AN: Sorry this took so long to get out. My hand has been getting to me as the weather gets colder. Coincidentally as of this posting it is actually raining outside. Not too much to say about this chapter. But I will pose a question to you all, who else is hyped for the multiplayer update? I can't wait! Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving, to those of you who celebrate it. To you all, enjoy the journey, keep moving forward, and don't feed the guard dogs! - Phoenix Commander signing off!
Rain in the Valley
Matt woke to the steady drip of rain finding its way through the shingles of his cottage and onto the floor. Quickly rummaging through the cupboards, the brown haired man found a sizable pot and placed it under the offending leak in the ceiling. The steady dull sound of water hitting wood turned into a loud ding as each drip hit the metal pot. "Guess I should see if Robin can patch the roof after this rain lets up." He sighed, glowering at the offending leak.
Turning on the tv to see how long the rain would last, Matt was disappointed as the weatherman read his report, "For those of you in the Stardew Valley area, you can expect the current rain cell to stay for the remainder of the day until it disperses late tonight or early tomorrow morning."
"Damn. Well it's not raining too hard at least so my parsnips should be fine. And this rain will give me some more time around town." The hazel eyed farmer mused, as he switched the tv to the local outdoors program, Livin' Off The Land, and looked out the window of his cottage. As the host of the show was giving tips about how best to use wood that a person could find while foraging, the farmer examined the small plot of land where his parsnips were growing. "Looking at them now I'd say they'll be ready for harvesting in a day or so. It's going to feel great to get those shipped out."
As Matt was brewing a cup of coffee he lit a fire in the fireplace, the advice from the host of the show jogged his memory about the horseradishes he had placed in his produce bin yesterday. "Need to check that," Glancing at the pot the farmer gauged how much time he had left before it would be ready. "I could probably get to the bin and back in time. Plus a hot mug would warm my hands after going out there."
Grabbing a coat the hazel eyed farmer stepped onto his porch and looked at the bin by his gate. "I really hate the rain." Matt muttered with a sigh as he started sprinting to the bin, his breath fogging slightly in the cool spring air. Opening the bin, the greenhorn found a bag inside it with a note attached. Retrieving the bag and the note, Matt sprinted back to his cottage as a peel of thunder filled the air. Looking at the dour grey clouds, the rising sun hidden behind them, Matt repeated his lament as he walked into his home and closed the door, sealing the elements outside. "I really hate the rain."
Setting the bag of gold on the small table in his living area, the farmer opened the note that had been left,
Matt,
Not bad for your first delivery. Once your crops start coming in you'll be doing even better. Just remember I'll ship out anything you put in there, crops, foraged material or produce, even ore and minerals. Keep working at it and you'll be a great farmer. If you have any questions you know how to find me.
Lewis.
The greenhorn smiled, his annoyance with the weather forgotten at the Mayor's praise, as a small ding alerted him to his coffee being ready to pour. Matt set the letter down and walked over to pour his brew. "I will not fail as a farmer. I can't, even if I haven't met everyone yet, the ones I have met have already put a little of their trust in me and have been nothing but encouraging. To someone so new to the valley too."
Sitting in front of the crackling fire, the farmer took a sip from his steaming mug before continuing his monologue, a slight frown encroaching in his smile. "Morris had better keep his hands clean or all bets are off. I will run his store into the ground, it's just a matter of when he makes the first move. Hmmm, does make me wonder if Joja has gotten word to him about me. I hope not, it'd be fun to make that toad sweat a little before he realizes I'm not part of the company anymore." That thought brought back Matt's fading smile with a chuckle.
Finishing his mug of coffee the farmer turned to the bag of gold on his table. Opening it, the man's hazel eyes widened. This has to be a mistake. There is no way eight horseradishes are worth that much! Opening the bag Matt found eight hundred gold. It wasn't overflowing the bag as Lewis had paid him in hundred piece denominations, but it was still far more than he expected.
Refreshing his empty mug the farmer placed the gold back into the bag and thought what he'd say to the mayor about his concern. After a while Matt sighed finding no easy way to approach him, "Might as well just be blunt and ask him." With that plan firmly in his mind the farmer rinsed out his coffee mug and started pulling out his clothes for the day. He settled on something that would match the weather yet was not as oppressive, a white longsleeve shirt and a pale yellow vest.
