Okay, so this isn't my first fic but it's my first in a while so please please PLEASE go easy on me. Flaming is accepted but if you don't like it tell me what's wrong so I can fix it! I suck at summaries (like I said in the summary) and these first few chapters are just intro so bear with me. I'm pretty sure I know where I'm going with this.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon or any of the characters.
To think, I've been here for so little time, yet I have more roots down here than I ever had in the city. I feel so attached to this little town with its little people and I can't help thinking, how did she do it?
Did she really want the city so bad that she would leave a place like this with people like these ones? How could I ever leave shy little May, looking for a role model or Ellen who loved every single person she met? Or did she do it because of people like Siabara, rough and scary, and Dr. Tim, serious and blunt? I don't think I could even leave them.
No, I thought, she didn't leave because of them. She left because of him. It may have been a different man with different circumstances but you know what they say-
His face came into my head and I knew what I had to do. I picked up my suitcase and walked out the door, and for the first time since I moved to Mineral Town, I locked it behind me.
–like mother, like daughter.
It was 4:48 when I started to watch the clock. My office job wasn't any kind of exciting and things had really been getting hectic lately. Usually when I worked Sundays it was the best day of the week. Most people took that day off so the office was quieter and you could just sit and do what you were supposed to do without any drama or distractions. Unfortunately, this week was different. This week was the week before Christmas so everyone was working overtime (even on Sundays) so they could get Christmas off.
I signed off the computer and put my things away 5 minutes early then went to the bathroom and left the building. Fortunately, it didn't start raining until after I got to the shelter of the bus stop.
The bus came right on time at 5:10 and picked me up along with three other passengers. The first, a middle aged man wearing a tan overcoat, the second, a girl only a little younger than me who looked like she spent way too much time on her hair and makeup. The other was an odd man. He wasn't old but he wasn't young and he rode the bus every day with me, though I wasn't sure which building he worked in. I had been riding the bus with these people since I started that job about seven months earlier and I still didn't even know one of their names. I'd never spoken to any of them even once and it was perfectly normal. The city was just like that I guessed.
I got off the bus two blocks from my house. It was still raining but it was harder than when I got on the bus. This is when I discovered that I had left my umbrella at the office. I attempted to cover my head with my flimsy sweater but it soaked through and I got wet.
I was nearly soaked when I finally reached my flat and vainly called "I'm home!" before I threw my mass of soggy sweater on the bench by the door and kicked my shoes off, nearly hitting my puppy, Slaney.
I looked at the dog for a few moments and she looked at me blankly in the adorable way puppies do. "I got you so that you would welcome me home and be my friend", I said to her. She tilted her head to one side and continued her blank stare. I couldn't stay mad, or even get mad, at her so I snatched her into my arms and gave her a kiss on the head. She gave me a lick on the cheek in return and I went to take a shower.
Every night before I went to bed I would look at the paper and see what things had been going on in the world. Lately though there had been constant homicides and deaths which I just couldn't stand so that day I did something I'd never done before – I turned to the real estate section. That was when I saw it.
"Would you like to enjoy a peaceful and refreshing farm life? For more info contact (555) 123-4567."
I thought about what it would be like to live on a farm… There would be no bustle or pressure or cares. There would be nature all around you and people you could actually get to know. There would be a sense of family and togetherness – like you really have a purpose. Life would be more intimate and romantic and warm… The city is so cold and lonely; you're left to fend for yourself everyday… In a small town, in a farming town, everyone looks out for each other…
Come to think of it the only reason I came to live in the city was because it's where my mother always wanted to be – it's where she raised me. I always hated the city; I could never make friends and got walked all over. Sometimes the city felt like a dream land where anything could happen – the most romantic place ever – but after actually being here and living the "city life"… nothing about it is romantic or wondrous at all.
It was decided. I would move to that farm. I would buy cows and sheep and raise them. I would grow crops and eat them and sell them. I would have chickens, as well. I may even have a horse. A farm is the perfect place for Slaney, too.
I rushed over to the phone as quick as I could and dialed the number…
"Hello, is this MT Realtor? I'm calling about the farm…" I said in a rush, before I could change my mind.
A week later, the day after new years, I came to my new home.
It wasn't what I was expecting. It was a dump. So I was eager to get things worked out when the mayor arrived.
He was a short man, kind of goofy looking with beady eyes and a round pink nose. He wore a red suit with a yellow bow tie and a red top hat that was definitely too small for his head. His haircut was odd as well (bald on the top with a shoulder length flip in the back) but it was really his big bushy mustache that made him look so outrageous.
The first thing he said to me was "Are you a tourist?" he didn't sound very smart and I was already irritated about the farms condition. All I could do was shake my head so I wouldn't say anything that I would regret.
He walked over to me then. "MT realtor told you that you can live a refreshing life on the farm?" he asked. "You're the new farmer?"
I nodded.
Then he started to laugh. Can you believe it? I am the newest member of this town and he, a political figure and a role model of the town, was laughing at me! "You've been tricked. It used to be a gorgeous farm, but not anymore since the owner passed away." He informed me. "As you can see, no one's been taking care of it."
Obviously, I thought. He is NOT getting my vote in the next mayoral election.
"Not may people want to work on the farm now. So they decided to make the advertisement sound more attractive. It's been a while since the last one though…"
That's advertising for you.
"Every now and then, people who have seen the ad come here. Just like yourself. But as soon as they see the farm, they get disappointed and leave. Just like that." He said it almost like he was sorry for me, but I knew he was just sorry that no one was here to make money and pay taxes, just like every other political figure.
That made me furious.
He saw the look on my face and paled a bit. "I see. You believed that cheesy advertisement." Then he started to laugh again.
I couldn't take his torment any longer so I pulled out my hammer and hit him with it as hard I could.
"Ow ow ow… ouch. Okay, okay, sorry. Please stop hitting me." I rolled my eyes and almost hit him with my axe too but decided against it. I nodded at his request and explained to him why I was so mad.
A feeble look came to his face. "…I see. You quit your job and moved out of your apartment… that's too bad…"
I glared at him and nodded.
He brightened up like he just came up with a great idea. "Hey, why don't you just try and run the farm? The house is livable, and actually pretty nice."
I thought about it for a second and he started to speak again.
"If you work hard, I think you'll be happy here." He was grinning now. "As the mayor of this town, I will help you as much as I can."
I reluctantly smiled "Lets do it!" I agreed.
After the mayor left I picked Slaney up "Alright! I'm going to make this farm the best farm in the world!" I said to her. I had my enthusiasm back!
This is going to be a romance fic (hopefully a long one) so any plot or character suggestions, commentary on my writing style, praise/flame on the story are all accepted with open arms and squeals of glee.
