I threw myself down onto the worn mattress with a sigh, the springs in the bed letting out a gentle groan when I did. I let out a grunt that sounded eerily similar to the old bed and caught myself making a wry smirk. I flopped over and rolled onto my back, staring up at the wooden slats in the ceiling.

The same knotted wood and grain... It had grown so familiar to me over the years, and I guess in a weird way, it did make me feel a little better. Sorta comforting, y'know?

The cooler temperature made me shiver a bit, but I didn't really feel like climbing under the covers. It was late afternoon, and I didn't feel like conkin' out for the day, even though the sky was very cloudy and made the room kinda dim. Still, it was cold. That, combined with the scent of dry leaves and crisp autumn air, only reminded me that my best friend, Kai, had left with the summer. The room was now empty, and along with that, my schedule.

Cue the boring cold months ahead.

I mean, I usually managed just fine livin' by myself three seasons out of the year, but there was always something about that first week or so of autumn that always left me feeling like crap.

Maybe I really am lonely.

Not that being aware of it makes me feel any better.

The tenants that lived on either side of my room rarely spent time at the inn. I was lucky if I saw them once a week. Eh, maybe "lucky" isn't the right word.

I had bumped into the blonde chick living at the room at the top of the stairs – Jenny-something-or-other – shortly after she moved in. She left early most mornings, and I could only assume she returned late after I had already hit the sack.

Goddess, I can still remember that first awkward meeting. She left an impression on me for sure.

What kind of impression? Heck if I know.

"What glorious weather has been foretold for this most splendiferous morning. I was just about to go out to greet the sun. Its beautiferous energy always helps me charge for the day." She let out a happy sigh. "Is becoming one with nature not the pinnacle of one's true purpose in life? So grateful we should be, to live in such a time where all this knowledge and resources are available to us."

What are you even supposed to say in reply to that? I'd already gotten enough lectures from Gramps that sometimes saying nothing was better than getting on someone's bad side. Apparently, I was notorious with starting off on the wrong foot with people, so I took a moment to stop and assess what I was dealing with.

So I was definitely talking with some sort of Earth weirdo... and I'm pretty sure at least a couple of those words she said weren't even real... Marie could probably fill me in, but seriously... who talks like that?

She continued on, unfazed at the bewildered expression I knew was written clearly on my face. "Perhaps our paths were meant to cross. I can sense a negative energy latching onto you, and I have just the thing." Reaching into her jingling satchel at her hip, she produced a small package wrapped in paper. "This Palo Santo can help clear both the air and your mind of those bad vibes."

I didn't know what to do other than mutely accept the gift. I guess a forced smile coulda helped, but she didn't deserve one.

"Negative Vibes?" And Gramps tells me that I'm rude...

"Fear not. I don't believe that you were born under an unfortunate sign, but the use of incense should help remove that residue that is holding you back."

I cocked a single eyebrow.

Holding me back?

I don't think she really cared that I hadn't replied to her at all. "I wish you well. The sun awaits no one, and I must make haste to the unnamed lake." She strode down the steps with her long legs practically floating along.

Needless to say, I had a lot of feelings about our little encounter, and I wasn't sure how many of them were good. I wasn't really eager to meet her in the hallway again, and I was grateful that she never really hung out downstairs to eat. Still, the little gift she had given me smelled good. I kept it wrapped up on my nightstand and would take it out occasionally to smell it.

Sweet, woody... comforting.

It was alright, I guess.

I saw the other tenant a little more often, but spoke to him even less. Most of the things I knew about him were things that Ran had told me. His hometown was likely very far away from Mineral Town, he practically lived at the church, and he was painfully shy.

"Painfully" being an understatement.

Cliff often sat on the far side of the bar during breakfast. He never ate much, and Ran was eager to dig into her trove of cheesy jokes, saving the most groan-worthy in an attempt to get a cheap smile out of him. Why was she so determined to fight such a losing battle? What did she get out of that? I don't think I ever heard so much as a chuckle from him. She got a shaky grimace at best, and even I felt kind of bad that Ran's best attempts were falling flat.

Dude seemed pretty content being miserable – best not to get involved in a mess like that. I've got enough problems of my own to focus on.