After an hour of cleaning himself up, and letting the rain slow down a little, the hazel eyed farmer banked the fire in the fireplace and grabbed his coat. The walk toward the small town was a wet and dreary one for Matt, it wasn't that he hated the water, what he hated was the damp and clammy feeling that days like this seemed to always have, that chilled people to the bone despite the current season. And the dour, overcast sky always brought his mood down a little as if he'd never see the sun again.
As he passed the outskirts of Pelican Town, his shoulders hunched to help keep the rain from going down his collar, Matt collided into another of the town's residents as she dashed out of her house. With a startled cry, the young woman almost ended up sprawled in the rain sodden mud but stopped short of the ground as the farmer's hand clasped firmly around her wrist and pulled her back up to an even footing. "I may hate the rain, but even I don't go wildly dashing around in it." The hazel eyed farmer chuckled, as he bent and retrieved a pale pink umbrella that she had dropped.
"Sorry about that. I was trying to keep the rain from doing too much damage to my hair," The blue eyed woman's long blonde hair was already matting in the rain. "So much for that." She sighed, taking back her umbrella.
Matt replied with an apologetic shrug, as the two of them started walking in the direction of the Stardrop Saloon. The farmer didn't want to be knocking on Lewis' door first thing in the morning, Matt's question about his payment wasn't worth being rude. "Well, I was a little too preoccupied with something myself. I was just on my way to see Mayor Lewis about it, but I'm in no real hurry to see him yet. If you're willing, let me pay for a cup or two of coffee as an apology." Gus would have some coffee brewing about now which would help him recover from his walk into town as he talked with his new acquaintance.
"I think I'll take you up on that, I'm Haley." The blue dressed woman said, huddling a little under her umbrella to try and keep her hair from getting ruined further by the rain.
"I'm Matt, Serenity's new farmer." The white and yellow dressed man replied with a warm smile.
The farmer's words jogged the blue dressed woman's memory, "Oh, so you're the new farmer that everyone has been talking about?"
"That I am. I've been enjoying these last few days away from Zuzu City. It's been an invigorating change." The hazel eyed farmer said as he stepped up onto the front porch of the Stardrop Saloon and held the door open for Haley.
Matt's blue eyed companion looked at him quizzically as she walked into the pub. "What made you want to leave the city for our backwater town?"
"A mixture of things, though mostly I just needed to get away from Zuzu City, and since Serenity was left to me I really had no reason to not come here." The farmer said, removing his raincoat and shaking it out before hanging it by the door.
Haley shook off her umbrella and set it in the nearby holder, "Well if you like nature there is a lot of that here. But not much else, honestly I've been wanting to move to Zuzu City for a long time now."
As Matt and Haley took a seat at the bar, the farmer replied with a chuckle, "I guess not everyone is enamored with a quiet life. If I may Haley, what do you do to help keep you occupied if the outdoors isn't your thing?"
The blonde haired woman's sparkled a little at the question, "Photography, I even have a dark room to develop the pictures I take."
"Morning, Gus, can we get two cups of coffee?" The farmer asked as the Stardrop's owner came up to them.
"Morning, Matt. Morning, Haley, two cups of coffee coming right up, good thing for rain too." The rotund man said with a nod.
"Morning, Gus." Haley replied with smile.
"So, photography huh? Not a bad hobby; I bet there are some pretty good spots around here for a few pictures." Matt said intrigued as Gus poured out the cups and set them by his patrons. The farmer slid the gold across the counter to the proprietor with a smile of thanks.
"There are a couple I can think of. The lake in Cindersnap forest. The river south of Marine's ranch, the beach, especially the mountain lake by Robin's workshop." The blonde haired woman said tallying off the places with her fingers.
Taking a sip from his mug the farmer failed to hold back a chuckle as he thought, Not too fond of nature? Well to a degree you do enjoy it.
"What's so funny?" Haley asked a little irked at Matt's expression.
Setting his mug down and still smirking a little Matt replied, "Just that I've seen Cindersnap's lake, the river, and the beach, all three are beautiful places, so I can only imagine what the lake by Robin's is like. But do you know what they all have in common?"
