A/N: The song mention in this chapter is "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson
Spring, Year 1, Day 1-4 – First Meeting
Two women were standing outside a bus stop one spring afternoon. On the sign beside them were words that said the stop was designated for Stardew Valley.
One had extremely long, wavy ended black hair with straight bangs that was tied in a half-way ponytail. She was pale and had eyes that resembled leaves of summer trees in color. She was wearing a blue and white tie dyed asymetrical spaghetti tank top, it's pattern resembling a partly clouded sky. On her waist was a pair of dark blue denim flare jeans.
The woman next to her had light brown skin with straight, shoulder-length black hair and purple highlights. Her eyes were dark as coal. She was wearing a black boat neck top with bat-winged sleeves and a pair of blue bootcut denim jeans.
She turns to her and asks the pale girl gently, "Ya sure ya wanna do this sugar?" She had a concerned look on her face.
The girl nods as she replies, "I'm sure, Kalena. I don't think I can last another day working for those people. This is my chance to change things and reconnect back with myself." She give her a smile, "After all, birds don't do well in cages."
Kalena grins at her friend, a knowing look on her face as she says, "That's for sure, as free-spirited as you are." She then adds with a chuckle, "From all that you've told me Huyana, I wouldn't last a week let alone four years like you have under them snobs. Not to mention get sued for breaking a few limbs." She gets a disgusted look, "Birds so full of shit, they can no longer fly.."
Huyana nods in agreement as she chuckled at her friend's remark. She then thinks back to her last words she had given her manager at Joja Corp, who had been livid about her resignment and wanted her to stay: "Sorry, I wasn't born to amuse your employee's perversions and serve you. My life is mine. No one else's. So you can take your cakehole's opinions and shove it where the sun don't shine."
Kalena then frowns slightly, "It's gonna be lonely without ya here, but if this is what ya truly want just know I'll support ya no matter what. Just take care of yaself, aite Huyana?"
Huyana nods as she replies, "I will." A grin paints her lips, "Been taught to keep my wits about me and follow my instincts. It's done good by me so far." Out of the corner of her eye, she sees the bus driving up the street and a feeling of sadness flows through her.
Kalena sees this as well and pulls her friend into a warm, but tight hug as she says, "Ya write to me. No matter what it is. I wanna hear all bout it, ya hear?"
A sniffle escapes Huyana as she replies, "I promise." She didn't really want to leave Kalena behind but she desperately needed change.
They break apart as they hear the bus pull up and Kalena lifts Huyana's face to look her in the eyes. She takes in the sad look on her friend's face and tutted slightly, "Hey, no tears. The only tears I wanna see comin' from ya here on out are tears of joy. Got it?" She then adds, "And if this goes awry, just know ya always welcome to stay at my place as you have been."
Huyana nods and gently smiles as she wipes the tears on her face away with her hand. She then takes a deep breath and carries her luggage up the bus stairs. She takes a seat near a window and waves at Kalena as the bus's doors closed with a hiss and it began to move down the street. When they were outside Zuzu City limits, Huyana takes out her mp3 player and turns it on. She selects a song and puts her headphones in her ears. She takes in the country side as it passed by her, anxiety filling her as she didn't know what to expect, though her nerves became calmer as the music filled her ears:
"Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreamin' of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray
Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I pray I could breakaway"
The trip took a few hours but the bus finally reached it's destination as it pulled up to bus stop of Pelican Town. As Huyana descends off the bus, she is greeted by a red haired woman with fair skin and green eyes. She was wearing a yellow long sleeved shirt coupled with a brown vest and green pants. On her feet were a pair of brown boots.
She gives Huyana a warm smile as she says cheerfully, "Hello! You must be Huyana. I'm Robin, the local carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home. He's there right now, tidying things up for your arrival." She motions Huyana to follow her, "The farm's right over here, if you'll follow me."
Huyana simply nods and follows Robin down the dirt path. As they approach the farm house, Huyana takes in all of the debris that was scattered across the farmyard and thinks to herself, "Looks like I got my work cut out for me but I don't mind. The hard work will pay off in the long run."
Mayor Lewis greets them from the porch, "Ah, the new farmer!" He walks down the steps and stops in front of them, "Welcome Huyana! I'm Lewis, Mayor of Pelican Town."
Huyana nods in recognition as she replies, "It's nice to meet you sir."
Lewis smiles at her and says, "You as well. You know, everyone has been asking about you."
Huyana blinked in surprise as she asks warily, "T-They have? W-What for?"