I think the longest conversation with him had been on a day when I was carrying a stack of books to return to the library. I was up at the top of the stairs when I noticed Cliff had climbed nearly all the way up. He froze and looked up at me with these spooked eyes, almost like he was afraid I was gonna punch him or somethin'.

"O-Oh! Uh, I'm s-sorry..."

I cocked my head, frowning. "Sorry for what?"

Cliff turned redder than the furnace at the forge. "I'm in the way. H-Here... let me, uh..."

Before he could let me get a word in edgewise, the weirdo turned around and hurried down the stairs, waiting at the bottom.

That's one thing I've noticed about both of my neighbors – neither of them really like to bother listenin' to anything I have to say. Not that it's any different than anyone else in my life...

Anyway, as I made my way downstairs, my own face felt hot the moment I noticed he was still watching me. Those wide blue eyes were locked on me like some kinda sad puppy. By the time I made it down to the floor of the bar, the awkwardness had fully settled in. I looked down at my books – there were maybe four or five standard paperbacks at most – definitely not enough to warrant Cliff's skittish behavior.

All of a sudden I remembered the constant apologizing I vaguely heard during breakfast. Ran would laugh it off, but Cliff was almost always bowing his head and murmuring some kind of apology, his face ghostly pale. Guy's going to worry himself to an early grave. "That was hardly necessary."

The color immediately drained from his face and I could visibly see his shoulders droop. "I, uh... I just wanted to..." He quickly shook his head, his eyes darting to the floor. "I'm sorry."

I didn't think I was bein' a bully or anything... It's hard not to feel pity for someone whose default state is downtrodden. I shifted my books in my arms, trying to let him know I wasn't mad. "I mean, the stairs are wide enough for both of us to-"

"And I made it weird... awkward." Cliff's frown only grew. "And I just spoke over you. I-I'm sorry."

The next words came out by way of habit and I bit my lip the moment they slipped out. "Well, you saying it aloud only makes it more awkward."

"Ah... I'm always screwing things up... I-I didn't mean t-to..."

He has a really unusual accent. Where would that be from? Ran did say he came from far away...

Cliff ducked his head and scurried back up the stairs, eager to put as much distance between the two of us as possible. I guess I can't really blame him, on account of me always saying the wrong thing. I let out a frustrated sigh, hurrying through the dining area in case Ran had caught the exchange and would no doubt give me an earful for making Cliff even more reclusive than usual.

She's gotten on my case about being unfriendly to temporary guests. Apparently I don't always give the best first impression or something.

"It's our job to make everyone feel welcome here," she would always say with a bubbly grin and furrowed eyebrows – a frightening combination if I ever saw one.

Our? Sounds like your job, not mine. And once again, she'd forgotten that I'm a guest here, too.

My admittedly pathetic inner griping was interrupted with a loud clap of thunder. I had been so lost in my head I didn't notice it had started raining.

Dang... it was more than simple rain. The sky had only darkened more since I was off in la-la land. Looked like a bad storm was brewin'.

Not that I had anywhere to be, anyway. Looked like I was pacing while going though those stressful moments in my head.

The entire sky illuminated, and I took a step back from the windows, bracing myself for what was to come. The entire inn shook, and the lights went out. I heard a muffled shriek from one of the rooms beside me. Rain pelted the roof in sheets, and I was glad that I had decided to skip the library today.

"Mother Nature is truly showing her glory today. Sh-She is fierce and not to be trifled with."

I jumped; it wasn't like me to keep my door left ajar. I turned around to see that blonde chick standing in the doorway, her face lit up by the candle she was holding in her shaky hands. I could smell the incense from where she was standing.

"Uh, yeah... It's really coming down out there, uh... Jenny."

"Jennifer," she corrected. "It means 'blessed spirit' or 'enchantress' depending on the origin."

Spirit? She looks more like a ghost, standing there like that with her face glowing in the flickering candle light... So pale, too.

"Ah, sorry." I wasn't sure what had made me more uncomfortable – messing up her name or having her show up in my room out of the blue like that.

Jennifer pulled me from my thoughts. "I'm concerned that I haven't heard anything from Ran or Dudley downstairs. If they're trying to switch the breaker, I have a feeling the power's out all through Mineral Town. That last strike of lightning..." She shivered shaking her head as if to remove the thought of it.