The white and yellow dressed farmer took another sip of his coffee as he watched the realization dawn on Haley, "They, they all are a part of nature and the surrounding area of Stardew Valley. Huh, I didn't even think of that." She said smiling a little.
"In some way we all love the outdoors. There ain't no escaping it." Gus chimed in with a chuckle.
"Well said, Gus. My grandfather had the same mindset." Matt replied. Looking at the clock above the counter the farmer noticed the time, "Well I hate to drink and run, Haley, but I'd better go and see Mayor Lewis. Otherwise I might not be able to stop by Robin's workshop."
"Alright, Matt. It was nice chatting with you, eye opening too." Haley replied, with a smile, "I'll see you around."
"That you will." The brown haired greenhorn said, returning Haley's smile and giving a quick wave goodbye to Gus as he retrieved his coat and walked out of the Stardrop Saloon and into the rain.
"He's an interesting person isn't he, Gus?" Haley asked as the door to the saloon closed.
"Matt's definitely got something pushing him. I've been trying to figure out what drives him but I think it might just be that he's a decent person." The rotund bartender said, cleaning the mug that the farmer had left behind.
"There has to be something else." The blue dressed woman said, finishing her cup of coffee.
"Maybe there is, maybe we're reading too much into it. You want another cup? Matt paid enough for two more." Gus asked, gesturing to the coffee pot.
Haley chuckled a little as she replied, "He promised to pay for two and paid for three. I wonder if he meant to do that? Hhmm, sure I guess I could go for another."
"One cup of coffee coming up. As for the extra I'll either discount him when he comes back tonight or return the gold." The Stardrop's proprietor said, turning to get Haley a fresh cup.
Walking through the rain to Lewis' home was almost as annoying to Matt as the walk into town had been. The rain had pooled on the sidewalk obscuring the occasional hole or other kinds of treacherous footing. "We're going to have to see about getting the holes in the sidewalk filled. That's the second time I've almost tripped on a broken piece of concrete. The roads aren't much better either come to think of it." The farmer muttered, glancing at the puddle he had stepped in a moment earlier only to lose his footing and almost go sprawling. As for the roads, the flooding of the street he walked alongside was already a few inches deep in one or two places.
Finally reaching the mayor's home the now rain soaked farmer knocked on the door. "Come on in, but please make sure to wipe your feet!" Lewis' voice called out from somewhere behind the door.
Matt opened the door and gratefully sealed the elements away behind him. "Sorry to show up first thing, Lewis."
"Ah, Matt, it's no trouble. You look like you had a fun walk." Pelican Town's mayor said, looking over a large stack of paper on his desk as Matt removed his coat.
Matt chuckled humorlessly, "Fun is not what I'd call it. Wet and cold is more apt, rain always finds a way to make a person feel chilled to the bone no matter the weather."
"You have a point. But I take it this isn't exactly a social call?" Lewis inquired, setting the papers aside to better see his visitor, as Matt took a seat across from him.
The hazel eyed farmer pulled out the bag that contained the payment from his shipment and set it between them. "Yes, are you sure those eight horseradishes were worth one hundred gold apiece?"
The grey haired mayor eyed the bag of gold before sliding the bag toward Matt's side of the desk. "Yes, they most certainly were worth that. You were expecting less weren't you?"
"Exactly, I can't very well take more than my produce is worth. Are you positive that the horseradishes were worth that much?" The white and yellow clothed man said, sliding the bag back to the middle of the desk. I want to be sure he's not making some kind of mistake. The town can't afford to overpay me. But if he is right then I can go through with my idea without having to worry too much. Matt had mulled over the issue of Margret's condition for the last few days. The farmer had settled on the only plan that he felt eased his conscience and would help his former co-worker.
"Yes, absolutely positive. If they'd been picked sooner though they'd have been worth even more. I must say now you have me curious. Most people would take the money without question." Lewis said, a questioning glint in his eyes. What are you planning, Matt?
"If you're sure the shipment was worth eight hundred gold then I have a request." Matt said opening the bag. He took out six of the eight coins and placed them in his coin purse. "I want a quarter of what I make each month to be sent to Leah's mother, Margaret, back in Zuzu City."
