Ahh, I don't really have a good excuse for not posting in such a long time, aside from school and the like (aaaaand for reposting this chapter, like...two times now. Ack. I promise this is the final version). My apologies, and thank you so much for sticking with me!
Letters from the Stars
Chapter Two
Molly didn't visit the Garmon Mine District often, unless it was to drop by the Harvest Goddess's Pond. She'd forgotten how crisp the air was up in the mountains, and how beautiful the view from the cliffs were. Far below she could see her the small, green square of her farm and even parts of the town itself.
This is what it must feel like to fly, she thought, savoring the warm breeze against her face.
A nearby shout jerked her from her thoughts. Molly spun around and saw Bo, one of the local handymen, huddled together with Luke.
"I don't think that's such a good idea," the younger man was saying, but Luke shook his head.
"Who's gonna stop us? There might be all kinds of stuff deeper in the mines. We just have to knock down that wall, and-"
Bo caught sight of Molly then, and a relieved smile spread across his face. "Molly! Hey!"
"Hey," she greeted them with a quick wave. She'd half-expected Luke to be upset by her interruption, but he seemed just as pleased as Bo when he saw her.
"Long time no see!" he said. "You never come up here anymore."
"Sorry about that. I've been busy with the farm." She offered him a shrug. "I had a question for you, actually."
Bo's eyebrows shot up. "A question for Luke?"
"For me?" Luke pointed to his own chest.
"I need to head down into the Watery Cave, but Wizard said-"
Luke's eyes lit up. "Whoa, you've met the Wizard? What's he like? I've never talked to him before, but he sounds cool!"
"He's very nice. And smart. He's the one who told me to come to you for help," Molly explained. "I don't have much experience mining, and apparently the black pearl I need is really deep in the cave..."
"The Wizard sent you to the right guy, then," Luke said, puffing out his chest. "Mining is one of my specialties! I can help you out!"
"Really? If it's not too much trouble-"
"Of course it isn't! I was just talking to Bo about one of my ideas, but that can wait another day."
"Or a few weeks," Bo muttered under his breath. Luke, who was already heading back to his house, didn't seem to notice.
"Let me grab my tools. I'll be right back!"
Molly sighed quietly once he'd shut the door behind him. So much energy. But I guess that's a good thing, if we're going to be mining all afternoon.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she said to Bo.
But he shook his head quickly. "No, it's fine! I'm glad Luke can help you out, at least. I'm a lot better at fixing things than I am at mining," he said with a short laugh. "He's good at what he does, too. You'll find that pearl in no time."
"I hope so." Molly nodded slowly. She could feel the weight of everything she still had to accomplish pressing down on her. So much to do, so little time.
The Watery Caves were...well, just as she was expecting. Watery. Damp. The air there was humid, and the moisture clung miserably to Molly's hair and skin. She brushed a few limp strands from her eyes and went back to work, determined not to let her discomfort show.
Luke, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice the humidity at all. His ever-present smile only widened as he hammered away at a few chunks of stone.
"There should be another way down somewhere near here," he said, reaching up to wipe the sweat from his brow. "I wonder how deep this place goes? Man, I wish I would've found out about it sooner!"
"I'm not sure," Molly replied from her own corner of the cavern. She looked down at her own little quarry, so dismal in comparison to Luke's hard work. She was glad now that she'd asked him to come along. If he hadn't, she might've been working alone for hours into the night.
The clangs of their hammers filled the silence until Luke spoke up again. "What do you need a black pearl for?"
Molly paused in mid-swing. She barely knew Luke; would it be all right to tell him about the Harvest Goddess's mission? He was helping her out, after all. He deserved some sort of explanation, didn't he? She looked to Finn for advice, but he was too busy poking through a pile of rubble.
No, she decided with a sad frown. No, he probably wouldn't believe her. Who would, after all? It all sounded as farfetched as a fairy tale. This was something for only her, Finn, and Wizard to share.
"Oh, I...I heard a rumor about them, and I thought it'd be interesting to see," she explained, albeit weakly. "How often do you find something like a black pearl, after all?"
Luke seemed happy enough with that. She could see him smiling, even through the dimness of the cave.
"Sounds cool," he said.
Molly breathed a quiet sigh of relief and went back to her work. Hopefully this wouldn't take too much longer, so she could let him get back to the mountain.
She'd only hammered twice before the ground suddenly gave out beneath her.
"Oh!" Molly watched the world spin around her, until she didn't know the floor from the ceiling. Her hammer slipped between her fingers.
And suddenly Luke's hand wrapped around her wrist, hard and strong. "Hold on, Molly! I've got you!"
Her breath was coming fast. There was nothing beneath her feet, nothing around her but the dank, cool air of the cave. And it was dark, so dark. How far would she fall? Would she even survive? Molly tried desperately to reach up for Luke with her other hand, but she felt herself slipping out of his grasp.
"Luke," she hissed, "Luke, I can't-"
"You can! Just hang on, I'll pull you out!"
But he couldn't. Her clammy fingers slid between his, and she fell helplessly into the cool darkness below.
The Wizard was almost out of coffee.
He frowned as he took the last packet of beans from the cupboard, cradling them in his hands. This was unlike him. Usually he kept his stores filled to the brim, always at the ready in case of a possible shortage. But lately Molly had spoiled him by bringing a freshly brewed cup with her every morning.
Wizard was somewhat distressed, but he set to grinding the remaining beans anyway. And he found himself hoping that perhaps Molly would stop by with more the next day, if she wasn't busy.
He stopped grinding. No, he chided himself, don't start hoping for things that might not happen.
Some time later his coffee was finally ready, and when he took that first glorious sip, he felt ready to tackle an afternoon of fortunes, research, and watching the shifting stars once the sun set.
Wizard turned to his fortune table. He began to smooth out his robes and sat down, gently steaming cup and saucer still in hand.
That was when he noticed something was amiss. Something that made his heart leap to his throat. Something that nearly made him drop that precious cup of coffee.
His crystal ball was missing.
