Harvest Moon:
Seasons of Harmony
by
JamesPicard_007
Author's Note: This is merely my rendition of Harvest Moon: Back to Nature and Friends of Mineral Town. (They are essentially the same) While it will mostly follow the Harvest Moon tradition a few liberties will be taken for a (hopefully) more enticing story.
Chapter 1: The New Owner
It was the beginning of a new year. Remnants of snow lay melting on the fresh grass. A red sun grew over the horizon as birds twittered their return from the south. The trees began to sprout leaves anew and animals sprung from their winter holes. In the quaint little village of Mineral Town the people began to prepare for the New Year's Festival.
Mineral Town was a relatively unknown place. A small burg that lay on the edge of the coast. It had received its name because many years ago it had been a primary exporting center of mineral ore. Time passed and better sources of ore were found and the village was left to itself. A peaceful area beside the ocean a few of the former miners built themselves a home and begun to raise their families.
As the town clock rang seven in the morning Thomas, the mayor of Mineral Town, made his way to Rose Square where the festival would be. Thomas was a short and kind man. The townsfolk recognized him by his red top hat and coat. He also sported balding dark brown hair, a thick mustache and a small pair of glasses. A few villagers were already at the Square helping out to get the festival underway.
Thomas stood in the center and spread his arms as he took a deep breath. The air was crisp and clean. It almost seemed new.
"That's what today is all about," Thomas thought to himself. "A new day. A new year. A new beginning!"
He walked over to some villagers to talk about the upcoming festivities. As the few prepared the Square the rest of Mineral Town awoke to revel in the new day. The first of Spring was all about change and a new beginning however unique things rarely happened on this new day.
The villagers didn't mind it, but it was always the same festivities, the same food, the same people. The village had its own little pattern even though many didn't recognize it. However this day change would truly come to Mineral Town and that change would impact everyone's life forever.
At noon the New Year's Festival began with a bang and an assortment of colored balloons released into the sky. Good food and good friends seemed abundant today. Wine from the Aja Winery flowed freely while grape juice and milk was available for those who didn't wish to get drunk. Cakes, pasta, sandwiches, ice cream and other foods were available for all to enjoy. The adults conversed while the children ran around and played games.
Ah. There's nothing quite like the New Year's Festival," a large shaggy man exclaimed. "If you're lucky it may just give me the energy I need to finish those shelves for you, Jeff."
"That'd be wonderful Gotz," Jeff replied. "I'm getting some new merchandise soon and I'd like to be able to place it somewhere other than the floor."
"Hahaha. I would have had them to you sooner, but as you know it was a harsh winter and good lumber hard to find."
"Well just as long as you get them to me. Business has been a bit off ever since Walter died."
"That so?"
"Yeah. A few of the villagers have been importing their food from the city. They say the stuff I'm carrying now just isn't the same as Walter's."
"Walter knew how to run that farm. It's a shame to see it the way it is now."
"Didn't Walter have any one to take over for him?"
"No. The man lived by himself. Wasn't married nor did he have any children, but now that you speak about it something strange did happen on my way here today."
"What's that?"
"A stranger's in town. Stopped to ask me for directions to Walter's place. A young lad."
"What did he want?"
"Didn't say although now that I think about it perhaps he was looking for Walter."
"What's that about Walter?" Thomas asked as he strolled up to Gotz and Jeff.
"A young lad I saw today. Asked me for directions to Walter's place."
"Doesn't he know that Walter is dead now?"
"Didn't seem like it although if you wanted to ask him perhaps the boy is at the farm right now."
The Legends farm was a mess. The once beautiful field was blemished by weeds, stumps, branches, rocks and boulders. A lone farmhouse stood near the entrance; its wood splitting and the paint discoloring and peeling apart. The barn seemed to be in a state of disrepair and the chicken coop looked as if it could fall apart any second.
A lone figure stood at the edge of the field. He watched as a small puppy played in the debris chasing after something. His light brown hair swayed in the wind as he held his blue cap to his side. He stared out over the property looking in disbelief at what he saw. Behind him Thomas walked up to see the stranger that Gotz had spoke of.
"Can I help you with something?" Thomas called out.
"I'm here to see Walter. Can you tell me where he is?" The stranger said as he turned to face Thomas.
"Walter isn't here anymore. As the executor of his estate I have to ask you to leave the property."
"Executor? Does that mean...?"
"Yes. Walter passed away six months ago."