Lewis' eyes widened, "Now I have to ask, are you positive? I didn't know you knew Leah's mother," Matt noticed the realization dawn on Lewis as the mayor connected the dots. "Wait a moment, when you told me the other day that Joja CO's C.E.O fired someone who shouldn't have been… such a small world we live in."
"Agreed. Can I trust you to get the money to her each month?" The hazel eyed farmer asked, sliding the remaining two hundred gold across the desk toward Lewis.
"You can count on me, Matt. I'll see that a quarter of your monthly earnings are sent to Margaret until you tell me to stop. Obviously it won't be much for now but once your farm gets going I can see those stipends becoming substantial." The mayor said, picking up the coins and locking them in a drawer. "Do you want me to tell Leah about this plan of yours?"
"No, I'll tell her. I just hope this will at least start letting me make up for not being able to help Margaret keep her job ." Matt said, standing and going to his coat.
"Don't beat yourself up for something you had no control over. We can only do our best with what we have been given, and I'd say at the time you did just that. Now, you have new tools at hand so keep doing your best. As long as you keep doing that no one can be angry with you." Lewis said, with an encouraging smile, from his position at his desk.
Matt returned the smile, before replying and walking back out into the rain. "Thanks for seeing me, Lewis. I promise I'll always keep doing my best on the farm."
As the door closed, once again leaving Lewis in the quiet of his office, he glanced at the drawer that held the stipend from Matt's shipment. You're something else, Matt. I know you'll do your best, I think that's why your grandfather left you the farm. The chime from the clock on his wall pulled the mayor from his thoughts. "Hmm, I guess I should get some lunch and then see about making my rounds around the town."
As Matt walked up the road leading to the northern outskirts of Pelican Town the farmer started to think about what his next steps for his farm would be, "I should probably see about getting a scarecrow up. I sure as Hell don't want to wake up and see some feather bag eating my produce.
"That's actually pretty simple, oh sorry Matt. I thought you saw me." Abigail apologized, after seeing the farmer jump for the second time in two days she had to wonder if he was easily frightened or just constantly lost in thought.
After taking a deep breath the brown haired greenhorn replied, "It's alright Abigail. Headed up to Robin's too?"
"Yup, though I'm going to visit the lake that's nearby. What about you?" The purple haired woman asked.
"Need to see if Robin can help get the roof of my cottage patched. Might find out exactly what she can offer for any additions to my place as well. Plans for the future, that kind of thing." Matt replied as they walked up the road.
"Sounds like a good idea. Let me know if I can lend a hand with something, it gets pretty boring around town sometimes." Abigail said, her eyes brightening a little at the thought of something to entertain her.
"I certainly will." The farmer said, then an idea struck him. "Oh and if I might make a suggestion, the rain is supposed to clear up early tomorrow. Why not take Penny out on a picnic after she's done teaching her class?"
"Why didn't I think of that?! I might be able to even surprise her with it!" The adventurous young woman exclaimed, almost tripping on a large roof that she hadn't seen in her excitement.
"Well that settles it. After you're done at the lake you can start planning, you've got plenty of time left today. And I take it Penny will be teaching till late afternoon tomorrow right?" The greenhorn said steadying his friend.
"Yeah, she'll be busy till about two or three." Abigail informed him, a large grin on her face.
"Well if you plan it for the right time, I think I know the perfect spot in Cindersnap that'll let you see the sunset. It overlooks the lake and river, I can take you there tomorrow when you're ready to set up everything." Matt offered as they stopped just short of Robin's home. It was a decently sized building, two stories with what looked to be an observatory in a detached building.
"Thanks Matt! I'll come by the farm tomorrow around say, four O'clock. That way I can get everything made and Penny will be off work. We can get it set up easily before sunset and I'll bring her over to the spot." The darkly dressed woman said, looking ready to burst from excitement.
"Four O'clock, I'll see you then." The farmer chuckled as Abigail waved goodbye and sprinted off in the direction of the lake. Even from his current spot, Matt could see that Haley had been right. The mountain lake was certainly a beautiful sight, the combination of seeing it and Abigail's enthusiasm helped him forget the rain.
