that I closed the tunnel up. Long story short. I regret it now but there is nothing I can do. However there is something you can do, I need you to compete in their cooking festivals and I'm sure that if you win a few they would see that each other's cooking is just as good. Ok?"

"Ok, sure!"

It looks like I wasn't going back to Sunshine Islands for awhile…

Chapter II

I definitely had my hands full now. Turns out these villages are obsessed with cooking; they have a cooking festival once a week! I mean once a week! Goddess sake! This was going to be hard, but I had the crops to use in my meals. And if I could convince mother to take part then sure we would win effortlessly, well I hope. On my first cooking festival, Ina the mayor stopped by with ingredients for me to use, they were five star qualities, so it looked good. Luckily, I had inherited my mother's cooking skills so had my sister. So me, Cacey and mother entered the festival with our dishes. I made a tomato salad and Cacey made a herb salad and mother made a mimosa salad, and thankfully we won. Poor Rutger-the mayor of Bluebell- was so disappointed but the two mayors's looked like they were happier around each other…

Chapter III

1 year later….

The mayors are getting along just fine now, mother is working hard and Cacey is about to get married to Ash- who also runs a ranch with his mother- they are absolutely perfect for each other. I cannot wait to see what Cacey is going to wear. Hopefully a gorgeous dress with her hair up in a bun. The tunnel is not blocked off anymore; Eileen fixed it after the mayors started to get along again. After speaking about weddings I remembered Sabrina's which made me feel a pang for my farm, Sunshine Islands and Shea. I went with Cacey to get her dress fitted it was handmade and so was my bridesmaid dress.

It was great at the wedding there was party and music and we had an amazing celebration on the mountaintop. Cheryl (Ash's little sister) came up to Cacey looking distressed.

And said "He's still my brother, you can't take him away from me!" Then she burst into tears.

Cacey soothingly replied "I know that Cheryl but I love him as well, he will always be your brother and he can still play with you as well, but now I can play with you as well because I'm gonna be like your big sister and Ying will be your cousin. Ok?"

Cheryl then broke out a smile.

"Ok! But you've gotta promise to play with me"

"I promise!"

Cheryl then ran off to play with Ying.

"Wow sis you're good, maybe that's why Ash married you, plus I think he wants to see what Konohana is like! Lol!"

She just laughed at me then. It was finally time for her first dance with Ash so the music started and they danced the exact same one as Vaughn and Sabrina. I was at crossroads deciding on where to go either to Sunshine Islands with aunty and the rest of them, or with mother, sis and all my childhood friends.

Chapter IIII

I woke up the morning after their wedding feeling very groggy and dazed. The animals were so irritated and the crops looked cheerless so I set to work on watering them, Cacey came up to help me, whilst Ash got started on the animals. Cacey looked like she was still in slumber so I crept around the back of her and raised my watering can and tilted it a modest bit. She shrieked and came jogging after me, with her watering can fill to the brim. I was soon panting, and sooner I was dripping wet. We were jovial and amused by the time we had changed out of our pj's and were collecting herbs - that is something that is very common about me and my sister we love herbs. We were serene when we were back inside I looked at the calendar. First of winter. Oooohhh it's my birthday in six days. Then I froze, I was rooted to Cacey's wooden floor. I had to go back to Sunshine Islands! Right now! I went to tell my mother and everyone why I was going, luckily they completely understood. So I took Twilight and bolted it back to Sunshine Islands, the trip felt like it was lasting forever, I mean how damn long does it take to get to Sunshine Islands?

Chapter V

When I finally made it back, I was greeted with smiles and love. But I had some business to take care of first I left Twilight at the entrance to the farm and made my way to Chen's store I bought some wrapping paper- waterproof wrapping paper, hint hint. I then took out my fishing rod and waited until I caught a large fish; finally I went home and wrapped it. It was very late in the day so I retired to my bed. I woke so early because I was very excited. My present was safely stored in my cabinet; I checked the calendar just to make sure; yep the second of winter. I put on my favorite outfit- the cute outfit Shea made for me. Then I went round to aunties with some fresh eggs and homemade flour. Me and Julia set to work on making a cake, I needed her help so it would get done faster.

We finally finished at around 10:05am, and I wrapped it into tin foil and grabbed my present, then went over to Mushroom Island. I knocked on the hut and Shea answered the door, he was so surprised to see me that he almost fainted I had to rush inside and put my presents down, then steady him. I popped him down onto the cushion on the floor.

He exclaimed "Oh Mae-Lin you came back for my birthday!"

"Of course I did, oh and don't give me all of the credit for the cake, Julia helped me and I'm here to stay, well I will go for a few holidays in Konohana but I'm here forever!"

His smile just about stretched to the ends of his face, I couldn't believe he was so overjoyed about me staying and you know what I was happy to be here too! We sliced the cake and Shea opened his present.

He was so pleased and I was seething with delight.

Chapter VI

Life was good. Shea really liked farming so he would stop by and help nearly every day. I made a massive decision one day; I was going to help Shea make a farm. On his Island it would fit in perfectly. I bought some fencing and a few chickens and ducks and made my way over to Mushroom Island, I got Gannon to help me put down some fields, the fencing and a chicken coop. I took my bought chicken feed and laid it in each feeding pen, and then I set the chickens free on the Island. Gannon gave two of his prize pigs to me and I was delighted. I placed the cerise pig into a sty I made for Shea and then I quickly took the black one back to my farm. Shea came out at around teatime obviously in search for prey and he got so amazed.

"Hey Shea, do you like it? It's a present from me because of everything you have done for me, well of course Gannon helped. But you really deserve it!"

"Oh Mae-Lin you're the best friend anyone could ever have, I love this farm, what's that over there? Oh my goddess it's a chicken. Wow there's more of them. Thank you! Both of you!"We both smiled together.

Now Shea has had his farm for a long time, we have a bit of friend rivalry and see whose farm is better and how much money we can make in a week. It is great fun and we both thoroughly enjoy it and I never want to move again. But I do go on holidays over to Konohana and guess who comes with me Shea! My family really like Shea, they think he is fun to be around. And everyone really likes him. It was a great fall holiday, we made it just in time for the music festival and Mikhail played a lovely, melodic tune for us. And then I settled down to my Sunshine Islands life once again.