Lewis gives her a reassuring look as he replies with a chuckle, "Of course, they're just curious about you. It's not everyday that someone new moves in. It's quite a big deal!" He turns to the farmhouse and adds, "So...you're moving into your grandfather's old cottage." He gives it an admiring look, "It's a good house...very 'rustic'."
Robin scoffs slightly as she says with a smirk, "Rustic? That's one way to put it...More like 'crusty', that would be a little more apt."
Lewis glares at her as he says angrily, "Rude!" He gives Huyana an apologetic look, "I apologize Ms. Branwen." He gives Robin an annoyed look, "She's just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of her house upgrades."
It was Robin's turn to glare at Lewis as Huyana looks back at the farmhouse and says gently, "It's fine, Lewis." She gives it an admiring look, memories of her time spent with her grandfather flooding through her as she adds with a small smile, "Nothing wrong with old things. They have as much charm as new ones."
Robin blinked in surprise and Lewis smiles at her as he says, "Your grandfather said the same thing." A sad look crosses his face, "Bless him. Least ya went peacefully, my old friend." He composes himself as he adds, "Anyway...you must be tired from the long journey. You should go get some rest then tomorrow you can explore the town and introduce yourself. The townspeople would appreciate that."
He walks over and gestures to the wooden bin nearby, "Oh, I almost forgot. If you find or have anything you want to sell, just put it in this box here. I'll come by during the night to collect it." He then bades her farewell with a wave of his hand, "Well...good luck!"
As he turns to leave, Robin follows after him as she waves and says to Huyana, "I got dinner to cook. I'll see ya tomorrow."
Huyana nods and waves back as she watches them leave. When they were out of sight, she let's out a sigh and walks up the porch steps. She then opens the door and heads inside. She leaves her things by the door and explores the house. Everything looked the same as she remembered it from the last time she was here, except for one thing missing: her grandfather. A feeling of sadness filled Huyana as she gazed about the house.
She and her parents would sail over from the Fern Islands to visit him during the summers of her youth. They were fun days filled with adventure. From exploring the forest and collecting seashells on the shores of the beach, to telling old stories around a campfire. There was never a dull moment with her grandfather when they visited. She never ventured much into town as she was quite an introverted child, so she was unfamiliar with those who resided within it. Her time was spent in the forest as her grandfather had told her tales about the Junimo and she wanted to glimpse and befriend them.
The year before they stopped coming, her grandfather had said to her one night, "Come here, dear."
Seven year old Huyana came over to him and he says, "There is something I want to give ya."
Huyana tilted her head as she asks curiously, "What is it?"
He hands her a white envelope as he says, "I want you to have this envelope. But don't open it yet, ye are not ready for it right now." He gives her a soft smile, "Think of it like a book. If ya skip to the end, you'll miss all the important things." He extends out his pinky, "Promise me."
Huyana takes it from him and loops her pinky around his as she nods and replies, "I promise not to open it til I'm ready."
Her grandfather grins at her and says, "That's me little dove." He pulls her closer to him, "Now, listen closely, there will come a day when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life...and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness. When that happens, dove, you'll be ready for this gift." He then gives her a soft pat on the head as he adds, "Now ye run along, grandpa's abit tired and needs his rest."
Huyana nods and with an innocent, unknowing smile, she runs off to have her dad read her a book. The next day her grandfather was found dead in his bed. He had passed away in his sleep, a natural death due to old age. After the funeral, they never visited Pelican Town again. Now here she was, standing in his home. The feeling of it was odd.
She remembers the words from her grandfather's will when she had read it at work out of curiousity one day. The will had a letter attached to it and it had read: "If you are reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life … real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belonged."
A portion of the will had been marked in regards to where it pertained to her, "And now I leave to my only granddaughter, Huyana Branwen, my entire farm, including its land, tools, and existing structures to live on." A little note had been scribbled under it, "I hope you come to call Pelican Town your home, my little dove, as I did when I met your grandmother there."
Huyana let's out a sigh as she thinks to herself, "Life works in mysterious ways.." She then goes into the bedroom and collaspes onto the bed. She turns over onto her back and stares up at the ceiling, "Even so, I'm here now and I'm going to make the best of it." She then closes her eyes and goes to sleep.
The next few days in Pelican Town were like a blur to Huyana. Between clearing debris, hoeing a spot for a small garden, planting as well as watering her first crops, and finally, greeting some of the townspeople, she was very exhausted so she went to bed early yesterday night and woke up at around eleven in the morning.
She yawns as she stretches and climbs out of bed. She then gets dressed and sets out to go water her crops which was a few parsnips given to her by Mayor Lewis along with a few potato seeds she bought yesterday from Pierre's grocery shop when she visted him to introduce herself.