Robin was adding another log to her fireplace as the bell at her door chimed, alerting her to a visitor. "You're soaked, Matt! Did you stand in the rain all day?" The carpenter asked as she saw the farmer's state.
"Something like that yeah." Matt chuckled, as he hung his coat by the fire.
"Well, just warm up by the fire for a bit. You just missed my daughter Maru and my husband Demetrius. If I'd have known you were coming by I'd have had them stay put a little longer to introduce you," Robin said, then glanced at a nearby door. "My son Sebastian is probably still in his room sleeping, if he comes out before dinner I think Hell will freeze over."
"It's alright, Robin. I'm sure I'll meet them eventually, it's not like I'm going to disappear." The farmer said, still a little euphoric at seeing the lake and at being able to help Abigail.
"I know, so what have I done to earn a visit so soon?" The ginger haired woman asked.
"I have a request, it should be fairly simple, I need my roof patched up." Matt replied.
"I can do that no problem. The earliest I can get out to the farm is Friday, does that work for you?" Robin asked, writing a note in a nearby ledger.
"Friday works perfectly, also I was wondering if you could tell me about what kind of additions you do for my cottage?" The greenhorn asked, stepping back from the fire his clothes now dry for the most part.
Robin pulled out a large catalog and set it down on a desk with a loud thud and started to thumb through it. "Sure, right now I can only handle a simple addition to build a larger kitchen, expand the living area and the bedroom. Which would run you around twenty-five thousand gold. Anything more would require way more material and time than either of us have on hand right now."
Matt's mind blanked a moment as he processed what he had just heard. "Twenty...twenty-five thousand? Please tell me that includes cost of material."
"It does, but if you bring me the material I would need I can knock the cost down to ten thousand." The carpenter said, coincidentally she wanted Matt to supply the material. It would not only help clear his farm for expanding his fields, Robin could help teach him how to build anything he needed as well.
The farmer looked at the estimated amount of material Robin would need. "That is a much more reasonable price. Hhmm, getting the material shouldn't be too hard either. Except maybe the stone. I haven't seen much in the area."
"Best place to get the stone would be the mine to the east of town. But right now Joja Co. is clearing a landslide that's blocking access to it. A landslide, I might add, that they caused." As soon as Pelican Town's carpenter finished speaking she noticed Matt's jaw tighten, and was pretty sure he was grinding his teeth. "Bad history with them I take it?"
Taking a deep breath the greenhorn replied, "You could say that, yeah. So the mines would be the best place for the stone, you said?"
"Yes, as for the wood, well that's kind of obvious." Robin said, realizing her new friend didn't want to go into his past with Joja Co.
Matt chuckled as he replied, "Yeah that kind of is. I'll think more on getting that expansion, I do have one more question though."
"Ask away, it's why I'm here." The carpenter said, interested in what the white and yellow dressed farmer had planned.
"Would you also build outbuildings for animals and such?" The greenhorn asked.
Robin's smiled a little at the question, "Of course, everything from sheds to silos and coops and barns. I can even expand on them too."
"Good, that'll give me more to think about for the future." Matt said, picking up his coat, "Now I need to go deal with a few other things. I'll see you on Friday and don't worry about being too early, I'll probably be up and about around sun up."
"See you on Friday, Matt. And whenever you have the urge to have me tackle that expansion to your house let me know!" Robin said, as the farmer started for the door.
"I will, take care!" The brown haired man said as he walked outside. Now to go see Leah. I can't put off telling her about that stipend plan of mine. Need to call Margaret too; I can't just surprise her with something like that.
Walking back through Pelican Town proper, Matt circled south to the river and followed it west into Cindersnap until he heard a banging sound coming from Leah's cabin. The farmer waited until there was a pause in the ruckus and knocked. Leah partially opened the door a moment later, "Matty? I wasn't expecting you to drop by." The artist said, stepping onto the porch and closing the door behind her.
Matt could see she'd been busy, wood chips, paint and dust covered her from head to toe. "Sorry it was kind of a last minute plan. Do you have some time to talk?"
"Um, yeah let me just get cleaned up and we can head over to the Stardrop. I think it's about time for lunch anyway." The paint spattered artist said.