"There's no need to worry about them. They're next door at the winery. Ran was all excited that they were going over for their annual sampling. Apparently Duke and Manna let them taste what's new and Manna always goes all out on the snacks. This is their big sales day – I betcha they got a generator runnin' to keep the party going." I couldn't help but roll my eyes – the cheese, crackers, and cookies they served with their new liquor was the perfect hook for Ran's bottomless pit of a stomach. No doubt she'd be begging Dudley to order extra wine, beer, and spirits.

"Perhaps this serendipitous surprise has a deeper purpose. I haven't spoken much with the other residents since I've moved here. I do usually prefer to do things on my own, but I have a feeling that we perhaps we should pay a visit to the young man with the sad eyes."

Dang, I don't think I want to know how she refers to me when I'm not around. Still, the idea of a third person present did make me feel a little more comfortable, as much as I hated to admit it.

"You mean Cliff? He's not much of a talker."

A thoughtful expression flickered in the candle light. "Perhaps not with verbal words, but maybe he speaks more in other ways. Much like yourself."

Much like me? She hardly knows a thing about me other than my name! Halfway through rolling my eyes, I had a feeling what she was referring to – my poker face needed work.

We made our way down the dark hallway, nearly dodging the napping cat curled outside of Cliff's door.

"Something tells me the lonely soul could use some company."

I thought she was going to knock on the door – y'know, like a normal person would. She went striaght for the doorknob!

I guess you could say Jennifer's a free spirit... if you're polite, that is.

I was about to grab her wrist when she twisted the doorknob and allowed herself inside. All I could manage to do was stand there, completely dumbfounded that she had such a lack of boundaries.

Still, having never stepped into the room myself my entire time living at the inn, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little curious about what it looked like.

Gripping the door frame, I poked my head inside.

Fairly standard. Same basic furnishings, except for one gigantic bed. You gotta wonder how much he's paying in rent. Cliff definitely didn't strike me as the type that was loaded. Besides that, though, the room was bare – no expensive trinkets lying around or anything.

For a brief moment, it looked as if there was no one else in the room. Through the dim light of the window, I could make out Cliff lying on his side, his tousled mess of brown hair facing us. Whether he was asleep or not, I wasn't sure, but approaching him sounded like the stupidest idea in the world, which was exactly what Jennifer was doing.

I hissed her name, but she completely ignored me, approaching the bed. Cliff made no indication that he had sensed either of us.

I had half a mind to leave so that if he was crabby when he woke up, I'd have no part of it. Still, my feet remained planted on the spot. This feeling of not being sure what to do was making my stomach turn.

"Is the weather amplifying the feelings in your heart?"

Goddess, melodramatic much? I rolled my eyes.

There was a slight stirring in the bed and we watched him sit up, his expression illuminated in the small flame. Worry lines etched his forehead, and his eyes had that kind of fatigue that couldn't be cured with rest. He didn't appear to be sleeping, but rather, wallowing.

Guess that was a popular activity this afternoon.

He looked over at Jennifer. "You're afraid of the storm outside." Cliff's blunt statement left me shocked.

Also, had I really been that oblivious to how she was feeling?

Looks like I wasn't the only one caught off guard. "I d-don't dislike Mother Nature for providing us life-giving rain, but..." Jennifer hesitated, looking around nervously before continuing. "I could do without the loud thunder. Its cacophony of unexpected clashes can wreak havoc on the nerves."

"I-It's okay to be afraid of things... Carter tells me that everyone has fears – we j-just need to... process them in a healthy way."

"Mr. Carter said that? Well I suppose he can give some good advice after all."

I bit back a laugh, but it still escaped as a snort. Jennifer looked up at me, her expression wounded.

"Shoot, my bad. I was just thinking of the time I had a row with Gramps over something stupid." I felt the need to explain myself, feeling more and more embarrassed as I continued. "He invited me over for dinner and got angry when I wouldn't eat his nasty cooking. I went to Carter to get some advice on how to apologize and he basically told me I was an ungrateful brat that deserved to be smote by the Harvest Goddess."