After finishing her chore, she prepares to clear more debris when she noticed that the flag to her mailbox was up so she goes over to it to investigate. Inside it was a letter that read as followed:
- "Hello there, just got back from a fishing trip and heard there was a new farmer in town. You should come by the beach sometime. I got something for ya. -Willy-"
Her curiosity piqued, Huyana heads out into town and down to the beach. As she walked she enjoyed the fresh air and listened to the cadence of songbirds as they sing their melodies to one another. The trip to her twenty minutes and as she walked across the bridge that lead to the beach, she is greeted by the familiar sound of waves, the scent of salty ocean air filling her nose and her mind is filled with pleasant thoughts of her childhood home that resided on the coastal shores of the Fern Islands.
She walks happily across the sandy shore, the warm sand seeping between the toes of her bare feet. She stops at the shoreline and gazed out at the ocean. The waves licked at her feet causing her to giggle slightly. She takes a deep breath as she raises up her arms into the breeze that passes through, the wind lifting her long hair up as it played with her.
"Moving here was the best decision, way better than that smog-filled, cramped city." She thought warmly. She then notices a middle-aged man wearing fisherman clothing out on the docks, "That man must be Willy." She thinks to herself. She then begins to make her way over to him.
Willy sees her coming over to him and he waves at her as he says cheerfully, "Ahoy there, miss."
Huyana waves back as she gets closer and when she was in arm's reach she sees Willy extend out his hand in greeting as he says kindly, "Was wonderin when ya'd show. Good to finally meet ya, miss...?"
She takes his hand shyly but gives a firm shake as she replies with a smile, "Branwen. Huyana Branwen. It's a pleasure to meet you too sir." She gives him an apologetic look as she adds, "Sorry for making ya wait. Been really busy with the farm the past couple days."
Willy gives her a warm smile as he says, "Tis quite alright. It's best to get things done early then worry bout em later." He then releases her hand and turns to look across the ocean as he says with a content sigh, "Ah...I'm still tryin' to unwind from a month out on the salty seas."
He grins at her, "It was a big haul! I sold a lot of good fish and finally saved up enough to buy me a new rod." He then picks up a wooden fishing rod that leaned against the light post upon the dock, "This be the reason I called ya out here."
He turns to her and extends his arm out as he hands the fishing rod over to her as he says, "I want you to have my old fishing rod." He smiles as he adds, "It's important to me that the art o' fishing stays alive."
Huyana takes it from him and smiles as she says, "Thank you, Willy. I will cherish it." She looks down at the rod fondly as she adds, "My dad used to say, "You give a poor man a fish and you feed him for a day. You teach him to fish and you give him an occupation that will feed him for a lifetime." He would give me fishing lessons so when the time came I could fend for myself. The art of fishing is a useful and worthwhile skill to know."
Willy let's out a chuckle in response then gives her a warm smile as he says, "Aye, that'd be truer words ever said. Ye father's a smart man." He gestures to the building beside them as he adds, "By the way, me shop's back open now so come by if ya ever need any supplies. Plus, I'll buy anything ya catch." He grins as he chuckles once more, "If it smells, it sells." Heh heh. That's what my ol' Pappy used to say, anyway."
A small laugh escapes Huyana's lips and she says with a smile, "I like that. It's catchy." A thought crosses her mind and she then asks, "Your accent, it's the same as my dad's. You wouldn't happen to be from the Fern Islands would ya?"
Willy blinks in surprise as he says, "Aye, that I be." He then asks, "Ye from there?"
Huyana nods as she replies, "Born and raised there." She casts her gaze across the open ocean waters as she adds, "Beautiful place, though I longed for my own little adventure." She looks back over and smiles at Willy, "So, here I am."
The fisherman returns her smile as he says, "I had a feelin'. Glad to have ya aboard. It's not often that young folk move here." He grabs another fishing rod by the shop and adds, "This talk's been swell and I be looking forward to more if I see ya. I'd be headin out now to do some river fishin. See you around, Ms. Branwen." He then begins to make his way off the docks and to the shore.
Huyana nods as she says after him, "You as well, Willy. Happy fishing!"
She then pondered what she should do now. There wasn't much to do except clear more debris on the farm. She glances towards the tide pools back at the shore. There were probably a variety of shells waiting to be found and the idea of fishing most of the day away appealed to her. It would provide her food she wouldn't have to pay for. With that in mind she makes her way off the docks and back to the shore.
