(Author's Note: I DO NOT OWN HM!!! Um...I made up Jean Karo and all characters, like Chasse, Claire, Samson, Franky, etc. So whatever, enjoy, and r/r!)

A New Life

Chapter One- Jean Karo

So this is what it's like to be a country kid... Jean Karo thought as she got off her train. It smelled like hay- EVERYWHERE! Even at the train station!

She smiled and looked around. I must look different. She thought again. She probably did, too. She was twenty-one and had shoulder length, spiky, reddish-brown hair and green eyes, and wore jeans, an orange shirt, and a leather vest. Compared to the girl next to her, who had golden hair, blue eyes, and wore a soft pink dress, she was the biggest tomboy in the world.

"Hello! My name's Jean Karo! I'm new here!" she called to the girl. She hoped she didn't sound stupid. Nah, I don't sound stupid! I'm cool! She thought. Self-confidence? Yes. Cool attitude? Yes. Ego? YES!

"Hello...I'm Claire Shuup. Welcome to the village," she said. She didn't seem to friendly...sort of snobby, in fact. She sighed impatiently.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Jean asked, trying desperately to make conversation.

"Yes, my boyfriend," Claire replied snottily.

"Oh...well...I'm sorry, I'll be leaving." And with that, she left to find the farm that she heard about.

"HELLO!" someone screamed. A man about her age popped out of a bush. He had black hair, hazel eyes, and glasses. He looked pretty friendly...maybe a bit hyper, even.

"Um...hi! I'm Jean Karo. I just mov-" She didn't even get to finish, though, because the man was off and talking.

"Well, you just moved here? Cool! I'm Franky Freeman. FF! Final Fantasy!" he said very quickly. He started laughing so hard he fell down.

"Umm...that's nice! Goodbye!" Jean said, walking off. She couldn't help but laugh, though. Franky was funny.

So, by now, she assumed that this was a well-mixed village. Snobs and crazies. Hmm. Then there was her...what was she? She decided to decide later.

"THE FARM!" she screamed happily. She hugged the small wooden sign that marked the farm.

"Um...Miss? Are you...NEW here?" someone asked. She whirled around to see the shortest woman in her life. Definitely shorter than her, she had long red hair and blue eyes. She smiled brightly at her.

"Yes, I'm here for the farm!!" Jean said, bouncing up and down slightly. She decided she was a hyper. Not a crazy or a snob, a hyper.

"Great! I'm Anna Freeman- the Mayor's daughter. You may have already met my brother, Franky. He hangs around the entrance." Anna shook her hand vigorously.

"Cool, yeah, I already met him. He's a bit...um..." she searched for the words.

"Crazy?" Anna suggested.

"Yeah."

"Ha, I know. Well, let me show you the farm."

So they walked off, talking and laughing. Jean immediately liked Anna. She was funny, like Franky, but not as crazy. And she was glad to see Anna wore dirty jeans and a sweater, not a dress.

"This is the farm!" she said happily, waving her hand around. Jean looked up and saw a small shack on a field littered with rocks, stumps, and weeds. A chicken coop and a cow barn were in the corner. What luxury. But she forced a grin.

"Cool!" she said.

"You hate it, don't you?" Anna asked sadly.

"What? NO!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! I like it!" And that was the truth, too.

"Well...all right. Um...my mom and dad will drop by soon! 'Bye!" she said, bounding off.

"Hmm...wonder which is the mayor," she said to herself. Oh well.

Just then- they must be QUICK! - a man and a woman came in. The woman was a little short too, with red-blonde hair and hazel eyes. The man was taller, with black hair and blue eyes.

"Hello, dear. I'm the mayor," the woman said. She shook her hand. "Just call me Mayor."

"Um...okay!"

"And I'm just her husband," the man said jauntily. He had the same voice and laugh as Franky. Oi. Jean thought. "Call me Todd."

"Cool!" she said, ignoring the small dog Todd was holding. Nice looking dog. She thought.

"This dog is a token of our...um...welcome-y-ness," Todd said, handing it to her.

"Oh, wow! Thanks!" she said, hugging it.

"YIP!" the dog said.

"Well, I suppose Anna showed you much of the town," Mayor said.

"Yup," Jean said tiredly. The sun was setting, and she needed to get to bed. Mayor smiled.

"Yes, I figured. She loves to do that. Well, our house is on the far east side of town. Drop by if you need help!" they said.

"Okay. 'Bye!"

"See you!" And with that, they walked off.

Jean looked out over the dirty field. I guess I'll get some stuff tomorrow. She thought. She watched the sun slowly sink down, then crawled into her bed.