I DO NOT OWN HARVEST MOON PLEASE R&R

Chapter 3

Lilian sat in her room, more nervous than her first dance recital. Everyone was unloading luggage at the dock. They were here, at Mineral Town. She was not very good with other people, but she was going to suck it up and go. She slowly came out of her room, with her one suitcase at hand. She had many more, but they carried all her other necessities. She slowly ventured onto the deck and looked around, everyone was keeping so busy, it was a little dizzying.

Lilian looked out from the railing and there it was , Mineral Town. It was what seemed like a peaceful town. Small cottages with smoke streaming out of the chimneys, cobble stone roads, and beautiful cherry blossom trees lining the edges of the town. There were thick forests, and near by mountains that made the outskirts of the island. It was very breathtaking when the morning sun hit the mountains. She felt a slight tap on her shoulder and Cliff was standing there beaming at her.

"You like?" He asked leaning on the railing. "We'll be able to get off soon, after all the people traffic dissipates.

"Yeah, it's gorgeous. I can see why someone would never want to leave. I'm supposed to meet the Mayor in a few minutes, is he cool?" She asked looking at him.

"He's a little eccentric, but he lets all the kids party haha." He nudged her and made her laugh.

"Well, I'm not much of a partier, but I guess being here might do that to me." She stuck out her tongue, and a thousand thoughts went through his head. He shook his head and looked out.

The crew was ready to let the passengers off that were heading for Mineral Town. Only Lilian and Cliff got off, with their luggage set up out on the deck. A short stock man was waiting for the passengers outside, he had a top hat on, with a red suit and purple bow tie. He waved frantically at Lilian, and she could guess who it was. The 'eccentric' mayor.

"Oh Cliff, how are you good boy?" He asked, getting on his tip toes to pat Cliff on the head.

"Great sir, I have to get going to church, Carter was wanting to talk to me when I got back here." Before Cliff could turn around to say good bye to Lilian, a red head with a long braid clung onto his arm and smiled brightly at him.

"I've missed you at the Inn!" She squeaked. She had bright blue eyes, creamy white skin, and she looked very fit. Lilian bit her lip and flushed. How could she had been so gullible. He had a girlfriend.

"I've missed you too Ann. Well, I'm sorry but I have to go to Carter's. I'll meet you at the Inn later okay?" Ann nodded vigorously and scampered off, looking back at Lilian and snuffing. Lilian looked over gloomly at Cliff. He looked ashamed and said good bye, sulking off towards the Festival Square entrance.

"WELL! That was weird. So, Lilian, I have been excitedly expecting you! Would you care for a tour? Zack is taking your luggage to the farm at the moment!" The mayor rocked on his feet as if he could not stand still for one moment.

"Oh, that would be lovely Mr. Mayor. Is there another name I can call you?" She asked, holding her wrist.

"Oh, I'm sorry, forgot an introduction! I'm Thomas, you can call me Mayor Thomas, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Mayor, Thomas, or Mayor. It matter not to me! So come come come! Time for an everlasting tour!" Lilian sighed, and nodded, following the Mayor out of the sandy white beach.

A couple hours went by, and she had met everyone in the town, knows where every place is in the town, and memorized all the places to go for berries and herbs, including minerals. "It's a lovely town Mayor. I can't wait to get started on my farm. Where exactly is it?" Thomas smiled and nodded, a little flushed.

"Oh dear dear dear! I forgot, hahahahahaha. Here we go! Follow me, it's just a couple streets down. " Lilian nodded and looked over her shoulder, catching a few awkward glimpses form a few of the town children.

They reached the farm and it was in terrible shape. Weeds were growing everywhere, the soil was untilled, the house was in the form of a shack, and the other structures were about as ruined as her own. She sighed and thanked the Mayor, looking back at her house where Zack was placing box after box.

"I think I will get started on the field, thank you so much for the tour, I appreciate it." She smiled and the Mayor took off his hat, showing a little bald spot and bowed.

"No problem, enjoy yourself! The Spring Festivities are going to be here in about a week, so be prepared! Toodles!" And he was gone, sprinting off to the main parts of the town. Lilian sighed and looked over at her house, a little sick to her stomach.

"This is going to take A LOT of work..." She sighed. Zack saw the look on her face and came over to her.

"It wont be that bad, once yyou get started, it'lll be over in a snap!" He smiled widely at her.

"Thanks for the encouragement, but I haven't done work like this before. I always give everything a shot though, so I hope everything will be okay. Is there anyone here I could go to for help?" Zack rubbed the back of his neck and looked at his feet.