"What happened to the farm?"
"Nobody has taken care of it since he died. We've been waiting for the inheritor to show up, but so far he hasn't shown up. Until that time we ask that nobody disturb the place."
"I'd like to see his will."
"I'm afraid that's a private document. Only a few select people are allowed to see it. How are you related to Walter if you don't mind my asking?"
"I'm a... a friend of his."
"I'm sure many people can claim they were Walter's friend, but that doesn't entitle them to view his will. Unless you can provide more proof of your friendship I'm going to have to ask you to leave mister...?"
"James..."
"James!? I do recall seeing that name in his will. If you'll be kind enough to follow me back to my office we can see about looking at that will."
"Come on, King!"
The little puppy ran happily to its master's side at the call of its name. James bent over to give the dog a pat on the back and afterwards rubbed some mud King had picked up on his blue overalls before following Thomas back into Mineral Town.
James sat amazed as he held his cup of tea. He watched as Thomas added to the ever growing stack of papers on his desk as he searched drawers for the will. King growled lowly as he tried to rip some meat of off the bone that Thomas had given him.
"Ah-ha! Here it is!" Thomas shouted triumphantly as he waved a few papers in the air.
He adjusted his glasses and skimmed through the document to find the line he wanted to show James. When he discovered it he brought the will over to James for him to read.
And finally we come to my home, the Legends farm. I have decided that I shall not leave it to any of my relatives. I have no children of my own and feel that none of my other relations would give it the proper care and love I have given it these past years. Instead I have decided to leave it to my good friend James, who has given his friendship to this old man these past
years. I know that Legends is like a second home to him and therefore I
know it will be safe in his hands.
"Are you really the James that Walter speaks of here?" Thomas asked curiously.
James reached into a rucksack he had been carrying and pulled out a few letters which he handed to Thomas. Thomas overlooked the letters. The writing they held was undoubtedly Walter's. There was no question that this was the boy Walter spoke of.
"So how did you come to know Walter?"
"It was about fifteen years ago. My parents and I had come to Mineral Town on vacation. One day I got lost and ended up on his farm. Fortunately I had a number for where we were staying. He contacted my parents and they picked me up. He invited us to stay on his farm since he had taken a liking to me and enjoyed our company. When our vacation was over Walter and I began to write each other. About six months ago his letters stopped coming and just a few days ago I decided to come to Mineral Town and see what had happened." James explained.
"So until today you never knew that Walter had passed away."
"No..."
"Well you've proven to me that you are the boy that Walter spoke of in his will and here comes the question. Since Walter has named you the inheritor of Legends farm do you want to accept this inheritance or not?"
"What would I do with it?"
"Essentially you could do anything you wanted to. It would be your property after all. However there's a few of us here in town who would like to see the place restored to its former glory and I think Walter would like that as well."
James thought silently as he cradled his tea. A farm that would be his own. He had been looking into moving away from the city and this would be the perfect opportunity. Besides Walter would have wanted it this way...
"Sure... I'll take it."
"Excellent. Any plans on what you'll do with it?"
"I think I'll take your advice and start the farm back up. I'm sure Walter would have wanted it that way."
"I'm glad to hear that. I'll give you some things to help you start out and then I'll help you bring it home."
"Home... Guess I'll have to get used to that now."
The farmhouse was a total dump. While it looked bad on the outside it was even worse inside. The floor was covered in leaves which had gotten in through the broken windows. Shelves were busted and old books lay on the floor. The lone bed was old and the springs had broken through the mattress. The old place needed a lot of work.
James checked the toolbox beside the door which only contained old, rusted versions of an axe, a hoe, a sickle and a watering can. An old broom lay in a web-ridden corner and James fished it out and began to sweep up the leaves and some glass which was there because of the destroyed television that laid on the floor. After the floor was decently cleaned he set up the old table and a chair.
Thomas had provided an oil lamp, a small television to replace the broken one, a sleeping bag and some food. James lit the lamp since the sun was beginning to set and prepared himself a meager meal of ham sandwiches. He gave the leftovers to King and watched as the moon crept into the sky.
After cleaning the house out a bit more he rolled out the sleeping bag and prepared to lay down. He laid out a small blanket for King to sleep on as well. After brushing his teeth James crawled into the sleeping bag and stared at the ceiling of his new home. This was the beginning of something new and he couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.
