A/N: Only three reviews? *Sighs* I know you stalkers can do better than that! Anyhoo, second chapter is done. Enjoy!

"Blegh! Get off of me, you stupid mutt!" I complained, instinctively throwing the covers up and sending my frightened dog scampering across the room. I wiped the dog saliva off of my face with the sleeve of my PJs, making a disgusted face. Ah, the joys of being a dog owner.

I grabbed a rice ball from the pantry and ventured outside of my barely-fit-for-intelligent-life hut, slinging my Rucksack over my left shoulder.

When I'd told Takakura how I could barely fit my pinky toe, let alone myself and my pets, into the dwarf-sized midget of a shack, he'd merely told me that my parents could do it, so I could too. My parents. The word still stung, even though I'd lost my family over a year ago. Huh. I thought I'd be over them after all this time but, unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

I gazed out over the almost-empty land that was now mine and thought about what I'd do with it all. I already had Gotz build a chicken coop and I'd plowed a small field which I planned on planting turnips in, but that wasn't nearly enough. Maybe I could plant a few trees or something…

"Hey, sister!" came an all-too-familiar voice from behind me. I grunted in response, hoping the hippie would notice I wasn't in the mood and leave me be. My hopes were murdered.

"It's such a beautiful day today," he rejoiced, staring dreamily at the sky. "It's all so amazing, isn't it? In fact, I wrote a song about it… Want to hear?"

Despite my lack of response and occasional evil glares, Gustafa proceeded to make my ears bleed through over thirty badly sung verses about how much he enjoyed watching the trees photosynthesize. The guy was a more effective torture device than anything the people in the Medieval Times could've come up with.

Two hours later…

I have done the impossible.

I have convinced that oblivious hippie to get the hell off my farm. For a few days, at least.

"Hey, Gustafa," I'd interrupted him mid-verse, "There's this one person that I know that I've noticed has seemed a little… depressed lately. What can I do to help him out?"

As expected, he'd replied, "He can't let the man bring him down. Music is the perfect cure for the soul, sister. Remember that. Play them a tune, and it'll brighten up their day."

"Oh no! I'm no good at singing, and I can't play any instruments either. Whatever will I do, Gustafa?" I'd wailed theatrically.

I'd concluded that there were two possible responses, one more desirable than the other.

Response #1: "I'll teach ya, sister! Before you know it, you'll be feelin' the power of song flowing through your veins."

Response #2: "I shall help you, my sister! I can't possibly let a fellow human being be subjected to such dark thoughts. Who is this person in need?"

Fortunately for me, he chose option two. For if he'd chosen option number one, I'd have a murder on my hands, and I'd prefer not to spend the rest of my life in a jail cell even if it is more spacious than my current lodgings.

"To be honest, I don't know his actual name, but he's known around here as The Phantom Thief," What the heck? I'd thought. Gustafa'll probably never find him, but I'd love to see the look on that cross-dressing thief's face when he encounters this particular walking musical disaster.

"He's usually here only at night. At least, that's the only time I've ever seen him. Lumina seems to have a bit of thing for him, so why don't you go ask her where he might be found?" I rambled, crossing my fingers that he'd take the bait.

He did.

"Thanks, sister. I think I will. Catch you on the flip side!" He called over his shoulder, already skipping merrily towards the farm's exit, humming the dreaded song.

Stupid hippie.

A/N: Wow. I never realized how hard it was to write dialogue for Gustafa! O_O Sorry if he's a little OCC.

I'm leaving for Florida in a few hours (Woot woot!) so I probably won't be able to write another chapter till I get back on the 18th. I'm crossing my fingers that I can at least finish chapter 3 before I go, but I make no promises ;)

The review button's really close to your cursor… *Wink wink nudge nudge*