Cliff let out a nervous laugh. "He, uh... can get a little passionate with the fire and brimstone sometimes... b-but he can be really compassionate, too, sometimes..." His voice drifted off into a whisper.

Jennifer gave a sage nod. "I find his methods can be a bit... vexing. What does he believe in anyway?"

I shook my head "I don't think we'd have enough time to figure that out in one afternoon."

"What did he cook?" Cliff's voice was still soft.

"Come again?"

"Your grandpa. What did he make for dinner that was so bad?"

I had been so caught up in trying to imagine what Carter's expression must've looked like behind the confessional screen that I forgot what I had been confessing about. "He made rice with... chestnuts." The very memory left a gross taste in my mouth.

As soon as the words left my lips, the other two spoke over each other.

"Chestnut rice is simply divine!"

"But chestnut rice is good!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "I guess I should've confessed for having a bad sense of taste, then."

Jennifer's eyes were focused on the storm outside. "You're both welcome to join me in my chambers. I have lots of candles, and I was thinking we could use one of my old tarot decks for some card games."

She didn't have to tell us twice – anything was better than listening to a storm while feeling sorry for yourself.

Time flew by as we played some classics like Go Fish, War, Rummy, Blackjack, Euchre... We took turns picking the games, explaining the rules to those who didn't understand. I quickly learned that Jennifer had a great poker face, and Cliff was quite the opposite. I taught them a few games Kai had shown me, and having them both focus on me as I explained the rules got easier with time.

Jennifer's and Cliff's soft chuckles mingled as they compared their hands – identical matches once again.

"Who shuffled this deck?" Cliff asked, and in the flickering candlelight, I saw him smile for the first time.

"It was you!" Jennifer pointed out with a cackle.

This was going well... too well. Something about it all made my heart hurt. For a brief moment, I actually felt a little nauseous. It was like being a kid again – it didn't matter that we were a hodgepodge group. I didn't care that Jennifer's flowery speech had made my eyes roll hours ago. I didn't mind that Cliff was painfully shy and awkward – heck, his anxious stuttering had almost completely stopped since we started playing cards. Simply being in another person's company was... nice. Comforting.

Cliff must've noticed I wasn't laughing along. "Is something wrong, Gray?"

"I dunno," I admitted. "I mean... I-I like this. I'm actually having the most fun I've had in a while. I just..."

I fumbled for the right words, and I was grateful that I probably had two of the most patient people in town waiting on me.

For some reason, the retreating image of my father appeared in my mind and all the feelings associated with it.

Heartache.

Loneliness.

Abandonment.

My head began to spin.

"It's scary to get too comfortable, y'know?" I finally managed to pull the words out of my throat.

I noticed Cliff turned his head away, focusing on the storm outside. Jennifer looked at me, cocking her head curiously.

"I suppose I can't relate to the feeling you're expressing. Is it not comfort we were all seeking this evening?"

I mean, I knew what she meant, but how do you explain to someone that the concept getting comfortable is, well, uncomfortable? There was a long, awkward silence as a sudden rumble of thunder rattled the room.

"It's easier to avoid getting hurt." Cliff's voice was barely audible above the sounds of the storm. Despite the low volume, it was easy to hear the pain within it.

I hated that he was right. And a surprising part of myself hated that he could relate.

But... he had listened and understood. That in itself made me feel a little less alone.

"Dudley had implied that you've experienced many different locations that our generous Mother Earth can offer. Was that not your wish – to see as many of these wondiferous lands as you could?"

I wished Jennifer would lay off a bit – the dude looked like he was gonna cry.

"M-Maybe at one point. I just... want a place to call home again."

I felt hope rise within my chest. "A place to stay permanently?"

He gave a slight nod, but his shoulders sunk. "I wanted that place to be here, but... I don't know if that's going to be possible."

"O-Oh?" My voice cracked as I felt a familiar pain start my chest. His company had been unexpectedly nice, and I found myself wanting to learn more about him.

"I'm... running out of money. I doubt I'll be able to stay here after winter's over if things don't change."

It was in that dancing candlelight that I noticed how heavy the bags under his eyes were. My heart sank.