"Well, I'm always at my shop and shipping things, so I can't really help you all the much, but Cliff, the wanderer can help you! He doesn't have a job, and he needs one." Lilian sighed, knowing that might be a bad idea if he had a girlfriend. She smiled none-the-less and nodded.

"Okay, thanks. Thank you for setting my things up in my new house. I appreciate it." He smiled and took her hand.

"It was nothing, if there is ever a disaster, or you need a shipment of goods, call me!" He smiled and took off out of her farm.

5 hours went by, and Lilian had her house set up and in order. She went scavenging around her farm, finding paint in a tool shed which she used to repaint her house, and some black paint to repaint the 'Miller Farm' sign. She stood back and looked, it looked ten times better now. She smiled and wiped her forehead with her sleeve and looked around. She could repaint the chicken coop, but she was a little too tired. She went inside and dug around her fridge, there was a few sodas, and a couple fruits and berries. She smiled and took out a berry with a coke and sat at her table. She always liked to look out a window when she ate, it gave her something to think about, since nature was another thing she was highly interested in.

It got dark quickly, and Lilian figured she would check out the Inn before she was too tired. She took a nice hot shower and threw on a pair of tight fitting blue jeans, a pair of heels, and a tank top. She looked in the mirror, and smiled. She figured the sun did her a bit of good today, she was a bit tanner than usual.

She turned and walked outside, trying hard not to touch the walls of the house since they were freshly painted. She walked down the street, looking at the clear night sky that you could never see in the City. The small lights on the paths were quite angelic, and she felt happier than ever. The whole ordeal with Cliff seemed to have melted from her shoulders, and she felt ten times lighter.

She reached the inn, a little nervous to see Cliff or Ann, or both. She knew Ann worked with her father at the Inn, and Cliff was staying there. She took a deep breath and opened the door. There were a lot of people inside, and the loud racket hurt her ears a slight bit. Lilian placed herself at the bar counter, and ordered herself a martini. There was a red headed boy sitting next to her with glasses, his name was Rick, when she met him from the Mayor. He was tall, with slightly long hair, and a white sweat band on his head. He looked over at her and smiled.

"So, you like it here so far eh?" He asked, smiling more than ever at her. She nodded and sipped her drink.

"Yeah, it's really beautiful here, I still have a lot of work to do at the farm, but I'm sure I can handle it all. How is life on a chicken farm?" She asked looked at her pointed shoes.

"Oh, boring. The only fun things here are the festivals. I love them, but sometimes it can be such a bore, especially with the same people you've hung around with your entire life." He turned and picked up his beer, sipping lightly, and returning a dead glare at a blonde hanging over a bar stool.

"Is Karen always like that?" She asked, laughing a little.

"When she's upset she is. She drinks, excessively. I need to take her home soon. Actually, I should do it right now. Nice talking to you though. Bye. Rick stood up and took Karen by the arm. She giggled a little and wabbled outside with him.

"Crazy kids in this town, I have to say." Doug exclaimed cleaning out a glass.

"Yeah, it seems like it, not much different than school." Doug smiled and turned back to the bar, getting another order from another boy sitting next to her. It was Grey.

Lilian sighed and swiveled around in her bar stool. The she felt two hands stop her on her shoulders. She looked up and almost spit her drink. It was Cliff. She hadn't been thinking he would have been there that night.

"Hey beautiful." He smiled at her and sat down next to her. "I'm sorry about Ann, she gets a little carried away sometimes. She has this crush on me, you know?" He sighed and sat down next to her, ordering a whiskey.

"I guess, you guys just seemed to have chemistry." Cliff sighed and looked down at the counter, feeling completely ashamed again. He did like Ann, he had since he moved to the Inn, but now it was different, after he met Lilian, he wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do.

"Yeah, we did have chemistry..I just..." He looked over at Lilian, and she met his gaze.

"You just what?" She whispered back, slowly adjusting to his stare. She bit her lip and smiled a little.

"I just, don't feel the same..." He sighed and looked back down at his boots. He felt like a complete idiot. It was too soon to tell her how he felt.

"Well, it happens to the best of us, you know Cliff?" She smiled awkwardly and turned back around to the bar, finishing off her martini. "I guess I ought to be going, I have to fix up the rest of my farm tomorrow, and start tilling. I'll see you around." Lilian hopped off the stool and strolled out of the bar, with a few people watching her. She sighed, turned around to see if he was looking at her too, but he had his head down on the bar. She sighed and turned around, just as he turned to look at her leave.

Back at her house, she laid in her bed, happy it was her mattress and her sheets. She curled up in a little ball and sighed, tomorrow would start off in a way unimaginable. The night consumed her busy thoughts, and she let all the butterflies in her stomach disappear, and she drifted to sleep to await tomorrow.