Matt smiled slightly, "No rush, take your time." As Leah closed the door behind her leaving him on the porch, the farmer looked to the sky again, A large mug of hot cider and a bowl of soup would do me some good right now anyway. Hmm, Leah's definitely insecure in her work if she wouldn't even open the door fully. Either that or it's still too early in the initial stages for her to want to show it to people.
The door opening again pulled the farmer from his thoughts as Leah stepped back out onto the porch, "Ready to go?"
"Of course, I was thinking about getting a mug or two of hot cider to go with lunch cause of the rain. What do you think?" The white and yellow dressed farmer asked as they followed the river back into town.
Leah smiled at the suggestion, "That sounds like a great idea."
"Good and before we go in there, I'm paying." Matt said, returning the smile.
"A-are you sure?" Pelican Town's artist asked.
"Absolutely." Matt said, holding open the door to the saloon.
Walking into the common area, Matt could see the atmosphere was already livelier than it had been that morning, "Matt, Leah! Take a seat anywhere. Emily will be with you shortly!" Gus called from behind the bar.
Taking a seat at one of the tables, Leah asked, "So what is it you wanted to talk about?"
"I've made an arrangement with Mayor Lewis that a quarter of what I earn each month will be sent to your mother." The farmer said, he thought for a moment that the pale orange haired artist's eyes would fall out of her head.
Taking a moment to find her voice she finally spoke, "W-why? Are you sure you want to do that? D-does she know?"
Before Matt could answer, Emily, the waitress of the Stardrop walked over to them. "Hi Leah, hi Matt! What can I get you two today?"
"Hey Emily, a large mug of hot cider and a bowl of chowder for me." Matt replied, passing the menu to her.
Leah took a deep breath before ordering, "A mug of large cider and pepper salad. I need something warm after being in my drafty cabin all day."
"Coming right up you two!" The blue haired waitress said, spinning on her heel and walking back to the bar.
After she had gone the brown haired man spoke, "To answer your questions in order, because I feel this is one of the only other ways I can help. Yes, I am absolutely sure about this. No your mother doesn't know yet, I'm planning on calling her tonight. And if you or she feel at anytime that I've made a mistake then by all means I will tell Lewis not to send the money."
"How long have you been planning this?" Leah asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Since the other night. I wasn't sure what the profits would be like with selling produce, but when I got my payment this morning for shipping out a bundle of horseradishes I found out that it's more than lucrative enough for me to do this and still make enough to grow the farm." The business side of Matt's mind was in overdrive. He may not have just been doing this for the money but he did need to be smart about it.
"Well, Matty, as long as you're sure about this, then I won't stop you. Just make sure you're not doing this out of a need for redemption. You didn't fire my mom, Joja Co. did." The artist said, finding no reason to go against her friend's plan.
The farmer nodded, "I know, Leah. I had a similar pep talk from Lewis when I went to him." It was at that time their meal arrived.
"Just make sure to call my mom tonight. The last thing I want is for her to be surprised by this." The green dressed woman said, as she dug a fork into her salad.
"I will." Matt said, turning his attention to the large bowl of chowder in front of him. The pair spent the better part of the afternoon enjoying the atmosphere of the Stardrop Saloon and chatting with the townspeople as they walked in to escape the dreariness of the rain. True to his word, Gus had even knocked down the price of Matt and Leah's meal to compensate for the farmer's earlier overpayment.
After a while the farmer and the artist walked back to the outskirts of the town and stopped at the fork, it was starting to become a ritual of sorts. "I'll catch you tomorrow, Matty?" Leah asked.
"That you will, Leah. Though I have to warn you I'm helping Abigail plan a surprise picnic for her and Penny." Matt replied, with a faint smile.
"Sounds like fun, I may have to give you both a hand." The artist said, chuckling a little.
"Then swing by the farm around four. That's when Abigail will be there." The yellow and white dressed man informed her.
"Alright I'll see you then!" The pale orange haired woman said, waving goodbye to the farmer.
As Matt trudged back to the farm he sighed contentedly to himself as he looked up at the darkening grey sky, the rain falling onto his face, "Now to give Margaret a call about the stipend. Hmm, even with how dreary the rain is I don't feel as cold as I normally would. It's either the food or the company I've had with me all day. I can't really tell which."