I could still feel the brisk air at my back as I walked along the pier, hands stuffed into my pockets. Kai's arm was around my shoulders as he excitedly went on and on about his new destination – my least favorite topic for conversation.

"... And don't even get me started on the fireworks they have over there! It's worth traveling there for the season for that alone..."

I wished I had my arm around him, too. I wish I had actually been listening to him, enjoying the sound of his voice that I wouldn't hear for three more seasons. I wish I had returned his hug as he left. I wish I had waved a little more enthusiastically for him as I watched the boat move off toward the horizon, Kai's grin as bright as the autumn sun. I had just been so upset, so... depressed at the thought of him being gone that it was hard to feel excited for him.

Selfish, I know. Gramps is always goin' on about how I need to focus my thoughts. Maybe I need to focus them on someone other than myself for a change.

But seein' those dark circles under Cliff's eyes – they just made me think of my own reflection lately.

"The nature around Mineral Town is second to none, and the people have such kindness in their hearts. I do hope that you are able to find a way to remain here."

"Yeah. It would suck if you left," I found myself saying.

"R-Really?" Cliff looked as if he thought we were about to burst into laughter at his expense.

"Yeah."

"Of course!"

He looked deep in thought and was silent for a moment before he spoke. "I... I've always wanted to be friends... to talk to you both... but I never knew how to start. I didn't want to be a burden on anyone else."

"Traveling alone has its advantages," Jennifer replied.

I quickly stepped in. She might have had her own reasons for why she felt that way, but this afternoon's taught me that reaching out to other people was exactly what I needed in my life right now. I mean, yeah, it sucks that Kai's gone until summer, but that doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to have any fun until he comes back.

"Bein' on your own can be awful if it's not what you want. It's... lonely. Maybe I could see if Gramps needs extra help gathering ore in the mines. I've been run ragged doing it, and a second set of hands might work if Gramps isn't too cheap about it."

"You and your grandfather both do such wondiferous work!" Jennifer gushed, and I found myself blinking in surprise.

That mighta been the first time someone's complimented my work, but I wasn't sure if I really deserved it.

"Both?"

She gave an eager nod. "Yes, when the chain on my pendulum needed replaced, you and Mr. Saibara made a lovely new silver one for it. It works better than ever! I really think that getting it from the mine right by the spring of the Goddess has imbued it with enhanced properties."

I rubbed the crook of my neck, avoiding her enthusiastic eyes – she definitely had the wrong idea about what I actually did at the forge.

"I'm glad it's what you needed, but Gramps is the one who makes the jewelry and chains. I'm not allowed to work on anything that advanced yet. I mostly just gather and melt down the ore and make really simple things."

She was undeterred. "So you unearthed the silver from the mines, and you processed it so it could be created into something else. Something that I use daily and gives me peace of mind as I continue to cultivate my connections with Mother Nature."

"Well, I mean, when you put it like that, it sounds like I'm actually doing something useful."

"It is useful," Cliff chimed in.

I'm pretty sure I had a really stupid-lookin' grin on my mouth, but I didn't care. "Then I'm definitely gonna see if I can work over Gramps to get you some part time work."

"And I would be delighted to remind Mr. Saibara how wondrous the chain was that I purchased from him."

A wry chuckle escaped my lips. "Yeah, he'd probably take a customer review over anything I wanna say. Cliff, is it cool if I tell him that your wallet's hurtin'? Might give him that extra shove, if you know what I mean."

The lights unexpectedly flickered back on and we all blinked and groaned at the sudden change.

Cliff was giving me a nod, his eyes a bit misty. "I'd... really appreciate that."

I know I didn't land him a permanent job or anything – heck, even a part-time one wasn't guaranteed – but seein' that look on his face... havin' a healthy color return – well, it felt really good. His eyes looked different, too, like they had a new glimmer to them.

I guess that's what people call hope.

Mine probably look the same.

"Well, since the power's back on, I don't want to overstay my welcome."

I knew he was right, but I still felt my heart sink a little.

Jennifer deftly scooped up the cards and gave them a shuffle. "Who said we had to stop playing? Or do you have other matters to attend to?"

Cliff shook his head with a smile. I grinned, leaning my elbows on the table.

"Deal me in, too."