Morning didn't seem to come fast enough. His sleep had been fitful since James was used to laying on a comfy mattress and not a hard wood floor. As he stretched out King woke up to join him. Outside the sun was beginning to peer over the horizon. After washing up for the day to come James prepared a small bit of instant oatmeal for King and himself.
Just as the two finished up their breakfast there was a knock from outside. When he opened the door Mayor Thomas and a large, burly man was there to greet him.
"Good morning, James," Thomas said cheerfully. "Getting ready for a hard day's work?"
"Well I'm getting up..." James replied wearily.
"Good man! James, I'm here on some business and to introduce you to Zack here."
"Nice to meet you, James," Zack said as he reached for James' hand and shook it heartily. "I bet this is your first day of doing some real work like this, eh?"
"Yeah.." James answered.
"An honest man! I like that quality in people. James, I'm here because I'm going to be your shipper."
"Shipper?"
"That's right. I used to ship Walter's crops and now I'm going to do it for you. Now do you see that large box over there?" Zack asked pointing at a storage bin that sat beside the debris-filled field.
"Uh-huh."
"Just dump everything you want to ship out in there and by five in the evening I'll stop by to pick it all up. There's also some bins in your barn and coop so you can throw whatever in there and I'll get that too. Also be sure to remember that I don't stop by on festivals. I've got to take a break every so now and then too."
"Alright. What about payment?"
"Well you'll need to get into town and start up an account at the local bank. I think ol' Tom is here to help you do that. I calculate what the stuff you've shipped is worth and I'll have the money wired into your account."
"Ok..."
"Great! I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got other business I need to take care of. See ya at five." Zack exclaimed before running off.
"Good man," Thomas stated. "Anyways Zack is right. We need to get you a bank account so you can get properly paid. Right now it's only six o five and the bank doesn't open until nine so you have a few hours to kill. I'll be there when the bank opens so meet me there at nine. Got it?"
"Nine... Gotcha." James repeated.
"Alright. See you there."
With those final words Thomas began his walk back to Mineral Town. James walked back inside the house and rummaged through his rucksack. His parents had only given him a thousand gold pieces. Now he only had half of that. His first priority would be to get some money flowing in if he wanted to survive.
A new realization came to James at the thought of his parents. When he had left home to come to Mineral Town it was with the expectation that Walter was only sick and unable to write. Not that he had passed away and left his home to a distant friend. So James decided that the first order of the day was to write to home and let them know that he was going to stay in Mineral Town.
After placing the letter in the mailbox he then decided that it was time to do some hunting for things to ship and sell. There was a dense forest to the south of the farm. Surely there's something in there I can send off. King followed his master to the woods as they went to explore.
The forest was teeming with life. Birds chirped their happiness from the trees, land critters scampered across the ground and there was plenty of plants. While King was happily chasing some rabbits James noticed a clump of green herbs growing. He bent down on one knee and pulled out a small knife he had brought with him. Carefully he cut the herbs at the root and placed the plants in his rucksack.
"What are ya doing over there?" A rough voice called out.
James turned to see the man whom he had asked for directions yesterday. He stood up and faced Gotz while brushing the dirt off his pants.
"Oh, it's you from yesterday, " Gotz said as he recognized James. "I didn't expect to find you around here."
"Well it seems that Walter left me the farm in his will. I think you'll be seeing a lot more of me from now on." James explained.
"Is that so? I'm glad somebody is finally taking care of it. The name's Gotz by the way."
"James."
"Glad ta meet ya. I'm the carpenter in these parts. Everybody comes to me when they need something good built. If you don't mind my asking do you plan on doing any fixing on those buildings of yours?"
"It'd certainly be nice to get the farmhouse fixed up, but right now I'm a bit low on cash. I doubt I could afford to hire you."
"Tell me how much you have and I may be able to cut a special for you."
"I only have five hundred gold pieces."
"Ooo. I think you better hang onto that for now."
"Yeah..."
"But I'm a nice guy and if you'll follow me I'll show you a good spot where you can bring in some decent money."
"Lead the way."
Gotz lead James to an area that just branched off of the main forest path. It was a small clearing that had a small pool, a hot spring and an entrance to a deep cave.
"Now there is the entrance to the caves that gave Mineral Town its name," Gotz exclaimed. "In there is a whole bunch of minerals just waiting to be unearthed. They're mostly laying inside the rocks, but if you crack open those rocks you can extract the ore and sell it off for a tidy profit."
"Nice." James agreed.