Meanwhile in the shack that resided on the shore, Elliott was busy writing away on his manuscript with intense focus. The sound of his stomach growling breaks the writer out of his musings. He glances at his watch. It was close to three in the afternoon which reminded him that he had yet to eat anything since this morning. He let's out a sigh. The last thing Elliott wanted to do on a Thursday night was brave the town square, but he needed food if he planned on staying alive long enough to make his novel a reality.
Getting up from his writing desk, he makes his way over to the door and reaches out to open it. His hand pauses in midair when he hears the sound of someone singing. His curiosity piqued, he gently opens the door and steps outside. Closing the door quietly behind him, he looks around and spots a woman who was kneeled down in the sand next to the tide pools not far from his shack.
She had long, wavy black hair that reached down to her thighs, it's length reminding him of maidens in fairytales that he read as a child. She wore an up-cycled long skirt that reach down to her ankles with it's top half being denim and the rest a white with blue tie-dye patterned fabric. On her top half she wore a long-sleeved denim jacket and a white with blue tie-dye patterned tube top underneath.
"That must be the new farmer." He thought. Feeling as though he should introduce himself, he makes his way over to her. As he gets closer he could hear a few of the words she was singing, "I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly. I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky. And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change..and breakaway."
Elliott wasn't familiar with the song but the words of it were intriguing. Upon closer inspection he sees that she was barefoot and had fair skin. She looked to be in her late twenties. He noticed that upon her ears she wore blue jay feather earrings. Next to her was fishing rod and a bucket filled with fish. From the looks of it she seemed to be now looking for seashells within the sand.
He stops before her, though it appears she still hadn't noticed him as she continued to sing, and he clears his throat as he says gently, "Excuse me, miss."
The woman stops singing as she stood up while letting out a yelp of surprise, startling Elliott, and whirled to face him. She breathes out a relieved sigh as she clutched her chest. She then says gently, "You startled me."
Elliott gives her an apologetic look as he says, "Apologies, it was not my intent to do so. I only meant to introduce myself." He then gives her a gentle smile as he adds, "You must be the new farmer. Your arrival here has sparked many a conversation these past few days. It is a pleasure to meet you, miss..?"
Huyana composes herself as she replies shyly, "Branwen. Huyana Branwen." She tilts her head to the side, her light green eyes taking in the man before her, as she asks him curiously "And you are?" She didn't recall seeing him on the beach when she first arrived and he was someone she definitely would of notice.
He was tall and had wavy, shoulder-length rusty orange hair which shone brightly in the sunlight. It gave her the illusion that it had been kissed by fire as it framed his handsome face that was adorned with sea foam green eyes and freckles upon his light tanned skin cheeks. He wore a red, buttoned-up suit jacket with a white shirt underneath and green neck tie. His bottom half consisted of green pressed pants and black shoes. He was quite attractive in her honest opinion, especially since she liked guys with long hair. He looked to be in his late twenties like her.
Elliott replies, "My name is Elliott Ainsworth." He gestures to the shack behind him as he adds, "I live in that small shack over there. It's not much but it's home." He then asks, "So, how are you finding your first few days in Pelican Town, Huyana?"
Huyana smiles shyly at him as she replies, "It's been tirin' with all the work but the people and town are all quite lovely." She casts a glance at the ocean as she adds, "To breathe the fresh ocean air and hear the songbirds sing each mornin' is pleasant. I am quite happy to have come here."
Elliott notices a slight accent in her voice that reminded him of Willy and thinks, "She must be from the Fern Islands like Willy."
He smiles at her response and says, "That is wonderful to hear." His stomach then rumbles, reminding him of the reason he had come out in the first place, and he says, "I hate to break this lovely conversation but I must be heading off to the saloon for dinner. You are welcome to accompany me if you so desire."
Huyana gives him an apologetic look as she says, "Sorry, but I have more work to do. Maybe another time?" She hands him one of the corals she found as she adds shyly, "H-here, ...a token to celebrate our first encounter. It was very nice meeting you, Elliott."
Elliott blinked in surprised then tentatively takes the coral from her and holds it gently in his hands as he says, "A gift for me? Thank you." He then gives her a small smile as he says, "It was a pleasure for me as well. I suppose we shall dine another time then. Take care Ms. Branwen." He then bades her farewell and walks towards the bridge that lead into town.
When he was out of sight, Huyana returned to looking for seashells for a bit longer then gathered everything up and made her way back to the farm to clear more debris then went to bed for the night hours later. By the time Elliott returned to the beach, he finds she had left, leaving no trace to suggest she had been there. She had seemed friendly enough during their short talk though he decided to wait awhile before he made assumptions about her. The last thing he needed was another person who was put off by his oddball ways. He breathes in one last whiff of the ocean air before he goes inside his shack and goes to sleep for the night.
