Chapter 1

"With all due respect, Mr. Mayor, let me review the bylaws of the Flower Dance with you." Vincent sat at the Mayor's table, opening up an old book from the library.

"That may be a good idea." Mayor Pierre, whose hair had gone grey in his old age, leaned in.

"The Flower Queen is young, fair and lively, in a demure white dress," Vincent read, "with natural beauty and excellent dance skill. The Flower Queen exemplifies all that is great about spring, flowers, and Stardew Valley." He gave the mayor a smug grin. "Nowhere in the bylaws does it state that the Flower Queen has to be a female."

"Vincent," Pierre sighed, "You are a seventeen-year-old boy. Why do you want to be the Flower Queen, anyway?"

Vincent shrugged. "I've always wanted to, ever since I was a little boy. I want a twirly skirt and a flower crown. The Flower Queen always looks like she has so much fun during that last dance with her Prince!"

"Well, because the bylaws don't prohibit it, I can't in good conscience prohibit you from trying. But I can say that I will not vote for anyone who makes such a mockery of our traditions."

"Thank you, sir!" Vincent stood up and reached his hand across the table. Pierre stood and reluctantly returned the handshake. "I'll do my best."

As soon as Vincent was out of earshot, the grumbling started. "That's what I'm afraid of...holy Yoba, I'm too old for this nonsense."

Vincent sprinted from the Mayor's mansion to Marnie's ranch. He ran in without knocking, gave Marnie a high-five across the counter, and barged into the big bedroom.

"Jas, guess what!"

"What?" Jas was laying on her bed, with her face buried in a calculus textbook.

"Mayor Pierre's gonna let me go for Flower Queen this year!"

"WHAT." Jas swung her legs down and sat up on the bed.

"Isn't that awesome?"

"No!"

Vincent's face fell.

"Vincent, you know this is my last year in Pelican Town. I won't be able to come back next year, my Spring Break is too late to make it to the Flower Dance. This is my last shot."

"Well, you can still enter," he said.

"Just like I have every year since I was old enough to dance." She crossed her arms. "And every year, I get edged out. Either someone older than me is better at the dance, or someone younger is prettier and gets more votes." She glared at Vincent. "Just once, I want to win. And if you enter, people are gonna vote for you because you're this hilarious novelty item, and I'll get edged out again."

"I didn't know you took it that seriously."

"Well, I do. It's a rite of passage, it's a bit of validation, it's what all the little girls in the Valley dream of when they watch the Flower Dance as kids!"

"I thought you were more interested in school and nerdy stuff than being validated as a pretty girl."

Jas rolled her eyes. "I'm more interested in school because that's what I'm good at. Come on, would you rather play gridball or build model rockets?"

"Good point. Last time I built a rocket, it exploded on the pad. That was back in middle school."

"I remember that, I was pissed because I wanted to launch mine that day and you ruined the launcher."

He laughed. "Yeah, sorry about that. Listen, I just don't want the Flower Dance to come between us."

"Well, it will." The glare hadn't faded from her face. "This is my last chance to become the Flower Queen. If you insist on being a novelty item, go ahead, but you're not getting any help from me. Bye, Vincent."

"Jas, I'm sorry...it's just that I really want to do this, and-"

"I'm done talking about this," she snapped. "Goodbye, Vincent."

He left without closing the door. Jas jumped out of bed and slammed it behind him.

Just a few seconds later, Shane and Marnie came in.

"What's wrong, honey?" Marnie sat down on the bed by Jas, putting an arm around her.

Jas rolled her eyes. "Vincent's gonna try to be the Flower Queen this year."

"Awesome!" Shane laughed. "I'd vote for him!"

"That's the problem! A big guy in a dress is funny, so people are gonna vote for him so they can see him dance again! I thought I might actually have a chance this year," she sighed.

"Well, maybe if you got a better fitting dress," Shane said, his voice trailing off.

"UGH! Are you calling me fat?!"

"It's just that you've been wearing Penny's old dress for years now, and it kind of cinches you in too much…"

"You ARE!"

"I swear I'm not!"

"You're not helping! Get out!"

Shane ducked out of the room, mumbling something about how chickens are so much easier to deal with than people.

"Jas, honey, we were actually talking about this the other day," Marnie said. "Shane didn't want to say this because he didn't want to come off like a creep, but your figure is...amazing. Perfect hourglass. And obviously, Penny's is not. She's long and lean. You're the same height, so the dress worked when you were in eighth and ninth grade, but now it's just not enough."

Jas looked down. All she could see was what she thought were giant thighs, straining against her sweatpants. "Obviously. It looks like an overstuffed sausage casing."

"Oh, shut up!" Marnie snapped. "Nobody's allowed to talk to you like that, even you."

"Sorry…" She rolled her eyes again.

"Let's go to Emily and Haley."

"You think they'd be able to let it out enough to squeeze me in there?"

"Oh, I meant we'd get you a new dress."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course, that's why I'm suggesting it!" Marnie playfully squeezed Jas. "Emily knows how to make clothing that makes people look good. Haley's up to date on the trends, so she can help by making sure Emily designs something that looks current. I know you have your heart set on being the Flower Queen, so we'll give you the best chance possible."

"But it's my last year here."

"Well, we'll hold on to the dress. We can lend it out if Azalea or Juliet ever hit a growth spurt...or if you need it as a wedding dress!"

Jas pressed her lips together and nodded. She had plenty of snarky comments for Marnie, but held them in. "Thanks, Aunt Marnie." She picked up her notebook. "I have four more calculus problems to do before tomorrow, so...maybe we can go tomorrow evening?"

"Sounds great! Maybe we can make an evening of it, and get dinner at the Saloon on the way home."