"Over there, as you can see, is the village hot spring. If you're ever feeling weary or your bones are just aching to the core just hop on in and sit a while. That'll fix you right up and you'll feel relaxed to boot."
"Wow. I think I'll get along just fine around here."
"I'm sure you will. Now if you don't mind I'm going to be off for now. I've got to hunt up some breakfast, but I'm sure we'll run into each other soon."
Gotz went off leaving James and King alone in the little clearing. Seeing that it was only six thirty James decided that a visit to the hot spring would be just right for him. He raced back to the farmhouse and grabbed his swimming shorts after unloading the herbs he had gathered into the shipping box.
There was a small changing booth beside the spring for those who needed to change. James slipped into his shorts and slid slowly into the spring. As he went in deeper he began to feel what it must be like for an egg being boiled. However he also felt the tense muscles of his back loosening up. The stiffness of the night before was disappearing into the hot waters.
He turned to face the small pool that lay on the side of the mountain. A waterfall poured down and fed the cooling waters. James closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. It seemed like it had only a few scant seconds had passed when his watch began to beep wildly. Lazily he opened one eye to look at the time and then suddenly he was at full attention.
It was 8:50! He had to meet Thomas at the bank in ten minutes and he didn't even know where the place was. Hurriedly he changed back into his clothes and scrambled towards Mineral Town.
James was quite fortunate that the Mineral Town Local Bank had a large sign naming it as such above its doors. It was conveniently located between the Supermarket and the Doctor's office. Thomas was just inside waiting for him. Apparently while waiting Thomas had gone ahead and generally set up James' account. The only thing they were waiting for was some info and a deposit.
He filled out the papers and handed over the five hundred gold pieces he had been holding onto. In turn the bank handed James some papers with his general account information and an ATM card which he could immediately use. Outside Thomas asked James for his account deposit number.
"I'll give this to Zack so he'll be able to deposit whatever you make into your account." Thomas stated.
"Are you sure that's safe?" James asked a bit worried.
"Don't worry. Zack is completely trustworthy. Besides it's just a deposit number. It's not like he'll be able to get into your account."
"Alright..."
With that exchange of words Thomas headed off to Zack's. James stood on the steps of the bank looking out across the little village and wondered were he should begin...
Seasons of Harmony
by
JamesPicard_007
Author's Note: This is merely my rendition of Harvest Moon: Back to Nature and Friends of Mineral Town. (They are essentially the same) While it will mostly follow the Harvest Moon tradition a few liberties will be taken for a (hopefully) more enticing story.
Chapter 1: The New Owner
It was the beginning of a new year. Remnants of snow lay melting on the fresh grass. A red sun grew over the horizon as birds twittered their return from the south. The trees began to sprout leaves anew and animals sprung from their winter holes. In the quaint little village of Mineral Town the people began to prepare for the New Year's Festival.
Mineral Town was a relatively unknown place. A small burg that lay on the edge of the coast. It had received its name because many years ago it had been a primary exporting center of mineral ore. Time passed and better sources of ore were found and the village was left to itself. A peaceful area beside the ocean a few of the former miners built themselves a home and begun to raise their families.
As the town clock rang seven in the morning Thomas, the mayor of Mineral Town, made his way to Rose Square where the festival would be. Thomas was a short and kind man. The townsfolk recognized him by his red top hat and coat. He also sported balding dark brown hair, a thick mustache and a small pair of glasses. A few villagers were already at the Square helping out to get the festival underway.
Thomas stood in the center and spread his arms as he took a deep breath. The air was crisp and clean. It almost seemed new.
"That's what today is all about," Thomas thought to himself. "A new day. A new year. A new beginning!"
He walked over to some villagers to talk about the upcoming festivities. As the few prepared the Square the rest of Mineral Town awoke to revel in the new day. The first of Spring was all about change and a new beginning however unique things rarely happened on this new day.
The villagers didn't mind it, but it was always the same festivities, the same food, the same people. The village had its own little pattern even though many didn't recognize it. However this day change would truly come to Mineral Town and that change would impact everyone's life forever.
At noon the New Year's Festival began with a bang and an assortment of colored balloons released into the sky. Good food and good friends seemed abundant today. Wine from the Aja Winery flowed freely while grape juice and milk was available for those who didn't wish to get drunk. Cakes, pasta, sandwiches, ice cream and other foods were available for all to enjoy. The adults conversed while the children ran around and played games.
Ah. There's nothing quite like the New Year's Festival," a large shaggy man exclaimed. "If you're lucky it may just give me the energy I need to finish those shelves for you, Jeff."
"That'd be wonderful Gotz," Jeff replied. "I'm getting some new merchandise soon and I'd like to be able to place it somewhere other than the floor."
"Hahaha. I would have had them to you sooner, but as you know it was a harsh winter and good lumber hard to find."
"Well just as long as you get them to me. Business has been a bit off ever since Walter died."
"That so?"
"Yeah. A few of the villagers have been importing their food from the city. They say the stuff I'm carrying now just isn't the same as Walter's."
"Walter knew how to run that farm. It's a shame to see it the way it is now."
"Didn't Walter have any one to take over for him?"
"No. The man lived by himself. Wasn't married nor did he have any children, but now that you speak about it something strange did happen on my way here today."
"What's that?"
"A stranger's in town. Stopped to ask me for directions to Walter's place. A young lad."
"What did he want?"
"Didn't say although now that I think about it perhaps he was looking for Walter."
"What's that about Walter?" Thomas asked as he strolled up to Gotz and Jeff.
"A young lad I saw today. Asked me for directions to Walter's place."
"Doesn't he know that Walter is dead now?"
"Didn't seem like it although if you wanted to ask him perhaps the boy is at the farm right now."
The Legends farm was a mess. The once beautiful field was blemished by weeds, stumps, branches, rocks and boulders. A lone farmhouse stood near the entrance; its wood splitting and the paint discoloring and peeling apart. The barn seemed to be in a state of disrepair and the chicken coop looked as if it could fall apart any second.
A lone figure stood at the edge of the field. He watched as a small puppy played in the debris chasing after something. His light brown hair swayed in the wind as he held his blue cap to his side. He stared out over the property looking in disbelief at what he saw. Behind him Thomas walked up to see the stranger that Gotz had spoke of.
"Can I help you with something?" Thomas called out.
"I'm here to see Walter. Can you tell me where he is?" The stranger said as he turned to face Thomas.
"Walter isn't here anymore. As the executor of his estate I have to ask you to leave the property."
"Executor? Does that mean...?"
"Yes. Walter passed away six months ago."
"What happened to the farm?"
"Nobody has taken care of it since he died. We've been waiting for the inheritor to show up, but so far he hasn't shown up. Until that time we ask that nobody disturb the place."
"I'd like to see his will."
"I'm afraid that's a private document. Only a few select people are allowed to see it. How are you related to Walter if you don't mind my asking?"
"I'm a... a friend of his."
"I'm sure many people can claim they were Walter's friend, but that doesn't entitle them to view his will. Unless you can provide more proof of your friendship I'm going to have to ask you to leave mister...?"
"James..."
"James!? I do recall seeing that name in his will. If you'll be kind enough to follow me back to my office we can see about looking at that will."
"Come on, King!"
The little puppy ran happily to its master's side at the call of its name. James bent over to give the dog a pat on the back and afterwards rubbed some mud King had picked up on his blue overalls before following Thomas back into Mineral Town.
James sat amazed as he held his cup of tea. He watched as Thomas added to the ever growing stack of papers on his desk as he searched drawers for the will. King growled lowly as he tried to rip some meat of off the bone that Thomas had given him.
"Ah-ha! Here it is!" Thomas shouted triumphantly as he waved a few papers in the air.
He adjusted his glasses and skimmed through the document to find the line he wanted to show James. When he discovered it he brought the will over to James for him to read.
And finally we come to my home, the Legends farm. I have decided that I shall not leave it to any of my relatives. I have no children of my own and feel that none of my other relations would give it the proper care and love I have given it these past years. Instead I have decided to leave it to my good friend James, who has given his friendship to this old man these past
years. I know that Legends is like a second home to him and therefore I
know it will be safe in his hands.
"Are you really the James that Walter speaks of here?" Thomas asked curiously.
James reached into a rucksack he had been carrying and pulled out a few letters which he handed to Thomas. Thomas overlooked the letters. The writing they held was undoubtedly Walter's. There was no question that this was the boy Walter spoke of.
"So how did you come to know Walter?"
"It was about fifteen years ago. My parents and I had come to Mineral Town on vacation. One day I got lost and ended up on his farm. Fortunately I had a number for where we were staying. He contacted my parents and they picked me up. He invited us to stay on his farm since he had taken a liking to me and enjoyed our company. When our vacation was over Walter and I began to write each other. About six months ago his letters stopped coming and just a few days ago I decided to come to Mineral Town and see what had happened." James explained.
"So until today you never knew that Walter had passed away."
"No..."
"Well you've proven to me that you are the boy that Walter spoke of in his will and here comes the question. Since Walter has named you the inheritor of Legends farm do you want to accept this inheritance or not?"
"What would I do with it?"
"Essentially you could do anything you wanted to. It would be your property after all. However there's a few of us here in town who would like to see the place restored to its former glory and I think Walter would like that as well."
James thought silently as he cradled his tea. A farm that would be his own. He had been looking into moving away from the city and this would be the perfect opportunity. Besides Walter would have wanted it this way...
"Sure... I'll take it."
"Excellent. Any plans on what you'll do with it?"
"I think I'll take your advice and start the farm back up. I'm sure Walter would have wanted it that way."
"I'm glad to hear that. I'll give you some things to help you start out and then I'll help you bring it home."
"Home... Guess I'll have to get used to that now."
The farmhouse was a total dump. While it looked bad on the outside it was even worse inside. The floor was covered in leaves which had gotten in through the broken windows. Shelves were busted and old books lay on the floor. The lone bed was old and the springs had broken through the mattress. The old place needed a lot of work.
James checked the toolbox beside the door which only contained old, rusted versions of an axe, a hoe, a sickle and a watering can. An old broom lay in a web-ridden corner and James fished it out and began to sweep up the leaves and some glass which was there because of the destroyed television that laid on the floor. After the floor was decently cleaned he set up the old table and a chair.
Thomas had provided an oil lamp, a small television to replace the broken one, a sleeping bag and some food. James lit the lamp since the sun was beginning to set and prepared himself a meager meal of ham sandwiches. He gave the leftovers to King and watched as the moon crept into the sky.
After cleaning the house out a bit more he rolled out the sleeping bag and prepared to lay down. He laid out a small blanket for King to sleep on as well. After brushing his teeth James crawled into the sleeping bag and stared at the ceiling of his new home. This was the beginning of something new and he couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.
Morning didn't seem to come fast enough. His sleep had been fitful since James was used to laying on a comfy mattress and not a hard wood floor. As he stretched out King woke up to join him. Outside the sun was beginning to peer over the horizon. After washing up for the day to come James prepared a small bit of instant oatmeal for King and himself.
Just as the two finished up their breakfast there was a knock from outside. When he opened the door Mayor Thomas and a large, burly man was there to greet him.
"Good morning, James," Thomas said cheerfully. "Getting ready for a hard day's work?"
"Well I'm getting up..." James replied wearily.
"Good man! James, I'm here on some business and to introduce you to Zack here."
"Nice to meet you, James," Zack said as he reached for James' hand and shook it heartily. "I bet this is your first day of doing some real work like this, eh?"
"Yeah.." James answered.
"An honest man! I like that quality in people. James, I'm here because I'm going to be your shipper."
"Shipper?"
"That's right. I used to ship Walter's crops and now I'm going to do it for you. Now do you see that large box over there?" Zack asked pointing at a storage bin that sat beside the debris-filled field.
"Uh-huh."
"Just dump everything you want to ship out in there and by five in the evening I'll stop by to pick it all up. There's also some bins in your barn and coop so you can throw whatever in there and I'll get that too. Also be sure to remember that I don't stop by on festivals. I've got to take a break every so now and then too."
"Alright. What about payment?"
"Well you'll need to get into town and start up an account at the local bank. I think ol' Tom is here to help you do that. I calculate what the stuff you've shipped is worth and I'll have the money wired into your account."
"Ok..."
"Great! I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got other business I need to take care of. See ya at five." Zack exclaimed before running off.
"Good man," Thomas stated. "Anyways Zack is right. We need to get you a bank account so you can get properly paid. Right now it's only six o five and the bank doesn't open until nine so you have a few hours to kill. I'll be there when the bank opens so meet me there at nine. Got it?"
"Nine... Gotcha." James repeated.
"Alright. See you there."
With those final words Thomas began his walk back to Mineral Town. James walked back inside the house and rummaged through his rucksack. His parents had only given him a thousand gold pieces. Now he only had half of that. His first priority would be to get some money flowing in if he wanted to survive.
A new realization came to James at the thought of his parents. When he had left home to come to Mineral Town it was with the expectation that Walter was only sick and unable to write. Not that he had passed away and left his home to a distant friend. So James decided that the first order of the day was to write to home and let them know that he was going to stay in Mineral Town.
After placing the letter in the mailbox he then decided that it was time to do some hunting for things to ship and sell. There was a dense forest to the south of the farm. Surely there's something in there I can send off. King followed his master to the woods as they went to explore.
The forest was teeming with life. Birds chirped their happiness from the trees, land critters scampered across the ground and there was plenty of plants. While King was happily chasing some rabbits James noticed a clump of green herbs growing. He bent down on one knee and pulled out a small knife he had brought with him. Carefully he cut the herbs at the root and placed the plants in his rucksack.
"What are ya doing over there?" A rough voice called out.
James turned to see the man whom he had asked for directions yesterday. He stood up and faced Gotz while brushing the dirt off his pants.
"Oh, it's you from yesterday, " Gotz said as he recognized James. "I didn't expect to find you around here."
"Well it seems that Walter left me the farm in his will. I think you'll be seeing a lot more of me from now on." James explained.
"Is that so? I'm glad somebody is finally taking care of it. The name's Gotz by the way."
"James."
"Glad ta meet ya. I'm the carpenter in these parts. Everybody comes to me when they need something good built. If you don't mind my asking do you plan on doing any fixing on those buildings of yours?"
"It'd certainly be nice to get the farmhouse fixed up, but right now I'm a bit low on cash. I doubt I could afford to hire you."
"Tell me how much you have and I may be able to cut a special for you."
"I only have five hundred gold pieces."
"Ooo. I think you better hang onto that for now."
"Yeah..."
"But I'm a nice guy and if you'll follow me I'll show you a good spot where you can bring in some decent money."
"Lead the way."
Gotz lead James to an area that just branched off of the main forest path. It was a small clearing that had a small pool, a hot spring and an entrance to a deep cave.
"Now there is the entrance to the caves that gave Mineral Town its name," Gotz exclaimed. "In there is a whole bunch of minerals just waiting to be unearthed. They're mostly laying inside the rocks, but if you crack open those rocks you can extract the ore and sell it off for a tidy profit."
"Nice." James agreed.
"Over there, as you can see, is the village hot spring. If you're ever feeling weary or your bones are just aching to the core just hop on in and sit a while. That'll fix you right up and you'll feel relaxed to boot."
"Wow. I think I'll get along just fine around here."
"I'm sure you will. Now if you don't mind I'm going to be off for now. I've got to hunt up some breakfast, but I'm sure we'll run into each other soon."
Gotz went off leaving James and King alone in the little clearing. Seeing that it was only six thirty James decided that a visit to the hot spring would be just right for him. He raced back to the farmhouse and grabbed his swimming shorts after unloading the herbs he had gathered into the shipping box.
There was a small changing booth beside the spring for those who needed to change. James slipped into his shorts and slid slowly into the spring. As he went in deeper he began to feel what it must be like for an egg being boiled. However he also felt the tense muscles of his back loosening up. The stiffness of the night before was disappearing into the hot waters.
He turned to face the small pool that lay on the side of the mountain. A waterfall poured down and fed the cooling waters. James closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. It seemed like it had only a few scant seconds had passed when his watch began to beep wildly. Lazily he opened one eye to look at the time and then suddenly he was at full attention.
It was 8:50! He had to meet Thomas at the bank in ten minutes and he didn't even know where the place was. Hurriedly he changed back into his clothes and scrambled towards Mineral Town.
James was quite fortunate that the Mineral Town Local Bank had a large sign naming it as such above its doors. It was conveniently located between the Supermarket and the Doctor's office. Thomas was just inside waiting for him. Apparently while waiting Thomas had gone ahead and generally set up James' account. The only thing they were waiting for was some info and a deposit.
He filled out the papers and handed over the five hundred gold pieces he had been holding onto. In turn the bank handed James some papers with his general account information and an ATM card which he could immediately use. Outside Thomas asked James for his account deposit number.
"I'll give this to Zack so he'll be able to deposit whatever you make into your account." Thomas stated.
"Are you sure that's safe?" James asked a bit worried.
"Don't worry. Zack is completely trustworthy. Besides it's just a deposit number. It's not like he'll be able to get into your account."
"Alright..."
With that exchange of words Thomas headed off to Zack's. James stood on the steps of the bank looking out across the little village and wondered were he should begin...